Ocarina of Time Remake Is Out Next Week, and Even Aonuma Is Nervous
Hey! Listen! It's almost here.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, and the man in charge of the series admits he's feeling the pressure. Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma told AFP during a visit to Paris, "I'm all nervous about releasing the remake of 'Ocarina,'" and added, "I don't know how it's going to turn out" (Wccftech).
That's a funny thing to hear about a game many fans still call the best ever made. (No pressure, Mr. Aonuma.) My read is that the nerves make sense, though, because this is the version a whole new generation will remember.
Why is Aonuma nervous?
He didn't go into a lot of detail, but he did talk about who helped shape the remake. Aonuma said younger team members who had never played the original helped decide how the game should feel, especially the controls (Wccftech). "It's thanks to these young people, by thinking about how to adapt the game in the best possible way," he said.
That's a smart move for a remake, since fresh eyes catch the clunky stuff that longtime fans have learned to live with. It also means some things will feel different from the 1998 game, and that's usually where fan arguments start.
What's new in the remake?
Quite a lot, based on Nintendo's own description. The remake has overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes with expanded dialogue and full symphonic orchestral music (Nintendo). Link can now jump and dash with new buttons, and the camera and movement controls have been reworked (Gematsu).
The coolest addition might be the microphone feature. You can hum a song Link has learned, or play it on a real instrument, and the Switch 2 microphone will pick it up so Link's ocarina responds (Nintendo). There's also a new Hall of Fallen Heroes, where you can visit statues of defeated monsters and fight them again.
Gematsu also lists a feature called Threads of Time, which tracks your story progress and points you to your next goal. The day and night cycle now keeps running in towns, too.
How much does it cost?
The remake costs $59.99 digital and $69.99 physical, and the first physical print run comes with textured foil cover art while supplies last (Gematsu). It's a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. Nintendo is also selling an Electric Ocarina of Time accessory for $49.99, plus Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo that arrive in 2027 and unlock special masks in the game (Nintendo).
Nintendo first announced the remake in June, then set the date and price during The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8 (Gematsu). With launch only days away, the reviews should start showing up very soon, and we'll find out whether Aonuma's nerves were worth it.
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Images are official screenshots from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2, from Nintendo.
