Few games are as hotly anticipated for Nintendo's upcoming handheld as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and with good reason: when the game originally hit the N64 in 1998 it was quickly hailed by gaming's vox populi as the greatest game ever.
That's a title that many still bestow upon it after 13 years. But in those 13 years were forged many a gamer who never even played it. So here it is, 13 years on with a fresh coat of paint, a few new tricks, ironed-out kinks and some neat-o stereoscopic 3D; pretty much ideal conditions for someone who has never emerged from the Kokiri cucoon as well as those beautiful butterflies wanting to return home.
Ocarina of Time 3D was one of the playable 3DS demos on offer in Amsterdam and New York City this week, and we think calling it a potential fan favourite is being ridiculously conservative.
The demo offered three sections to run through and chop things: the opening area of Kokiri Forest, a bit of the Great Deku Tree and the first boss battle against Gohma. Being the adventurous types, we jumped straight in to the Gohma battle, where a Nintendo rep pointed out a few of the update's new features to us.
Chief among them was the new item management screen on the bottom, which quickly and easily allows you to assign items and equipment to the X and Y buttons as well as the top and bottom right corners of the touchscreen. Not much item management is required in this section, but during more fiddly portions (we're looking at you, Water Temple) the ease of dragging items onto the corresponding button with the stylus will come in handy.
The other neat new trick involved aiming the slingshot. If you'd like you can use the Circle Pad in the standard way, although you'll be quicker moving the handheld around and using the gyroscope. It kept up very well with our movements, but we noticed that it is particularly difficult to stay within the 3D sweet spot when said sweet spot keeps moving.
The rest of the changes are purely cosmetic. Not only does the added 3D depth bring a bit more life to Hyrule (in moderation), but the graphics have been redone in a way that stays true to the promotional illustrations and art style of the N64 era. As a result, everything looks much nicer and crisper than the N64 could ever dream of while still retaining that unmistakable Ocarina feel.
Despite not having played the game for years, we felt comfortable enough sliding back in to it all that we dispatched Gohma with no trouble whatsoever. We ran around Kokiri Forest and the temple for a while as well, and they too felt like meeting an old friend again. Don't expect to be meeting any new friends on 3DS, though; it's regular Ocarina that you may know and love through and through.
Ocarina of Time was a stone-cold classic when it first hit N64, and it feels as good as ever on 3DS. It's almost disappointing that it plays as good as it does because it's indicative of the lack of substantive changes made to the console entries over the years. If you've never played it before then this would be the place to do so, and the new 3D razzle-dazzle, fresh coat of paint and UI changes are enough to make it worth a revisit.
Comments 60
Seriously, I have no idea what to do anymore... Every time I think about the price I try talk myself out of buying a launch 3ds and waiting a couple of years...
Everytime I see this game though, I just couldn't care the price, and desperately want it...
Sweeeeeeet. As soon as this game comes out it will be MINE!
I agree with #2 completely.
I still have my original Gold N64 cartridge that I bought on launch day complete with red Ganon blood. I bet it's green in this one too. Just like so many other re-releases. Pity they think the color red will traumatize little kids. Not sure yet if I'll get this. I have so many versions already.
I don't know if OOT will be as fun the second time around, even on a 3ds.
This is one of those games I wish I could un play. The first time blew my mind. Walking out into Hyrule field for the first time and seeing the huge landscape ahead was amazing. It took so long to actually start playing because I was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor. It still plays wonderfully to this day.
mmm I so want to see it in 3D, but at the same time I already own it and have played through a bazillion times. :/
Same story with Star Fox. Unless they update the multiplayer and make it online, then wild horses wouldn't keep me back.
@207KD: WHAT?!
I've played through the original three times already and it hasn't gotten old yet! I for one welcome this new revision with open arms!
Hopefully Majora's Mask gets the 'new coat of paint' treatment too...
This is one impressive remake and well worth a re-visit on 3DS. Still one of the great games of our time.
I'm SO looking forward to this, it looks so niiiice! Love Ocarina, it's actually my 3rd favorite of the Zeldas (which isnt a bad thing by far).
