The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has disclosed that the remake of Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2 originally included a fast travel system before the team decided to remove it. During an Ask the Developer interview shared by Nintendo, Aonuma explained that he initially requested the addition of warp points throughout Hyrule to provide players with shortcuts, citing the evolution of the series in titles like Breath of the Wild as inspiration.
However, playtesting revealed that these warp points detracted from the essential experience of exploration. Aonuma noted that when the team played the game with the new feature, they realized they were missing out on the moments of discovery that occur when stopping along the way to investigate unexpected elements. He stated that the development process reminded them of how crucial these pauses are to the structural integrity of Ocarina of Time.
Consequently, Aonuma directed the team to remove all the warp points he had originally proposed. While the fast travel feature was scrapped, the remake does include other gameplay adjustments. The developers intentionally kept loading screens to preserve the feeling of entering new areas, but they added a sprint feature to allow Link to move faster and introduced a dedicated jump button.
Aonuma expressed admiration for how the team crafted a rich experience from a game that first launched 28 years ago. Although he initially thought more changes might be necessary, he observed that the developers demonstrated a deep respect for the original title as the project progressed. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is scheduled to launch on November 5 for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Sources: IGN.