{
  "id": 14457326,
  "title": "After playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, returning to the original left me feeling more hollow than the Great Deku Tree",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/after-playing-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-returning-to",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-14T13:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/gaming/nintendo/after-playing-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-returning-to-the-original-left-me-feeling-more-hollow-than-the-great-deku-tree"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the first time again after experiencing the 2026 remake left me feeling more hollow than the Great Deku Tree. The early access preview of the Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive remake, which showcased the first 45 minutes of the game, confirmed it to be a faithful recreation of the original, yet with significant improvements. The art style, rendered in vivid greens and cerulean blues, is more detailed and immersive, capturing the essence of Hyrule's loss of innocence and corruption of whimsy. The lush background and free camera movement added depth to Hyrule Castle Town Market, making it visually appealing and engaging. While some character models might appear cartoonish, they fit well within the fantasy-inspired world. The soundtrack, with re-orchestrated themes and new vocal efforts, enhanced the overall experience. Though the voice acting for certain characters like Navi and the Great Deku Tree could be more distinct, it still improved upon the original. The narrative shifts, such as the Great Deku Tree providing more context about spirit stones and Hyrule's fate, and Malon appearing in Hyrule Castle Town Market, helped refine the story. Overall, the 2026 remake of Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be the definitive way to enjoy the Hero of Time's epic adventure, offering a more cohesive package with smoother combat, tweaked dungeons and puzzles, and streamlined menus. The addition of Fairy Messages as a new hint system for finding secrets and clues for dungeons is a welcome change, potentially replacing (and adding to) some of Navi's clues.",
  "summary": "Remakes can strike fear into the hearts of series fans; a lazy or unimaginative rehash can soil cherished memories of classic titles. I’ve spent two hours in Ocarina of Time, and I have no such fears for one of my favorite games of all time.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IGN",
        "title": "Best Buy Announces Midnight Opening for Ocarina of Time Launch, Zelda Switch 2 Consoles Also Up for Grabs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/best-buy-announces-midnight-opening-for-ocarina-of-time-launch-zelda",
        "published": "2026-10-08T14:52:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mashable",
        "title": "Best Buys Ocarina of Time midnight launch events will be your next chance to grab the sold-out Zelda Switch 2",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/best-buys-ocarina-of-time-midnight-launch-events-will-be-your-next",
        "published": "2026-10-08T17:04:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Rock Paper Shotgun",
        "title": "You need not hunger for that Zelda Ocarina of Time remake when we already have Indigo, a colossal N64 romhack featuring mushroom forests and bearded Link",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/you-need-not-hunger-for-that-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-when-we",
        "published": "2026-10-12T15:04:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tom's Guide",
        "title": "I just played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake — and it looks and plays better than I could have ever imagined",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/i-just-played-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-and-it-looks",
        "published": "2026-10-14T13:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}