I am hoping there is an extra dungeon somewhere in there though, every time they've re-released a Zelda game with updates they've added in a new temple to conquer (Link's Awakening DX had the Color Dungeon, Link to the Past GBA has the Temple of the Four Sword).
I'm not too impressed. As far as remakes go, I was more awed the first time I saw a preview to Super Mario All*Stars on the SNES.
I Loved OOT and the remake looks great, i'm still tossing up if im gonna blow all my money on a 3ds though :I
P.S. I Don't understand what everybody hates so much about the water temple, I found it a quite enjoyable Dungeon and The Duel with Dark Link was epic!
What more can you say about this game that hasn't already been said? It's Ocarina, with a great-looking lick of paint and 3D. Instant buy.
@Boyoshi People hated it because of those puzzles that involved the Iron Boots. having to pause, and go to the equipment sub-screen got irritating to some people. Also I guess a few people got annoyed with the hidden keys.
@ Aviator.
If solving puzzles and finding keys is something people find annoying then maybe they shouldn't be playing Zelda. I had no problem with the water temple in Ocarina myself either. Now the one in Twilight Princess is a different story. Yikes!
@6 I agree, it does get boring some times, and I've completed it about 4-5 times now. And since I already have Zelda: Collector's Edition with OoT on the disc, I see no point in buying an upgraded OoT game in 3D.
To play this game with a battery that lasts merely 3 hours is a sin.
I'll wait for the second 3DS version.
@TLink Wait. You had trouble in TP?
How is that possible.
Also the key-finding that I was referring to is that in the Water Temple some people overlook keys that are hidden.
Insta, insta, insta.....
For me,the biggest annoyance in the water temple was going back through areas over and over again to find a hidden key.
I don't think I'll be able to buy this game along with all of the other games and expensive stuff...
Yeah LoZ: Ocarina of Time is perfect in every which way to me, I cannot agree in any way that the Water temple, or any Temple for that matter, was anything less than truly amazing, awesome & perfect. In fact, LoZ: OoT & LoZ: Wind Waker are tied as my "favourite game ever". OoT for the music (still listen to the OST to this day!) & the time travel story & gameplay @ everything else & Wind Waker for the graphics (which ironically when I first saw it many years ago, I instantly hated ), the story, controlling the AI in a couple of the dungeons & best of all - the boating [spoiler] (yes, I continued boating around the long way despite being able to teleport through those cyclones, which I used only when I was on an 'urgent' mission, I just loved the boating ). If/when I get a 3DS this remake is an insta-buy (especially since I read in an "Iwata Asks" (iirc, it could have been just a normal interview though) that they said it wouldn't be a proper remake if they didn't update the gameplay (although they could've been refering to the new menu system). Can't wait!
This game is perfect for me. I love games, but rarley do I ever go back and play a game a second time. ( The biggest exclusion to that rule would be Eternal Darkness, which is my most favorite GameCube game. Beat it all 3 ways for ultimate ending and kept it.) Normally I just trade in games and get new ones, when money permits. One of the best ways to get me to play the game again would be like this. Take a great game, and make it portable. I cant wait to enjoy this game all over again =)
Portable Oot with 3D = win in my book. Definite buy here. I haven't played all the way through the game in a long time and this will give me good reason to.
This is one of my most anticipated 3DS games, and it's one of the reasons I'm buying a 3DS in the first place.
See, whilst I've never been a huge fan of LoZ, I did enjoy Wind Waker and Link's Awakening until I grew bored of them halfway through the story. If Ocarina is all that people say it is, I might just have to give it a try. I just don't want to spend money on a game I might grow bored of...
I might consider not buying this if they don't change that God awful theme they used for the Fire Temple in OOT v2.0.
As for the Water Temple, the map and compass made that dungeon a breeze for me. It's actually one of my favorite dungeons.
Pass. Let me know when they decide to remake ALTTP.
If this game includes the alternate Ocarina of Time from the Zelda Collection as a 2nd quest a la olden days, then I may just rebuy this, otherwise beautiful or not, I'm satisfied with the times I've run this game before.
