The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is being remade for the Nintendo Switch 2, and the first hands-on previews describe a remake that is strange, beautiful and surprisingly thoughtful. Outlets including Mashable, Polygon, The Verge and Engadget went hands-on at a Nintendo press event on October 14, 2026, and returned impressions of a 1998 classic rebuilt with modern controls, a divisive puppet-like art style and dozens of quality-of-life upgrades. It launches November 5, 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
Strange, beautiful and surprisingly thoughtful
Mashable played for about an hour and came away convinced there is a vision here beyond a simple nostalgia cash-in. The visual style has split fans: characters look more like puppets or action figures than people, set against environments of exceptional detail — Link's wooden Deku Shield and green tunic look hand-crafted, like something from a high-quality puppet diorama. Coverage reports a 60 frames-per-second target the original Switch could never have managed.
The Verge praised its timelessness, reengineered to feel modern and at times surprisingly terrifying; Polygon found it "snappy, streamlined, and polished in ways that make it feel totally fresh"; Engadget reported Link is getting far more than a visual glow-up.
Modern controls for a 1998 classic
The most significant control change is a dedicated jump button, replacing the original's context-sensitive automatic jumping. Previews also report a dash and sprint move, faster item cycling via the shoulder button, a free-moving camera, and improved swimming that removes the need to constantly equip the heavy Iron Boots. Players who prefer the original feel can keep the old control scheme.
Preview sessions covered Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Field, Castle Town and the Forest Temple, lasting 30 minutes to two hours depending on the outlet. ScreenRant reported that the Forest Temple follows the same general layout as the original, including the iconic twisted hallway, while other areas were revised — Kakariko Village has buildings switched around, the Royal Tomb is now an actual mausoleum, and Bottom of the Well has been expanded.
New features: from Threads of Time to a playable ocarina
Nintendo added several new systems: a progression marker called Threads of Time on the pause screen, Zelda Notes in the Nintendo Switch app showing maps and info on a phone, a Hall of Fallen Foes museum with timed boss rematches, a fifth bottle slot, and a tapestry mechanic that fills out as players hit milestones in both the young and adult Link stories.
The quirkiest addition involves the ocarina itself: players can sing, hum or play real notes into the Switch 2 microphone, with Link replicating the tunes in-game, as demonstrated by producer Eiji Aonuma. A dedicated ocarina peripheral will also be sold at launch. Cutscenes are now fully voiced with expanded dialogue over an orchestral score, and characters address Link by his own name rather than the save-file name.
Retailers list pre-orders at $59.99 digital and $69.99 physical, though Nintendo has not officially confirmed pricing. The remake is the game's third major version after the 1998 original and 2011's Ocarina of Time 3D, and a centerpiece of the Zelda 40th anniversary ahead of a planned 2027 live-action film.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Silly Fun (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
The takeaway is consistent: Nintendo has not touched the core of what made Ocarina of Time one of the most acclaimed games in history, but wrapped it in modern controls, new art direction and enough new features to welcome players who found Zelda through Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The countdown to November 5 is on.