The remake of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be released on Switch 2 on November 5 - what is known about the re-release
On November 5, 2026, a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, one of the most influential games in history, will be released on Nintendo Switch 2. The 1998 original still holds a Metacritic record score of 99 out of 100 and has sold 7.6 million copies on the Nintendo 64. The remake was announced at the Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct on September 8, and since then Nintendo has shown gameplay, the final trailer with Dark Link and revealed the lineup of editions.
What's new in the remake
The project is not a light remaster, but a full-fledged restructuring. The visuals were recreated from scratch, cutscenes received full voice acting (in the original the story was presented only in text), character dialogues were expanded, and MIDI music was replaced by a recording of a symphony orchestra.
- Camera and controls. A free camera on the right stick, a separate jump button, roll and dash - something that was not in the N64 original.
- Ocarina through a microphone. Famous tunes can be hummed into the Switch 2 microphone and Link will play them himself.
- Hall of Fallen Foes. A new time attack boss replay mode, shown in the trailer on October 14 along with the fight against Dark Link.
- ZELDA NOTES. Built-in journal: daily entries, rumors, ocarina playing and 2000+ question quiz.
- Updated day and night cycle. Time now passes even in cities, like in modern Zelda games.
Prices and editions
The digital version costs $59.99, the physical version costs $69.99. The first edition of the boxed edition will have foil embossed on the cover. A week before release, major retailers unexpectedly slashed the pre-order price for the physical version to around $59.99—a rare move for Nintendo. The $519.99 Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition themed console launched on October 29 and sold out within hours. The remake is a Switch 2 exclusive: it will not be released on the original Switch, OLED or Lite. The installation will take about 27 GB.
Source: engadget.com