Nintendo has put the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake’s new features into one short video, five days before the game launches on November 5, 2026. The clip, titled “What’s new in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time?”, is on Nintendo UK’s official YouTube channel. According to Nintendo Life, it covers eight changes: dashing, jumping, gyro aiming, reimagined visuals, voiced cutscenes, playing songs with the microphone, the Threads of Time and the Hall of Fallen Foes. Each one is also described on Nintendo’s own store page. The pre-load is also open now. Nintendo’s US eShop showed the $59.99 digital version as ready to download when we checked at 23:45 UTC on October 31.
Most of the list has been shown before, but Nintendo’s official US store page now explains two features that our earlier coverage didn’t: the Threads of Time progress tapestry, and motion aiming you can switch off.
Table of Contents
The 8 new features in Ocarina of Time on Switch 2
| Feature | What Nintendo says it does |
|---|---|
| 1. Dashing | Part of the “enhanced controls and modern camera movements” |
| 2. Jumping | Nintendo says you can now “jump and dash through the action” |
| 3. Gyro aiming | Aim ranged weapons like the Fairy Bow and Hookshot with motion controls or buttons, set in the Options menu |
| 4. Reimagined visuals | “Completely overhauled visuals”, rebuilt for Switch 2 |
| 5. Voiced cutscenes | Voice acting, expanded cutscenes and “a great deal more” dialogue |
| 6. Songs through the mic | Hum or play a real instrument into the Switch 2 microphone. Button controls still work |
| 7. Threads of Time | Tracks your progress and next objectives on a tapestry that grows as you play |
| 8. Hall of Fallen Foes | Statues of defeated enemies to learn about or fight again |
The Hall of Fallen Foes displays statues of enemies you have beaten; you can read about them or fight them again. Image: Nintendo
Threads of Time: a built-in progress tracker
This is the only one of the eight that had barely been explained before. According to the store page, the Threads of Time lets you “track your progress—and next objectives”. It also shows “a grand tapestry that tells the tale of your adventure, step by step as you play.” In Nintendo’s screenshot, the tapestry hangs in a stone hall. The Great Deku Tree is stitched across the top, and most of the panels below are still blank. The menu prompts read Move, Zoom, See Events and Back.
Gyro aiming is optional
Motion aiming is a choice, not a requirement. Nintendo says ranged weapons “can be aimed through button controls or through motion controls”, and you can change this in the Options menu.
The Threads of Time tapestry fills in as you play and tracks your next objectives. Image: Nintendo
Hall of Fallen Foes, plus fairy lore
Nintendo’s October 14 trailer post called the rematch area the Hall of Fallen Heroes. The store page now calls it the Hall of Fallen Foes, and so does Nintendo Life’s list of the video’s features. There you can read about enemies you’ve beaten or fight them again. Our Ocarina of Time overview trailer breakdown covers the timed boss rematches. The store page also mentions a smaller extra that isn’t on that list of eight: small sparkling symbols around Hyrule that unlock bits of fairy lore.
Outside the game, ZELDA NOTES in the free Nintendo Switch App now lists an Ocarina of Time Quiz with “over 2,000 questions”, alongside Gossip Quests that send you to find in-game locations.
Hum or play a real instrument into the Switch 2 microphone to play Link's ocarina. Image: Nintendo
Ocarina of Time Switch 2 release date, price and pre-load
| Detail | Nintendo US store (checked Oct 31, 23:45 UTC) |
|---|---|
| Release date | November 5, 2026 (Switch 2 only) |
| Digital (Standard Edition) | $59.99, pre-order open, pre-load ready |
| