Ocarina of Time Remake Leaked Review Calls Changes Conservative
An early review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake briefly appeared online before being pulled. According to Ali213, the outlet NPR published its assessment ahead of schedule and then quickly deleted the piece. The remake is being developed by Nintendo for the Switch 2, with a release date set for November 5, 2026. The leaked text describes a polished production that keeps its playthrough lean, but concludes that its overall approach to changes is cautious — leaving some players with an empty feeling once the credits roll.
According to the early review, the project’s core objective is to recreate the version long-time players remember. Hyrule’s environments are said to carry richer detail, while movement and combat responsiveness have been refined. The remake adds separate jump and sprint buttons, switches to a camera positioned behind Link’s shoulder, and introduces an item wheel and quest log to lower the barrier to entry. The classic Water Temple also has its difficulty reduced substantially, making one of the original’s toughest dungeons far more forgiving.
The same review listed several drawbacks. Target-lock switching is described as still stiff, and some character facial models reportedly suffer from uncanny valley issues. Distinctive personality traits from the original are said to be weakened, and Navi’s signature “Hey! Listen!” line has been cut back significantly. Compared with remakes that boldly rework their source material, this one reportedly favors a safer, more faithful route. Whether those trade-offs land well will only be clear once players can judge the full game themselves.
One distinctive feature shared in the piece involves the Switch 2 microphone: players can hum into it to perform Sheik’s melody. The reviewer closed by expressing a wish that The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask might receive a remake of comparable scope someday. As an editorial note, a conservative remake is a reasonable bet for a title this beloved, but trimming Navi’s catchphrase feels like an odd place to draw the line.
