Nintendo has just dropped a new gameplay trailer running nearly five minutes, devoted to the remake of Zelda Ocarina of Time, still due on Nintendo Switch 2 this 5 November. Yes, just before GTA 6, but as you know, Nintendo isn't losing any sleep over the Rockstar Games tidal wave. In any case, this new gameplay video is here to reassure, once again, anyone still harbouring doubts about the point of revisiting one of the most iconic entries in the saga. In the video, Nintendo stacks up set pieces and showpiece moments to prove that, visually, everything has been rebuilt from scratch, as they say. The environments have been entirely redone, the characters have gained expressiveness (the art direction takes its cues from Japanese puppet theatre) and the gameplay has gained depth. That's precisely the challenge facing this new version of a game originally released on Nintendo 64 in 1998, one that marked a whole generation by taking Link into 3D. Bringing it up to date without stripping away its identity is quite the task for Nintendo. But going by the recent previews held at Nintendo's European offices in Frankfurt, the gamble looks to be paying off.
Link, the modern elf
The gameplay trailer runs through the great locations of this adventure, from Kokiri Forest to the vast plains of Hyrule, by way of the dungeons that made the game's reputation. We see Navi, the fairy tasked with guiding Link, the venerable Deku Tree, and also the first glimpses of Ganondorf, instantly recognisable thanks to his very particular design. It's clear he hasn't been touched up, the better to preserve the authenticity of his 1998 look. But the video focuses above all on the gameplay improvements. Link can now jump manually, sprint to cover ground more quickly and chain actions together with greater fluidity. Combat also benefits from more responsive controls, while item management has been streamlined to make things easier to use in-game. These changes may sound fairly modest on paper, especially by the standards of remakes today, but they should make the experience far more pleasant.
Dungeons and jumping
Long-time fans should be won over, but Nintendo hasn't forgotten players discovering the story for the first time. A new feature called "Threads of Time" will offer an adventure journal, letting you look back over important events and remember where to pick your quest back up. A welcome hand for anyone returning to their save after several days away, even if purists may prefer to manage without the little nudge. Among the other additions to this remake is the "Hall of Fallen Heroes", a place where statues of defeated monsters are kept. Head there and you'll be able to learn more about these enemies or take them on again.
Obviously, you can't talk about Ocarina of Time without mentioning the instrument that gives it its name. The melodies Link plays will activate certain things in the environment, or more simply call Epona. This new version goes further still by making use of the Nintendo Switch 2's microphone: players will be able to hum a melody learned in the game or play it on a real instrument, and the game will recognise their performance to make Link's ocarina respond. Magical.
Finally, two new amiibo figures are planned for 2027, and will unlock masks usable in game. Worth noting that Zelda amiibo already released for other games in the series will offer additional features too, though there's no further detail at this stage. We'll have to wait for the 5 November release to see whether Nintendo has managed to modernise this classic from end to end, but from here, the return to Hyrule already looks distinctly tempting.
