Ocarina of Time was my entry into the Zelda franchise way back in 2012 when I first got my copy of this game. I believe I have completed it 3 times and started countless other playthroughs that have been abandoned along the way. Despite how many times I have played it, this is still one of the Zelda games I looked most forward to playing again as not only does it hold a special place in my heart, it is regarded as one of the greatest games of all time.
Obviously this is the 3ds remake, not the N64 classic. I was debating playing the OG version through the switch as I had never played that version before but the 3ds version is so much more polished and all around more fun to play.
To start off, Ocarina of Time carries on the trend started by Link's awakening and puts way more effort into the narrative. While the story is the same as most others, Ocarina of Time excels due to its environmental storytelling. The main quest is the same as always, Ganon wants the Triforce so Link has to go beat some dungeons and then save Zelda. Ocarina keeps this but makes the world around it feel so lived in. Each NPC has unique dialogue and will tell you more about the area you are in, The first instance of the different races across the land of Hyrule with the Gorons, Zora's and Gerudo's and a decent amount of side quests to allow you to explore the whole map.
One thing I don't think Ocarina of Time gets enough credit for is how dark it is. Obviously it is overshadowed by its harrowing younger brother, Majora's Mask, but Ocarina is by no means a bright and happy game. Ranging from how after the time jump Hyrule Town is completely destroyed and full of ReDeads, People who get lost in the Lost Woods turn into Stalfos, the whole concept of the shadow temple which I will talk about later. Its no Majora, but hardly a laugh riot.
Ocarina's gimmick involves the time jump mechanic. It works in a similar way to the dark world in Alttp where the majority of the games content is found there. Once young link gets the three spiritual stones and obtains the master sword, he is awoken 7 years later to find Hyrule in ruin. The time jump gives Link a whole new arsenal of items, new characters and large differences to main locations. It never feels stale, as Nintendo managed to use the same map locations and make them feel completely different after the time jump.
Where of course Ocarina shines is in its dungeons. I briefly wanted to talk about each one as I have a lot of thoughts about them. First off the three child dungeons which are: Inside the Deku Tree, Dodongo's Cavern and Inside Jabu-Jabu's belly. Each increase in difficulty to provide more of a challenge. I love the aesthetic of each especially Dodongo's cavern with the giant skull and the lava lakes. I have a special liking for each of these as I have probably played them around 20 times each over the years. Forest Temple is the first of the adult temples and is my personal favourite. I love the atmosphere, with it looking like an abandoned Manor house with ghosts everywhere. The boss is great and the dungeon is a good mix of challenging but fair. The fire temple is often forgotten as it isn't as memorable as the rest. I liked the boss but i found the puzzles annoying. The infamous Water temple, I actually found fairly easy this time around, the boss is very easy but managing the water level is really annoying. The water temple is made way easier of the 3ds version so maybe that's why. The shadow temple is probably my second favourite. The atmosphere is so creepy, with the murals on the walls and that horrifying dead hand monster. The lore of this temple is the most interesting as it used to be a torture chamber where the Sheikah would interrogate prisoners, Also the boss Bongo Bongo looks eerily like someone who has been beheaded. The Spirit temple is whatever, I like that you have to do it both as a kid and adult. I think its lacking because there is no connection to it as all other temples had a connection via a character like Darunia for the fire temple or Ruto for the water temple but Link isnt required to visit Gerudo valley at all when he is a kid. This games dungeons are amazing, probably my favourite in the series thus far.
Gameplay wise it plays amazingly. Combat is satisfying with the lock on targeting. The items are fun to use, like the biggoron sword which is so OP. Also for the first time in the series so far, this game is completely possible to play without a guide as it does a great job of telling you where to go and what specifically to do. That of course comes with a downside of having Navi never always yelling at you but you end up tuning it out eventually.
Visually the 3ds version has aged great. I hope that in the future Nintendo will port these versions to switch as they are so much more fun to play, this goes for Ocarina, Majora and even games like Mario 64. Also the Score is fantastic but that's a given, Forest temple and the Deku tree theme are my favourites.
