My days as a PlayStation fanboy in the mid-to-late ‘90s put me in the crosshairs of Nintendo diehards.
My grade school lunch breaks and recess sessions were filled with passionate debates about Crash Bandicoot vs. Super Mario 64, why the PS1 is the ultimate RPG console while the N64 isn’t and how Nintendo’s 3D console was the king of wrestling games (unlike the PS1).
At one point, I finally abandoned my fanboyish ways and tried the N64 at my best friend’s house. One of the first games I played was The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.
I know that sounds insane—playing the second N64 adventure in Link’s famed series before the first one, which is regarded as the GOAT, is wild. What’s even crazier is that I didn't play The Ocarina of Time until this year, through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. After making my way through Hyrule Field and Kakariko Village, I finally realized all the hype about the quintessential action/adventure game was well warranted.
With fresh memories of the original swirling around in my head, I went into the Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time with extremely high expectations. And after making my way through three sections of the game, I walked away with even more anticipation for its November release.
Searching for a sword and a shield
The start of my foray into Link’s remade adventure kicked off with me helping Link search for his first sword and shield.
As I ran (and jumped!) around Kokiri Forest, I compared the graphical presentation of the remake to the N64 original and even the 3DS version. The porcelain doll look of Link and the rest of the Kokiri people felt a bit off to me at first when I watched the initial reveal trailer for this remake. But seeing Young Link and his fellow forest denizens in motion convinced me that the remake’s visual presentation looks pretty damned good. The forest’s more detailed woodland locales are equally impressive, as are the inner sanctums of the village’s populace.
Watching the initial cutscene unfold where Navi navigates toward Link’s hut is a bit different this time around, as the first-person viewpoint gets switched to a third-person one. I have no qualms about that one bit, especially cause the instance of Navi flying into a gate comes off a little bit more humorous with that viewpoint switch up (no pun intended). All the familiarities of this section, such as dodging that massive boulder to pick up the Kokiri Sword and buying the Deku Shield he needs to get past Mido, are intact as expected.
And thankfully, the spruced-up visuals do enough to make those nostalgic activities feel a bit fresh while retaining what made them so endearing in the first place.
Venturing through Hyrule Field and Hyrule Castle Town
Once I made my way out into the iconic Hyrule Field, I couldn’t help but be taken aback by just how much more expressive it looked this time around.
Fully detailed shrubs of grass, the presence of a noticeable mist floating through the air, patches of colorful flowers, towering trees and dirt roads make up the entirety of this remake’s newly realized pasture.
The same feelings of excitement and amazement remained intact once I finally entered Hyrule Castle Town.
I couldn’t help but crack a nostalgic smile at the sight of that dancing couple near the watering hole, who looked expectedly better than their N64 and 3DS variations. The use of loading screens between the town’s many areas wasn’t much of a bother, even though I’d prefer it if there were seamless navigation in this remake. Hyrule Castle Town’s vibrancy is on full display and is proof of just how jaw-dropping this new version of Ocarina of Time truly is.
I’m sure I’ll spend a few moments watching the NPCs move through their daily routines, chat with them to see what new bits of dialogue they may have and roll & jump around every corner of their wholesome town once I get the full game in my hands.
Exploring the Forest Temple
The furthest I made it into the OG version of Ocarina of Time thus far is the famed “Forest Temple,” so I was pretty hyped to find out I’d be getting the chance to hop into its remade rendition.
I was surprised by just how amazing it looked on the inside and outside. Coming to blows with rabid Wolfos, using Link’s trusty Hookshot to knock Blue Bubbles out of the air and carefully picking my spots to do damage on Stalfos soldiers felt good from a combat standpoint.
Landing precise sword swings, blocking and flinging bombs brought with it a nice sense of impact, which appeals to someone like me who’s big on action games that deliver an appropriate sense of combat feedback. I spammed Link’s spinning sword attack far too many times than I can count, which is proof of just how much more I liked smacking around his foes in this remake compared to the original.
Running through the Forest Temple showcased a much moodier atmosphere, thanks to the remake’s darker lighting. That brooding feeling I couldn’t shake was even more apparent once I ran through the temple’s signature twisting hallway, which led to another moment where I was more than impressed with the remake’s visual flair.
While I didn’t have enough time to solve all of Forest Temple’s puzzles and clash with Phantom Ganon, I got more than enough of a sense of just how much better this area looks and sounds in its remade form.
Final thoughts
It’s funny to think that playing the Ocarina of Time remake now has me excited to jump back into the original, so I have even more of a memorized reference guide to go to once this Switch 2 exclusive arrives on November 5, 2026.
I have a few weeks to get it done so I can hop right into one of the most anticipated video game remakes ever made.
The porcelain doll-like characters, revised musical arrangements, eye-popping graphical presentation and impactful combat all came together during my demo time to convince me Nintendo has something special in its hands that I can’t wait for you all to experience for yourselves.
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