Nintendo has given fans their first look at Dark Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2. The shadowy double appears in a new 30-second Japanese TV ad, one of two that Nintendo posted on its official Japanese YouTube channel on the morning of October 16, Japan time. The remake launches on November 5, 2026, only on Switch 2, at $59.99 (digital) on Nintendo’s US store.
Spoiler note: this post describes a boss encounter from the original 1998 game. The Dark Link image is further down the page.
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Where Dark Link appears in the new Ocarina of Time ad
The ad is titled “Battle” (バトル篇). It’s a fast montage of fights set to Ganondorf playing his organ, and it opens on a close-up of his gloved hands on the keys. Dark Link appears about 16 seconds in, for less than a second. In a fog-filled room with shallow water and a bare, dead tree, he rises out of wisps of black smoke with glowing red eyes. Link, in his blue Zora Tunic, thrusts his sword, and Dark Link jumps up to stand on the blade.
Fans of the N64 original will recognise the moment. Dark Link is the mirror-image mini-boss of the Water Temple, fought in that same misty room, and the sword-standing move was one of his signature tricks in 1998. IGN says this is the first time Nintendo has shown him in the remake. Nintendo Life chose not to post an image of him so readers could go in blind.
Here is the “Battle” ad from Nintendo’s Japanese channel:
Dark Link appears for less than a second in the "Battle" ad, rising over Link's sword in the misty Water Temple room. Image: Nintendo
What else the two ads show
The “Battle” ad also includes:
- Morpha, the Water Temple’s watery tentacle boss, wrapping around Link
- A skull-prowed boat gliding through mist, recognisable from the Shadow Temple
- A close-up of Ganondorf, then a closing shot of his hand glowing with the Triforce
The second ad, “Ocarina” (オカリナ篇), is calmer. It shows young Link playing the ocarina and meeting Malon at Lon Lon Ranch, Link galloping across Hyrule Field on horseback, and the Master Sword being drawn in the Temple of Time. Both ads end on the November 5 release date and a note that the game is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo’s Japanese X account shared both ads the same morning.
Morpha, the Water Temple's boss, grabs Link in the same ad. Image: Nintendo
Ocarina of Time Switch 2: release date, price and what’s new
| Detail | Confirmed by Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Release date | November 5, 2026 |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
| Price (US Nintendo store) | $59.99 digital, $69.99 physical |
| Rating | ESRB Everyone 10+ |
According to the official store page, the remake has completely overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue and symphonic orchestral music. Link can now jump and dash, and the camera has been modernised. It also adds the Hall of Fallen Heroes, where statues of the monsters you’ve beaten are on display. You can visit to learn about them or fight them again in a rematch. Our Ocarina of Time Switch 2 overview trailer breakdown covers the rest, including playing the ocarina by humming into the Switch 2 microphone and the new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo.
Nintendo hasn’t said whether the boss rematches include mini-bosses like Dark Link, or whether his fight plays differently from 1998. In the ad, the room and the sword-standing move closely follow the original. On social media, fans quoted by Dexerto praised the new look, with one pointing to the added audio cue and camera change.
The skull-prowed boat from the Shadow Temple, rebuilt for Switch 2. Image: Nintendo
What’s next
The ads are part of a marketing push that’s speeding up three weeks before launch. Before the game arrives, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 lands on October 29 at $519.99, without a game in the box. October is already a busy month for Switch 2, with Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 out now on Switch 2 and the Monster Hunter Wilds Switch 2 demo due October 19. We’ll cover Ocarina of Time’s launch on November 5, including what has changed from the N64 original.
Sources: Nintendo (Japanese TV ad, “Battle”), Nintendo (Japanese TV ad, “Ocarina”), Nintendo on X, Nintendo US store, IGN, Nintendo Life, Dexerto.
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Featured image: Nintendo
