Ocarina of Time Remake Is Out: 96 on Metacritic, 2026's Highest-Rated Game – What Critics Love and Dislike

Nintendo's rebuilt The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time landed on Switch 2 on November 5, and it arrived with the kind of reception remakes rarely get. Reviews went live a day earlier, and the game settled at a 96 on Metacritic from more than 80 critic reviews – the highest score of any game released in 2026.

That's three points shy of the 1998 original, which still holds Metacritic's only 99. But it puts the remake ahead of everything else this year and among the 30 highest-rated games on the site's all-time list. Here's what critics are saying, where they pushed back, and what you need to know before buying.

Release date, platform and price

• Out now: November 5, 2026
• Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 only
• Price: $59.99 digital on the eShop, $69.99 physical in the US
• Developer and publisher: Nintendo

The remake is the centerpiece of the series' 40th anniversary. Two new amiibo – Young Link and Young Zelda – are planned for 2027 and will unlock masks in the game.

The scores: a near-clean sweep

As of November 4–5, the Metascore sat at 96, with the review count climbing from around 80 into the mid-80s as more outlets published. Nintendo Life reported that the remake had taken the top spot on Metacritic's list of 2026 releases. Forbes described the year-best score as historic.

Most reviews were perfect or near-perfect scores. A few notable numbers:

Japan's Famitsu panel scored it 10, 9, 9 and 9, while RPG Site's 8/10 sits at the lower end of the range – and even that is a clear recommendation.

What critics loved

It looks and sounds like a new game. The rebuilt visuals are the most praised element across reviews. Environments, character models and animations have been redone from scratch, cutscenes are fully voiced, and the soundtrack has been re-recorded with an orchestra. VGC said the overhaul gives the 1998 adventure the scale and spectacle of a modern blockbuster.

The controls finally feel modern. A free camera on the right stick, a dedicated jump button instead of automatic ledge jumps, the ability to run and better aiming came up again and again. GamesRadar+ put it simply: the controls are just better. Famitsu's reviewers also singled out the comfortable new twin-stick camera.

Small fixes add up. GamesRadar+'s review lists a string of quality-of-life tweaks: Link can carry five bottles, the Song of Storms now opens the hidden grottos in Hyrule Field instead of making you bomb random patches of ground, a new item points you toward Gold Skulltulas, the owl Kaepora Gaebora no longer traps you in looping dialogue, and the post-game map shows which collectibles you've missed. The reviewer said the dungeons never feel like a grind – not even the infamous Water Temple.

The core still holds up. Several reviews noted that the level design and puzzles remain excellent nearly three decades later, and that this is the easiest way yet for newcomers to see why Ocarina of Time is so often called one of the greatest games ever made.

Where critics pushed back

The criticism is mild, but it's consistent: the remake is built with new players in mind, and some veterans may find it too gentle.

• Lower difficulty. Germany's GameStar flagged the relatively low challenge, and IGN felt the streamlined dungeon design slightly dulls the satisfaction of solving them.
• Simplified fights and fiddly items. RPG Site criticized boss fights that are simpler than in the original and found item management cumbersome.
• Same game underneath. Beyond the presentation and convenience features, the core structure is largely unchanged, so anyone hoping for reimagined dungeons or a new story won't find them.
• Missing extras. GamesRadar+ pointed out that there is only one save file and no Master Quest mode after the credits.

There's also some debate outside the reviews. The new "stylized realism" art direction has had a mixed response from parts of the fanbase, and a few commentators have questioned whether nostalgia is pushing scores higher than the changes alone justify.

What's new compared to the N64 original

If you've followed the pre-release coverage, most of this will be familiar, but here's the short version of what's confirmed in the final game:

• Running, manual jumping and full camera control
• Fully voiced cutscenes with expanded dialogue
• Re-recorded orchestral soundtrack
• Hum or play songs into the Switch 2 microphone – button input still works
• Time keeps moving in towns instead of freezing when you enter
• Threads of Time, a menu that tracks story progress and your next objective
• Hall of Fallen Foes, where you can rematch bosses and chase best times

Why it matters

Remakes of beloved games are a risky business. Change too little and it feels like a cash-in; change too much and fans revolt. By the critics' measure, Nintendo found the balance: a version of Ocarina of Time that looks and plays like a 2026 game while keeping the dungeons, story and structure that made the original a landmark.

The reviews also mean Nintendo now holds the year's top-rated game heading into awards season – and with GTA 6 arriving on November 19, it sets a very high bar for the rest of November. For Switch 2 owners, the only real question is whether you want the definitive modern version of a classic or the sharper edges of the original. Critics overwhelmingly say the new one is worth it.