Nearly three decades after defining 3D game design on Nintendo 64 and 15 years on from its 3DS remake, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has received a ground-up recreation for Switch 2. This modern reimagining delivers a visually striking and delightfully moody rendition of Hyrule - and the only major competition to GTA 6 in the month of November. Thankfully this remake is of incredible quality, delivering a surprisingly dark, atmospheric experience that fully leverages Switch 2 hardware while still honouring the timeless structure of the original masterpiece.

Visually, the remake appears to build upon an upgraded version of the engine created for Breath of the Wild and revised for Tears of the Kingdom. Environmental details feature physically based materials - a rarity for a first-party Nintendo game - showcasing realistic stonework, detailed foliage and natural specular highlights on metal and cloth. Dynamic atmospheric scattering, realistic global illumination and rich ambient shadowing give interior spaces a grounded, tactile appearance. These technological additions allow dungeons and towns to retain their classic appeal while feeling thoroughly modernised and immersive. There are bold colours throughout too, with the vibes almost reminding me of the original Unreal from 1998 at times.

While the visual presentation excels in detail and atmosphere, image rendering exhibits a few minor drawbacks. Nintendo opted for its classic SMAA alongside AMD's FSR 1 spatial upscaling - when DLSS is like, right there. Consequently, some fine geometric edges still exhibit slight shimmering and softness. Nevertheless, the output resolution is fittingly modern, ranging from 1080p to 1440p when docked, while handheld mode ranges between 720p and 1080p. The game could certainly have better image quality, but the rest of the visuals more than make up for it.

Beyond texture fidelity and lighting, Nintendo has extensively reworked the layout and visual flow of Hyrule. While key zones retain their familiar geographical relationship, individual areas have been expanded and redesigned to align with modern expectations. Dungeons, towns, and outdoor passages now link together far more seamlessly. Castle Town and its surrounding buildings, which previously relied on static pre-rendered backgrounds, are now completely contiguous spaces fully rendered in real-time 3D graphics without transition breaks.

Interactivity within the world has also been greatly enriched without fundamentally altering core puzzle mechanics. Lush foliage responds dynamically to wind, flowing water and Link's sword swings. Breakable pots produce physicalised ceramic shards that interact realistically with player movement, while a fluid simulation powers a reactive low fog. These visual flourishes elevate the moment-to-moment exploration, ensuring each location feels alive, reactive, and physically grounded. Navi even serves as a dynamic light source, which makes perfect sense.

Player control and moment-to-moment traversal feel smoother and far more responsive than in previous iterations. Link's movement animation has been completely redrawn, providing satisfying weight and precision during combat and navigation. The addition of a full right-stick camera allows for complete visual control, while inventory management has been streamlined with quick-selection shortcuts akin to recent entries. Furthermore, the user interface includes dynamic HUD settings that, for example, conceal contextual icons until they are required.

Performance unsurprisingly sees an enormous uplift compared to previous hardware releases. While the N64 original operated at a conservative 20fps, the Switch 2 remake targets and holds a fluid 60. Frame delivery remains exceptionally consistent across both docked and handheld modes, providing an effortlessly smooth experience. This dramatic leap in fluidity greatly improves action sequences, platforming timing, and general exploration throughout Hyrule.

Acoustically, the remake offers a massive upgrade to Koji Kondo's iconic musical score. The original sample-based soundscapes have been re-recorded with richer, real-instrument arrangements while preserving the dynamic composition system that seamlessly adapts tracks to on-screen events. Comprehensive voice acting has been introduced for key narrative cutscenes, and full surround sound support brings crisp directional audio and low-end punch to dungeon ambience, combat effects and environmental interactions.

Ultimately, the 2026 Ocarina of Time remake stands as one of Nintendo's most polished and visually impressive titles to date. By marrying a faithfully preserved core design with sophisticated visual systems, refined controls and fluid performance, this release offers an exemplary way to experience a gaming icon. It successfully captures the dark, otherworldly charm of the 1998 original while delivering a thoroughly contemporary adventure for modern audiences.

It also just might be setting up the next mainline game in the series, a proving ground of sorts for a new generation of Nintendo developers to come to grips with what made the original 3D game so successful in the first place. After all, combining the freedom of Breath of the Wild with the crafted dungeons of the original titles could be a potent combo.