Nintendo has finally showcased the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time remake at The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, offering a new look at the upcoming remake and its additions. They also announced the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake release date, exclusively arriving on Nintendo Switch 2.
Of course, after the showcase ended, fans put on their detective hats to analyze the 15-minute footage released on YouTube, checking what’s new and what’s returning from the original 1998 title. That said, here are all the gameplay elements we spotted in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’s gameplay reveal.
Link Can Now Perform Manual Jumps
One of the biggest changes coming to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is that Link can now manually jump.
In the original 1998 title, Link could automatically jump when you approached an edge, so you had no control. Fortunately, that’s changing with the upcoming remake as you can now jump by pressing X on your Switch 2.
Link Can Swim Underwater to Check for Resources
Link can now swim and even dive underwater by holding A in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake. As shown in the 15-minute reveal, Link dives underwater and retrieves a blue Rupee diamond. You can even swim faster by pressing X on the controller.
In the original 1998 game, you needed the Silver or Golden Scale to stay underwater for more than 3 seconds at a time. We reckon these items will be returning to the Ocarina of Time remake as well.
Characters Are Now Fully Voiced in Cutscenes
Nintendo has also confirmed that characters in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake will be fully voiced in cutscenes. They also added new dialogue for the characters and showcased a new conversation at the Kokiri Forest between Link and his childhood best friend, Saria, further fleshing out their personalities.
Link Can Now Swap Between Items
Like the recent Zelda games such as Tears of the Kingdom, you can now swap between items at the click of a button without pausing. In the original, you had to assign items to the three C-buttons on the Nintendo 64 controller.
You can also aim more precisely with the Fairy Slingshot by pressing the target button while aiming, letting you defeat enemies like the Skulltula on the wall more quickly.
Loading Screens Return
Loading screens will still be present when you move between certain areas in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, as Nintendo intentionally kept them to “preserve the essence of the original game.”
New Threads of Time Feature Tracks Progress
Nintendo has added a new feature called Threads of Time in the upcoming remake to track your story progress and your next objective. This feature targets beginners planning to jump into the Zelda series for the first time.
You can check your progress via the Threads of Time at any point in the game. The more you progress, the more the Threads of Time tapestry will fill up in-game.
Link Can Now Dash After Rolling
In the original game, you had to roll around with Link to travel through areas more quickly. With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, though, Nintendo introduces a dash feature that lets you sprint faster. Press A on your controller to roll, and hold it to start sprinting.
Link Can Explore New Areas in Hyrule Castle Town
One of the new gameplay details we saw in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake gameplay reveal is the new areas at Hyrule Castle Town. Previously, in the 1998 game, most of the town was blocked off and served as a mere backdrop.
However, Nintendo has expanded Hyrule Castle Town, meaning you can now freely explore the back alleys, interact with more NPCs with distinct personalities, listen to their gossip, and play various mini-games in selected shops.
Time Now Progresses in Real Time Across Hyrule
In the original Zelda title, time stopped advancing whenever you visited a dungeon or an indoor area like Hyrule Castle Town. However, in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, time now advances in real time no matter where you are.
You Can Play the Ocarina Using Switch 2’s Built-In Microphone
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is taking full advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2’s capabilities. Now, you can use the device’s built-in microphone to hum tunes found in the in-game songbook to trigger special effects with the Ocarina. This is a fun alternative to pressing specific buttons to play a tune with the Ocarina.
Additionally, Nintendo will sell a physical Ocarina smart device through the Nintendo Store, letting you play the melodies in real time and trigger special effects in-game. You can play whichever songs Link has learned, depending on your progress in the remake.
Adult Link Can Still Ride a Horse
Like the original 1998 game, adult Link can ride his horse Epona in the upcoming Zelda remake. As young Link, you can still summon Epona by playing Epona’s song, but you won’t be able to traverse Hyrule with it. That’s where the dash feature comes into play.
We suggest tuning in to the Nintendo Direct on September 9 for sneak peeks at new Nintendo Switch 2 titles coming this winter. Nintendo might showcase more gameplay for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, but since we already have a 15-minute gameplay video, they may save the rest for later.
Nintendo also revealed The Legend of Zelda live-action movie logo at the dedicated Zelda Direct, bringing something for both video game and cinema fans. That said, what’s your favorite change from the original in the upcoming Zelda remake? Tell us in the comments section below.