@20KD Dude, this game is fun the 2nd, 3rd, 4th 5th and 6th time around. I also don't mind the Water Temple, it had a nice difficulty level.
#2 knows where it's at!
Some of these users aren't convinced. Maybe another selling point is it's OoT...on the go
It'll be great again to play through OoT again. One of those games I'll never get tired of. Chalk me up on the "I'll buy this" half of the board.
and I want this game.
I'd love to try out the motion sensitive aiming, but probably with the 3D off.
I'm SOOOO BORROWING this from my friend after he buys it and beats it XD.
I'm looking forward to getting back into this game once again. Hopefully Majors Mask 3D will follow suit as well.
Oh Nintendo ,how do you do it?
This'll be the forth time I've bought the same damn game (N64,Cube collectors edition, Windwaker Limited Edidtion and VC!).
This game is that good though.3D and portable,yes please. Damn you
I've beaten it avout 30 times.. I know it soooo well.. i even learned some of the diallogue accidentally.. and still this is the 3DS title that appeals the most to me.. Is there something wrong with me?
BTW.. this will be the 5th time i buy this game (N64, collectors edition, master quest, VC, 3DS)
I often find my self searching for a reason to play through OOT for like the millionth time, and here it is.
Oh yes this game is one of my favorites. I can't wait to play through it again Oh yeah, and what @40 said :3
I don't think I need to play this game again. I beat it twice on N64 and thrice on Gamecube and it's probably going to show up on every console from here on out because it's "the best game of all time". It's a good game but move on. If they were going to release this one again it should've been bundled with the system.
Considering I hate the original, I hope this modernization makes it more enjoyable.
I never got into the original. It's way too complicated to me, I tend to get stuck a lot and have to rely on walkthroughs. I'm playing it for the first time - actually it's the second, I tried it a couple of years ago but didn't advance much - and don't know how to enter the fifth dungeon: the Death Mountain temple with adult Link
This game is interesting to me, only because I'm thinking when the next Wii comes out, I'm not going to be able to play my Zelda:OoT/Master Quest disk anymore. I could live without Master Quest (I guess), but I'd rather not play the gimped VC version. This may be my best option.
Looks pretty sweet. I doubt I'll buy it, but seeing the screenshots makes me want to do another playthrough of the masterpiece... I keep telling myself I'll do another ruthrough after I finish Okami, but I might just start one now.
Not really interested.
It's my favorite game of all time, of course I'm getting it at launch. One question: do you think they've dropped the amount of Navi-nagging, or is it still going to be, "Hey, listen!" every four seconds?
OoT, while a classic and a great game, is far too overrated and I can't justify dropping full price on this rehash without at least a new dungeon or two to quench my thirst for Zelda action until Skyward Sword.
I think when many people see this game in action, they'll change their tune. (Get it, tune?)
I'd prefer the Master Quest, which I've still never had a chance to play. My hope is that they'll include an option to play either version. If so, day 1 purchase.
Hopefully they make enough gameplay changes so this won't be as tedious to play as the original.
Boy, am I gonna get trolled big time...
This sounds great and I will get it sometime but I'm really hoping for a Majora's Mask remake. MM has always been my favourite over OoT.
Are you guys sure there is a preview of the Forest Temple in the demo? I'm pretty sure it's the Great Deku Tree you get to play in.
I can only hope that, next to this fantastic game, Nintendo also develops a whole new Zelda game for the 3DS.
@AtomicWiiMan: Now that you mention it, correct.
great game and all, but why would you pay 40$ when you can just dig out your n64.
I cannot wait for this. My wife and I are very excited for it.
@NintendoPurist87
man i hope not!!! how about some new games instead of just remaking all the old classics? please don't get into this habit, Nintendo
@Trumpet-Hero
exactly...
@armoredghor
I totally agree. I would have much preferred a new legend of zelda game at the 3DS's launch
Weeps tears of unspeakable joy
Me luvs Zelda <=3
I can't wait for this game OoT with better grapics, 3D effect anywhere I go, what more could you want
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