The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 review: the Hero of Time gets a new lease of life

Date:
Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is the ultimate celebration of Nintendos 40-year franchise milestone, and ticks almost every box as a
remake. Its light-touch, but some of these subtle changes beautifully render Links adventure anew.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Nintendo s decision to remake The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2 in celebration of the franchise's 40th anniversary was hotly anticipated, if not a little anxiety-inducing. Like legions of fans, I share fond memories of inventive puzzles that turned hardware limitations into creative opportunities, revolutionary mechanics that defined 3D action-adventure for years to come, and, of course, one of the most beautiful and well-written storylines in the video game hall of fame. Review info Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 Release date: November 5, 2026 28 years on from the release of the original Ocarina of Time , a lot has changed in the world of gaming. Hardware limitations, even on the Switch 2, are far fewer than ever before, and theres a game for everyone. Nintendo Switch 2 Zelda Ocarina of Time at Amazon for 49.99 So in a world that now includes everything from niche interests in PowerWash Simulator to AAA giants like GTA 6 to Fortnite s bizarre multiverse of pop stars and anime icons, can a remake of a decades-old game that now feels relatively simplistic find its footing, or even be one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games going? Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Do you see that man with the
evil eyes? (Image credit: Nintendo) Its natural that the phrase dont mess
with perfection springs to mind when thinking about Metacritics best-ever-scoring video game, but a remake without meaningful changes is always going to feel like a nostalgia-baiting cash grab.

Flying in the face of that narrative, Ocarina of Time s remake proves classic Zelda still has a place in current gaming, bringing meaningful additions and alterations across the board from level design to voice acting and even some juicy new lore while still staying faithful to the source material.

All areas of Hyrule have been revisited and retouched, with few drastic changes but plenty of improvements. A rich tapestry of flora and fauna, thick fog swirling at Links feet, organic terrain, and detailed furnishings bring every location to life.

The storybook visual direction of the remake comes together beautifully with this new detailed world, making its own mark on the Zelda franchise. Its
vivid style might not be to everyones taste, but its certainly immersive, as is the rich, re-orchestrated soundtrack. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Best bit (Image credit: Nintendo) Walking
into Zoras Domain post-Water Temple and seeing it restored to its original glory felt like such a full-circle moment, but my favorite interaction I dont remember from the original game was approaching King Zora from the side repeatedly and being granted special standing close to the King privileges.
It runs beautifully too, with its buttery-smooth locked 60fps and no visible lag in my experience. While loading screens are still in place these barely create any friction, controls are snappy and its bug-free barring one
occasion where I noticed a texture glitch in a waterfall.

The world is more alive in more ways than one. I do miss the mad panic of racing to Hyrule Castle gates before night falls in the original, but thanks to the constant day-night cycles within towns, you now see a lot more of the lives of non-player characters (NPCs).

While still fairly two-dimensional, the supporting cast are full of
character, especially so thanks to a new feature of the Mask of Truth you
earn through the Happy Mask Salesman quest line. Now, when wearing the mask, you can find the hidden truths behind folks around Hyrule; the Dancing Couple dropped a bombshell I wont spoil for you, but it adds whole new dimensions to some of the people Link encounters on his quest. Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Nintendo) (Image credit: Nintendo) (Image credit: Nintendo) (Image credit: Nintendo) Image 1 of 4 View Original Image 2 of 4 View Original Image 3 of 4 View Original Image 4 of 4 View Original Youre encouraged to explore the
world and its secrets with new mechanics like Fairy Messages (which replace some of Navis hints and reward you with Rupees, Mana, or Hearts, generally)
as well as old favorites like Golden Skulltulas and Fairy Fountains, but most of all I found myself frequently looking for viewpoints from which to take in the world just for the sake of it. Quite a lot of the collectibles, grottos, and boulders are in the same or very similar places, but if you dont have a photographic memory from the original, theres plenty of fun to be had in rediscovering Hyrule.

As I expected from my preview, some of the vocal performances did win me over by the end of the game, and Matt Mercer reprising his role as Ganondorf absolutely nailed it (of course). Others, unfortunately, missed the mark; Navis original sound bites were so iconic and plucky, but its a fairly flat performance here, by comparison.

Even then, every cutscene was a delight. I loved some of the extended
dialogue and how it adds depth and personality to the world, with more beautiful cinematography than ever. I laughed, I cried, I paused and googled if some small line was a reference to a deep lore video I watched the other weekend; the narrative is richer than ever, and it celebrates the original game in all the right ways. Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?! (Image credit: Nintendo) Especially if youve played the original any time recently, theres an immediate sense of liberation when you load into Kokiri Forest for the first time; even having played the same area at a preview event several weeks before receiving my review code, I couldnt resist the urge to jump, dash, and swing around the camera like a lunatic in celebration of unhindered freedom to move.

Combat also feels more fluid and fun. While theres still a fair amount of waiting around for an opening, gone are Links sluggish movements, painstaking in-menu item swapping, and cumbersome crowd control. I love small details
like how the camera focus shifts to blur the background when you target enemies, which also means other baddies politely waiting their turn to attack you dont stick out as much.

Overall, its great; jumping and dodging around, quickly switching between weapons with the right trigger, and aiming projectiles with the gyroscope improve pacing massively. (Image credit: Nintendo) That pacing improvement carries over to Temple design too, none more so than the dreaded Water Temple now that you can quick-equip Iron Boots with the D-pad. Some temples see more significant overhauls than others, but overall rooms and puzzles have been shrewdly redesigned, with a few new additions or expanded segments like in Hyrule Castles garden maze, which now also leads Link through the castle kitchens.

