Nintendo's Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on Monday did the thing everyone half-expected and still got loud about: a full remake of Ocarina of Time, built for Switch 2, out November 5. Series producer Eiji Aonuma showed the first gameplay himself.
What's changed
This isn't the 3DS touch-up with sharper edges. Nintendo is calling it a ground-up remake: rebuilt visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, and a symphonic score replacing the original's MIDI. The camera and movement have been reworked too, and there's now a dedicated jump button, a roll-into-sprint, and proper swimming and diving. Loading in and out of shops and houses is meant to be seamless rather than a fade-to-black every time.
The odd one is the microphone option. Instead of tapping out ocarina songs on the buttons, you can hum or play them into the Switch 2's mic. That's either going to be a lovely party trick or the first setting people turn off. I genuinely can't tell yet.
The stuff around the game
There's a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 and themed accessories on October 29, plus amiibo, playable and electric ocarinas, and LEGO and Hasbro tie-ins. Nintendo also announced a global anniversary concert series and confirmed the live-action Zelda film for April 30, 2027.
Remaking Ocarina is a big swing. It's the game a lot of people rank as their favourite, and voiced cutscenes plus a jump button will absolutely start arguments among the purists. But a November 5 date means we don't have long to argue in the abstract.
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