I've completed Switch 2's Ocarina of Time remake – and think it's even better than Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hits legendary status on Nintendo's latest console – whether you're a newcomer or not
Nintendo's biggest launch of the year is actually a game from... 28 years ago? Don't let the new art style dissuade your interest, as the Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time shows off this modern masterpiece in an all-new light.
I've spent time over the last fortnight playing my way through the Switch 2 version and, honestly, for me it's far better than Tears of the Kingdom – which I never finished. There, I've said it. Ocarina of Time is untouchable.
I mean a whole lot of hours, too, as it's a big game. It's not always a guarantee that I'll pour in the dedication to take a review game to its conclusion, but Ocarina of Time is simply addictive. You'll see glimpses of why in the trailer, embedded below.
Much as I played the Nintendo 64 original all the way through back in '98, the Switch 2 update feels fresh – it's not just nostalgia-fuelled appeal either; it's testament to how an adventure-RPG can be so well crafted in the first place that it feels contemporary.
You play as Link, a forest boy who, unlike his tunic-donning Kokiri friends, doesn't have a fairy. But he has premonitions of a dark future, which alerts forces of good to his unknown importance – and the Great Deku Tree entrusts him with Navi, his fairy.
Nintendo's "find the missing princess" narrative – a favourite, as you'll know from previous Zelda titles and, er, Mario – unfurls over these stages of Link's youth, but the key mechanic of the game then presents itself: time-travel, set seven years apart, marking the two points you can travel between.
This is activated using your ocarina to pipe out various tunes – the Switch 2 adds the ability to whistle them rather than button them in, if you so wish – that also have other magical impacts on surrounding environments. You'll need to grow your songbook to progress.
While I found Tears of the Kingdom's build mechanics horribly faffy – and I'm fully aware how much some people love this aspect of the game, I'm just not one of them – this instrument-controlled section of the game is a much simpler integration that adds a layer of complexity to the game's fabric.
You'll have plenty of hand-to-hand combat, too, plus need to collect various items, weapons and power-ups – which differ between child and adult Link; sometimes you'll need to travel to the past to benefit the future – which I found compelling at every turn.
Sure, some people are going to find that art style disagreeable, but it's not as though the pointy, polygony looks of the 1998 game could be kept as they were. The new game runs beautifully, the progress through daylight into night and back adding to the visual appeal – and the game's play dynamic, too.
Nintendo has gone big on remakes of late, with Star Fox setting the tone in how that's done earlier this year. Ocarina of Time takes on a similar approach, adding cut-scenes (which you can't skip) and some (over)enthusiastic dialogue that was never part of the N64 original. It's all quite cheesy, joyful stuff, though.
Now, Nintendo is charging full whack pricing for Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, which before I'd played the game, I thought seemed a bit rich. But, as I say, now I'm umpteen hours through, and more satisfied than Tears of the Kingdom ever made me, I can totally appreciate its worth.
What's particularly outstanding is that this isn't a game just for the original, older players. Sure, there's some nostalgia fun – like the N64-themed box collectable as part of the midnight opening ahead of the 5 November on-sale date – but new players are going to find plenty of gems in this game.
Some of the temples within the game are notorious, for example, and you'll know precisely why when you come up against some head-scratching puzzle moments. But it's those moments, intersected with exploring, discovering and fighting your way to the next stage, that add to this game's genius.
It's a bold move for Nintendo to commit in publishing Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 just weeks ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI's release, but these two titles are nothing alike. So go buy Zelda on release day and enjoy the 14 days before GTA mania sets in. You won't regret it and, indeed, might even forget about Rockstar's incoming game for a while...
