The announcement of the Ocarina of Time remake for Nintendo Switch 2 is among the biggest stories to hit The Legend of Zelda community in many years. But with how little we currently know about the project, perhaps the most common talking point among fans is what–if anything–will actually see significant changes in the upcoming reimagining. There is no telling how far Nintendo will go when bringing the N64 classic to a whole new era. Several of the Zelda Universe staff got together to discuss this very topic, each of us laying out the changes and additions we most want to be featured in the Ocarina of Time remake. From gameplay improvements to new lore, these are the updates we hope to see when the game launches later this year.
Quality of Life features
Ocarina of Time is an iconic masterpiece, and unless the 2026 remake plans to do a complete overhaul/reimagining, any little change runs the risk of alienating longtime fans. As far as I’m concerned, the dungeons are practically perfect as-is, and the story is still blissfully straightforward with a satisfying ending. Beyond the visuals, it’s hard to hash out what would improve the base experience without inspiring long, angry video essays from purists. With that in mind, what I want changed the most is something that would be universally agreed upon as an upgrade: Quality of Life features.
2011’s Ocarina of Time 3D had the right idea in its added QoL features: much better item management, an open map on the touch screen, gyro aiming for items, and equipping the Iron Boots without having to open the menu. These enhanced the game—not detracted from it—by letting Ocarina be experienced with less friction. But these can be taken a step further: an item wheel for instance, instead of having to remap them individually. Combat would benefit from being able swap between the Boomerang or Kookshot within seconds. Similarly, imagine having quick access to the Goddess abilities, much like the champion abilities in Breath of the Wild. These kinds of changes only cut out the bloat, not increase it.
Movement can be improved upon too. A manual jump would go a long way in helping world traversal feel better. That may sound like heresy to some, but other remakes (such as the recent Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced) have implemented it without sacrificing the integrity of the world design. I’m not asking for Breath of the Wild levels of climbing and paragliding; just let us hop around Hyrule to our hearts’ content!
There’s countless other features that would be welcome: skippable dialogue, a free camera, sprinting, colorblind options, etc. Nintendo is usually not one for accessibility, but recently their titles have only gotten more and more easy for newcomers to pick up and play. Here’s hoping the 2026 Ocarina of Time remake also offers lots of options without compromising on what made the original so memorable.
The moment I experienced the sheer massive scale of the dungeons and the vast Hyrule overworld from the sky to the Depths in Tears of the Kingdom, I had an inkling where the next 3D Zelda adventure might take us, and that prospect excites me. Even more so that one of my favorite games of all time, Ocarina of Time, might also be getting a similar grand treatment right now as of this writing.
I’m not saying that Ocarina of Time should be open world, mind you. What I’m talking about is the possibility of being completely immersed into the kingdom of Hyrule in a way that we have not ever felt before. What better way to do that than with the crown jewel itself? The first N64 version employed skillful texture combinations and clever stagecraft to cradle your mind in the oh-so-delicate willing suspension of disbelief. Limited jumping commands kept boundaries in check. Localized loading environments conserved precious data space. These tactics were essential in the production of Zelda games for the past 20 years.
Until now.
What excites me the most about the Ocarina of Time remake is the prospect of getting all of this and more while somehow preserving its original narrative structure. I’m not sure exactly how that will look. But after playing Age of Imprisonment and even the Star Fox remake, I’m confident that the Nintendo team and their partners will preserve the core spirit of Ocarina and make it amazing just like its predecessor!
Some of the more specific things I especially want to see include the updated designs for Link, Zelda and Ganondorf. I’m excited to see how the Gerudo Fortress and the Haunted Wasteland desert will look. I want to jump over the bridge and walk around the prisons and even see the Gerudo town in that period in full scale. It would be exciting to see more scenes and maybe more backstory with Ganondorf and Twinrova, perhaps even when he was a child. Let’s get them voice acted again! But don’t pull any punches, Nintendo. I don’t want any sob stories.
Speaking of Ganondorf, it would be quite fun if you get to fight him like Link does in the manga. That might have been what Nintendo originally intended if it wasn’t for the constraints of the N64. I’m sure there will be some form of “Dead Man’s Volley” in there, but hey, it’s not Ocarina without it. I can’t wait to hear the music in this game!
