When I put together my top 5 Zelda games last year, Ocarina of Time was number one, without a doubt. So you can imagine my face when Nintendo showed a full Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 in the June Direct.

Since then, we got a date too. On November 5, 2026, the Ocarina of Time remake comes out. Not as a port and not as an emulated N64 game, but rebuilt from the ground up. I’ve gone through everything Nintendo has shown so far, and here’s what you need to know before launch day.

Ocarina of Time remake: the quick facts

• Release date: November 5, 2026
• Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 only
• Developer: Nintendo EPD, with Eiji Aonuma and Hidemaro Fujibayashi producing
• Price (US): $59.99 digital, $69.99 physical, so check your local store for euro prices.
• Announced: June 9, 2026, while the release date followed at the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8.
• Pre-orders: open now on the Nintendo eShop and at most big retailers

What’s new in the Ocarina of Time remake?

In the Ocarina of Time remake, the story and the structure are the same: Young Link, the Kokiri Forest, the Master Sword, seven years forward in time and Ganondorf. However, the way it plays has changed a lot.

Link can finally run and jump

Link now has a run, and swimming is faster. The automatic jump is gone too, so you jump with a button now. Sounds small, but anyone who has ever auto-jumped off a ledge in the Deku Tree knows how big this is.

Full camera control and modern item scrolling

You can finally move the camera yourself. Items work like in Breath of the Wild, so you scroll through them instead of juggling three C-buttons. Aiming uses motion controls, which should make the bow and the hookshot a lot nicer.

Castle Town is a real place now

In the original, Hyrule Castle Town was a fixed camera on a pre-rendered background. In the remake, on the other hand, you can walk around in it. Time also keeps moving everywhere, including in towns and inside buildings.

Play songs with the Switch 2 microphone

This is the one that made me grin, because you can play ocarina songs by actually performing the melody into the Switch 2 microphone. Yes, I’m going to hum Saria’s Song into my console, and no, I’m not ashamed.

Voiced cutscenes and a few new extras

• Fully voiced cutscenes. Surprisingly, a first for this story.
• Threads of Time: a log with a story recap and your current goal. Especially handy if you put the game down for a week.
• Hall of Defeated Foes: a new area with statues and info on the enemies you’ve beaten, where you can replay boss fights.
• Zelda Notes in the Nintendo Switch App: an interactive map, progress tracking, ocarina play and quiz questions on your phone.

Some areas keep their loading screens on purpose, to stay close to the original. I actually like that choice, because the door-opening animation is part of the vibe.

The art style: love it or hate it?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the Temple of Time. The Ocarina of Time remake goes for what Game Informer called “stylized realism”, and the internet is split.

Some people love the detailed environments, while others think young Link and Zelda look a bit uncanny, and a few compared the look to those hyper-realistic Unreal Engine fan remakes on YouTube. Eiji Aonuma has said the style is meant to bring back the feeling people had playing the original in 1998, when those blocky N64 models looked realistic to us.

So what’s my take? Hyrule Field at sunset looks gorgeous, but the kid faces need some getting used to. But I’ll judge it with a controller in my hands, not from a trailer on my phone.

Editions, the Zelda Switch 2 and amiibo

• Physical edition: the first print run comes with a textured foil cover, while supplies last.
• No collector’s edition has been announced.
• Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2: a themed console and matching Pro Controller, out on October 29. However, the game is not included.
• Amiibo: Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo are coming in 2027, and they also unlock special masks in the game.

Why Ocarina of Time still matters

For anyone who grew up in the ’90s, this game was the moment 3D clicked. Z-targeting is still how most action games handle combat. Riding Epona across Hyrule Field for the first time also felt huge. And that sound when you open a chest? Burned into my brain forever.

It’s also the game that made a lot of us Zelda fans for life, me included. That’s why an Ocarina of Time remake feels like a big deal, and why I’m a little nervous too. After all, remakes of games you love can go either way.

Can’t wait? How to play the original right now

• Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack: the N64 original is in the N64 library, on Switch and Switch 2.
• Ocarina of Time 3D: the 2011 3DS version, with touch screen item menus and Master Quest after you finish.
• The real N64: if yours still works, you know what to do. Blow in the cartridge first, of course. Tradition.

FAQ: Ocarina of Time remake

When does the Ocarina of Time remake come out?

November 5, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2.

Is the Ocarina of Time remake on the original Switch?

No, it’s a Switch 2 exclusive. On the original Switch, however, you can play the N64 version through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

How much does the Ocarina of Time remake cost?

In the US the Ocarina of Time remake costs $59.99 digital and $69.99 for the physical version, although prices in Europe differ per store.

Is the story the same as the original?

Yes, the story and main gameplay stay the same. Instead, the changes are in controls, visuals, voiced cutscenes and some new extras.

Is the Zelda Switch 2 bundle worth it?

Only if you want the themed console. It launches on October 29 and doesn’t include the game, so you still need to buy Ocarina of Time separately.

Final thoughts

Running, a real jump button, a Castle Town you can explore and ocarina songs through the mic. On paper, this Ocarina of Time remake is the version I always wanted. The art style is the big question mark, and we’ll know soon enough. Also, with the live action Zelda movie coming on April 30, 2027, it’s a good time to be a Zelda fan.

I’ll be playing on day one, and then I’ll write up my first impressions here. Before that, catch up on everything we know about Pokémon Winds and Waves, the other big Switch 2 game I’m watching.

Want every confirmed detail in one place? The Wikipedia page for the remake keeps a full list.

Are you buying the remake on launch day, or sticking with the N64 version? Tell me in the comments. And yes, Navi still counts as an answer to “most annoying companion ever”.