The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reviews: a near-perfect remake that plays it safe

Critics agree on nearly everything about Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time: it looks stunning, it handles far better than the 1998 original, and it barely touches the design that made that game a classic. Of the 14 reviews we read, 13 recommend it outright and one is more reserved. The complaint that keeps coming back is that it plays too safe.

The same game, rebuilt

This is not a reimagining. The story, dungeons and map follow the original closely, with small edits: a few chests and secrets have moved, and the Water Temple asks for fewer keys. That faithfulness is both the strength and the limit of the remake, a careful copy that never asks new questions about its source. Game Informer Newcomers should get as much out of it as returning players. IGNRPG SiteTheGamer

Controls and new extras

The biggest changes are in how it plays. Link can jump on a button press and sprint, the right stick moves the camera, and items sit on quick shortcuts. That turns the Water Temple, long the most hated dungeon in the series, into something you can read at a glance. The Verge New extras include the Hall of Fallen Foes, a statue room with boss rematches and a boss rush, small Fairy Thought puzzles around Hyrule, and songs you can hum into the console microphone. At least one reviewer wanted more from the Fairy Thoughts. TheGamer

Looks and sound

The visuals get the loudest praise, with critics calling it perhaps the best-looking game Nintendo has made. Nintendo LifeDigital Foundry It holds a steady 60 fps docked and handheld, apparently on an upgraded Breath of the Wild engine. Digital Foundry The re-recorded score wins nearly everyone over, though some ambient tracks are less moody than before. ComicBook Full voice acting divides people more. Some say it gives the story new weight. GamesRadar+ Others feel the early voiced scenes lose the quiet mood of the original. Polygon Not every casting choice lands either. VGC

Where critics split

Most criticism is about what is missing. The game keeps a single manual save per profile, which is enough to put at least one reviewer off a second run. RPG Site There is no Master Quest and no hard mode, which matters because veterans may find the remake easy. Nintendo LifeGamesRadar+ The new faces of child Link and young Zelda look off to some. Screen RantGame Informer The fixed camera angles that once made Hyrule Castle Town feel eerie are gone too. Polygon

Who it is for

For anyone who has never played Ocarina of Time, this is the version to start with. One reviewer reached the credits in about 30 hours IGN Another spent 55 chasing everything. GamesRadar+ Returning fans get a familiar adventure with a new look and much better controls, but few surprises. The game takes under 25 GB, is exclusive to Switch 2 and has been out since 5 November. Release details are in our launch story.

Platform

Nintendo Switch 2

Developer

Nintendo EPD

Publisher

Nintendo

Release

5 November 2026

Original

Nintendo 64, 1998

Reported by IGN, Eurogamer and 12 more reviews. Compiled with AI tools.