The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 releases on Thursday 5 November 2026, and Nintendo Singapore lists the same date. It is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, and Nintendo describes it as a full remake of the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic, with overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes and orchestral music. Below we cover the release date, what “remake” means here, what is new, the ocarina controls and how to play the original N64 version on Nintendo Switch Online.
Ocarina of Time Switch 2 release date
Nintendo’s Singapore game page for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time gives a release date of 5 November 2026, which matches Nintendo’s US and Australian pages. Nintendo has not published a launch time, so we won’t guess one.
Here are the key details from Nintendo Singapore’s game page.
| Detail | What Nintendo says |
|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
| Release date | Thu 5 Nov 2026 |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Players | 1 |
| Play modes | TV, Tabletop and Handheld |
| Genre | Action, Adventure |
| Versions | Download and package |
| Languages include | English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese |
Nintendo Singapore’s 12 June 2026 news post introduced the game as the Nintendo 64 classic “reborn exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2” in 2026. The exact date followed in Nintendo Singapore’s 9 September 2026 post, when series producer Eiji Aonuma showed the first gameplay and revealed the 5 November launch. It lands in a big year for the series too: as Aonuma points out in Nintendo’s Ask the Developer interview, 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the very first Legend of Zelda game.
Is Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 a remake?
Yes, in Nintendo’s own words. Nintendo Singapore’s game page calls it a classic tale “built from the ground up for the Nintendo Switch 2 console”, and Part 1 of Ask the Developer Vol. 24 says “the game is being fully remade for Nintendo Switch 2.” So this is a new build of the game, not the Nintendo 64 original running on new hardware.
The developers are clear that the remake keeps the original’s shape. In Part 2 of the interview, the team sums up its approach as “the visuals may change, but the experience does not.” Hyrule still uses separate maps for different areas, as in the original, rather than one seamless world, and the artist who drew the illustrations for the Nintendo 64 version drew a new map for this game. Aonuma also says he asked the team to add warp points that the original never had, then had them all taken back out because they weren’t working for him.
What’s new in the Switch 2 version
Nintendo’s 9 September announcement lists the headline changes: “completely overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded character dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, reworked camera and movement controls, and more.” Across Nintendo’s pages, that breaks down like this:
- Visuals and sound: completely overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue and symphonic orchestral music.
- Movement: you can jump over gaps at the push of a button and use a new dash to cover long distances, with modern camera movements (Nintendo Australia).
- Aiming: ranged weapons such as the Fairy Bow and the Hookshot can be aimed with buttons or motion controls, chosen in the Options menu (Nintendo US).
- Threads of Time: a recap of the story so far and your current objectives, plus a grand tapestry that chronicles Link’s journey, which spans two different eras.
Nintendo also calls it “an excellent entry point into the Legend of Zelda series”, so it is pitched at newcomers as well as returning fans.
Playing the ocarina
The ocarina is still at the centre of the adventure. According to Nintendo’s US page, you can play Link’s Fairy Ocarina or the Ocarina of Time with ordinary button controls, or try humming, or even playing your own instrument, into the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone. The songs Link learns open new paths, change day to night and more.
amiibo and ZELDA NOTES
Nintendo says tapping any Legend of Zelda series amiibo gives in-game extras. New Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo figures are due in 2027 and will unlock in-game masks that “evoke a retro graphical style”. Separately, ZELDA NOTES in the Nintendo Switch App lets you see your accomplishments, find in-game locations from images and play an ocarina on your smart device, and Nintendo says it does not need a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
For more on Switch 2, our guide to Pikmin 4 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy covers another Nintendo game on Switch 2, and our Nintendo Switch Sports Resort guide covers one more.
Can you play it on the original Nintendo Switch?
No. Nintendo describes this Ocarina of Time as “reborn exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2”, and its US page says “Exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2”. Ask the Developer also calls it “a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive game”. You will need a Nintendo Switch 2 to play the remake.
Is the Nintendo 64 version on Nintendo Switch Online?
Yes. The original 1998 game is part of the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics line-up on Nintendo Switch Online, alongside Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Nintendo Singapore’s Nintendo Switch Online page says Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. That is the N64 game as it was, not the remake, which is a separate Nintendo Switch 2 release.
FAQs
When is Ocarina of Time out on Nintendo Switch 2 in Singapore?
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time releases on Thursday 5 November 2026. Nintendo Singapore’s game page lists that date, and it matches Nintendo’s US and Australian pages. Nintendo has not published a launch time, so check the Nintendo eShop on your Switch 2 on the day rather than relying on an unofficial time.
Is Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 a remake or a port?
Nintendo calls it a full remake. Its Singapore game page says the game was built from the ground up for the Nintendo Switch 2 console, with overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue and orchestral music. The developers say they kept the original’s structure, guided by the idea that the visuals may change, but the experience does not.
Can I play Ocarina of Time on the original Nintendo Switch?
No. Nintendo says the new Ocarina of Time is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, so you need a Switch 2 to play it. If you only have an original Switch, the Nintendo 64 version is available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack as part of the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics line-up.
Is the Nintendo 64 Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch Online?
Yes. Nintendo lists The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in its Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics line-up, alongside Super Mario 64 and Majora’s Mask. Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. This is the original 1998 game, separate from the new Nintendo Switch 2 remake.
What’s new in Ocarina of Time on Switch 2?
Nintendo lists completely overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded character dialogue, symphonic orchestral music and reworked camera and movement controls, including a jump and a dash. Ranged weapons can be aimed with motion controls, the Threads of Time feature recaps the story, and you can hum or play an instrument into the Switch 2 microphone to play the ocarina.