The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the first game that gave many gamers a sense of true adventure. The experience unleashed us into a world full of diversity and mystery, with a scale that was almost unheard of in outside RPGs at the time. Nintendo changed the medium forever with just one game, and it feels like we've been trying in vain to recapture that feeling over and over again ever since.
Now a remake is in the works. Players are cautious about whether a remake will capture the same magic or simply be seen as an inferior version of a superior adventure. I mean, Ocarina of Time is still Ocarina of Time, so it'll be excellent regardless, but many fans are legitimately worried that the remake will simply be there and nothing more. It also brings us back to when Nintendo first revived this classic game back in 2011.
The first time I played Ocarina of Time was back on the Nintendo GameCube, with a special edition of Wind Waker bundled with Master Quest. At the time, it was still fresh in every gamer's mind.
Ocarina Of Time is better than ever on Nintendo 3DS.
The Nintendo 3DS' early months were troubled by its high price and lack of great games. A few years later, the system became one of the best portable devices of all time, but it took a while to get there.
Ocarina of Time 3D was one of the system's early successes, showing how it could not only deliver a console-quality experience on the go, but also build on the classics in a way that distinctly took advantage of the hardware.
Much like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, it felt like Nintendo was showing us its unique creative vision with this ambitious remaster. Ocarina of Time 3D's character models and environments look exactly like the concept art and packaging we kids have been obsessing over for hours at blockbusters.
It was totally classic Zelda. But now it looks and plays better than ever. And while Ocarina introduced many innovative features like Z-targeting and fluid third-person controls, it didn't control particularly well, even for those revisiting it back in 2011. You had to fight with the camera, have to go into menus repeatedly to change items, and had other issues.
The 3DS eliminated all of these complaints by adding a second screen. Navigating the map, changing gear, and managing everything in the game without controlling Link was relatively easy. The frustration of having to manage Link's gear is no longer there, transforming once-infamous locations like the Water Temple into surprisingly accessible dungeons.
It's more fun to play with better trial and error. Ever since I was a teenager, I wanted to explore for the first time all that was available from the comfort of the Sixth Form common room.
Why won't Nintendo re-release Ocarina of Time 3D?
It didn't offer a lot of new content, but it didn't need to to shine. You can play the Master Quest version of the game or take part in the Boss Challenge mode, but this remaster is intended to be a visual upgrade to the original with a variety of quality-of-life changes. Nintendo knew they had a masterpiece on their hands that would age like a fine wine, and they were treated as such. The culture of remakes and remasters has changed significantly in 2011. With triple-A games being released regularly, there was still a huge supply of new ideas and risk-taking games.
Part of me has often wondered if Nintendo would one day port this version of Ocarina to the Switch. Because it feels at home on a hybrid console and already looks great. I would argue that it remains the definitive version of the game and offers more than the N64 original. Bundle it with the equally fantastic 3DS version of Majora's Mask with all the same improvements and then some. Integrating dual-screen elements into an existing experience requires some work, but nothing that hasn't been done before.
3DS prices are getting more and more expensive thanks to collectors on the used market, so for many people these days, emulation is the only way to experience these great remasters. It needs to be more accessible.
I'm ready to see what Nintendo will do with the remake, but I'll always go back to the 3DS remaster if it deviates too much from the original masterpiece. It's superior to the N64 version in almost every way, and still does the job to this day. Now hurry up and try solving it again.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
- released
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June 19, 2011
- ESRB
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E10+ for everyone aged 10+ due to animated blood, fantasy violence, and suggestive themes.
- developer
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Grezzo, Nintendo
- publisher
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nintendo
- engine
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super mario 64
