Nintendo's Zelda: Ocarina of Time Returns on Switch 2 With Updated Camera and Jump

Nintendo's remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is now out as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, after launching on Thursday, November 5. The game keeps the structure of the 1998 Nintendo 64 original while updating its graphics, controls and pacing. Producers Eiji Aonuma and Hidemaro Fujibayashi have described the changes in interviews published ahead of the launch.

A remake built around what not to change

The original game was Nintendo's first major attempt to bring The Legend of Zelda into three dimensions. It followed Link, guided by the fairy Navi and Princess Zelda, as he travelled between his childhood and adulthood to defeat Ganondorf. Aonuma, who worked on the original and now oversees the series, said the team wanted to preserve the core experience.

The remake was also staffed by younger developers, some of whom had never played the original. Fujibayashi said those team members approached the project "very carefully" and focused on keeping only what mattered from the original. He described their approach as one that sought "elegance" rather than novelty, according to a report in The Verge.

Camera control and free jumping

Several changes are aimed at bringing the game closer to newer entries such as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Players now have full camera control and can jump anywhere, which Aonuma said required adjusting the game world to account for that freedom. He said the change adds a little more flexibility to how players reach their goals.

The original's Z-targeting system, which locks the camera onto enemies, remains. Fujibayashi said the approach shaped how he later designed 3D games. Aonuma has also noted that the Nintendo 64 controller's single Control Stick limited camera control, which is why the team built a lock-on system in the first place.

Visuals and the guide fairy

The updated graphics blend realism and fantasy art, and Aonuma said the aim was to show details of the world that the original hardware could not display. Navi is still present in the remake, but her chatter has been reduced. Aonuma said the original's guidance had sometimes become overbearing, and the team wanted to balance helping players with letting them explore.

Composer and musician Jon Batiste has also discussed the game's music in an interview with Game Informer, though the details of that conversation were not available for this report.

What we know so far

The remake is available now on Switch 2. Nintendo's developers have framed it as a bridge between the 1998 original and the series' recent open-world titles. Reception from players and critics is still developing, and this report reflects only the developers' statements and early coverage.

Background: Ocarina of Time was first released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998.