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Nintendo showed roughly 20 minutes of footage from the Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct this morning. Producer Eiji Aonuma said this project is largely a faithful remake of the N64 classic, reborn on Switch 2 with modern controls and a strong focus on detail. But even though the remake appears to stick closely to the bones of its source material, there are plenty of minor additions and changes I noticed when scrubbing back through the footage for a couple of hours following the Direct.
Here are 40 changes I saw when comparing Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 to the N64 version, from things as large as the art style all the way to small menu changes and UI differences. This list mostly goes in chronological order, starting with the gameplay demonstration from Aonuma and ending with the new trailer that closed the presentation.
A brief warning: I talk in general terms about some items and locations from the original Ocarina of Time. So, if you want absolutely zero knowledge of these things before playing for yourself, stay away!
1. A Redesigned World
Obviously, the biggest difference in the remake is its visuals. Aonuma opened his gameplay demo with a look at Kokiri Forest, where the game begins. Everything is more detailed: there are paved stone paths, defined wooden staircases that used to be low-texture ramps, grass blowing in the wind, forest spirits gliding through the air, and modern sunlight seeping through the trees. It's definitely a brand new take on the first 3D Hyrule, especially compared to the 3DS version that essentially just spruced up the original visuals.
2. A Redesigned Hero
Link himself has seen a similarly significant overhaul. We saw lots of Child Link in the gameplay -- with snippets of Adult Link showing up in the full trailer later on -- and he looks a lot different. His woven green tunic has multiple layers now, with patterns sewn in and flourishes at the bottom. He wears a feather in his hair and has various beads throughout his outfit. I personally love how Link looks now. I think the uncanny art style of the blocky N64 originally shines through brilliantly in this interpretation. We see his mannerisms throughout the gameplay -- like stretching when he's left idle for too long, or putting his hands on his hips when speaking to someone -- and I think he perfectly embodies the spirit of the Hero of Time.
3. A Bigger Wallet to Start
N64 Ocarina sets you off with a pretty small wallet that can only hold 99 rupees. That's pretty annoying, especially when you open a treasure chest that contains a high-value rupee that you aren't able to fit in your wallet, making it go to waste. On Switch 2, we see Link dive down and grab a blue rupee (worth five, of course) and add it to his wallet, which is shown to have a maximum capacity of 200. I'm sure we'll still upgrade our wallets through the Gold Skulltula questline, but this is a much better start!
4. Remappable Shortcuts
On the left side of the new equipment screen, we see a grid of four empty slots (Link just doesn't have the matching items at the start of the game) that appear to be mapped to the top and bottom directional buttons on the left Joy-Con (or the D-pad on the Pro Controller). Later in the gameplay, we see that the Ocarina and Navi are each mapped to one of the left and right directional buttons, but the top and bottom are blank. It would appear that these are going to be shortcuts for equipment earned later in the adventure. I have to imagine this is the solution for swapping boots on the fly (more on that later), but I'm puzzled at what the other slots could be for, given that there are only two special sets of boots to find in the original. We'll have to wait and see.
5. Camera Control
As Aonuma pointed out, it feels silly to spend time discussing free camera movement in a 2026 game, but it's a huge addition to Ocarina of Time. He demonstrated spinning the camera fully around Link, giving us a look at the poor kid trying to lift rocks for the great Mido. Camera control alone will make the Ocarina remake feel like a significantly different game, especially in stealth sections and tricky platforming moments.
6. Expanded Dialogue
The Direct made a point to emphasize that characters in Ocarina of Time will have a lot more to say. This is one of the changes I'm most excited about: the dialogue text speed in the original is painfully slow by today's standards, and characters don't have a ton to talk about. I'm excited to see how additional dialogue will add to Zelda's characters and world. Even though the remake is largely a faithful adaptation of the original, it's changes like these that will make it incredibly exciting to dive into as someone who's played the N64 version at least a dozen times.
7. A Dedicated Jump Button
Like the camera control, a dedicated jump button is another mechanical game changer. Jumping is mapped to X -- just like the default in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kindgom -- and this will surely change how we experience Hyrule. There's a lot of platforming sections in Ocarina's dungeons, and being able to jump and control the camera will do a lot of heavy lifting to make the remake feel modern. I'm a big game feel guy -- the weight and maneuverability of a character matters a lot to me -- and I'm so excited to zip around Hyrule with the new controls at my disposal.
