Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 releases on 5 November
Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on 5 November, 28 years after the 1998 Nintendo 64 original that helped define 3D action-adventure design. The Verge frames the launch as Nintendo’s own autumn showcase ahead of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI. The remake keeps much of the classic layout while adopting a more realistic look that art director Aya Shida has tied to puppet theatre and practical-effects films: not literal realism, but a convincing sense that characters inhabit a fantasy world, overlapping with the original’s distinctive nostalgia.
Play has been modernised for players used to later Zelda titles such as Breath of the Wild. Additions include a dedicated jump button, a dash alongside the familiar Roll Attack (developers said they wanted to preserve rolling across Hyrule Field), full voice acting, and Threads of Time, a pause-menu progress marker. Zelda Notes in the Nintendo Switch app can show maps and other information on a phone. Hands-on coverage describes simpler third-person controls, strong visuals, and a version that still feels surprisingly tense at times.
To mark the release, Nintendo issued Triforce-themed Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro Controller hardware. Physical copies were listed at $59.99 with a $10 discount at Amazon and Walmart in the week before launch, after which the boxed price is expected to rise to $69.99 while digital remains $59.99. Hori is also selling a $49.99 electronic ocarina, shown around the franchise’s 40th Anniversary Direct: it can play original songs via buttons, twelve pre-programmed tracks, work with the remake’s sound recognition, or connect headphones.
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