I have a couple small complaints. I wish that there was a useful fast travel system. The one this game has isnt the best as it puts places you in weird spots and you dont unlock them until you are about to do that dungeon. Meaning that you dont get fast travel to Kakariko village until the 2nd last dungeon and by that point you probably have done everything there is to do there. Also Epona in this game is pretty much useless, the controls are janky and she can only be used in Hyrule field and small parts of gerudo valley. Also I wish the day/night cycle was a bit longer as it passes so quickly that is you are to walk normally you cannot make it from Kokiri forest to Hyrule castle in a single day cycle.
This game is very special to me as it was the first one I played which got me into this fantastic series. I especially love the young link segment as it feels so alive compared to the darker adult section. I have played the three starter dungeons over so many times that I know them top to bottom even years on from the last time I played. There is a reason that this is considered not only one of the best Zelda games but one of the best games of all time. It was revolutionary at the time and is still an absolute delight to play through. 100% recommended
Obviously this is the 3ds remake, not the N64 classic. I was debating playing the OG version through the switch as I had never played that version before but the 3ds version is so much more polished and all around more fun to play.
To start off, Ocarina of Time carries on the trend started by Link's awakening and puts way more effort into the narrative. While the story is the same as most others, Ocarina of Time excels due to its environmental storytelling. The main quest is the same as always, Ganon wants the Triforce so Link has to go beat some dungeons and then save Zelda. Ocarina keeps this but makes the world around it feel so lived in. Each NPC has unique dialogue and will tell you more about the area you are in, The first instance of the different races across the land of Hyrule with the Gorons, Zora's and Gerudo's and a decent amount of side quests to allow you to explore the whole map.
One thing I don't think Ocarina of Time gets enough credit for is how dark it is. Obviously it is overshadowed by its harrowing younger brother, Majora's Mask, but Ocarina is by no means a bright and happy game. Ranging from how after the time jump Hyrule Town is completely destroyed and full of ReDeads, People who get lost in the Lost Woods turn into Stalfos, the whole concept of the shadow temple which I will talk about later. Its no Majora, but hardly a laugh riot.
Ocarina's gimmick involves the time jump mechanic. It works in a similar way to the dark world in Alttp where the majority of the games content is found there. Once young link gets the three spiritual stones and obtains the master sword, he is awoken 7 years later to find Hyrule in ruin. The time jump gives Link a whole new arsenal of items, new characters and large differences to main locations. It never feels stale, as Nintendo managed to use the same map locations and make them feel completely different after the time jump.
Where of course Ocarina shines is in its dungeons. I briefly wanted to talk about each one as I have a lot of thoughts about them. First off the three child dungeons which are: Inside the Deku Tree, Dodongo's Cavern and Inside Jabu-Jabu's belly. Each increase in difficulty to provide more of a challenge. I love the aesthetic of each especially Dodongo's cavern with the giant skull and the lava lakes. I have a special liking for each of these as I have probably played them around 20 times each over the years. Forest Temple is the first of the adult temples and is my personal favourite. I love the atmosphere, with it looking like an abandoned Manor house with ghosts everywhere. The boss is great and the dungeon is a good mix of challenging but fair. The fire temple is often forgotten as it isn't as memorable as the rest. I liked the boss but i found the puzzles annoying. The infamous Water temple, I actually found fairly easy this time around, the boss is very easy but managing the water level is really annoying. The water temple is made way easier of the 3ds version so maybe that's why. The shadow temple is probably my second favourite. The atmosphere is so creepy, with the murals on the walls and that horrifying dead hand monster. The lore of this temple is the most interesting as it used to be a torture chamber where the Sheikah would interrogate prisoners, Also the boss Bongo Bongo looks eerily like someone who has been beheaded. The Spirit temple is whatever, I like that you have to do it both as a kid and adult. I think its lacking because there is no connection to it as all other temples had a connection via a character like Darunia for the fire temple or Ruto for the water temple but Link isnt required to visit Gerudo valley at all when he is a kid. This games dungeons are amazing, probably my favourite in the series thus far.
Gameplay wise it plays amazingly. Combat is satisfying with the lock on targeting. The items are fun to use, like the biggoron sword which is so OP. Also for the first time in the series so far, this game is completely possible to play without a guide as it does a great job of telling you where to go and what specifically to do. That of course comes with a downside of having Navi never always yelling at you but you end up tuning it out eventually.