Its often in the smallest adjustments that Ocarina of Times remake is at its best; for instance, changes to the environment around you in combat that make more narrative or gameplay sense. Some are subtle; I noticed one room in the Fire Temple especially with more dynamic platform design for Lizalfos to hop around, and in locations like the Forest Temple where new obstacles like acid pits replace empty pits in the floor.

I didnt clock any fundamental changes to enemies, but the scale and range
have been adapted for enemies like Iron Knuckles as well as some bosses like Volvagia. This, paired with tweaks to the attack strings, a few new moves,
and some with higher stakes, ensures Links lighter feet are still challenged in combat. When you fight the real me, it won't be so easy! (Image credit: Nintendo) That being said, I wouldnt say difficulty is the Ocarina of Time remakes strength. Ill caveat heavily with the reminder that this game is as much for kids as it is for us aging nostalgia-chasers, but given I only ran out of health a handful of times, mostly by making silly mistakes or getting distracted, it does feel like Ocarina of Time has moved one step closer to being nerfed.

Its a similar story with items I didnt have to refill any supplies more than three, maybe four times in my entire save. A new item in the game, the Business Deku Seed, summons a shopkeeper with his stock of supplies,
including potions. Its one of the only new features I find to be a bit of a headscratcher, making the game easier still.

Add to that the golden webs that hint at the location of overworld Golden Skulltulas, more obvious traps and visual cues for important locations,
doors, and boulders, and there were few times I was particularly mentally challenged, either. Golden spiderwebs now indicate the locations of Golden Skulltulas, which removes some of the challenge in finding them. (Image credit: Nintendo) Having rolled credits, I was therefore doubly disappointed to learn Master Quest isnt offered to up the ante a little. Im hoping this comes at a later date, and Im really hoping its not DLC, because with a
little more challenge, my only real complaint about the game would be quickly remedied.

Its not enough to score the game down; its ticking all of the obligatory
boxes for a good remake, and I loved every second of it. Still, I cant help but feel just a tinge of disappointment that most changes to the game are limited to optimisations and err on the side of safe. The original Ocarina of Time was great, in part, for how it took the limitations of contemporary game design and created some of its best mechanics to work around them in a creative way; without that challenge, the remake at times feels just a little unremarkable.

Still, this one niggle didnt impact my personal enjoyment of the game nor negate the many, many strengths it brings to the table, and The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time remake feels like exactly the game that the
developers would have made in the late 90s were it possible on contemporary hardware.

From the first time I played the game at my dads knee, I fell in love with
the world of Hyrule, and it was just as impactful for me in its third iteration as it was in its first. Whether youre an adult or a child, when you boot up the remake, its not a game youll forget in a hurry. Should you play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake? (Image credit: Nintendo) Play it if...

Youre a big fan of the original

At its core, this is a faithful and loving remake of the original Ocarina of Time , and as such, a vast majority of Zelda fans will appreciate the efforts to reinvigorate the game for Zeldas 40th Anniversary.

Youve never played a classic Zelda game

A lot of newer fans to the series may have only played the more recent open-world titles or dabbled in ports of older games; this remake offers new fans the chance to experience a huge part of The Legend of Zelda s history without sacrificing the comforts of modern gaming.

You love games with a story

One of Ocarina of Time s strengths has always been in the beautiful story it weaves, and its never stronger than in the remake. With tighter translations, expanded dialogue and new cutscenes, it keeps the heart of what made the original great but adds plenty.

You love puzzle games

Ocarina of Time has some great head scratchers and inventive mechanics, and keeps adding new solutions into the mix right up until the endgame. Don't
play it if...

You want a challenge

Zelda games are never incredibly difficult beyond some of the puzzle mechanics, but Ocarina of Time s remake feels fun-for-all-ages. Thats no bad thing; I first enjoyed the game as a pre-schooler, but you might want to manage expectations as an adult. Accessibility features Within the games settings, you can change the camera controls, speed, toggle motion-control aiming, and choose between one-click or press-and-hold targeting.

You can swap the jump controls, use one-handed ocarina-playing controls, toggle subtitles, and add speaker-name display. Accessibility is, as Ive come to expect from Nintendo, a weak point, but there are a few more customization options here than Ive seen in other titles. How I reviewed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake (Image credit: Nintendo) Ive completed the main storyline in my 25-hour save, as well as a vast majority of side quests and secret content. I played mostly docked to enjoy the sprawling scenery, but I did try handheld too, comparing my overall experience with the original as well as more modern action-adventure games, including Zelda titles like the original Ocarina of Time and modern entries like Tears of the Kingdom , as well as titles like Outer Wilds, Tunic, and more.

I played on the standard Nintendo Switch 2 , listening to the gorgeously re-orchestrated soundtrack through my Corsair Void Max Wireless v2 headset
and through the Switch 2s speakers.

More generally, Ive covered a huge array of games here at TechRadar, where I serve as Head of Video and previously as Managing Editor. Ive reviewed a number of action-adventure and Switch 2 titles.

First reviewed November 2026 Nintendo Switch 2 Zelda Ocarina of Time: Price Comparison 49.99 Preorder 54.99 View voucher gift 54.99 View We check over
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