It would be nice if they expanded on the previous Hyrulean war and Link’s parents. I’m curious how the Sheikah are going to be handled here knowing what we know now. There’s a lot of story they can expand upon this time, actually.
To that end, I wouldn’t mind if the script gets expanded and a little updated too, but I hope it doesn’t change too much. The grown ups calling Link a “stupid kid” made him push harder to prove them wrong, after all. I need Ganondorf to still say to Link “you got guts, kid,” and “These toys are too much for you.” That’s mandatory.
Wow, there’s quite a few changes I’d like to see, but here are my main suggestions!
More side quests: Majora’s Maskimproves on its predecessor, so I’d like to see a similarly complex world where Link can acquire a multitude of cool items and encounter a wider variety of people across the land, adding to the richness of Hyrule.
Un-freeze Zora’s Domain: After completing the Water Temple, Zora’s Domain remains in a frozen state. Of course, when the game was made, keeping it that way was due to technical restraints, but this has always bothered me, and I can’t be the only one! Admittedly, it properly thaws during the game’s ending cinematics, but this kind of ties in with the ‘more side quests’ request — if it thaws after completing the Water Temple, there’d be a lot more to do in the region.
Sprinting ability: I’d like a stamina bar where I can sprint across Hyrule instead of relying on rolling continuously to get somewhere faster. While we’re on the subject, perhaps some ability differences between Adult Link and Child Link would be an interesting addition — maybe his older version can move faster, but his younger version can fly further with a Cucco, for example, due to less weight!
Introduce a weather system: Like Breath of the Wild, have it when it can be sunny, rainy, overcast, cloudy, stormy, and more. It adds to a sense of realism and wonder to the realm.
I would readily welcome the Ocarina of Time remake being an ambitious and comprehensive reimagining of the original game, such as what Square-Enix has done with Final Fantasy VII, but I also realize that might be asking a lot. What feels like a more tame expectation is my hope that the boss battles see some upgrades. Keep the same foes that fans know so well, but design the fights to play out a little differently, be that by adding new attacks for the bosses, altering the environments where the fights take place, adding new phases to the battles, etc.
Gohma and King Dodongo, for example, are comically non-threatening. You practically have to stand in place for ten seconds straight and do absolutely nothing to even be in danger of being hit by them. They were acceptable encounters for such an early 3D action/adventure title back in 1998, but such fights are simply not going to feel up to modern gaming standards without serious improvements. I envision a retooled Gohma fight where Deku Nuts no longer stun her, and instead of just Z-targeting her eye and shooting her with the Fairy Slingshot, you instead have to hit all of her arms one-by-one in order to drop her from the ceiling. Have her lay Gohma Larva instantaneously so that we must fend off multiple enemies while she closes in on Link.
For King Dodongo, perhaps he could draw in nearby lava and rocks when he inhales, all of which can hit Link if you don’t avoid them. Better yet, make that big gulp of breath such a powerful vacuum that you can’t face King Dodongo head on when you throw the bomb, forcing you to approach him from an advantageous angle.
The fight with Ganondorf largely being a repeat of the tennis match with Phantom Ganon was always a bit of a letdown. Keep the tennis exchanges in there, but how about letting Ganondorf also brandish a sword at the beginning of the fight and come down to ground level for some up close and personal combat? Imagine the fight with Volvagia taking place across a vast sea of lava, where you must hop between numerous little rock islands as the dragon swims throughout the molten floor (somewhat like the excellent battle in Echoes of Wisdom).
There’s a precedent for this in Legend of Zelda remakes, even if it’s polarizing among fans. Majora’s Mask 3D introduced brand new phases to the battles with Gyorg and Twinmold, dramatically altering the boss arenas, the monsters’ behaviors, and the means for the player to defeat them. So long as Nintendo steers clear of excessive giant eyeballs this time around, some new twists on Ocarina of Time’s bosses could go a long way toward making the remake more exciting than just one big visual upgrade.
by Zelda Universe Staff on July 24, 2026
