Nintendo has set November 5 as the release date for its Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The date appeared at the end of a Nintendo Direct, confirming when the new version of the 1998 game will arrive.
A new version of Ocarina of Time has been known to be coming since June, but Nintendo’s gameplay reveal filled in more of the picture. The remake keeps the original game at its center while adding a visual overhaul, more environmental detail, modern controls, and voice acting.
A familiar adventure with modern controls
Nintendo showed the remake’s versions of Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Field, and Hyrule Castle Town. These locations remain recognizable, but the updated presentation gives the environments more detail than the original game could offer. The remake looks like a faithful recreation rather than a complete redesign.
That approach also extends to combat. The fighting appears identical to the original game, with Z-targeting still present. Players will also get a jump button and camera controls, two additions that bring the adventure closer to modern Zelda games without changing its basic combat system.
Switching items should take less effort, too. The remake adds a shortcut similar to the quick item controls found in modern Zelda games, making it easier to swap equipment during play. A new quest log will also help players track progress and objectives as they move through the game.
Nintendo teased Epona, Link’s horse, during the gameplay presentation. Epona can be ridden in the adult timeline of the game, giving players a faster way to travel across its world during that part of the adventure.
One of the more unusual changes involves the ocarina itself. Instead of relying on button prompts to play songs, the remake allows players to hum songs into Switch 2. That feature adds a new way to interact with one of the game’s central mechanics while keeping the ocarina at the heart of the adventure.
A Zelda-themed console and more Switch 2 updates
Nintendo also showed a new The Legend of Zelda-themed Switch 2 console. Custom graphics appear on the Joy-Con controllers, the dock, and the console, giving the hardware a design tied to the remake and the wider Zelda series.
The company said a general Nintendo Direct will arrive tomorrow at 10am ET. Nintendo’s announcement described it this way: “A general Nintendo Direct will arrive tomorrow at the same time of 10am ET, so be sure to come back then for any major announcements or news.”
The presentation also covered a free update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch 2. The update adds eight-player split-screen support for local multiplayer and works with controllers from the original Switch, giving owners another way to use older hardware with the game.
CameraPlay is part of the update as well. Players can use an official Switch 2 camera or a compatible USB-C camera to see friends’ reactions during races. CameraPlay also works online through GameChat, extending the feature beyond local play.
The update brings shorter loading times and enhanced visuals when the game runs in docked mode on a 4K TV. In handheld mode, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can output at 1080p through “Handheld Mode Boost,” and it may now do so natively.
Nintendo has been gradually improving the Switch 2-exclusive Mario Kart game through updates, while Mario Kart World remains part of a Switch 2 bundle. That bundle costs $50 more than it did at launch and includes a three-month Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Together, the announcements give Switch 2 owners two different kinds of updates to watch. Ocarina of Time offers a remake of a 1998 classic with new controls, voice acting, and visual detail, while Mario Kart 8 Deluxe adds multiplayer, camera, display, and performance features through a free update.
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