Nintendo, once again proving itself completely unafraid of Grand Theft Auto VI, has confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 lands on 5 November. The highly anticipated “reimagining” of the highest-rated game of all time was shown off in a dedicated Direct yesterday.
The Direct, while thoroughly focused on the remake, was also a celebration of all things Zelda. The series did turn forty this year, after all. Ninty gave us a brief look at all the “initiatives” the company has planned — like new amiibos, action figures, playable ocarinas, the live-action movie logo, the Nintendo Museum Official Book Vol. 2, a brand-new Lego set, and even an Ocarina of Time-themed Nintendo Switch 2, heading to shelves on 29 October.
It’s nearly time for Ocarina
More on that later. First, Ocarina of Time. We’ve known about the remake since June, but Nintendo showed little more than a (very) brief teaser at the time. After yesterday’s Direct, we’ve got a much clearer picture of what’s coming. And that’s a faithful retelling of the original game with a fresh coat of paint.
Beyond the utterly bombastic trailer above, the Direct gave fans a more in-depth look at actual gameplay. Mr Aonuma dived into Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Field, and later, Hyrule Castle Town during his playthrough. All of it looks dizzyingly fantastic, while still keeping elements of the 1998 version locked into the experience.
Nintendo hasn’t forgotten this is an actual remake. There’s a dedicated jump button now, something Aonuma remarks upon as being old hat for modern gamers, but a revolution for gamers of the era. Freely movable player cameras are also a thing — another major and warranted change now that controllers have two analogue sticks.
The most technically impressive bit is, easily, the visuals. For a game that dropped in 1998, bringing the graphics up to 2026 standards is no small feat. The company has seemingly pulled it off, even if the art style isn’t quite what we had hoped for. We couldn’t stop thinking that Nintendo has flicked the DLSS 5 switch on. The remake somewhat loses some of the cartoony appeal that Zelda typically champions, in favour of a more realistic approach.
All that’s missing is Link’s inner monologue so that the audience isn’t too confused about what’s going on at any given moment. Regardless of our inconsequential doubts, we’ll be there on day one. Which, in this case, is 5 November. The game is already up for pre-order on the eShop, featuring a price of R1,260 in South Africa.
Nintendo Switch 2 – 40th Anniversary Edition
We also got a look at some new Ocarina of Time-themed hardware — namely the 40th Anniversary Edition of the Nintendo Switch 2. Looking… decidedly uninspired, Nintendo’s new bit of kit lands on 29 October, a week before the remake arrives. It’s definitely Zelda-coded, but Nintendo’s attempts at passing off a simple Triforce come across as lazy, rather than creative. We’re sure it’ll sell a buttload, but we’ll stick to the original console, thanks.
Nintendo isn’t finished just yet. Now that it’s got the marketing for its flagship holiday title out of the way, it can focus on everything else. A second, broader Direct is lined up to go live today, 9 September, at 16h00 SAST. The show is expected to last for roughly 45 minutes. New 3D Super Mario Odyssey when?
