Pondering on an Ocarina of Time remake
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time needs no introduction. Or maybe it does? If you've come into the gaming world only recently, you might not know about it. I'm not going to write yet another essay on what the game is and why it's good in this post, but suffice it to say: Ocarina of Time was a big deal. And it remains one of my favorite games ever.
Every now and then, I hear people on podcasts mention an Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 that's supposedly in development, and I always wonder: is this a rumor with any credibility at all, or is it just a wish people have brought up enough times that we got confused into thinking it was real? I don't think I've ever seen an actual article about it.
But consider this: somewhat recently, there were new LEGO sets of Ocarina of Time.
Ah-ha! LEGO sets! This is it! This is... actually, no, I don't think we can draw any real conclusions from that alone.
Seriously though. How likely is an Ocarina of Time remake?
Well it kind of depends on what you mean by "remake."
Nintendo's Remakes
If we're talking about a remake in the vein of Final Fantasy VII Remake or Resident Evil 2/3/4, where you're really making a whole new game based on the old game, I think that's unlikely. Modern Nintendo has little history of doing that sort of game.
What they have done is quite a lot of "remasters" for Switch, some more substantial than others. Mostly these have been games from the Gamecube, Wii, or 3DS. These remasters are sensible, from a development perspective, because games from these consoles, unlike the jagged low-poly N64 games, only need some relatively simple enhancements to pass as Switch games—at least in Nintendo's opinion. Now, is an unimpressive port of Donkey Kong Country Returns worth the money Nintendo charges for it? Probably not—but that's beside the point.
I will note that Metroid Prime Remastered for Switch goes well beyond the usual "remaster" job. They redid the textures and lighting in huge ways, and reworked the controls, while providing options similar to both the Wii and Gamecube versions. The level design is fundamentally unchanged, but you could make a case for calling this version a remake. Which... hm... but it says "remastered" on the box?
The semantics are so confusing now.
Skyward Sword HD doesn't look too different from the Wii original, but Nintendo did implement a way to play the game using the control stick instead of motion controls (never actually tried this since it sounded more difficult than the motion controls I had already played, to be honest) and made a bunch of little tweaks that make the game more pleasant to play. That's really everything you hope for out of a "remaster." It doesn't go far enough to call it a "remake," but it does improve the game in a lot of little ways.
If we go back before the Switch era, on the 3DS you have remakes like Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D. They didn't mess with the actual level design much at all, but they rebuilt the games with brand new graphics (they re-recorded the voice lines for Star Fox too), so you really have to consider them remakes. I would mention the stereoscopic 3D, but while that was something nice to put on the box, not many fans seemed to actually care about it—anyway, these are just good versions of the games regardless of the 3D effect.
There was also Majora's Mask 3D, which went a bit further in changing the game than Ocarina 3D did—although some of these changes turned out to be controversial. I haven't played this version myself though, so I'm moving on now.
Now there are some interesting cases I almost forgot about. Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017 is a remake of Metroid II. And not too long ago Nintendo published a remake of the Another Code games. These are much more substantial updates than your standard remasters.
I've given some examples of remakes and remasters that Nintendo has released, but my purpose is not to give an exhaustive list, much less try to figure out the exact difference between those two words. What you can see is that Nintendo sometimes releases remakes that make significant changes to the original game. However, none of these projects feel all that similar to the reimagining thing that Capcom does with Resident Evil. Another Code is kind of a weird one though.
One key point I notice is that it's been quite a while since Nintendo remade any Nintendo 64 games. Then again, the most popular games on that console either are multiplayer games with sequels (Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario sports games), or are games they've already remade at this point. I mean, the number of widely beloved Nintendo-published N64 games is relatively low. Mario 64 got a DS remake. Zelda and Star Fox of course were on 3DS. Nintendo doesn't own Banjo Kazooie or developer Rare anymore, so it'd be kind of awkward for them to remake those games. Though speaking of Rare, Activision did release a Goldeneye remake on Wii. It really took a lot of inspiration from Call of Duty, but hey, they paid lipservice to the N64 game when announcing it, that's for sure. I can't really imagine another Goldeneye game being made at this point.
I think remaking N64 games is a thing of the past, unless Nintendo wants to start remaking games they already remade. And wouldn't that be a bit silly?
Then again, I don't think doing that would really upset anyone if it's Ocarina of Time we're talking about.
The Case for No Remake: Just play the original game?
Although I was around 12 when I first played it (on Wii Virtual Console), I've replayed Ocarina of Time from start to finish a couple times as an adult. Once was on Virtual Console on that same exact Wii I used originally. The second time was using Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack and the official Switch version of the N64 controller. I had a lot of fun both times. Initially I was surprised at how enjoyable Ocarina of Time remains even with the other flavors of Zelda that have come out since. It's no wonder it's the game that made me love Zelda: a charming world, quirky characters, intimidating dungeons, surprising secrets, and an immensely rewarding finale.
Whenever someone says "This game doesn't age well" or "it doesn't hold up" I just think "Nope!" If it doesn't age well, then explain all the fun I had playing it just the other day? Checkmate, atheists.
