Switch 2's Ocarina of Time Remake Revives 1998 Classic as a Masterpiece Endures

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 4

Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of 1998’s “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” modernizes the landmark adventure with smoother performance, intuitive dual-stick camera control and richer environments, while preserving the original’s core design.
Eiji Aonuma’s updated version makes Hyrule easier to read and navigate, sharpening the game’s foundational ideas in 3D combat, vertical dungeon design and environmental puzzle-solving that later shaped series such as “Dark Souls” and “God of War.”
Some of that modernization cuts both ways: unchanged puzzles can feel trivial with modern camera control, while the Water Temple and other opaque sections still demand close attention to clues and surroundings.
The remake’s presentation draws a mixed response, with puppet-theater-inspired character models and anime-like voice acting sometimes clashing with the world’s tone, though Ganondorf and the newly explorable Hyrule Castle Town stand out.
Rather than radically reimagining the game, the remake works more as a polished replacement, underscoring how much of modern 3D game design still grows from a 1998 blueprint.