Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Could Use VRR Support on Nintendo Switch 2

New Ocarina of Time footage highlights 60 FPS gameplay, improved audio, updated movement, and possible variable refresh rate support.

Nintendo is slowly unveiling more details about its upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, and the closer the game gets to its November 5 release date, the more incredible it seems. Rather than showing everything all at once, Nintendo has started to show smaller gameplay clips and audio-centric teasers on social media, allowing fans to see more of different facets of the remake.

Something really interesting has just appeared on the game's Nintendo eShop page. The technical specs at the bottom of the page hint at VRR output, suggesting the remake could take advantage of the Switch 2’s variable refresh rate features when plugged into a compatible TV.

VRR is important to implement since Ocarina of Time wants to run at 60 frames per second while having significantly better visuals than the original Nintendo 64 version. There could be areas of the game with more happening on screen or perhaps visual effects that will make it tough to keep a constant 60 FPS. VRR could help smooth out the dips.

Nintendo has added VRR compatibility for compatible TVs via a Switch 2 system update, but individual games need to get support through their own upgrades. The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour now highlights that feature, showing how it can change the refresh rate on the fly while you’re playing.

VRR could be particularly useful considering the 60 FPS aim of Ocarina of Time.

The VRR can be used anywhere from 40Hz to 60Hz while the system is in 60Hz mode. That example, a game targeting 60 FPS, could have some performance losses without the same visual stuttering as a fixed refresh rate. The remake is consistently running at 60 FPS but frequently dips into the 50s or even upper 40s; VRR might sync the TV’s refresh rate to the fluctuating framerate of the game.

The ultimate result could be a smoother presentation, especially when moving the camera or while creating many visual elements at the same time. This might be especially obvious when traveling through large expanses such as Hyrule Field. Nintendo just published footage of Link rolling and running over the field, and both ways of mobility seem to travel the same distance in about the same amount of time.

The new film also allows fans a chance to hear the updated soundtrack from the remake. While Nintendo already showed off the soundtrack during their Zelda Direct, the newer leaked gameplay samples make the superior audio presentation more apparent throughout regular exploration.

This song seems to be one of the better ones Nintendo has done thus far. Footage of Link going over Hyrule Field gives the soundtrack enough of a chance to shine, while another early-game sample shows the newly introduced leap button. Nintendo still has a lot they haven’t shown.

New gameplay clips showcase the improved soundtrack in the remake.

The jump button could also have other considerations beyond just movement, especially if it changes the way certain puzzles, dungeons, or temples are approached. Fans haven’t seen how Nintendo has adapted some of the previous game’s hurdles to the new movement mechanics.

The better appearance of the remake has also been greatly discussed. The new art style has been controversial, but the footage shown so far presents a more polished version of Hyrule with considerably more realistic scenery and character models than the original game could have possibly delivered.

At the same time some of the minor sound effects can be more prominent than the music in some of the clips. For example, the footstep sounds are loud enough when Link sprints across Hyrule Field that it may be worth gamers turning those effects down in the future so the soundtrack can take center stage.

There’s more and more footage coming out, but Nintendo has been careful not to reveal too much of how the remake is handling some of the biggest changes to gameplay. The company has presented movement, settings, music, and individual mechanisms. The puzzles and temples of the game give you more questions than answers.

Nintendo has not responded to big gameplay questions concerning the remake.

The jump button is particularly interesting because Ocarina of Time was originally going to have a very different kind of mobility system. More direct jumping could result in innovative solutions to environmental issues or affect the navigation of certain locations. That means the end result can be more than just a cosmetic facelift, with substantial modifications.

How much the remake actually modifies the formula of the original remains to be seen until Nintendo reveals more about the latter phases of the game. There’s also conjecture about how the reviewers will react to the remake when reviews come in. While the original Ocarina of Time was widely acclaimed when it was launched on the Nintendo 64, subsequent editions are judged against significantly different technological and design criteria.

That means a Metacritic score in the mid-90s would put the remake in the same company as the best-reviewed titles of the year, but the final verdict on the game will come from the complete release, not the video shown so far. It looks like Nintendo is cleverly building up hype by revealing the remake piece by piece right now. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is looking to be another big showcase for the Switch 2.

As it’s set to feature improved visuals, a target of 60 frames per second, possible VRR support, and new soundtrack and gameplay elements. Nintendo has a lot of unanswered questions to answer before then, with the November 5 release date looming. Until then, each new movie gives another take on how the original Zelda journey has been reworked for today’s electronics.