Sean Migalla (he/him) is a writer of nonfiction and fiction with a bachelor’s degree in television from Columbia College Chicago. He is a lifelong fan of video games, having started on an NES as a child and continuing to play ever since. Sean also has a great love for all things tabletop gaming, especially TCGs and TTRPGs.
Rumors of THE Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time getting a full remake is an exciting prospect for any fan of the series. For someone like me, who grew up playing this game, this means a chance to see one of my favorite childhood titles completely reinvented. For players who may have never played the original game, this means a chance to play an updated version of the first 3D entry in the series. However, recent developments have made me a little less optimistic about this potential remake.
While the Ocarina of time the remake remains a rumor, Nintendo recently revealed another N64 remake, and it wasn’t quite what I would have hoped for. With games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake by making radical changes to the original and taking advantage of new gaming technologies, I would have hoped to see Nintendo do the same with its remakes. Unfortunately, from the preview we got, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Star Fox’s gameplay feels a lot like the N64 original
In a surprise Nintendo Direct on May 6, the company revealed a remake of the N64 Fox Star. Initially, the game’s new cutscenes led me to believe that it would be a complete overhaul of the original, but it soon became clear that these cutscenes made up the majority of the new content. The basic mechanics remain the same as the original, as does the level layout. While there are a few new modes, the campaign feels relatively unchanged.
With a break of nine years since the last Star Fox version, I was disappointed to see that we’re simply getting what is essentially a graphical update of a previous game. This isn’t even the first time Fox Star 64 is being redesigned with updated graphics. The game has already been re-released for Nintendo 3DS with updated graphics and slight changes to its controls. This strategy towards N64 remakes worries me about the possibility Ocarina of time remake and the changes (or lack thereof) we can expect.
An Ocarina Of Time Remake Should Be More Than Another Graphics Update
As Fox Star 64, Ocarina of time there was also a remake on 3DS which updated the visuals and removed some outdated features, like having to constantly pause the game to put on and take off iron boots. If Nintendo uses Star Fox like its template for the N64 remakes, then it’s very possible that the rumor Ocarina of time the remake can also just be the original game with new graphics. Even if it’s not the worst thing in the world, it would be a shame to settle for a fifth version of the game, instead of something new.
THE Ocarina of time 3DThe graphics have done a remarkable job of preserving the style of the original game while giving us more fully realized character models and environments. Players wanting to play a nicer version of the original game would probably settle for a Switch port of the 3DS remake. However, if the game is remade, I would much rather get more substantial changes than just cosmetic ones, especially with the prices of Switch 2 games.
Although it is not as expensive as Mario Kart World, Star Fox still costs $59.99. A Ocarina of time the remake would probably cost the same, maybe even more, given Zelda is a more popular property than Star Fox. Even though I’m dated, I can still enjoy the original version of Ocarina of timeand don’t feel the need to drop $60 just to play it again. If the rumors of a remake are true, I hope Nintendo’s approach differs significantly from its handling of the Star Fox.
- Released
- November 21, 1998
- ESRB
- E10+ for ages 10 and up: animated blood, fantasy violence, suggestive themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Editor(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Zelda 64 engine
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