8. Faster Swim Speed and Altered Swim Meter
Link can also do a little boost to up his swim speed, and I noticed a change to the diving meter's UI. On N64, a three-second countdown timer appeared at the top of the screen when diving. Now, it's a vertical swim stamina bar that appears right next to Link. It's still split into three chunks, so it's likely the same amount of time, but it's a small visual difference.
9. No Loading Screens in Buildings
Aonuma pointed out that the team chose to keep loading screens between large areas to maintain the spirit of the original. But in towns, you can seamlessly walk into stores with no loading screens, which is a huge improvement. We see Link roll right into the shop in Kokiri Forest, which looks similar to entering buildings in Breath of the Wild.
10. Redesigned Inventory Screen
I'm sure Zelda theorists are already hard at work placing every known item from Ocarina of Time onto this newly-designed inventory screen. Based on the Deku Stick's placement in the top left corner, it seems the shape of the background indicates what item goes there. I see a boomerang-shaped icon to the bottom right of the Deku Sticks, three hexagonal shapes that look perfect for the spells you earn from Fairy Fountains, and five slots on the bottom row that look perfect for empty bottles. But aren't there only four empty bottles in the original game? Hmm...
11. An Expanded Shop?
As Link is turning to leave the shop in Kokiri Forest, we see what looks like a training dummy on his left. Not only that, there appears to be an entrance to a back room of sorts next to that, which wasn't present on N64. Maybe some buildings could be slightly expanded?
12. Updated Combat Animations
The combat demonstration in the Great Deku Tree dungeon was one of my favorite parts of today's video. The combat feels even more like a dance with fast-paced choreography -- samurai stage shows were one of the biggest influences on Ocarina's original combat, after all -- and Link's new animations looked great. He stumbled backwards after a Deku Baba hit his shield, and the slashes feel punchy and impactful, with a bright blast of light to match.
13. Link Pushes the Door Up
On N64, pressing A in front of a door would cause it to seemingly open automatically without any input from Link. Later 3D Zelda games like Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword animations of Link laboring to lift the door open, and Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 is following suit. Inside the Great Deku Tree, we see Link opening doors himself to move from room to room.
14. Crumbling Bridge in the Great Deku Tree
The layout of the dungeons appears to be extremely similar -- if not outright identical, it's too early to tell for sure -- but there are some small changes within those rooms. In the room where Link finds the slingshot, the original N64 version contains a floating platform that crumbles if Link stands on it for too long. But, he can leap directly off of it to the platform with the treasure chest if he's fast enough. In the remake, that platform is now an entire wooden bridge that stretches all the way to the chest instead of being suspended in midair. It shattered the moment Link stepped on it, forcing him to climb the vines on the side. It's a very small change, but it has me wondering what other differences we'll see in dungeons across the games.
15. Jumping Up Vines
Link can leap while climbing to speed things up, like in Skyward Sword and the open-air Zeldas. Thankfully, there's no stamina meter like in those games, though!
16. Inventory Quick Menu Like Breath of the Wild
Honestly, this was probably my least favorite part of the entire gameplay demonstration. You can open a quick menu to access your entire inventory to equip something on the fly, but it takes the form of a singular horizontal row as seen in Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Echoes of Wisdom. I'm not a fan of how navigating this menu feels later in Zelda games when you have a ton of items at your disposal, and I think a wheel or customizable shortcut menu would be far more elegant than this clunky solution Nintendo continues to return to.
17. Third-Person Aiming
This has been one of the top changes on my personal wish list: gyro aiming weapons in third person. I love how it feels to fire an arrow in Breath of the Wild, with the added ability to make slight adjustments thanks to motion controls. Aiming appears to work in the exact same fashion in Ocarina of Time: you even use ZR to fire now as opposed to a face button.
18. Link Can Walk Around With Items
This also means you can walk around now while holding your items. The original Ocarina of Time shifted Link to a first-person perspective when aiming, and when you returned to the standard view, Link had put his item away. It's a small detail, but a cute one that really stuck out to me.
