After an initial teaser with no in-game footage back in June, Nintendo has just lifted the veil on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake during a special Nintendo Direct dedicated to the franchise's 40th anniversary. A full trailer, a release date, and a batch of new features: here's what we know.

A complete overhaul of the 1998 classic

First announced during a Nintendo Direct in June 2026 with a simple teaser, the Ocarina of Time remake finally showed its true face during the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8. Presented by the series' longtime producer, Eiji Aonuma, this new trailer confirms that Nintendo isn't settling for a simple visual facelift. The studio has entirely rebuilt the original Nintendo 64 game, with expanded environments, more developed non-playable characters, and fully voiced cutscenes.

The demo shown during the Direct opened in Kokiri Forest with young Link, showcasing reworked visuals along with a targeting system close to the original, while feeling noticeably smoother and more dynamic.

Additions that modernize the experience

The remake introduces several gameplay changes that fans have been waiting for. Link can now jump at will thanks to a dedicated button, unlike the automatic jumping of the original, and gets a sprint option to move more quickly around Hyrule. A free camera also offers better control during exploration, while combat has been reworked with motion-based aiming for weapons like the slingshot.

Notable new feature: a continuous day/night cycle that keeps flowing even while Link is inside a building or a village. The "Threads of Time" system, a gradually completed tapestry, lets players track their progress and their next objective in the adventure.

The Switch 2 and its microphone at the service of the Ocarina

Another highlighted feature: players will now be able to play Ocarina melodies by blowing directly into the Nintendo Switch 2's built-in microphone, in addition to the traditional button combinations. Nintendo is also taking the opportunity to sell an actual physical Ocarina through its official store.

In November, it's not just about GTA

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake will release on November 5, 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, priced at $59.99 for the digital version ($69.99 for the physical version). A strategic release date that lands two weeks before the highly anticipated arrival of GTA VI, and one that confirms Nintendo's ambition to offer far more than a simple remaster for this cult title, previously adapted once before on Nintendo 3DS in 2011.

Sources: Nintendo Life, Game Informer, GameDaily

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