Nintendo celebrated 40 years of The Legend of Zelda, and I have to admit, the anniversary Direct gave me quite a lot to take in.
Going into the showcase, I expected Nintendo to finally show more of the Ocarina of Time remake. What I didn't expect was just how much the company had prepared around it. We got our first proper gameplay look at the remake, a release date, new Zelda-themed hardware, collectibles, music announcements, an expanded Zelda Notes experience, and, finally, an official title and release date for the long-awaited live-action The Legend of Zelda movie.
But for me, there was one announcement that immediately stood above everything else: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is being remade exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.
After years of fans wondering what Nintendo might do with one of the most influential games in the history of the medium, seeing the remake in motion was easily the highlight of the entire presentation.
And what's particularly interesting is that Nintendo doesn't appear to be simply rebuilding Ocarina of Time with prettier graphics. The remake introduces new movement options, fully voiced characters, new progression tools, changes to familiar locations, and features designed specifically around the Switch 2.
At the same time, Nintendo seems very conscious of what made the original special.
The remake launches on November 5, 2026, and based on what Nintendo showed, I think there is going to be a lot to talk about between now and release.
Here's everything Nintendo announced during The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct.
Emmanuel Umahi
Ocarina of Time Remake Finally Gets Its First Gameplay Reveal
This was the moment I was waiting for.
Nintendo producer Eiji Aonuma took viewers through an extended gameplay demonstration of Ocarina of Time, giving us our first real idea of how Nintendo is approaching the remake.
The first thing that stood out to me was how familiar everything still feels.
The demonstration begins in Kokiri Forest, where Link meets Saria, but the entire environment has been rebuilt with modern visuals. Nintendo has also added new dialogue, giving characters more room to express themselves instead of simply reproducing the original game's conversations word for word.
Link himself feels considerably more modern.
He can now jump manually and swim, while movement options such as sprinting and rolling have been updated. That should make exploring Hyrule feel considerably less restrictive than it did in the original game.
Combat, thankfully, still looks recognizable. Link can use familiar weapons such as his sword and Deku Nuts, while the Fairy Slingshot returns with classic moments intact, including the puzzle where Link shoots an eye to lower a ladder.
I particularly like the fact that Nintendo isn't trying to erase every trace of the original game.
Even loading screens between certain areas remain. Aonuma explained that Nintendo deliberately kept them to preserve some of the feeling of playing the original Ocarina of Time.
That is a surprisingly important detail to me. A remake doesn't necessarily need to modernize everything just because it can.
Threads of Time Gives Link's Journey a New Progression System
One of the more interesting additions is a feature called Threads of Time.
It tracks Link's progress through the adventure and displays his current objective, while a tapestry gradually fills in as players move through the story.
On paper, it sounds like a simple quality-of-life feature. But it could be particularly useful for players experiencing Ocarina of Time for the first time.
The original game was never exactly difficult to follow, but modern players are accustomed to having a clearer understanding of where they have been, what they have accomplished, and what they should be doing next.
Nintendo is also changing how some locations feel.
Hyrule Castle Town, for example, has been transformed from the original game's more restricted perspective into a third-person environment. Time will also continue moving while Link is inside towns, allowing players to actually watch the transition from day to night.
It's a small change, but it makes Hyrule feel more like a living world.
You Can Hum Zelda Songs Into the Switch 2 Microphone
This might be one of the strangest additions, but I genuinely want to try it.
The Ocarina still works as expected, including its ability to manipulate the time of day, but Nintendo is now using the Switch 2's built-in microphone in an interesting way.
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