Nintendo’s upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is staying faithful to the Nintendo 64 classic, but that does not mean everything will remain the same.
Around 20 minutes of Switch 2 footage has revealed a surprisingly large collection of changes. Nintendo has modernized movement, combat, exploration, towns, dungeons, menus and even several iconic items while keeping the original adventure recognizable.
Some of these additions may seem small individually. Combined, however, they could make Ocarina of Time feel significantly different from the game players remember.
Ocarina of Time Has Been Completely Rebuilt Visually
The visual overhaul is naturally the biggest difference.
Kokiri Forest now features detailed stone paths, proper wooden staircases, moving grass, forest spirits and sunlight shining through the trees. Instead of simply cleaning up the original graphics, Nintendo has rebuilt the environments with considerably more detail.
Link has received the same treatment. His classic green tunic now features multiple layers, patterns and additional decorations.
Nintendo has also added more character animations. Link stretches when left idle and uses additional gestures while speaking with characters, helping him feel considerably more alive.
Link Can Finally Jump Whenever You Want
One of the biggest gameplay changes is something incredibly simple: Link now has a dedicated jump button.
Jumping is mapped to X, similar to Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
The original Ocarina of Time relied heavily on automatic jumping. Giving players direct control over jumping could therefore have a significant effect on exploration and dungeon platforming.
Nintendo has also introduced a proper sprint.
After performing a roll, players can continue holding the button to send Link into a full dash. It keeps the classic Ocarina of Time rolling mechanic while providing a much faster way to travel.
Link can additionally leap while climbing to move faster. Unlike Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, however, there does not appear to be a stamina meter restricting this movement.
Full Camera Control Changes Exploration
Ocarina of Time was originally designed around limited camera controls.
That restriction is gone.
Players can now freely rotate the camera around Link. It sounds like a basic feature for a modern game, but it could dramatically change how several areas of Ocarina of Time are experienced.
Stealth sections, platforming and dungeon exploration should all benefit from being able to properly inspect the surrounding environment.
Castle Town has also been changed to accommodate the new camera. The original used fixed camera perspectives, while the remake places the camera behind Link.
The Water Temple Should Be Less Frustrating
Nintendo appears determined to remove some of the frustrations associated with the original game.
Equipment shortcuts are one example.
The new equipment interface contains four shortcut positions mapped to directional buttons. Footage shows the Iron Boots assigned to one of these shortcuts, allowing Link to equip them immediately.
That is particularly important inside the infamous Water Temple.
Players originally had to repeatedly open the menu to equip and remove the Iron Boots. The 3DS version already improved this process, and the Switch 2 remake appears to retain that improvement.
Visual guidance introduced in the 3DS version of the Water Temple also returns, helping players identify locations where the water level can be changed.
Jabu-Jabu’s Belly appears to have received similar treatment, with color-coded tunnels providing clearer visual guidance.
Dungeons Remain Familiar, But Nintendo Is Changing Details
The overall dungeon layouts shown so far appear extremely similar to the original game.
Nintendo is nevertheless changing individual rooms.
Inside the Great Deku Tree, for example, a floating platform from the Nintendo 64 version has been replaced by a wooden bridge. The bridge collapses when Link steps onto it, forcing players to find another route.
A ladder that previously appeared to simply hang from the ceiling is now attached to a proper stone mechanism.
These changes suggest Nintendo may be attempting to make dungeon environments feel more believable without completely redesigning their layouts.
The Lens of Truth Has Been Redesigned
One particularly interesting change involves the Lens of Truth.
In the original Ocarina of Time, the Lens of Truth was essentially a magical magnifying glass that Link held to reveal hidden objects.
The remake appears to turn it into a pair of glasses.
Footage shows the redesigned item assigned to an equipment shortcut, suggesting players can activate the Lens of Truth without sacrificing one of their normal item slots.
It is a small redesign, but one that could make the item considerably more convenient.
Hyrule Castle Town Is Much More Alive
Castle Town has received more than a graphical makeover.
Time now appears to continue moving while Link is inside towns.
In the original Ocarina of Time, the passage of time stopped in locations such as Castle Town and Kokiri Forest. Players essentially experienced separate daytime and nighttime versions of those locations.
With time continuously progressing, the remake could allow players to actually watch towns transition between day and night.
Characters could head home, shops could close and different NPCs could appear as the day progresses.