19. Visual Redesigns Within Dungeons
Aonuma mentioned that the focus of this remake was strong attention to detail, and that was very apparent during one specific sequence in the dungeon. When Link shoots the ladder down to escape the room where he got the slingshot, the original depicted a ladder stuck in the ceiling that kind of just plops down onto the floor. Now, the ladder is in a stone mechanism, and shooting a switch opens up two paddles that allow the ladder to fall to the ground. This, combined with the bridge that has replaced the floating platform, has me wondering if Nintendo is taking a more "grounded" approach to dungeon design, where everything's placement makes logical sense within the inner workings of the world. A platform doesn't float anymore; it's a bridge. A ladder isn't suspended by nothing anymore; it's locked in place by a stone contraption. I'd have to more closely scrub through the footage to confirm this, but that'd be a really cool mechanical direction for this remake.
20. Threads of Time
The tapestry seen in the June 2026 teaser trailer is now known as the "Threads of Time", a new mechanic to help stuck players figure out where to go. I know Ocarina's main quest sequence ridiculously well at this point, but fully understand that sometimes the game isn't super clear about what's supposed to come next if you don't already know. This seems like a great way for new players to stay on track, and it thankfully seems optional. And, I'm excited to see it get filled in with beautiful art as I progress.
21. Rolling Into a Dash
I love the callback to rolling around Hyrule Field to get around faster in the original. Now, holding the button after your initial roll sends Link into a full-on dash, which didn't exist at all before. I think this is perfect: sprinting is expected by modern players, and triggering it with the roll is a nice callback for longtime fans.
22. Castle Town's New Perspective
Hyrule Castle Town used to be seen through a fixed camera angle perspective, but now it's behind Link's back just like the rest of the game. In my mind, this was an essential modernization to make, and I'm glad Aonuma showed it off in the Direct.
23. The Alleys of Castle Town
Similarly, the alleys of Castle Town used to be light on detail and actual 3D models. Link took a spin through this part of town, and it's gotten a huge facelift. And, seeing Sakon the thief run through town just made me think it's inevitable that we'll see a Majora's Mask remake with these assets in a couple of years.
24. Time Marches On
One of the most fascinating changes is that time now flows when you're in towns. The passage of time used to pause in places like Castle Town and Kokiri Forest, and only flow in places like Hyrule Field, but now it is always progressing. I'm interested to see how this plays out. Castle Town, for example, used to have two static states: daytime and nighttime. The day was filled with shoppers and people bustling about, while night was relatively quiet. With time now flowing in towns, we're going to see the transition between those two states: people heading in for the night, shops closing down, and so on. I'm excited to see what new interactions that unlocks.
25. New Magic Meter UI
We're getting to the point in this article where the rest of the items on the list are pretty small changes. The Magic Meter in the top left of the screen is now split into more visible sections. That could mean that spells and magic arrow types now have their magic cost specifically listed on the item menu, giving you a better idea of how many uses you have left before you're out of magic.
26. New Monument in Hyrule Field
Just outside of the Castle Town gate in Hyrule Field, I spotted a stone sign or monument I didn't recognize. My first thought was that it's a tombstone that may add lore relevant to Skyward Sword or some other predecessor to the events of Ocarina.
27. Ocarina Inputs Have Changed
The ocarina songs used to be played on the four C-buttons on the N64 controller, but now they'll be played on the Switch 2's ABXY face buttons as well as L and R. This was the case in the 3DS version, too, but I noticed the patterns more closely mirror the N64's, even though they use the same button layout as 3DS. On Switch 2, Zelda's Lullaby is played with Y-X-A-Y-X-A, which matches the movements of the N64's Left-Up-Right-Left-Up-Right, but differs from the 3DS' X-A-Y-X-A-Y. This is incredibly minor, but if you've made it this far in the article, you probably care about this stuff like I do.
28. Fully Voiced Cutscenes
Cutscenes will feature full voice acting in Ocarina of Time, just like in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. And, when running around town, small dialogue bubbles will pop up to show you what Hyrule's citizens are talking about. We saw snippets of cutscenes with Saria, Ruto, Ganondorf, Zelda, and a few others in today's trailer.
