Updated November 6, 2026. This is a summary of public reporting, with sources linked at the end.
Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 on November 5, 2026, and critics have already made it the best-reviewed game of the year so far. The Ocarina of Time remake holds a 96 on Metacritic, three points below the 99 that the 1998 Nintendo 64 original has carried for decades. Here is what changed, what reviewers liked and disliked, and what it costs.
What is the Ocarina of Time remake?
The remake is exclusive to Switch 2. Nintendo announced it in June and showed it in depth on September 8 during a Zelda 40th anniversary Direct, according to Gameranx. Launch coverage from Colombia One says it was built by Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 and directed by HokWai Ng, with Eiji Aonuma and Hidemaro Fujibayashi as producers. The story, map and structure match the 1998 game. What changes is the look and the feel: Game Informer describes a move away from the original polygons to a modern, stylized-realistic style.
What is new compared with the original
Colombia One lists these changes:
- A manual jump button, a free camera and the ability to keep running after a roll
- A more flexible inventory, which makes the Water Temple easier
- The option to hum or whistle ocarina songs into the Switch 2 microphone
- A new Monster Coliseum for revisiting enemies and bosses
- New cutscenes and orchestral music built on the original themes
- Fewer fast-travel points, to keep the sense of discovery
Before launch, Notebookcheck noted that trailers showed native 1080p at 60 frames per second.
How critics reacted
The score has held at 96 on Metacritic as reviews arrived. Inven Global reports 96 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic from more than 80 reviews, which makes it the highest-rated game of 2026 so far. Colombia One adds that The Independent counted 46 perfect scores out of 80 reviews, while GamesRadar+ and The Guardian each gave five stars.
Reviewers praised the visuals, the music, the voice acting and dungeon and puzzle design that still holds up. The complaints are small: a lack of surprises, no hard mode, minor audio issues and loading screens. Some critics said the remake leans so heavily on the original that it adds little new content. Outlets also disagree on the OpenCritic average, 95 in one place and 97 in another, so expect exact numbers to move.
Why the number 99 is part of the story
The original’s 99 is famous, and Guinness recognizes it as the only game to reach that score on Metacritic. In August, the YouTube channel Did You Know Gaming argued the score was miscalculated. According to Shane the Gamer, it rests on only 22 reviews, and the channel says rebuilding it under Metacritic’s own rules gives 98. Metacritic had not responded at the time.
That debate makes the remake’s result more interesting. Notebookcheck pointed out that earlier Nintendo remakes usually scored below their originals: Link’s Awakening on Switch got 87 against 90 for the Game Boy original, and Skyward Sword HD fell from 93 to 81. A 96 breaks that pattern.
Price and what to know before you buy
Nintendo Life lists the physical Switch 2 version at $69.99 and the eShop digital version at $59.99, although the body of its article quotes only $59.99. Check the Nintendo eShop or your retailer before buying, because prices change. Inven Global notes that GTA VI is due on November 19, so Nintendo’s holiday release faces big competition.
Should you play it?
If you loved the original, reviews say the remake keeps what worked and smooths the rough edges. If you want a brand-new Zelda story, critics say you will not find one here. Either way, it shows why a 28-year-old game can still dominate the conversation: in reviewers’ words, the dungeons and puzzles still hold up.
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Sources
- Inven Global: Ocarina of Time hits 96 on Metacritic (November 4–5, 2026)
- Colombia One: Nintendo finally releases the remake (November 6, 2026)
- Notebookcheck: Metacritic reveals review embargo (October 30, 2026)
- Nintendo Life: price and box art revealed (September 8, 2026)
- Game Informer: remake launches this November (September 8, 2026)
- Gameranx: release date and Direct (September 8, 2026)
- Shane the Gamer: the 99 score challenged (August 17, 2026)
Scores and prices were checked on November 6, 2026 and may change.