Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’

There has always been something about the Start Up Screen for the ‘Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ that felt like home. It’s a reminder of a time gone past. A time when things were much simpler and life was nothing more than a winter break spent holed up in a room adventuring across Hyrule, saving the Princess. That sense of home returned this week with ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake,’ transporting old fans back to a time long ago and bringing new fans into an experience that shaped Zelda fans lives. Remaking a classic comes with complications and concerns that are almost always justified.

Will the remake dilute the original?

Will the game end up dumb down into something that isn’t quite what fans remembered?

As that familiar start up screen booted up, I cried, unashamedly, sitting cross-legged on the floor like I was 12 again, side by side with my own son. ‘The Legend Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’ is everything that fans wanted and more. It’s a moment to share with their kids, so they are able understand a piece of their childhood. ‘Ocarina’ is about as perfect of a game as one could imagine, breathing new life into an old friend.

Waking from his slumber from the jolt of a fairy, Link, a small Kokiri child, is thrust into legend when the fate of the world is put upon his small, but capable, shoulders. Setting out across Hyrule to build an arsenal and save the Princess, Link accepts his task and the adventurer is off. ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’ is a faithful face lift to one of the greatest games ever made. Nothing is sacrificed for convenience. Everything feels as it did in the original. ‘Ocarina’ is single-handily the greatest remake of any game ever made. The game is as perfect as it’s predecesor.

A Link Between Worlds

Bridging the gap between 1998 and 2026, a total of 26 years, is daunting. There are always going to be those who cling to the nostalgia of the original, refusing to even entertain any kind of change. Many complaints that are being shared now deal primarily with how easy the bosses are. That is where that gap comes into play. The gamers who played the original are no longer small children. They’ve cut their teeth over the years playing games like ‘Dark Souls’ and ‘Elden Ring.’ Of course the game seems easier now, gamers grew up and, thus, got better at their craft. The developers found an incredible middle ground of keeping everything that made the original special while giving it an update to modern aesthetics. Let’s be serious, the original controls were clunky and annoying, but they were of their time.

READ MORE: It’s Dangerous To Go Alone: My Time In Hyrule

‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’ was built on ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ foundation and it shows.

Simply put: this game is gorgeous.

When I said I cried when the start screen hit, I meant it. The game stunned me with it’s beauty. Hyrule feels more lived in and immediate. There is texture and nuance to the world and the people that live in it. This is the world that gamers imagined when they sat with the original all those years ago. The boxy look of the original has given way to the beauty and majesty of a modern processing unit. This update was much needed. In preparation for this release, I played the original and, while the memories were fond, it was frustrating to even attempt to play. The visual improvements made by the development team, which included some that had NEVER played the original, are akin to restoring the Mona Lisa. The beauty was always there. It just needed to presented anew.

The Hero of Time

The most important upgrade made in the ‘Ocarina of Time Remake’ is without a doubt the upgrade to the controls. The simple of addition of a jump button that circumvents accidentally nosediving into the abyss was a gift, but the overall re-framing of how the game is played was absolutely essential and rendered with perfection. The developers clearly listened to those who played the game way back when and made the needed adjustments that made the game work for everyone. The game flows smoothly, losing all of the clunkiness that was par for the course for pretty much every game every made for the Nintendo 64.

WATCH MORE: Three Things You May Have Forgotten About ‘The Legend of Zelda’

The salt to the control work’s baked potato is the camera work. The addition of another control stick that wasn’t there 26 years ago has been essential to the immersive experience that the ‘Ocarina’ remake has given gamers. The ability to explore the world of Hyrule in new ways, draws gamers in and allows them to truly feel the world. It also makes it easier to play the game, in general. The primitive camera work (yes, I used that word correctly) that was a hallmark of the original added a level of difficulty that just does not exist in the age of the modern video game. The loss of camera frustration has allowed gamers to dive in with zero worry about having to repeatedly attempt what should be a simple, menial task.

Final Thoughts:

‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake’ is everything that older gamers have been waiting a quarter of a century to play, but it is so much more than that. It’s a gorgeous and engaging experience that bridges generation gaps, providing a new experience for gamers that weren’t alive in 1998. This game is everything that I, and many like me, had dreamed it would be.