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Nintendo just dropped a bombshell. During today's Nintendo Direct, the company announced a full remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the 1998 classic routinely cited as the greatest video game ever made. Obviously, it's a Switch 2 exclusive, due at some point in 2026, though no specific date was given.
The reveal came via a very brief teaser, so concrete details are thin on the ground. But for a game with this kind of legacy, the announcement itself is the story.
The short teaser made one thing clear: this is a proper remake, not a light remaster. The footage showed a sleeping young Link rendered with dramatically improved detail, soft lighting, fine textures on his clothing, and individual strands of hair, a world away from the blocky N64 original.
Putting the two side by side shows just how far we've come with graphics. The remake is expected to rebuild the game from the ground up and modernise gameplay, controls and potentially include new content.
For those of you who are not into Nintendo's games, it's hard to overstate Ocarina of Time's standing. Released on the Nintendo 64 in November 1998, it is the only video game ever to achieve a Metascore of 99, making it the highest-rated game on the platform. At launch, Famitsu handed it a perfect 40/40, the magazine's first ever, and IGN gave it its first ever perfect 10.
Its influence runs even deeper than its scores. Ocarina of Time popularised mechanics that became industry standard, including context-sensitive buttons and a lock-on targeting system, while setting a new bar for what 3D adventures could be. More than 25 years on, it's still routinely placed at the top of all-time greatest lists, with even Breath of the Wild unable to dislodge it. A remake of this specific game isn't just another Nintendo re-release; it's the company returning to perhaps its most revered work.
Platforms and release
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, launching at some point in 2026. We'll update this article as Nintendo shares a firm date and further details.
