Rumors of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time getting a full remake are an exciting prospect for any fan of the series. For someone like me, who grew up playing the game, it means a chance to see one of my favorite childhood titles completely reimagined. For players who may never have played the original game, it means a chance to play an updated version of the series’ first 3D entry. However, recent developments have made me slightly less optimistic about this potential remake.

While the Ocarina of Time remake remains a rumor, Nintendo did recently reveal another N64 remake, and it wasn’t quite what I’d have hoped. With games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake making sweeping changes to the original and taking advantage of new gaming technology, I would’ve hoped to see Nintendo doing the same with its remakes. Unfortunately, based on the preview we’ve gotten, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Star Fox’s Gameplay Looks Very Similar To The N64 Original

In a surprise Nintendo Direct on May 6, the company revealed a remake of the N64 Star Fox. Initially, the game’s new cinematics led me to believe that it would be a complete overhaul of the original, but it quickly became apparent that these cutscenes made up a majority of the new content. The basic mechanics remain the same from the original, as does the layout of the levels. While there are some new modes, the campaign looks relatively unchanged.

With a nine-year break since the last Star Fox release, I was disappointed to see that we are just getting what is essentially a graphical update to a previous game. This isn’t even the first time that Star Fox 64 is being remade with updated graphics. The game was previously re-released on the Nintendo 3DS with updated graphics and slight changes to its controls. This strategy toward N64 remakes has me worried about the possible Ocarina of Time remake and the changes (or lack thereof) we can expect.

An Ocarina Of Time Remake Should Be More Than Another Graphics Update

Like Star Fox 64, Ocarina of Time also had a 3DS remake which updated the visuals, and removed some dated features like having to constantly pause the game to put on and take off the Iron Boots. If Nintendo is using Star Fox as its model for N64 remakes, then it’s very possible that the rumored Ocarina of Time remake may also simply be the original game with new graphics. While not the worst thing in the world, it would be a shame to simply be getting a fifth version of the game, instead of something new.

The Ocarina of Time 3D‘s graphics did a wonderful job preserving the style of the original game while giving us more fully realized character models and environments. Players wanting to play a better-looking version of the original game would likely be satisfied with a Switch port of the 3DS remake. However, if the game is being remade, I would much prefer to get more substantial changes than simply aesthetic ones, especially with Switch 2 game prices.

Although not as expensive as Mario Kart World, Star Fox still costs $59.99. An Ocarina of Time remake would presumably cost the same, possibly even more, given Zelda is a more popular property than Star Fox. While dated, I can still enjoy playing the original version of Ocarina of Time, and don’t feel the need to drop $60 just to play it again. If rumors of a remake are true, I hope Nintendo’s approach differs significantly from their handling of Star Fox.

Released

November 21, 1998

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

Zelda 64 Engine