Nintendo’s remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time preserves the structure and core design of the Nintendo 64 classic while bringing new visuals, voiced dialogue and modern control options to Switch 2. In a review published by Polygon, the game is described as a successful return to Hyrule, despite some changes that may take longtime fans time to accept.
The story remains unchanged: Link sets out with the fairy Navi to stop Ganondorf and save Hyrule. The remake introduces storybook-style narration and fully voiced dialogue, replacing the original’s mostly text-based conversations. The review says the new presentation can feel overly polished at first, and that the opening tutorial has become more involved.
The visual redesign gives locations such as Kokiri Forest and Lake Hylia more detailed environments, while retaining the scale and layout of the original world. The review praises the remake’s stylized look and reorchestrated soundtrack, though it notes that the character models do not always match the more natural-looking surroundings. It also points to Hyrule Castle Town as an area that loses some of the atmosphere created by the original’s fixed camera angles.
Outside of presentation, Nintendo has largely left the adventure untouched. The remake adds a dedicated jump button and makes item selection easier, while keeping the original’s progression through two time periods, themed dungeons, puzzles and unlockable areas. The Water Temple receives adjustments intended to make it easier to navigate. Polygon’s reviewer also highlights the focused dungeon design and combat, which retains its simple sword-and-dodge foundations while adding stronger visual and audio feedback.
The review concludes that the changes do not diminish what made Ocarina of Time memorable, and that the remake’s updated presentation lets its original adventure shine again. The game is scheduled to release on Nintendo Switch 2 on Nov. 5. Polygon reviewed it on the console using a prerelease download code provided by Nintendo.
Sources: Polygon.