Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Rebuilds Everything From Scratch

Nintendo explains how it redesigned Link's movements and rebuilt Hyrule, while early reports suggest Master Quest is missing. Square Enix also launches major RPG discounts on Switch 2.

Nintendo has shared more details about creating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, revealing that the remake is being built entirely from scratch and not using the original game's code. The details come from a new Ask the Developer interview, where development team members highlighted the difficulty of updating the classic adventure for modern hardware while yet holding on to what made the original so memorable.

“The development team spent a lot of time discussing the new art direction for the game and Link’s redesigned actions,” said Program Director Mr. Takaguchi. Some remakes use the original game's code and data as a base, but Nintendo didn't take that route because it's been over 28 years since the original was released, Takaguchi stated.

Instead, the team rebuilt everything from the ground up, constantly comparing new features to the original experience.

The idea was to update the adventure, but not to change it into something else. The team took special care with Link’s responsiveness and the overall feel of controlling the character. The devs also admitted that today’s Zelda fans may play the game differently. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have attracted millions of new fans, and Nintendo has made sure that those new fans aren’t put off by the remake’s controls and movement being too strange.

One major gameplay change is removing the original game’s automatic leap. In the Nintendo 64 version, Link would automatically jump when players traveled toward some locations. But the makers said that the mechanism could feel weird for people used to recent action-adventure games. In the remake, Link can leap whenever he wants with a dedicated jump button.

This required extra development because the team had to rethink environmental design, platforming distances, and possible interactions with the world around them. "Young Link and adult Link have different jumping distances, which makes the level design even more complicated," said art director Shida. But Nintendo thinks the alteration makes exploration more thrilling and brings the experience in line with contemporary Zelda titles.

Unfortunately, early reports suggest the remake won't feature Master Quest. According to early copy players, the extra mode is believed to be AWOL even after finishing the main story.

Master Quest was initially bundled with the GameCube version of Ocarina of Time and returns with the Nintendo 3DS release.

The 3DS version reorganized its dungeons, added harder foes, and introduced a mirrored universe. Nintendo hasn’t officially acknowledged that it’s missing, but early player reports have left those looking for more challenges disappointed. A Hero Mode, or some other harder level, would have been a nice addition, and a future update or DLC might make up for this oversight.

Still, the remake looks and plays well, based on early impressions, despite the letdown. The game is set to premiere on November 5, 2026.
In other news, Square Enix has started a huge eShop sale for Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch, discounting some popular RPGs. The main highlights are Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, now $7.99 from $39.99, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, apparently $7.49.

So that means you can get both games for a combined cost of around $15.48. Other cheap titles include Bravely Default, Crisis Core, and a handful of Dragon Quest games. The deal also contains discounts for the Octopath Traveler series. Star Ocean: The Second Story R is on sale for $24.99 down from $50 on Nintendo Switch 2.

The discount certainly makes the remake more tempting, especially given the performance constraints of the original Switch edition and the lack of a save transfer or upgrade path for the Switch 2 release. Square Enix's sale also includes classic Final Fantasy, Chrono, and Mana games, so Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 owners have plenty of chances to expand their RPG libraries.