I will acknowledge that getting your head wrapped around the Z-targeting system can be a challenge if you're used to modern games. You can't rotate the camera freely; rather, you press Z to make it face the direction Link is facing. I have no problems at all using this system, but yeah, it'd probably be nice to just be able to rotate the camera with the right analog stick like pretty much every action-adventure game released in the last twenty years.
It's kind of lame to have to open the equipment menu so many times in the Water Temple. I guess that really bugs people. I'm not going to say it was a good design choice. It just doesn't annoy me that much, personally. If you play the game on 3DS, that problem is fixed, fortunately.
I know I'm sort of explaining why the game's faults aren't actually problems here, but don't get me wrong: there are parts of Ocarina of Time that frustrate me. But how many games that I truly love don't frustrate me at times?
I can't really remove my own biases with this game. I still see the magic in it. If someone were struggling with the controls, I'd just want them to be patient and give the game more time.
If I'm realistic, though, do I actually expect a lot of kids to give Ocarina of Time a real shot using Nintendo Switch Online?
Nah. It's old.
I mean, I didn't have any other Zeldas or similar games when I was 12. And the internet was more limited compared to today, so there weren't quite so many distractions. There was no reason for me to give up easily on Ocarina of Time.
But nowadays, even though I have respect for classic games, when's the last time I actually finished one that was new to me? Like, a game that came out before 2010, even? The Ace Attorney games, I guess... and even that was about four years ago.
In fairness, I haven't been finishing new games I start, either. It's bad.
The point is, having the classic N64 games available on Switch Online is great for the oldsters and nerds, but I don't know how many kids are jumping into Ocarina of Time for the first time on there.
The question is: does Nintendo actually care if the new generation doesn't revere Ocarina of Time?
It really seemed to be the quintessential Zelda for a long time. But so many people now have been introduced to the series through Breath of the Wild, it makes me wonder if the Link that people think of is no longer the classic green tunic Link, but the blue one. Now you could mourn the changing times I guess, but personally, this doesn't bug me at all, and I doubt it bugs Nintendo. As long as people love Zelda in some form, do they actually care if you love blue Link or green Link?
Now this is where we can bring up the LEGO sets. Does the mere fact that Nintendo is getting Ocarina of Time LEGO sets made suggest that they want to preserve Ocarina of Time as important for all generations? Or is it more that they just know their older fans are likely to buy such things? I really couldn't say.
If we assume that they are serious about maintaining Ocarina of Time's legendary status, though, then I agree that they ought to do something more. Because the original game simply being accessible on Switch Online probably isn't going to bring in new audiences.
Let's Talk About Graphics
You know, it's funny, Final Fantasy VII fans have had a taste of what a fancy-graphics version of those characters looks like for quite a long time, between the movie Advent Children and the PS3 teaser for a remake—although the actual remake didn't come out until 2020 (well, and it's not a straightforward retelling of the game anyway).
History has shown that Ocarina of Time fans would clearly be no less excited if they were to see "Ocarina of Time but photorealistic." Famously, there was a GameCube sizzle reel that featured a brief movie of Link fighting Ganondorf, both characters modeled after their Ocarina of Time designs, causing fans to get super hyped, only for them to get bummed later when Wind Waker was announced. A few years later, at E3 2004, Nintendo showed a trailer patterned after an Ocarina of Time commercial, featuring a new grown-up version of Link on horseback. The audience's cheers were deafening.
In a lot of ways, Twilight Princess felt like a tribute to Ocarina of Time. The first three dungeons mirror those of the first three of the adult portion of Ocarina. Both the Gorons and Zora are back, looking like more detailed versions of their Ocarina selves. The background music for their homes is based on the themes from Ocarina. The Hylian Shield is like an HD version of the one from Ocarina (yes I know this game wasn't actually HD). Saria's Song is there, the Serenade of Water is there. Heck, the Temple of Time in this game is craaaaaaazy.
The overall vibe of Twilight Princess really captures that "epic adventure in a vast dangerous world" feeling that Ocarina did. Maybe a little darker and weirder, even (though Ocarina is not lacking in darkness when you get far enough into it). Now I've said before I have issues with the game design but aesthetically, I've long wanted to see this game's art style matched with modern shaders and lighting and all that. Because Twilight Princess HD on Wii U upgraded the textures, but that wasn't enough to make it not look like a GameCube game.
The closest thing I got to that wish was in 2011 when there was a demo for the just-announced Wii U console showing Link, rendered in a style similar to Twilight Princess, fighting a big spider (which is also similar to Twilight Princess). It looked quite impressive. But of course, this never became an actual game.
Since that time, no new Zelda games have gone for a similar art style. I truly do love the look of Breath of the Wild, though. The way the game uses colors can really take my breath away.
But I'm not gonna lie to you. That desire for a Zelda game that is on the more photorealistic side of graphics has never left me.
And if Nintendo did a Final Fantasy VII Remake with Ocarina of Time? Ohhh boy I'd go crazy for graphics like that.
