The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is out now, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo released its full remake of the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic on November 5, 2026. The digital edition costs 59.99 US dollars, and Nintendo’s own online store lists the physical edition at 69.99 US dollars.
Link’s quest to stop Ganondorf still plays out across two time periods, as young Link and as adult Link, but almost everything around it has been rebuilt. Nintendo also pitches it as a standalone adventure and a good first Zelda game for newcomers.
What changed from the 1998 Nintendo 64 original?
Nintendo says this version was built from the ground up for Switch 2. Its launch announcement lists these core changes:
- Completely overhauled visuals
- Voiced cutscenes and expanded dialogue
- Symphonic orchestral music
- Reworked camera and movement controls
In Nintendo’s Ask the Developer interview, director HokWai Ng explained that with the graphics improved so dramatically, the team felt “the cutscenes needed to be fully voiced to match.” Casting focused on voices that match the original, so iconic lines such as Navi’s famous call still sound familiar.
The camera, which was fixed at certain points on the Nintendo 64, can now be rotated freely. Link can also dash by holding the Roll Attack button, while the classic rolling still works. Dungeon mechanisms are basically unchanged, with layout tweaks that make the way forward clearer, and producer Eiji Aonuma had the team adjust his famously tricky Water Temple.
What new features does the Switch 2 version add?
- Hall of Fallen Foes: challenge powerful enemies again and learn more about the ones you have defeated.
- Fairy lore: small sparkling symbols across Hyrule unlock bits of story and local lore.
- Threads of Time: tracks your progress and next objectives, with a grand tapestry that tells your adventure step by step.
- Microphone ocarina: play songs with buttons, or hum or play your own instrument into the Switch 2 microphone.
- Motion aiming: the Fairy Bow and Hookshot can be aimed with buttons or motion controls.
On compatible TVs the game supports HDR and VRR output, plus surround sound. The download takes 24.9 GB, and the game supports Nintendo Switch Online’s Save Data Cloud. There is no version for the original Nintendo Switch.
Does it work with amiibo and the Nintendo Switch App?
Yes. Tapping any amiibo figure from The Legend of Zelda series gives in-game extras. New Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo figures, coming in 2027, unlock in-game masks with a retro graphical style.
The free ZELDA NOTES service in the Nintendo Switch App shows your daily accomplishments, challenges you to find in-game locations from in-app images, lets you play an ocarina on your smart device, and includes an Ocarina of Time quiz. You can also write music scores and share them by QR code. Nintendo notes that some app features need a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Players who buy the digital version by 11:59 p.m. PT on November 23 (2:59 a.m. ET on November 24) get a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary digital wallpaper through My Nintendo. Nintendo also sells a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 system for 519.99 US dollars, without the game.
Our Take
The humming ocarina matters more than the visual overhaul, because it is the one change that turns a 1998 idea into something the hardware makes possible now. Voiced cutscenes and orchestral music are polish, but playing melodies by voice or instrument could decide whether this feels like a rebuild or a reinvention. We also think the Zelda Notes requirement of a persistent internet connection will put off some fans, and the missing price leaves buyers guessing.
GamingBroject
Performance and the day one update
Digital Foundry measured a steady 60 fps in both docked and handheld mode. Docked resolution moves between 1080p and 1440p, and handheld sits between 720p and 1080p. The day one update, version 1.1.1, adds Zelda Notes support and fixes several issues.
Jumping and the Water Temple
Auto jump is gone. Link now jumps when you press the button, a change producer Eiji Aonuma discussed in Ask the Developer Vol. 24. The Water Temple also got practical fixes: switching items now sits on the D pad, and some walls were turned into lattices so you can see the rooms behind them, which director HokWai Ng says should keep players from getting lost.
What critics say
The remake holds a 96 on Metacritic from more than 80 reviews, the highest score of any game released in 2026 so far. IGN gave it 9 out of 10, GamesRadar+ 5 out of 5 and RPG Site 8 out of 10. For context, the 1998 Nintendo 64 original still holds 99, the highest score on the site.
Release date, platforms and price
- Release date: November 5, 2026 (available now)
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2 only
- Price: 59.99 US dollars (digital), 69.99 US dollars (physical on the Nintendo Store)
- Publisher: Nintendo
- ESRB rating: Everyone 10+ (Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence)
Based on Nintendo of America’s launch announcement, the official Nintendo Store product pages and Nintendo’s Ask the Developer Vol. 24 interview.
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