Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2: release date, price and everything that’s changed

The Zelda a lot of people still call the greatest game ever made is back, rebuilt from the ground up. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches November 5 on Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo UK is leaning hard into the nostalgia: its new ad, “Art thou ready?”, copies the flaming-text style of the old N64 commercials, complete with lines like “Willst thou flee? Or fight?”

When does it come out and how much is it?

• Release date: Thursday, November 5, 2026.
• Console: Nintendo Switch 2 only.
• Digital: $59.99 on the US eShop.
• Physical: $69.99. The first print run has textured foil cover art while supplies last.

Pre-orders are open now. Nintendo hasn’t announced a collector’s edition. Prices in the UK and Australia will depend on your local store.

Is it a remake or a remaster?

A full remake. Nintendo rebuilt the 1998 game, from the graphics to the controls. The biggest changes:

• New visuals and remodeled locations, with a free camera.
• Voiced cutscenes and expanded dialogue.
• Orchestral music.
• Dedicated jump and dash buttons, plus right-stick camera control.
• The day-night cycle now runs everywhere, including in towns.
• Threads of Time, an optional guide that shows where you are in the story and what to do next.
• Faster loading and smoother performance.

Can you really hum the songs?

Yes. With Play Ocarina Tunes, you hum a song you’ve already learned into the Switch 2 microphone and Link plays it on the ocarina. Later on, it’ll also work with two HORI ocarina accessories, including an electric one.

The Zelda Notes companion (inside the Nintendo Switch app) adds a log of your progress, a hunt for locations based on picture clues, and a quiz with more than 2,000 questions.

Why it matters

If you’ve never played it, this is the best way to see what the fuss is about. If you played it as a kid, the new controls and camera smooth out the clunkiest parts of the original without losing what made it special. One heads-up: the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 that comes out October 29 doesn’t include the game. You buy it separately.

Quick answers

Is the Ocarina of Time remake on the original Switch?

No. It’s a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.

How much is the Ocarina of Time remake?

$59.99 digital and $69.99 physical, based on US prices.

Will there be amiibo?

Yes, but in 2027: Young Link and Young Zelda, which unlock retro-style masks.

Sources: Nintendo Life · Gematsu · Forbes