No matter what your opinion is on the art style, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be a brilliant remake

I honestly can't tell you how many times I've completed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, let alone how many hours I've spent in its bucolic version of Hyrule. Though, when I told my Mum about the upcoming remake she said, 'Oh the one with the music,' in a tone I've decided to interpret as delight. I think that says a lot about how much of a fixture this game was in my life, in our household.

The existence of the Switch 2 remake isn't a surprise - it's a very safe bet for Nintendo - and it's not the first time Ocarina has been remade either. (And I highly doubt the last.) Yet, it is the first time the game feels like it's been reworked from the ground up. A proposition that left me wondering if this version can live up to the game that originally turned me into a Zelda fanatic.

Let's start with the most obvious change - the graphics. The art style got a real mixed reaction after the first full trailer dropped. A proper marmite situation. You either love the peculiar 'haunted doll' art style, or you think Link and Zelda are born from the darkest depths of the uncanny valley. I fell into the 'love' category upon my first viewing but, the more I rewatched the trailer, the more I started to worry it was all a little too much. Having now played parts of the remake, I'm happy to say my gut instinct was, indeed, correct.

Unlike the 3DS remake, which glossed and smoothed the rough edges of the original N64 graphics, Ocarina on the Switch 2 rewrites them completely. In doing so, new life has been breathed into Hyrule, giving it texture and depth. You can find it in the little things; the rough tree bark, the setting sun slowly inking the sky orange, the contrast between the vibrant Hyrule Castle Town and the nature born Kokiri Forest. Best of all, the character designs don't feel out of place at all. Instead, they look completely at home in the landscape. I would adore a remake of Majora's Mask in this art style - what a joy it would be to see it so wonderfully twisted and surreal and unsettling. Imagine the moon! In Ocarina though, together the repainted world and characters capture the essence of what the game has always been - a fairy tale. A story of good intentions gone awry and a brave soul whose determination and a very sharp sword save the land.

But there are some things that take some getting used to. The jumping! Now, I'm not a fan of jumping in either real life or games, so the removal of auto-jumping was a change I'll admit to being a little miffed about. Yet, I can see the logic behind the decision. It eases the gap somewhat for players whose introduction to the Zelda series was Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom by bringing the Ocarina control scheme more inline with those games. You can even change the jump button to Y, per the two Switch games.

Despite knowing this, though, I still completely flubbed my first jump, embarrassingly landing in the water right in front of Mido (who is still an ass). On the whole though, I can't see what the removal of auto-jumping fundamentally changes to Ocarina other than potentially altering some puzzles, making returning players (me) remember to hit a button, and giving you another avenue for messing around. I spent five precious minutes of the preview attempting to jump atop Mido's house, for example. But that's what he deserves.

One change that might surprise returning players occurs in the dungeons. It's neither a full rework nor a 'Surprise! It's Master Quest all the way down.' In the Forest Temple, these changes manifest with Nintendo adding an elevator in the block puzzle room and removing the rotating pillars when you need to shoot an arrow through a torch to unfreeze a switch. Meanwhile, in the Great Deku Tree, there's now only one Skulltula barring your way to the woody depths and the vines leading to the Dungeon Map have been cut down (I never understood why those vines existed in the first place when there was a perfectly good ladder nearby…) I did notice more, but won't ruin future guides material.

As a dedicated Ocarina fan, spotting these changes was quite fun. None of them ever felt like they were robbing the game of something, either. Instead, they felt more like Nintendo has been filling in the cracks to make the ground more solid beneath my feet, especially since each of the dungeon's identities are still firmly intact. While I wasn't allowed to complete the quest, Inside The Deku Tree remains a great tutorial dungeon where you get to grips with combat and puzzle-solving. In this Switch 2 remake, it's also where returning players can get used to using the quick item select menu - another modernisation brought over from BOTW and TOTK here used for Link's full arsenal. It paired nicely with the Forest Temple, which I played in full, where the first dungeon's warnings about future dangers truly come home.

The Forest Temple has always been one of my favourite Ocarina dungeons. I love hunting down the Poe Sisters in their paintings, evading gruesome Floor Masters in the twisted rooms, and how the music sounds like someone is whispering just out of earshot. Close enough to hear, but too far to understand. It creates this deliciously eerie atmosphere - a worry that each step you take is the wrong one - and the new graphics elevate this sensation when you encounter the beautiful stained glass domed ceilings. The colours shine so brightly, creating a perfect contrast to the decaying house surrounding you. Stare for too long, wondering when Hyrule's National Trust is going to put any effort into building maintenance, and you might get nabbed by a disembodied hand. Thus is the danger of exploring a haunted, unexplained, manor. (Seriously, what is the Forest Temple? I have my theories but nearly every Ocarina dungeon has a small explanation bar this one. Did someone really build a house in a place called the Lost Woods thinking nothing would happen? Stellar behaviour. Love it.)