29. Zelda Notes Integration
Ocarina of Time has integration with the Zelda Notes part of the Nintendo Switch app on smart devices. You'll be able to hunt for specific locations in Hyrule based on screenshots, play Ocarina of Time trivia, play a digital ocarina, and more.
30. Hyrule Field's Environment
Hyrule Field's size and scope looks extremely similar to the original based on the gameplay and minimap, but some of its topography is different. We see Adult Link running through a swampy area that's far more textured and fleshed out than the original.
31. Blue Tunic Redesign
We got a brief glimpse of the blue tunic, which has different symbols, textures, and markings on it. Our first look at it is in the Water Temple, where Link uses a hookshot on a far-off target.
32. Red Tunic Redesign
Same goes for the red tunic, which slightly differs from the others. Here, it's being worn in the Fire Temple, as Link uses the Megaton Hammer to knock a stone pillar down.
33. The 3DS Water Temple Changes Return
The Water Temple on N64 is notoriously difficult to navigate, especially for first-time players. It has multiple locations where Link can raise and lower the water level to alter the dungeon's floors. To make things simpler, the 3DS version added lights on the walls to help guide you to those water-shifting spots. We can see in the bottom right of the image above that the guiding lights have returned from the 3DS version.
34. Instant Iron Boots Toggle
We also see Link instantly take off his iron boots without having to pause and go to the equipment menu. This was a huge pain point in the original -- especially in the Water Temple, where you constantly put them on and take them off. Again, the 3DS version fixed this issue, but it's nice to see that carry over to this remake. I actually think the Water Temple is due for a critical reassessment: without the tedious nature of equipping the boots, it's one of my favorite dungeons in the series.
35. A Slightly Redesigned Kakariko Village
We get an overhead look of Link flying through Kakariko Village thanks to a Cucco, and things look a little bit different. It's not too significant, but it seems to me that the house under construction on the right has a slightly different layout. It used to have narrow beams you'd have to carefully tiptoe across, which have been replaced with wider, more forgiving floorboards.
36. More Recognizable Shops
Throughout the gameplay, I noticed that shops were easier to spot in various places. Signs with shields, rupees, and other items were clearly displayed above each building's entrance, from Kokiri Forest to Castle Town. In the image above, you can see Lake Hylia's fishing hole is clearly marked, which was always kind of obscure and difficult to spot in the original.
37. A Reimagined Score
The snippets of the new soundtrack sound amazing, and it's clearly a fully orchestral score compared to the N64's MIDI tunes. Whether it was flutes in Kokiri Forest, what sounded like a harpsichord in Castle Town, or the heavy dose of strings throughout, I love this early tease of the game's music. Nintendo also released the title track on the Nintendo Music app today, and I've been listening to it on loop while writing this piece.
38. Amiibo Support
Amiibo support is coming to Ocarina of Time, with new Young Link and Young Zelda figures coming sometime next year. Scanning them in will unlock a wearable mask based on the N64 models of each respective character, which is actually a pretty fun and silly bonus. I love the Young Link design specifically: Link sitting on a stump with Navi is an iconic piece of Ocarina art recreated for this figure.
39. A Special Edition Console and Controller
On October 29, one week before Ocarina of Time's launch on November 5, Nintendo is releasing the first special edition Switch 2 console themed around The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary. It comes with special Joy-Con 2 controllers and a gold dock featuring the Triforce. There's also a new pro controller and carrying case if you don't need to pick up a brand new console. You can check out all the details on how to preorder the Zelda Switch 2 here.
40. You Can Sing Now
Finally, in the weirdest moment of the Direct, you can hum the songs Link learns into the Switch 2 microphone, and Link will play them in the game. And it's not just humming or singing: you can play them on a musical instrument, and Aonuma claims the game will pick it up. I'm sure I won't do this besides trying it for novelty, but it's a fun, quirky gimmick that's worth pointing out.
And that's it! I'm sure there is so much more to mine from the trailer and gameplay, but those were my initial takeaways from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2. For more, check out all the news from today's Zelda Direct, and don't miss the details on how to watch tomorrow's September 2026 Nintendo Direct. And, check out more of my Zelda thoughts alongside Peer Schneider and Brian Altano on our special NVC episode from earlier today.
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