Zelda: Ocarina of Time's 99 Metacritic Score Faces New Scrutiny

A new investigation claims The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time may not actually deserve its long-standing 99 on Metacritic, sparking fresh debate over one of gaming's most iconic records.

Some gaming records seem indestructible. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s famed 99 on Metacritic has been one of them since day 1. It has been the top-rated game of all time at the top of the charts for years. But that celebrated figure is now being questioned, with fresh research suggesting it may have been computed wrongly.

The investigation took a closer look at Ocarina of Time's original Metacritic page and the critic reviews that make up its score. Unlike today's blockbuster games, which often collect hundreds of reviews, Ocarina of Time only has around 22 critic reviews on the site. Back in 1998, there simply weren't as many gaming publications reviewing every major release, so smaller review counts were completely normal. That alone isn't the issue, though.

The investigation claims that some of the archived reviews may have been interpreted differently than they should have been. In a few cases, recommendation-style reviews appear to have been treated as perfect scores, while other ratings may have been rounded up. Those tiny changes don't seem like much, but with only a couple dozen reviews contributing to the final average, even one adjusted score can have a noticeable impact.

So, what would happen if those reviews were scored differently?

Ocarina of Time's overall rating would reportedly drop by a single point. Rather than standing alone with a near-perfect 99, it would be tied with several other gaming classics, including Grand Theft Auto IV, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Soulcalibur. That's hardly a dramatic fall, but it would end the game's long-held status as the only title sitting at the very top of Metacritic.

Of course, the debate isn't really about whether Ocarina of Time is a great game. Few titles have had a bigger impact on the gaming industry. Its environment design, dungeon layouts, lock-on fighting system, and narration have influenced many action-adventure games since. Whether its score is 99 or 98, its influence on gaming history isn't going anywhere.

Still, the discussion shows just how much weight Metacritic scores carry today. A single point can become a part of a game’s identity, affecting fan conversations, industry rankings, and marketing years after release. That's why even a minor correction has caught so much attention across the gaming community.

The timing also makes the story even more interesting.

Rumors surrounding Ocarina of Time Reborn continue to circulate, although Nintendo has yet to officially announce such a project. If a remake or reimagining does eventually happen, it will almost certainly be judged against one of the most celebrated games ever made.

That means critics and fans alike will be watching every review the moment embargoes lift. Can any modern version live up to the original's reputation? And if the original's famous 99 isn't as solid as everyone believed, will future review scores be examined even more closely?

For now, the investigation doesn't change what Ocarina of Time means to millions of players. It simply reminds everyone that even gaming's most legendary records can be questioned. And if one of the industry's most famous review scores can be challenged after all these years, what other gaming myths might still be waiting to be uncovered?