Zelda Ocarina of Time Switch 2 Guide: Price, Changes and Tips

Price, editions and where to buy

There is one edition of the game. You buy it as a download from the Nintendo eShop or in a box from a shop. The game is out now, so a digital copy bought today downloads straight away, and a physical copy ships as a normal boxed game.

There is also an early purchase bonus for digital buyers. If you buy the digital version before November 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you get a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary digital wallpaper. Nintendo says the wallpaper comes in several formats for different screen types, and you can download it through the My Nintendo link sent to the email tied to your Nintendo Account after the promotion period ends.

The prices above are the US prices from Nintendo’s own store. Other regions should check their local eShop, because Nintendo has not published every regional price on its US pages. Nintendo also released a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 console on October 29, 2026, as a separate product for collectors.

What the remake changes from the 1998 original

Nintendo calls this a classic tale built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2. It is a remake, not a simple port. The story is the same one from 1998, but almost everything around it has been rebuilt. Here is what Nintendo confirms as new or changed.

• Completely overhauled visuals, rebuilt down to the textures of each material, in fully remodeled locations.
• Fully voiced cutscenes and expanded dialogue. The characters Link meets now speak, and they have a great deal more to say.
• Symphonic orchestral music, with refreshed sounds across the game.
• Reworked camera and movement controls. Link can now jump and dash with newly added button commands, and camera control is improved with the Right Stick. You can freely move the camera for a more dynamic view.
• Actions feel snappier and more satisfying, load times are faster, and the game runs much smoother, in Nintendo’s own words. No frame rate or resolution numbers are published, so we print none.
• The day and night cycle now continues no matter where you are, even in towns.
• Threads of Time, a new feature that shows your story progress and your next objective at any point during the adventure. A large tapestry also gradually fills in as your journey continues.
• Hall of Fallen Foes, where you can challenge powerful enemies again.
• Fairy thoughts scattered across Hyrule. Find them to learn fun little tidbits about the world.
• New lore features that teach you more about the story and the local gossip of each place.

One thing has not changed: the heart of the game. You still play as Link, a young hero with his fairy companion Navi, on a quest to stop the evil Ganondorf from stealing the mythical Triforce. Princess Zelda seeks to protect her kingdom, and the fight between good and evil still plays out across Hyrule.

How the ocarina works now

The ocarina is the heart of this game, and Nintendo rebuilt how you play it. You can play Link’s Fairy Ocarina or the Ocarina of Time with traditional button controls, or you can hum into the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone, or even play your own instrument into it, and Link will perform the song in the game. In the Direct, producer Eiji Aonuma plays Sun’s Song to show it off.

Songs are not just music. They change the world around you, from turning night into day to calling your trusty steed, Epona. Learn every song you find, because a tune learned early can open a path later. Nintendo also says new ocarinas are coming in the future: a playable version for the musically inclined, and an electric version from HORI that plays notes or entire songs at the press of a button.

The ocarina also lives on your phone. ZELDA NOTES, part of the free Nintendo Switch App, has a Play Ocarina mode that lets you play a virtual ocarina on your smart device. You can play along with a guide, listen to it play automatically, or make your own music scores and share them with a QR code.

Young Link, adult Link and two time periods

This game plays across two different time periods, and you play as both young Link and adult Link. Young Link is small, and his kid-sized weapons help him take on foes twice his size. His first sword is the Kokiri Sword, a small treasure of Kokiri Forest. As Link grows older, he gains the ability to wield the legendary Master Sword, along with other useful tools to help him on his quest.

How Hyrule changes between the two periods is a spoiler, so we will not spoil it here. Nintendo says the same thing in its own announcement: that would be a spoiler. What we can say is that the two periods make the world feel bigger, because places you know as a child look and feel different when you return as an adult.

ZELDA NOTES and the free apps

ZELDA NOTES is a game-specific service inside the free Nintendo Switch App for smart phones and tablets. It adds four extras to your adventure. Today’s Record shows a chronological record of your daily accomplishments, with stats such as how many enemies you have defeated. Gossip Quest challenges you to find a location in the game using a hint image on your smart device, and you earn points toward music scores for the ocarina in Play Ocarina. Play Ocarina lets you play a virtual ocarina on the go. The Ocarina of Time Quiz tests your game knowledge with over 2,000 questions, and you can take it once a day or spend rupees you have earned in the game for extra tries.

A few honest notes before you install it. You need a Nintendo Account, a compatible smart device and persistent internet. Nintendo Switch Online membership, sold separately, is required for certain features, and the service is not available in all countries. The free Nintendo Today app is also worth a look if you like collecting: you can collect cards inspired by different Legend of Zelda games each day.

amiibo: what tapping figures gives you

You can tap any Legend of Zelda series amiibo figure to get in-game extras that help you on your adventure. Two new figures are also on the way: Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo figures launch in 2027, and tapping them gives you in-game masks that evoke a retro graphical style. No exact 2027 date has been announced yet, so we will update this guide when Nintendo names one.

Seven beginner tips for your first days in Hyrule

1. You do not need to play any earlier Zelda game first. This is a standalone adventure and a great intro to the series, so start here with confidence.
2. Talk to everyone you meet. Characters are fully voiced now and have more to say, and their gossip teaches you about Hyrule and where to go next.
3. Explore every corner. Nintendo’s own advice is to explore every corner of this fabled land, because you never know who you might meet.
4. Learn your ocarina songs early. Songs change night into day and call Epona, so a song you learn today can open a path tomorrow.
5. Try humming into the microphone. If button controls feel stiff, hum a learned melody into the Switch 2 microphone and Link will play it for you.
6. Check Threads of Time when you feel lost. It shows your story progress and your next objective at any point, so you always know where to head.
7. Use ZELDA NOTES when you are stuck. Gossip Quests point you to places with hint images, and the daily quiz teaches you the world while you play.

Zelda Ocarina of Time Switch 2 questions

Is the Switch 2 Ocarina of Time a remake or a port?

It is a remake. Nintendo says the classic tale was built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2, with completely overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, and reworked camera and movement controls. It is not the 1998 game running as it was.

How much does Ocarina of Time cost on Switch 2?

$59.99 for the digital version on the Nintendo eShop, and $69.99 for the physical version. The download is 24.9 GB. There is one edition, sold as a download or in a box.

Can I play it on the original Nintendo Switch?

No. The game is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, and it does not run on the original Nintendo Switch. You need a Switch 2 to play it.

Do I need to play the original or other Zelda games first?

No. Nintendo calls it a standalone adventure and a great intro to the series. You do not need to play the 1998 original or any other Zelda game first.