After what felt like years of waiting, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is here. This time, fans and critics agree that it’s a masterpiece.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has captured imaginations since its first release on the Nintendo 64 in 1998. Since then, many fans and critics have agreed that it’s one of the greatest games ever made, with it often sitting at the number one spot on top ten lists. The handheld remake from 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS was received similarly, with Metacritic rolling out scores of 91% and 94% from fans and critics alike for the port. Metacritic even rolled out its best rating of all time, a 99%, for the original release from 1998. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a highly regarded game.
But how is the new remake for the Nintendo Switch 2 being received? In short, people are triple-dipping on the word best. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time‘s first impressions give the title the excellent label (although this is more of a third impression).
First off, on Metacritic, the new Nintendo Switch 2 port is receiving glowing honours, and it’s sitting firmly between the 3D version and the original at a critic score of 96%, with a sample size of 80 reviews. CGMagazine’s review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time gives it a perfect 10 and calls it “one of the greatest games ever made.” It’s worth noting that the 2026 version achieved its score with over three times as many critical reviews as the original. But what do fans think?
Over on Reddit, fans are giving The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time its flowers. One fan writes, “It’s the highest-rated remake of all time. Which is fitting, considering the original version is the highest-rated game of all time,” harkening back to the original being regarded as one of the greatest games ever made. Another fan notes that just the right amount of quality-of-life changes were added, saying, “The original game is so iconic that messing with it too much would be a mistake.”
On X, it’s more of the same, with fans praising the title for its changes while also staying faithful to the original. An X user, PixelSpawn, writes, “Timeless game design is timeless for a reason. A great game remains great even with a fresh coat of paint.”
All in all, Ocarina of Time seems to be making another victory lap as one of the greatest games ever made once more. While there are a few complaints out there, and some fans mention GTA VI looming, mostly fans just appreciate being able to return to the 1998 masterpiece with a fresh coat of paint. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is being hailed as a masterpiece by critics and fans once more in 2026.