It may sound crazy, but you can't say "Nintendo doesn't have the hardware for it" anymore, because Final Fantasy VII Remake literally is on Switch 2 now. The game originally ran on the PS4, of course, but it looks beautiful today just as it did back then. And like I said when Switch 2 rumors were starting to gain momentum, Nintendo doesn't need to be on the level of the PS5, because even seeing them make a game that looks like the best-looking PS4 games would be sick. Are they gonna do that, though? That's a whole topic unto itself. I'm just saying that it's possible on this hardware.
I really wonder if Zelda would go in that direction, though. Avoiding photorealism has served them well for a long time. Skyward Sword came out for the Wii in 2011, when all the gamers knew the console's graphics were "old," but that game's art style worked well within those hardware limitations. And I imagine if Breath of the Wild had gone for some Xbox 360 realistic open world game graphics, the game would not have aged as well or stood out as much.
But now with Switch 2, the hardware is capable of bringing a high-fidelity realism style to life without offending our eyes too much. Is this the time to go for Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess vibes again?
I want to say yes but I just don't know if the people at Nintendo see it that way. Hm.
But I do feel that if Nintendo was going to do an Ocarina of Time remake with brand-new graphics, "realistic" is the move. To me, you can't make Ocarina of Time look like Breath of the Wild. It just wouldn't be in the spirit of the original game.
Well with that said, I think there are a few possibilities for an Ocarina of Time "remake."
Option 1: Remaster the 3DS Version
Ocarina of Time 3D is really a lovely-looking game. It features vibrant colors that bring the original game's concept art to life. The characters and environment look much cleaner than they did on Nintendo 64, but it is undoubtedly Ocarina of Time. The original game ran at quite a low framerate, so this version improving that even just to 30 FPS is rather significant.
3D faithfully recreates the game design of the original. The most noticeable change is just a new hint system—the type of stuff Nintendo was trying a lot in that 2009-2012 era. Of course you also get to use the 3DS' bottom screen to manage inventory, which is definitely handy. Additionally, the game makes use of the 3DS' gyroscope for aiming the slingshot and other projectiles. And they added markings to the Water Temple walls to make it clearer what's going on!
This is such an excellent version of the game that it makes me wonder why Nintendo doesn't just do a bit of texture work to get it looking good on the Switch. Heck, they recently upgraded the textures in Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 for the new Switch release. Shouldn't be too hard to do something like that for Ocarina. They can release it with the unsurprising title of "Ocarina of Time HD."
They are going to have to rework the second-screen aspects, of course. The inventory screen lived on the 3DS' bottom screen in this version, so they just have to move it back to the Pause screen where it was on N64. The iron boots issue is quite simple, since Wind Waker and Twilight Princess already fixed it: just make the iron boots a regular "C-button" item. These issues are not huge.
I would be totally into having this version of the game on Switch, if the price is right. Which I fear it would not be.
But yeah, it may not be the most exciting and glamorous option, but it would be pretty cool still.
Option 2: Ocarina of Time in Unreal Engine? NINTENDO HIRE THIS MAN
The second option is to remake Ocarina of Time faithfully again, but with fancy graphics. You know, kind of like all those fan-made UE4 creations. Except not really. Nintendo would do it a lot better.
Now if they were going to do this, they would want to make all sorts of little changes to make it easier to play. But fundamentally, this would be the same game. Not really anything else to say about it.
Option 3: The Epic Reimagining of My Dreams
Option 3 is where we again have super fancy graphics, but similar to Final Fantasy VII Remake, we make big changes to the game. Oh yeah.
Now I probably wouldn't change the story. I definitely wouldn't split the game into multiple parts. But you know what I would want to do? Make the world bigger and fuller.
I've always been a sucker for the idea of massive worlds with a variety of locations to explore in a video game. (Yet for some reason when I actually play open world games as an adult, some of them really aren't that interesting to me). It just seems so cool to be able to exist in a fictional world and travel across it. That actually applies to books, too: if I saw a map in a fantasy book as a kid, I was hyped. I'm just the type of person who wants to imagine exploring places, I guess. And Zelda obviously is all about exploring. So in Ocarina you have all these interesting locations: the forest, the mountain, the river, the desert. But what if you had a game world that included all these areas but in a slightly more realistic way?
Actually that sort of describes Twilight Princess. But Twilight Princess' world is limited by the technology of the time. Hyrule Field is divided into all these segments, with brief loading screens when you switch from one to another. And you can only enter and exit an area one way.
What I think I want to see in this Ocarina of Time remake is a world that feels like Breath of the Wild in its openness, just not near as big. I want it to be unmistakably Ocarina of Time's world, but on a somewhat larger scale, with Hyrule Field being changed to be more than just empty space where you ride your horse. All the villages should be full of activity, especially Castle Town.
But honestly I always imagined this sort of thing in more of a sequel or spinoff game, rather than a remake.
What else do you add to this hypothetical game? Do you make a whole new combat system? Maybe? I don't know.
Look, honestly, what I'm describing seems pretty unlikely to happen. But I would be pretty excited about the notion of exploring a Hyrule that's familiar yet reimagined. I want to see both the old and the new. There should be cows in unexpected places. That's important.
Well if any Ocarina of Time news does happen, I'm sure that'll be cool. But I'm gonna assume it won't. Which is ok. There's a whole lot of games to play out there.