Nintendo Reveals How Its Zelda Team Rebuilt Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Nintendo's remake of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" has received overwhelming critical acclaim, with reviews published Wednesday placing it at the top of 2026's best-reviewed games and among the highest-rated titles of all time.

The Switch 2 remake held a 96 Metacritic score as of Nov. 4, ahead of its Nov. 5 launch. It also carries a Top Critic Average of 96 on OpenCritic with a 100% recommendation rate, and every single review on Metacritic is positive, with zero mixed and zero negative.

Among the best ever

The score places the remake in elite company. It entered Metacritic's Best Games of All Time list at No. 24 at the time of reporting. Because the games ranked 16th to 34th all have scores of 96, its position will likely shift slightly as more reviews arrive.

It edged ahead of other major releases this year. The score beat out the likes of Phantom Blade Zero, Resident Evil Requiem and Pokemon Pokopia.

Still chasing the original

The remake did not surpass its legendary source material. The 1998 original remains the only game in Metacritic history with a 99, while the 2011 3DS version holds a 94.

The comparison is not exact, however. Forbes noted the remake is holding its score with four times as many reviews as the 1998 original.

Japan's most famous gaming magazine offered a slightly more measured view. Famitsu, the first outlet to weigh in, awarded 37 out of 40, while the N64 original was the first game to receive its perfect 40 out of 40.

What critics praised

Perfect scores flooded in. Full marks came from GamesRadar+, Eurogamer, VGC, Destructoid, TheGamer, NME, Dexerto and dozens of other publications.

GamesRadar+ was among the most enthusiastic. Staff writer Anna Koselke awarded five out of five stars, calling it "a remake for the ages."

Critics broadly praised Nintendo's restraint. VGC's five-star review praised Nintendo's decision not to completely overhaul the original but to add "thoughtful modernizations" where relevant.

Performance is a major upgrade. The original ran at an unstable 20 frames per second on the N64, while the remake runs at a solid 60fps on Switch 2. Resolution reportedly reaches 1440p.

Reviews particularly praised gameplay adjustments that help Link's adventure move at a quicker pace.

Some reservations

Not every element won universal praise. Some reviews identified places where the visual overhaul loses some of the original's character, including inconsistencies and locations that feel less recognizably Zelda.

Nintendo also kept some classic elements intact on purpose. GamesRadar reported that a Breath of the Wild-style quality-of-life feature was removed after the series producer decided it ruined important moments.

Launch

The remake launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on Nov. 5. With its near-universal acclaim, the game enters the holiday season as a leading contender for game of the year honors.