The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Preview

After spending roughly 30 minutes playing November’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo seems to have pulled it off. The remake is both incredibly impressive graphically and the game now plays better than ever. The remake evokes nostalgia for Link’s first 3D adventure while also feeling thoroughly modern.

My hands-on time with the game covered much of what series producer Eiji Aonuma showed in his gameplay demonstration during a Nintendo Direct showcase in September. I started at the very beginning of the game, when Link earns his new fairy, Navi, and visits the Great Deku Tree to explore his first dungeon. From there, I strolled through Hyrule Field and into its bustling Castle Town.

Later, I explored a heretofore unseen section of the Ocarina of Time remake, the twisting, turning Forest Temple. One impression of the remake remained consistent throughout my hands-on time: Nintendo’s new Zelda is snappy, streamlined, and polished in ways that make it feel totally fresh.

Kokiri Forest and Inside the Great Deku Tree

Image: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 starts in a familiar way. Navi the fairy is tasked with waking the fairyless boy Link, conveying a message from the wise old Deku Tree. In this opening section, I relearned the basics of interaction and combat. I visited my Kokiri friends for conversation and learned what I need to progress. That included acquiring a Kokiri sword, earned by visiting a nook in the forest, and earning enough rupees to purchase a Deku shield.

These activities, which taught me to jump — yes, Link can manually jump now, using either the X or B button on a Joy-Con 2 controller — and pick up and throw objects, felt speedy and precise. I feel like I blitzed through the opening tutorials, confronting the bossy Mido with such efficiency that even he must have been impressed.

Image: Nintendo

After speaking to the gorgeously rendered Great Deku Tree, I ventured inside with Link to explore the interior dungeon. Here too, combat against Skulltulas and Deku Baba felt incredibly responsive. Ocarina of Time controls like a dream on Switch 2, and as I acquired items like the Fairy Slingshot and Link’s bow and arrow, swapping between secondary weapons and items was speedy using the R button to cycle through his inventory.

One more thing stood out to me during my limited time in the Deku Tree: Gold Skulltula Tokens look absolutely beautiful. Nintendo’s rendering of textures and light in the Ocarina of Time remake is unlike anything else I’ve seen on Switch 2.

A stroll through Hyrule Field and Castle Town

Image: Nintendo

After exploring the Great Deku Tree, I was visited by the owl Kaepora Gaebora, who directed me to Hyrule Castle. Here, I got a look at the new Threads of Time feature that Nintendo is adding to the Ocarina of Time remake. In the game’s main menu, I could check in on a log of Link’s adventure thus far, reminding myself of key story beats and checking on my next destination. It’s a bit of new hand-holding, but also a handy way to reacquaint oneself with the narrative’s current state.

Hyrule Field is vast. You can see landmarks like Hyrule Castle and Death Mountain in the far-off distance, and the walk to the nearby Castle Town feels initially a bit daunting. But Link can now dash, making traversing long distances much quicker.

I did make one diversion in Hyrule Field, taking down a large Peahat near the town’s drawbridge, just to get a better handle on combat against a tougher enemy. Inside Hyrule Castle Town, the area is teeming with life. Townspeople move to and fro, engaging in dance and conversation. Engaging them in chatter and finding side-quest opportunities felt immediately distracting in my first visit to the remake’s town. I can’t wait to revisit it when I have more time.

Exploring the Forest Temple

Image: Nintendo

After spending some time playing as Young Link in the early portions of the game, I loaded up a save that featured a playable Adult Link. At this point in the game, Link has the Hook Shoot, a tool that’s key to exploring the Forest Temple, one of Ocarina of Time’s most memorable dungeons.

It was in the Forest Temple that I started to fully appreciate the streamlined movement and combat in the remake, as well as the attention to detail in breathing new life into old spaces. The Forest Temple looks gorgeous. It feels tangible and ancient, with vines and moss laying its stone walls. Small adjustments to the temple’s architecture make the space feel real, while staying true to the soul of the original. Each quadrant feels distinct, thanks to improved lighting and textures. Small environmental touches, like an ever-present mist flowing along the floors, give the space an ethereal mood. It’s a gorgeous space to play in.

But even with the game’s speedy movement and controls, I was unable to meet the dungeon’s boss, Phantom Ganon, during the time limit I was under. But after exploring the Forest Temple’s twisting hallways and clever puzzles, I was intoxicated. I can’t wait to revisit this place and see how the rest of the game has evolved when Nintendo’s new The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time finally arrives.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be released on Nov. 5, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.