Remake. Not a remaster.
Ocarina of Time, one of the Zelda franchise's most beloved games, is potentially getting a remake and its arriving this year.
As reported by NatetheHate, a moderately reliable industry insider, with a track record of correctly hinting at announcements and trends is today's source of Zelda information. His reports are what we'd consider to be generally credible, hence the article. Do keep in mind though, rumors and leaks should always be taken with caution, it is fun to get excited about them, but don't over-hype yourself until we see an official announcement.
Nate published a new podcast video today talking about what's next for the Nintendo Switch 2 where he name-dropped that a remake, not a remaster, of Ocarina of Time is coming. No key details, just that is it happening.
Could we see an announcement at this year's Summer Direct during Summer Games Fest? I sure hope so!
What Could the Remake Be?
Nothing has been announced. A remake is an interesting statement though because it opens up what this game could actually be. In a remaster, you bump up the graphics but for the most part, leave gameplay the way it was. In a remake, there are no hard rules.
On the one hand, we could see an Ocarina of Time remake that bumps up the graphical quality like a remaster would, with a little bit of more fleshed-out areas, adding density and re-imagining a place like Hyrule Castle Town which was quite lackluster, and of course Hyrule Castle itself. Dungeons could also see improvements to layouts and helping hands to help guide players more to prevent getting lost - who remembers that back in the day?
But, if Nintendo wants to treat this like a core Zelda experience, a remake could completely change the entire scope of the game. Think of a much larger world, less emptiness throughout Hyrule's vast field. More interactions, perhaps even more dungeons to conquer which used to be a cornerstone of Zelda; They weren't truly a thing in Breath of the Wild and although we did see a bit of a return in Tears of the Kingdom, in my humble opinion they didn't hit the mark entirely.
The above video is not official, just a fanmade Unreal Engine version of the game that CryZENx has been working on since 2016.
As someone who recently played Ocarina of Time on the Analogue 3D, the game is fantastic but it is so rough. Even the remaster on the 3DS, thank you Nintendo for the quick switch iron boots on the touch screen, was very low resolution and although in some ways it did look visually better, controls still felt janky.
SUpporting Evidence
Now, this entire article is speculation but we have to consider something based in facts, otherwise I just can't see a reason to publish something about a franchise as large as Zelda.
Missing a True Switch 2 Game
To kickstart that, there isn't a Switch 2 exclusive Zelda title. Tears of the Kingdom was the most recent Zelda game to drop and although it and its predecessor Breath of the Wild received a Switch 2 Edition upgrade, neither were built for this generation of console. If Nintendo wants to really push the Switch 2, a Zelda title would be the best place to do it. Unlike Mario titles which, yes they do look incredible, the art style is very forgiving and doesn't truly take the hardware to its knees.
Nintendo has a great opportunity to showcase the hardware and what the next 10 years of Switch 2 could look like.
LEGO
Zelda made its LEGO debut with a set featuring the Great Deku Tree and just recently, the Ocarina of Time's Final Battle set released featuring an epic battle between Link, Zelda, and Ganon.
Surely, there's a reason Zelda started its LEGO journey with Ocarina of Time, right?
The Zelda Movie
Four months ago, Nintendo posted an update about how the filming began for Zelda's first-ever live-action movie.
Filming is due to wrap up next month with a May 7, 2027 release date for the film. The only official line we have for it is very generic Zelda, which describes most of its games so we can't point it to be a directly Ocarina of Time film, but we do see Link in the movie still above at least wearing the classic green tunic! Ocarina of Time is very classic Zelda though, so it would make sense to be building up towards the game re-release and the movie with lots of supporting love for the N64 title.
Quote From Production List A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise. ‘The Legend of Zelda’ follows Link, a young warrior destined to protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of darkness. The land is under threat from Ganon, a ruthless warlord who seeks the Triforce—an ancient relic said to grant limitless power. To stop him, Link must embark on a perilous journey, battling monstrous creatures, exploring treacherous dungeons, and solving intricate puzzles to uncover sacred artifacts that can aid him in his quest.
The 40th Anniversary
It would be criminal of Nintendo to not release something to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. Sure, there's the Japan-exclusive replica weapons which are cool, but we're missing something big. Ocarina of Time has a special place in the hearts of Zelda fans and would be one incredible way to make the world accessible to gamers both new and old.
Even if it didn't come out this year, it would be an exciting 40th anniversary announcement.
Nothing confirms this is happening until Nintendo drops a direct or other form of announcement. Let's all take on a nice breath or forty of hopium while we wait for their blessing.
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