Visually the 3ds version has aged great. I hope that in the future Nintendo will port these versions to switch as they are so much more fun to play, this goes for Ocarina, Majora and even games like Mario 64. Also the Score is fantastic but that's a given, Forest temple and the Deku tree theme are my favourites.
I have a couple small complaints. I wish that there was a useful fast travel system. The one this game has isnt the best as it puts places you in weird spots and you dont unlock them until you are about to do that dungeon. Meaning that you dont get fast travel to Kakariko village until the 2nd last dungeon and by that point you probably have done everything there is to do there. Also Epona in this game is pretty much useless, the controls are janky and she can only be used in Hyrule field and small parts of gerudo valley. Also I wish the day/night cycle was a bit longer as it passes so quickly that is you are to walk normally you cannot make it from Kokiri forest to Hyrule castle in a single day cycle.
This game is very special to me as it was the first one I played which got me into this fantastic series. I especially love the young link segment as it feels so alive compared to the darker adult section. I have played the three starter dungeons over so many times that I know them top to bottom even years on from the last time I played. There is a reason that this is considered not only one of the best Zelda games but one of the best games of all time. It was revolutionary at the time and is still an absolute delight to play through. 100% recommended
15 Comments
@NOWITSREYNTIME47 Appreciate it :)
Nice review. The 3DS version of this game is a great upgrade.
The spirit temple is actually my personal favourite dungeon. The adult / child gimmick is super cool and allows it to feel like a final test by asking you to use many of the items you've grabbed along the journey, also I just love the music and twinrova, they're so silly.
Also have you played Twilight Princess? :)
The spirit temple is actually my personal favourite dungeon. The adult / child gimmick is super cool and allows it to feel like a final test by asking you to use many of the items you've grabbed along the journey, also I just love the music and twinrova, they're so silly.
Also have you played Twilight Princess? :)
@Wollom The temple itself is fun I just think it lacks story wise compared to the other temples. I havent played Twilight Princess yet but i will soon as im playing through the whole series. I had to hunt for a copy of the Wii U version lol
Fantastic review as always. The fact that you said this can be completed without a guide definitely makes me eager to play it after my less-than-satisfying experience with ALTTP.
Actually was surprised it lifted so much of its template from that game with the starter dungeons + a major event opening a new mirror world with the bulk of the dungeons. Thought OoT famously pioneered its own path.
I guess the biggest question I have is what QOL features does the 3DS version bring to the game over the N64 one? Obviously the visual uptick speaks for itself.
Surprised you can only ride Epona in Hyrule Field - she's not accessible for any of the other places? That would definitely explain why you see videos of people constantly rolling everywhere haha.
Actually was surprised it lifted so much of its template from that game with the starter dungeons + a major event opening a new mirror world with the bulk of the dungeons. Thought OoT famously pioneered its own path.
I guess the biggest question I have is what QOL features does the 3DS version bring to the game over the N64 one? Obviously the visual uptick speaks for itself.
Surprised you can only ride Epona in Hyrule Field - she's not accessible for any of the other places? That would definitely explain why you see videos of people constantly rolling everywhere haha.
@RedBackLoggd Always appreciate the interactions :) It keeps a lot from the base game but basically makes it a bit more forgiving. It adds these things called Sheikah Stones which are located all across the map and they basically work as guides where you can go watch a quick video which tells you the correct path you should be on, its quite helpful for the small objectives you need to do before each dungeon. It also makes the water temple a lot easier due to labelling the doors that lead to the areas to change the water level. A lot of other small stuff like censoring blood as well. Biggest draw is the visuals and also for a long time it was the easiest way to play the game, not as easy now due to how old the 3ds. I wish Nintendo would port their remakes instead of the originals more often.
Epona can only be used in Hyule field, a part of gerudo valley and a part of lake hylia, shes only useful to get across the field quickly, most other locations would be to cramped to travel efficiently, part of me is glad that they didn't as it would of made for a really bad experience due to the janky controls.
Epona can only be used in Hyule field, a part of gerudo valley and a part of lake hylia, shes only useful to get across the field quickly, most other locations would be to cramped to travel efficiently, part of me is glad that they didn't as it would of made for a really bad experience due to the janky controls.
So if I play the original, either via an N64 or one of those ports you're talking about, how difficult would the game be without the Sheikah Stones providing tips? Would I have to frequently consult a guide?