Then, of course, there's the temple's boss, Phantom Ganon. The paintings looming over you as Phantom Ganon begins his menacing approach before bursting from the canvas. A split second to send an arrow flying before he retreats back into the paint. It doesn't take long for the phantom to lose his patience, though, and energy ball tennis begins. Timing means everything, with failure resulting in a nasty shock. Eventually, Ganon falls to his knees to become victim to the vicious slashes of the Master Sword. What a fight, so gloriously recreated it was as if it was torn from my own memory. Sadly, I must admit a personal blunder. I was so caught up in the moment I forgot to check if you can still reflect his energy balls with an empty bottle. My apologies.

It's not just the dungeons which have seen alterations, Hyrule itself has been rebuilt for this iteration of Ocarina. Some changes barely affect the area - like Kokiri Forest's landbridge having a new starting point - while others literally change your perspective on a location.

Removing the fixed camera in Hyrule Castle Town has allowed the developers to enrich the settlement with life. Free from a forced bird's-eye view or being cemented to a fountain. You spot wanted posters in the backalleys, finally properly enjoy the view from the main square's balcony, and wonder how in Hylia's name the Happy Mask Salesman got permission for such an unsettling storefront. Ever wondered what was opposite the jar room? Turns out it's a stable! (Someone please tell me I'm not the only person who's thought about this.) Some of the characters have been moved as well; a few finding new homes, while others wonder about the streets. Hyrule Castle Town truly feels like a bustling capital, a place you'll visit for purposes outside of Rupee farming the jar room. But it's not where my favourite changes can be found.

I can still remember the first time I visited Hyrule Field. The sweeping fields and castle on the horizon promising adventure, me blissfully unaware of the owl. Now I know the field so well I could draw it from memory. Yet, when I visited it during the preview, Hyrule Field wasn't what I expected. All of the major locations - Lake Hylia, Kakariko Village etc. - were where they should be, but the geography between them had changed. Wheat now grows in the pastures surrounding Lon Lon Ranch and I found a dilapidated building near the Hyrule Castle Town moat. Even though the sun was shining, I wasn't safe either. Little Peahat Larva - flying plants with spikes - appeared from nowhere to attack Link. (And no, I wasn't always near a big Peahat when this occurred.) The six trees which once watched over the path leading from Kokiri Forest were also gone. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I've always loved those trees - they feel like the forest saying one last goodbye to Link. Though the stream in their place is quite pretty.

I didn't get to fully explore Hyrule Field. Partly due to time, partly because the Nintendo employees were very good at catching me whenever I ventured too close to an off-limits area. One new addition I did uncover, though, was an abandoned camp hidden away in the nock of a cliff. There I found a note left by a fairy, which Navi translated. It turned out to be a hint about rolling into trees. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more scattered about Hyrule. While the rest of the notes are most likely also hints, it would be nice if the developers have used them to provide more (read: any) characterisation for Navi.

I mentioned earlier I couldn't tell you how many hours I've spent playing Ocarina of Time. That's because I enjoyed a long phase where I would boot up the game and ignore the dungeons in favour of exploring. Sometimes I would revisit my favourite locations looking for secrets, others I would craft a new adventure for Link in my head and act it out. The world felt so brilliantly full, with new surprises around every corner. This feeling naturally faded over time as my brain logged every tidbit of information I found. Yet, I felt this burst of nostalgia and homecoming when I first entered Hyrule Field during the preview; standing on the border of a world I know so well, but, at the same time, barely know at all.

One aspect of the remake I wasn't fond of, however, was the English voice acting. It reminds me of a cheesy late '90s to early '00s anime dub, and not in a good way. And that's a shame given Ocarina's original 1998 release, you'd think this tone would be quite fitting. Luckily, behind every over the top English dub is a great sub. Yes, you can change the voice language.

The Switch 2 Ocarina of Time remake is like returning to your hometown after a long absence. At first sight everything is as it should be and you believe you can navigate it, eyes shut. The longer you're there, though, the more unfamiliar it becomes. Was that shop here last time? Where does this sign lead? Is that grave new? Unbeknownst to you, the ground has shifted beneath your feet, transporting you to unknown territory. The question is - do you like the land you've found yourself in?

I love what I've played so far. Every change feels like it has a purpose; from the graphics painting Hyrule anew to the familiar music tinged with freshness. To the souls who discovered Zelda through BOTW and/or TOTK, I say give Ocarina a chance. This game is the foundation of the modern 3D adventure genre, and I doubt you'll regret visiting it. For myself, I'm looking forward to exploring this Ocarina's Hyrule and uncovering more of its secrets. Though I'm still not sure how I feel about those missing trees.

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Nintendo offered both travel and accommodation for attending this preview event.