Nintendo has confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026.
The release date was revealed during a 40th Anniversary Direct for the Zelda series alongside our first look at gameplay from the upcoming game following its cryptic June reveal. Eiji Aonuma, original Ocarina of Time director and longtime Zelda series producer, played a demo of the game with commentary during the Direct.
The footage begins with Young Link in Kokiri Forest, showcasing the luscious new visuals and some additional dialogue that’s been added for characters like Saria. We then see Link exploring The Great Deku Tree dungeon and fighting some enemies, the latter of which is very reminiscent of the original game’s Z-targeting-focused combat.
Interestingly, Nintendo says it kept loading screens between areas to preserve the “essence” of the original game. We get one of these loading screens before Link enters Hyrule Field, which naturally got a pretty glow-up. Aonuma then shows off new features, Threads of Time, which helps show the player where to go, and a sprint that Link can execute after rolling. Eventually, he gets to Castle Town, which is even more bustling and lively than before.
Amusingly, the demo concludes with Link using the titular ocarina, which players can actually sing into using the Switch 2’s built-in mic. And on the subject of audio, Nintendo confirmed that the game features full voice acting for the supporting cast (Link is naturally still silent), which we get a glimpse of in a trailer that concluded the Direct and teases Adult Link and Zelda, Ganondorf, Sheik and more.
All in all, it looks pretty 1:1 to the original game, but given that the 1998 classic is regarded as one of the greatest games ever made, this is undoubtedly all that was needed to whet nostalgic fans’ appetite. Nintendo also teased a Zelda-themed Switch 2 console coming October 29, 2026 that doesn’t include the remake, as well as a corresponding Pro Controller and carrying case.
Elsewhere in the Direct, we got a tease of a new Zelda symphonic concert that will premiere in Japan in January ahead of a North American leg in February (Canadian dates are currently unclear), confirmation that the upcoming live-action film is simply titled “The Legend of Zelda,” new Amiibo based on Young Link and Young Zelda and various brick-and-mortar initiatives at the Kyoto Nintendo Museum.
Notably, this is the first of two Nintendo presentations this week, with the second, a general Direct, taking place tomorrow, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. ET.
Image credit: Nintendo
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