Dang, they actually censored stuff? That's surprising - I didn't even know Ocarina had blood.
I heard the real issue with the Water Temple wasn't the doors but the keys being hard to find and having to manually swap the Iron Boots each time.
Is it possible that the controller issues were from the 3DS being unable to successfully interchange the N64's controller set-up with that of the 3DS? Cause they're obviously different shapes haha.
Dang, they actually censored stuff? That's surprising - I didn't even know Ocarina had blood.
I heard the real issue with the Water Temple wasn't the doors but the keys being hard to find and having to manually swap the Iron Boots each time.
Is it possible that the controller issues were from the 3DS being unable to successfully interchange the N64's controller set-up with that of the 3DS? Cause they're obviously different shapes haha.
@RedBackLoggd I never had to use the Sheikah stones at all throughout my playthrough, if you make sure to read the dialogue between characters and navi's frequent hints, you should never be "lost". Compared to most Zelda games the map is quite small and very well signposted so finding the areas you need to be in shouldn't be an issue. The dungeons can be a bit tricky but I believe that's half the fun of them. Obviously gathering all the heart pieces is quite tricky without a guide but I think that goes without saying. I think the only part that could cause a problem is there are some small interlude sections before each dungeon that aren't signposted amazingly but if you end up stuck its as simple as a quick google search.
They censored blood I believe in the shadow temple/bottom of the well prelude dungeon, and also during the Ganondorf fight he used to spit out blood but they changed it to a green looking liquid instead which if anything is more gross.
Manually swapping the Iron boots isnt an issue on the 3ds which is part of the reason why it is so much easier on this version. The keys are quite confusing to get and that kinda goes along with the water levels.
Quite possibly, my 3ds is like 10 years old so that could be an issue lol. No issue with the normal controls, just the horse riding controls dont translate well.
They censored blood I believe in the shadow temple/bottom of the well prelude dungeon, and also during the Ganondorf fight he used to spit out blood but they changed it to a green looking liquid instead which if anything is more gross.
Manually swapping the Iron boots isnt an issue on the 3ds which is part of the reason why it is so much easier on this version. The keys are quite confusing to get and that kinda goes along with the water levels.
Quite possibly, my 3ds is like 10 years old so that could be an issue lol. No issue with the normal controls, just the horse riding controls dont translate well.
Also ill add a bit to that first part, after you complete each objective, in both the adult and child sections there are characters that will tell you where you should be going next. In terms of telling you where to go/ what to do its night and day compared to the earlier games
Copy, appreciate the in-depth explanation of the Sheikah Stones and how they aren't necessary to the game. Dungeons are dungeons for sure, and I have no problem with them being complex, but what annoyed me in ALTTP was how you'd need some random-ass item out in the world the game gave no indication of in order to complete the dungeon/access it - please tell me that's not what you're referring to when you say "interlude sections" before each dungeon?
Ah copy, that's interesting. Apparently Twilight Princess had blood, but I don't recall seeing any.
That makes sense, thanks for the Water Temple explanation.
Oh that's good that it's just the horse riding controls.
Ah copy, that's interesting. Apparently Twilight Princess had blood, but I don't recall seeing any.
That makes sense, thanks for the Water Temple explanation.
Oh that's good that it's just the horse riding controls.
@RedBackLoggd I believe im right in saying that if you need an item for a dungeon the game will tell you, it might be in the way of a hint but it will always be located within the area of the temple. For example the lens of truth required for the shadow temple can be found in Kakariko Village which is right next to the shadow temple. There are items required for each temple but its in no way like Alttp because the game makes a point to tell you what you need. I hope ive explained that in a way that makes sense lol.
I dont think interlude was the best way to describe it. Its basically time spent in an area related to the next temple you go to. SO you spend some time in Goron City before going to the fire temple. Serves as a way to break up the constant flow of dungeons
Also some items can be bought. Stuff like the Hylian sheild and the other tunics can all be found for free or bought in one of the stores.
Thank you so much brother, that does make sense. Ocarina of Time is one of those iconic games I feel every person is gonna play at some point, and I'm glad to hear that it's aged remarkably well compared to some of the more obtuse 90s games that relied on game guide/game mag sales to supplement company income XD
@RedBackLoggd Happy to have helped :)
NOWITSREYNTIME17
18 days ago