The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is back. Nintendo’s full remake of the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic launched today, November 5, 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 — and it has already become the best-reviewed game of the year. With a 96 on Metacritic and universal praise from critics, the remake of one of the most beloved games ever made is living up to nearly three decades of hype.
Whether you played the original on the N64, revisited it on the 3DS, or have never set foot in Hyrule at all, this is one of the biggest gaming releases of 2026. Here is everything you need to know: the price, the review scores, what is new, what Nintendo deliberately left out, and whether it is worth your money.
Ocarina of Time Switch 2 Remake: Release Date and Price
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is out now on Nintendo Switch 2. In North America, the game unlocked at midnight Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5 (9 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, November 4), and it went on sale across the UK and Europe the same day.
The game is a Switch 2 exclusive. Nintendo has not announced a version for the original Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox or PC, so the only way to play it is on Nintendo’s new console.
In the United States, the digital edition costs $59.99 and the physical edition costs $69.99. In the UK, the digital edition is £49.99 and the physical edition carries a £58.99 recommended price. The physical version is being released with a textured foil cover for a limited time, which will make it a tempting pick for collectors who still buy their games on cartridge.
Nintendo first teased the remake in a Nintendo Direct on June 9, 2026, then showed the first real gameplay during its Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8, 2026. That presentation confirmed the November 5 release date and gave fans their first look at the rebuilt world of Hyrule.
Review Scores: 96 on Metacritic, the Highest of 2026
The remake arrived with extraordinary review scores. On Metacritic, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time holds a 96, based on 84 critic reviews — every single one of them positive. On OpenCritic, it carries a 95 Top Critic Average, with 100 percent of critics recommending it. That makes it the highest-rated video game of 2026 so far on both aggregators, ahead of every other release this year.
Japanese magazine Famitsu awarded the game 37 out of 40, praising its camera, controls and graphics while noting it feels simple by modern standards. MobileSyrup was more measured, calling it “a solid but unexciting remake” that sticks closely to the original — which is also the point. Ocarina of Time was groundbreaking in 1998 and remains an incredible game today, and a faithful remake with modern presentation more or less sells itself.
What Is New in the Ocarina of Time Remake?
This is not a simple remaster or a resolution bump. Nintendo has rebuilt Ocarina of Time from the ground up for Switch 2 hardware, while keeping the story, dungeons and world layout that made the original a classic.
The most obvious change is the visuals. The remake features completely overhauled graphics, with a rebuilt Hyrule Field, redesigned characters and modern lighting that brings the 1998 adventure into line with what players expect in 2026. The art direction was guided by Aya Shida, who aimed to preserve the feel of the original while making it look like a modern Nintendo game.
The sound has been rebuilt too. The remake features a fully orchestral soundtrack, replacing the synthesized music of the N64 original, and cutscenes are now fully voiced with expanded dialogue. Nintendo has also expanded several cutscenes, giving more room to the story of Link, Princess Zelda and the villain Ganondorf, who schemes to steal the mythical Triforce and take over the kingdom.
The controls have been modernized as well. The remake adds a dedicated jump button and updated controls, alongside reworked camera and movement systems that make exploring Hyrule and fighting enemies feel smoother than the original’s famously stiff N64 handling. Series producer Hidemaro Fujibayashi told GameSpot that the team set clear boundaries early in pre-production about what would and would not change, focusing its changes on taking advantage of the Switch 2 hardware.
If you also play on a PC, our roundup of the best budget gaming laptops under $1000 in 2026 covers five machines that handle modern games without breaking the bank.
The Fast-Travel Feature Nintendo Built — Then Cut
One of the most interesting stories around the remake is a feature that is not in the game at all. In a new Nintendo “Ask the Developer” interview published just before launch, series producer Eiji Aonuma — who directed the original Ocarina of Time — revealed that the team built a Breath of the Wild-style fast-travel system into the remake, then removed it before release.
Aonuma had suggested adding warp points to speed up travel across Hyrule, similar to the fast-travel system in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. But after trying the system out, the team decided it damaged the game. Ocarina of Time is built around the journey: riding Epona across Hyrule Field, discovering secrets on the way and feeling the scale of the kingdom. Warp points made the world feel smaller and removed the sense of discovery, so Aonuma personally had them ripped out.
It is a telling decision. In an era when most open-world games let you teleport anywhere in seconds, Nintendo chose to protect the slower, more deliberate pace of the original. Players who remember the long ride from Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Castle will know exactly what he means — and new players are about to find out.
Amiibo, Extras and What Comes Next
Nintendo is supporting the remake beyond launch day. New Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo are scheduled to arrive in 2027, and they will unlock retro-style masks in the game. Other Zelda amiibo will also provide useful in-game items when tapped to the Switch 2.
In the UK, Nintendo marked the launch with a midnight event at Argos on Tottenham Court Road in London, where fans who queued received a free replica of the original Nintendo 64 box from the PAL region — a neat nod to the game’s history.
Is the Ocarina of Time Remake Worth It?
For most players, the answer is yes — with one caveat. If you have never played Ocarina of Time, this is the definitive way to experience one of the greatest games ever made, and the 96 Metacritic score is not an exaggeration. The story of the Hero of Time, the dungeons, the music and the world of Hyrule have lost none of their power, and the remake removes the friction of 1998 controls and visuals.
If you played the original on N64 or the 3DS remaster, the decision is closer. This is a faithful remake, not a reimagining: the story, dungeons and puzzles are the ones you remember, presented beautifully rather than transformed. What you are paying for is the best-looking, best-sounding and best-controlling version of a game you already love, plus the small additions like the expanded cutscenes, voice acting and the jump button. For many Zelda fans, that will be more than enough.
One thing to keep in mind is the price. At $59.99 digital and $69.99 physical, this is a full-price Nintendo release, and there is no upgrade path if you already own the original on Nintendo Switch Online. If you are on the fence, the strong review scores and the limited-time foil-cover physical edition make a good case for buying now rather than waiting for a discount that Nintendo games rarely get.
If you do pick it up and plan to play for long sessions, make sure your gaming setup is comfortable. Slow load times and stuttering can spoil any game, so our guide on how to speed up your laptop in 2026 covers 12 proven fixes for Windows 11 that help any game run better.
What Else Is Out in Gaming This Week?
Ocarina of Time is not the only big release this week. World of Warcraft: Forever went live on PC on November 4 and 5, depending on your time zone, and is the biggest PC launch of the month. Stellar Blade: Complete Edition also arrives on Switch 2 this week, bringing the full game to Nintendo’s console with crossover content from Nier: Automata and Goddess of Victory: Nikke.
Looking ahead, Football Manager 27 launches on November 10, and Grand Theft Auto VI arrives on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S — with no PC version announced. Rockstar will open pre-loads for GTA VI on November 12, a week before launch.
But for this week at least, the conversation belongs to Zelda. A 28-year-old game, rebuilt for new hardware, is the best-reviewed release of 2026 — and for millions of players, the journey through Hyrule starts all over again today.