Nintendo’s remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives Thursday on the Switch 2, and NPR’s review is already calling it one of the most faithful adaptations in gaming history, even more faithful than the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. The new version adds a modern over-the-shoulder camera, jump and sprint buttons, and a quick item menu, plus a“Threads of Time”quest log that helps players who get stuck. The Water Temple, long the stuff of legend, has also been made more tolerable.
Not everything lands for the reviewer. The ornate new textures and expanded cutscenes sometimes drag the pacing and edge into uncanny valley, and rewritten characters like Mido and Navi may split longtime fans. Great Fairy upgrades now cost up to 500 rupees, even though wallets hold double the cash, which feels like a small betrayal of its own.
Still, the review’s core takeaway is that where Ocarina once innovated, it now represents the safest of safe bets. Nintendo’s care and craftsmanship ensure the 1998 classic endures for a new generation ahead of next year’s Zelda movie. Are you picking it up on launch day, or replaying the original instead?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.