Nintendo spent years pretending this wasn’t happening, then dropped everything in a single Direct. On September 8, the 40th Anniversary Zelda broadcast delivered our first real gameplay look at the Ocarina of Time remake, a firm November 5 release date, and the first special edition Switch 2 console. After pulling the footage and the fine print apart, here’s my read: the game earns its hype, and the hardware is a gorgeous test of your self-control.
The remake is a Switch 2 exclusive at $59.99 digital and $69.99 physical, and it lands exactly one week after the anniversary console it shares a trailer with. That timing is not an accident. Keep it in mind.
The Remake Respects the Original, Almost to a Fault
Nintendo rebuilt Hyrule with material-level texture work, added fully voiced cutscenes with expanded dialogue, and recorded a symphonic orchestral score. The control changes are the ones fans have begged for since 1998: a dedicated jump button, a free-moving camera, sprinting, and manual swimming and diving. There’s even a “Threads of Time” guidance feature for anyone about to get lost in the Water Temple for the fourth time.
The feature I keep replaying is the ocarina. You can hum or sing the notes into the Switch 2’s microphone and the game performs the song. It’s charming in trailer form. Whether it survives a living room with a dog, kids, or a ceiling fan is another matter, and none of the reveal footage shows it under real conditions yet. That’s the demo I want before launch.
The visual direction is shinier and more detailed than the painterly look of Breath of the Wild, closer to a realistic read of the N64 original, and young Link’s new model has already set off a small fanart arms race online. More telling is what Nintendo chose not to change. Certain area transitions and loading screens are deliberately kept, and that decision tells you the whole philosophy. This is preservation with modern edges, a faithful recreation rather than the reimagining some hoped for. I think that’s the right call, and I’ve followed this remake’s long road closely, but anyone expecting a Breath of the Wild-scale rebuild should adjust expectations now.
One detail that barely got airtime is the “Zelda Notes” companion app, which extends ocarina play, quizzes, achievements, and progress tracking to your phone. Quiet additions like this tend to matter more at launch than anyone predicts.
The Anniversary Console Is Gorgeous. Read the Fine Print.
The Switch 2: The Legend of Zelda, 40th Anniversary Edition lands October 29. Green and teal Joy-Con 2 controllers carry a subtle Triforce pattern, the dock wears a gold Triforce, and a matching Pro Controller and carrying case launch the same day. It is easily the most attractive hardware Nintendo has shipped in years, and the company knows it.
Now the caveats. Japan’s MSRP is 62,980 yen and US listings are already hovering around $520, a healthy premium over the standard model. The console does not include Ocarina of Time, so a buyer who wants the full set is realistically spending close to $590. The Japanese SKU is also a Japanese-language system, which matters enormously if you were planning to import. And resale listings started appearing within hours of the announcement, so patience with restocks will be a required skill this fall.
Nintendo is leaning into scarcity on the software side too. First-print physical copies of the remake get special foil packaging while supplies last, which is precisely the detail that turns launch week into a panic buy. I’ve watched this collector hardware playbook repeat across the industry, from premium anniversary drops to limited consoles, and it rarely rewards impulse. If you already wanted a Switch 2, this edition is an easy yes. If Hyrule on the box is the only reason you’re buying, give it a month and see what stock actually looks like.
The Direct also confirmed new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo and settled the live-action film’s title as simply The Legend of Zelda. Add the concert series and you can see the shape of the plan. This isn’t a celebration, it’s a six-month campaign, and Nintendo intends for Zelda to carry the Switch 2 through the holidays. The full rollout is tracked on Nintendo’s 40th anniversary hub.
My verdict is simple. The remake looks like the definitive way to play one of the greatest games ever made, and I’ll be playing it on day one, foil packaging or not. The console is for the version of you that still hums Saria’s Song in the shower. Just decide which shopper you are before October 29 decides for you.
