Temper Your Expectations for the Leaked Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake

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Fans may soon have the chance to revisit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. According to a new report, Nintendo is planning a remake of the beloved 1998 game, potentially releasing it near the end of 2026. This information comes from NateTheHate, a reliable source who has accurately predicted Nintendo news in the past, including the release date for the Switch 2. The leak also suggests that a new Star Fox game is planned for release in 2026.

While Star Fox is fun, Ocarina of Time is truly special. This Nintendo 64 Zelda game has remained incredibly popular and is considered by many to have defined the 3D action-adventure genre. Even now, Link’s journey through Hyrule, with its blend of lightheartedness, mystery, and meaningful story, is often seen as the perfect Zelda experience. It feels remarkably polished and still plays well almost thirty years after its release. Because of this, I believe expectations for the Ocarina of Time remake should be tempered – it will likely be a more faithful update rather than a complete overhaul.

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Natethehate is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming remake of Ocarina of Time, even though they believe it’s happening. This is according to their podcast.

Okay, so I’m hearing some really exciting news! It sounds like we’re finally getting a remake of Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2, probably around the end of 2026, maybe even in time for the holidays! Honestly, earlier this year I was pretty skeptical about this happening, I just didn’t think Nintendo would go for it. But now it seems pretty solid. I don’t know exactly how much they’re remaking yet – will it be a super faithful, detailed remake like Demon’s Souls, or will they take some creative liberties with the design? Either way, I’m so hyped!

Natethehate imagines the potential remake of Ocarina of Time could be radically different, and while that’s possible, I expect it will likely follow a similar approach to the Demon’s Souls remake. A full remake of this scale is a bit unexpected from Nintendo, as their remakes usually involve smaller updates, like what they did with Link’s Awakening on Switch. Link’s Awakening was a fantastic game and its remake was well-done, but it wasn’t as groundbreaking or intricately designed as Ocarina of Time. The changes in Link’s Awakening were mostly cosmetic; the core gameplay and structure remained largely the same as the original.

This approach is very different from remakes like Capcom’s Resident Evil or Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7. Those games aren’t simply updated versions of the originals; they’re more like complete reimaginings. They feature significant changes to the graphics, gameplay, and overall structure, and these risks have generally been successful. In the case of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, these creative changes actually improve the gaming landscape, as the goal wasn’t to replace the original FF7, but to create a new and separate experience inspired by it.

The upcoming remake of Ocarina of Time will likely avoid many of the pitfalls other remakes fall into, and not just because Nintendo tends to protect its most popular franchises. Ocarina of Time practically invented many of the features we see in modern adventure games, but those newer games often include trends that aren’t always popular – things like repetitive open-world tasks, excessive items to collect, and gameplay that requires a lot of grinding. A remake that followed the example of games like Final Fantasy 7, Silent Hill 2, or Resident Evil 4 could easily add these less-desirable elements, and Nintendo probably realizes that. This careful approach is ultimately a positive thing.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Should Be Left as Unaltered as Possible

The Nintendo 3DS already received an updated version of Ocarina of Time with improved graphics and gameplay, so any rumored remake should build on that foundation. Most Zelda fans just want to play the original game on the Switch. If Nintendo won’t release that, the remake—especially considering it’s coming during Zelda’s 40th anniversary—should stay true to the original. While updated graphics, refined controls, and better performance could enhance the experience, the remake would be best if it added improvements without drastically changing the core game.

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2026-04-04 09:04