Zelda’s Ocarina of Time remake hits shelves, scores 96 on Metacritic

Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake arrived on the Switch 2 on Thursday, and critics have handed the updated 1998 classic a 96 score on Metacritic. The remake, a ground-up rebuild of the N64 original, landed with immediate demand: the free collector’s bundle that came with the launch edition is already being resold on eBay for nearly $1,000, roughly ₹84,000, hours after the game went on sale.

The Zelda title is also drawing technical attention before its official release. Twitter/X user OatmealDome, examining the game’s files, found that the project was internally codenamed "Owl" and runs on Nintendo’s ModuleSystem game engine — the same technology used for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That detail has fuelled speculation that the remake was built directly from the development pipeline of the 2023 open-world hit.

Built on the Tears of the Kingdom pipeline

OatmealDome’s file inspection, reported by Twisted Voxel, revealed the engine connection. The ModuleSystem engine is the same one Nintendo used to develop Tears of the Kingdom, suggesting the Ocarina of Time remake inherited not just the technology but the workflow of that project. Nintendo has not officially confirmed the engine lineage, but the code evidence gives players a concrete look at how the remake was assembled.

The remake also brings back the franchise’s most feared enemies. GameSpot reported that the developers once made the ReDeads — the shambling, zombie-like creatures that occupy Hyrule Castle Town when you emerge from the Temple of Time — so scary that they had to tone them down. Players who remember their first encounter with a ReDead will find the new version still retains that jolting horror, but with a ceiling on the fright factor.

Switch 2 Zelda 40th Anniversary console gets fresh stock

US retailers are preparing for a restock of the Nintendo Switch 2 Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition console this week. Moneycontrol reported that stores including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are expected to receive fresh units, with Mashable tracking live restock updates on Nov. 5. The anniversary edition, which bundles the console with Zelda-themed hardware, sold out quickly after its initial launch, leaving many buyers refreshing retail tabs in hopes of a second chance.

The restock follows a wave of critical and commercial momentum for the Zelda franchise. The Ocarina of Time remake’s 96 Metacritic score places it among the highest-rated games of the year, matching the kind of acclaim the original received when it debuted on the Nintendo 64 in 1998.

Free launch bundle flips for nearly ₹84,000 on eBay

The launch edition of the Ocarina of Time remake included free replicas of the original N64 box and an Ocarina keychain. Dexerto reported that complete bundles are being listed on eBay for nearly $1,000 hours after the game’s release. The resale market, typically a quick indicator of demand, shows how much collectors value the physical memorabilia tied to the classic title.

In France, the rollout includes a retail push of its own. Gamekyo reported that that85 Fnac stores are participating in a special Zelda N64-themed box promotion, giving European fans another way to grab the limited-edition packaging alongside the game.

The franchise’s ‘malleable’ future

Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, speaking to GoNintendo, said the franchise is "malleable" enough for the development team to explore a wide variety of unique and original ideas. Each installment experiments with different gameplay systems, and the Ocarina of Time remake, built on modern tech while preserving the 1990s structure, fits that pattern of reinvention.

Even before the official launch, the remake was already running on PC via emulation, according to Twisted Voxel, a sign of how eagerly the community has embraced the title. Whether Nintendo moves to block that emulated version, or lets it stand, is the open question in the days after the release — and the Switch 2’s restock window at US retailers this week is the next date to watch.