Nintendo is bringing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time back with a ground-up remake for Nintendo Switch 2. While the game receives dramatically improved visuals, modern movement and several quality-of-life improvements, Nintendo is also deliberately keeping some parts of the 1998 original intact.
That apparently includes its loading screens.
The decision has already become one of the more debated details surrounding the remake, especially after Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma explained that certain loading transitions were intentionally preserved to maintain the essence of the original game.
Ocarina of Time Is Being Rebuilt for Switch 2
The remake largely follows the structure and world layout players remember from the Nintendo 64 classic, but it is far more than a simple graphical remaster.
Environments have been completely rebuilt, with Castle Town receiving one of the most noticeable redesigns shown so far.
Link’s movement has also been modernized. Players can now run and freely jump, giving exploration a more contemporary feel instead of relying entirely on the contextual movement system of the original.
Nintendo has also introduced faster equipment management.
Players can quickly cycle through equipment without constantly digging through menus. That could make a substantial difference in areas such as the infamous Water Temple, where repeatedly changing equipment was one of the original game’s biggest frustrations.
These changes suggest Nintendo is willing to modernize Ocarina of Time where it believes the original design creates unnecessary friction.
However, that philosophy apparently has limits.
Yes, Some Loading Screens Are Staying
Despite the enormous increase in hardware performance between the Nintendo 64 and Switch 2, transitions between certain areas will still feature loading screens.
According to Aonuma, this was intentional.
Nintendo reportedly wanted to “preserve the essence of the original.”
That explanation has divided players.
Some see the decision as another example of Nintendo carefully protecting the identity and pacing of Ocarina of Time. Removing every transition could subtly change how locations connect and how players perceive the structure of Hyrule.
Others are less convinced.
The Switch 2 is obviously capable of handling environments vastly more complicated than those found in a remake of a Nintendo 64 game. Because of that, keeping visible loading transitions can feel unnecessary from a technical perspective.
It also raises an interesting question: when does preserving an old game’s identity become an excuse not to modernize it?
Breath of the Wild Changed What Players Expect
Expectations surrounding Zelda have changed significantly since Ocarina of Time originally launched in 1998.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom introduced enormous environments built around freedom and exploration. Players can travel huge distances with comparatively few interruptions, making Hyrule feel like one connected world.
Ocarina of Time was designed very differently.
Its world is divided into distinct areas connected through entrances, passages and transitions. Preserving that structure makes sense for a faithful remake, but intentionally retaining loading screens is likely to remain controversial.
Nintendo appears determined to modernize the game without turning it into something fundamentally different.
That distinction matters.
This Looks Like a Faithful Remake, Not a Reimagining
Everything shown so far suggests Ocarina of Time will remain relatively close to the original adventure.
That separates it from remake projects such as the modern Resident Evil games, which frequently rebuild environments, encounters, mechanics and story sequences while using the original title as a foundation.
Nintendo appears to be taking a more conservative approach.
The visuals have changed dramatically. Movement has been modernized. Castle Town has been redesigned. Equipment management has improved.
But the fundamental structure remains recognizably Ocarina of Time.
Even some of its limitations are apparently being preserved deliberately.
Character redesigns have also generated mixed reactions, although the overall response following the latest Nintendo Direct appears considerably more positive than negative.
For players who simply wanted to experience Ocarina of Time again with modern graphics and controls, Nintendo’s approach could be exactly what they were hoping for.
Those expecting a completely reinvented Hyrule may be disappointed.
The Price Could Say Something About Its Scope
Nintendo has confirmed two different prices for the Switch 2 release.
The digital edition will cost $59.99, while the physical edition will cost $69.99.
That is particularly interesting as Nintendo continues moving toward higher pricing for major Switch 2 releases, including games reaching the $70 and $80 range.
Ocarina of Time sitting below some of those releases has led to speculation about the overall scope of the project.
The lower price does not necessarily mean the remake is small. Rebuilding one of Nintendo’s most famous games from the ground up remains a substantial undertaking.
However, the pricing combined with Nintendo’s commitment to preserving the original layout reinforces the impression that this is intended as a highly polished, faithful recreation rather than a completely new interpretation of Ocarina of Time.
Ocarina of Time Returns on November 5
Players will not have to wait much longer to see exactly how far Nintendo has taken the remake.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026.
That puts one of Nintendo’s biggest releases of the year into an incredibly busy period, with Grand Theft Auto 6 also attracting enormous attention around the same window.
For Switch 2 owners, however, November 5 is now firmly marked on the calendar.
Ocarina of Time is getting modern graphics, improved movement, redesigned locations and quality-of-life features.
Just don’t expect Nintendo to modernize absolutely everything.
Sometimes, apparently, even the loading screen is considered part of the nostalgia.