That could make Hyrule feel much more dynamic than it did in the original.
Shops Are Easier to Find
Nintendo is also making navigation clearer.
Shops and other important buildings now feature much more noticeable signs. This includes locations such as the fishing hole at Lake Hylia, which could be relatively easy for new players to overlook in the original.
These changes appear designed to make Ocarina of Time more accessible without relying entirely on quest markers.
A New System Helps Players Who Get Lost
Nintendo has introduced a new mechanic called Threads of Time.
The feature appears to provide additional guidance when players become unsure about where they should go next.
Ocarina of Time can occasionally be vague about its next objective, particularly for someone experiencing the adventure for the first time.
Importantly, the new guidance system appears to be optional.
Veterans who already know their way around Hyrule should therefore be able to ignore it.
The Starting Wallet Is Bigger
Even Link’s wallet has received an upgrade.
The original game begins with a wallet capable of carrying only 99 Rupees. That could become frustrating when finding valuable Rupees while already near the limit.
The remake footage instead shows a starting capacity of 200 Rupees.
Wallet upgrades will presumably still exist later in the adventure, but players should have considerably more room from the beginning.
Combat Looks Faster and More Impactful
Combat retains the familiar Z-targeting foundations of Ocarina of Time while receiving new animations and visual effects.
Link reacts more naturally when enemies strike his shield, while sword attacks appear considerably more impactful.
Nintendo has also changed smaller animations throughout the game.
Doors that seemingly opened automatically in the Nintendo 64 version are now physically pushed or lifted by Link, similar to later Zelda games.
Gyro Aiming Is Coming to Ocarina of Time
Players will also be able to use motion controls when aiming.
Weapons such as the bow can use gyro aiming for smaller adjustments, bringing the controls closer to modern Zelda games.
ZR is now used to fire rather than relying on one of the traditional face buttons.
Players who became accustomed to aiming with motion controls in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom should therefore feel at home.
The Ocarina Has Received Some Extra Attention
Nintendo has naturally paid special attention to the instrument at the center of the game.
Link’s fingers now visibly move while playing individual notes, while his breathing can be heard during performances.
The remake also maps Ocarina notes to the Switch 2 controller while retaining patterns that resemble the original Nintendo 64 inputs.
However, Nintendo has added something considerably stranger.
Players can apparently hum Ocarina songs into the Switch 2 microphone and have Link perform them in-game.
Nintendo says the system can also recognize the melodies when played using an actual musical instrument.
It sounds more like a fun optional gimmick than an essential gameplay feature, but it certainly fits a game built around music.
Ocarina of Time Will Feature Voice Acting
Another major modernization is full voice acting during cutscenes.
Footage has shown voiced sequences involving several major characters, including Zelda and Ganondorf.
NPCs around towns will also display small dialogue bubbles showing conversations taking place around Link.
Nintendo appears to be expanding the amount of dialogue throughout the game as well, potentially giving Hyrule’s characters considerably more personality.
The Soundtrack Is Going Orchestral
The legendary Ocarina of Time soundtrack is receiving a major overhaul.
The remake replaces the Nintendo 64-era MIDI presentation with what appears to be a fully orchestral soundtrack.
That means locations such as Kokiri Forest and Castle Town retain their recognizable musical identity while benefiting from modern instrumentation.
Considering how important music is to Ocarina of Time, the soundtrack could become one of the remake’s biggest upgrades.
Nintendo Is Modernizing Ocarina Without Replacing It
The most interesting part of the remake is how Nintendo appears to be approaching modernization.
This is still recognizably Ocarina of Time.
Hyrule Field appears similar in size, dungeon layouts remain familiar and Nintendo has even deliberately retained loading transitions between major areas.
At the same time, free camera movement, manual jumping, sprinting, equipment shortcuts, improved navigation, expanded dialogue, voice acting and numerous environmental changes should make the game considerably easier to approach in 2026.
Rather than turning Ocarina of Time into another Breath of the Wild, Nintendo appears to be taking the original adventure and removing many of the limitations created by Nintendo 64 hardware and 1990s game design.
For players who have completed Ocarina of Time countless times already, those changes could provide enough surprises to make another journey through Hyrule worthwhile.
For everyone experiencing the Hero of Time’s adventure for the first time, this could become the most accessible way to play one of Nintendo’s most important games.
