No matter what your opinion is on the art style, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be a brilliant remake
Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is being rebuilt with a new art style and changes to movement and dungeons. After playing parts of it, the preview’s author says the visuals bring depth to Hyrule and preserve the game’s fairy-tale feel, despite the divided reaction to the character designs.
The remake removes automatic jumping, letting players control jumps directly, with an option to map the button to Y. Some dungeon puzzles have also been adjusted: the Forest Temple gains an elevator in a block puzzle room, while the Great Deku Tree has fewer obstacles on the route to its depths. The preview describes these changes as modest, while noting they may affect puzzles and returning players’ habits.
- The remake gives Hyrule a completely reworked visual style.
- Players now trigger jumps themselves, with button remapping available.
- Some dungeon puzzles and routes have been adjusted.
New here? Start with this
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an adventure game first released for Nintendo 64 in 1998. Players guide Link, a young hero, through the land of Hyrule as he explores dungeons, solves puzzles and tries to stop a threat to the kingdom.
Nintendo is remaking the game for Switch 2, updating its visuals and changing some controls and dungeon layouts. The original is widely known for its 3D world and puzzle-filled dungeons, so changes to familiar movement or routes may matter to returning players as well as newcomers.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The remake can honour the original while making Hyrule feel more vivid and giving players more direct control over movement. Modest puzzle adjustments may smooth frustrating sections without changing the spirit of the adventure, helping the game work well for both newcomers and returning players.
The case against
A remake risks losing some of the original’s distinctive atmosphere if its new character designs and visual style do not suit players who value the familiar look. Even small changes to jumping and dungeon puzzles can alter the rhythm and challenge people remember, so preserving the original experience may matter more than modernising it.