There is no doubt The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is the biggest announcement coming out of today’s Nintendo Direct, and fans have plenty to say about it.
The latest Nintendo Direct came to a close with the long-rumored reveal that yes, Ocarina of Time is being remade for Nintendo Switch 2. The game will launch sometime this year, but Nintendo neglected to share any actual gameplay or a firm release date. Still, the announcement was generally seen as a highlight of the show. So what did fans think of it?
Some were upset that Nintendo kept things so vague and felt like this was the time to really blow everyone’s hair back with first gameplay. “Ocarina of Time looks crazy but the reveal was underwhelming with it coming out this year, needed gameplay [not gonna lie],” said one fan on X.
“55 minutes of utter rubbish and the sole payoff is an 8-second clip of Link laying in bed,” said another. “Teasing Zelda like that without any gameplay footage for a game out in just a few months is certainly a choice,” another commented.
Another fan quipped about how Nintendo spent an extensive amount of time on Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, particularly demoing the new thumb wrestling activity: “Hey can we see Ocarina of Time gameplay?’ No, here’s five minutes of thumb wrestling,” they joked. “We saw three minutes of thumb wrestling and then 10 seconds of Link’s hand,” another complained.
The art style suggested by our brief look at Link lying in bed was another hot topic, with some thinking it looked like an Unreal Engine 5 game that’s going for realistic graphics. What we saw was so brief that it’s hard to tell how the remake will look in motion, but fans had plenty to say about it anyway. “As someone who’s always adored Zelda’s cartoonish art style, I don’t really like the realistic feel of the Ocarina of Time remake so far,” said one fan. “Not a fan of the realistic look they look to be going for here, BUT I will hold my judgement for an actual trailer,” another said.
This of course ties into the long-running joke about fan remakes of Ocarina of Time using Unreal Engine. “Nintendo, Hire This Man” is a meme often used when these ultra realistic remakes of classic Nintendo games pop up online and draw praise. Now Nintendo itself is on the receiving end. “THEY HIRED THAT MAN!!!” one fan joked. “It’s giving… ‘Nintendo hire this man,'” another said. “Yuuuup. Giving those Unreal Engine videos I’ve seen on YouTube like a decade ago,” a fan replied.
As you’d expect, the live reaction at the Nintendo Store in New York was very enthusiastic. One video shared from inside the store showed fans losing their minds once Ocarina of Time was revealed. The most hardcore of Zelda fans, it seems, are thrilled.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will release later this year for Nintendo Switch 2. If you need a catch up, here’s everything announced at Nintendo Direct. And let us know what you think of the Ocarina of Time remake in the comments.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
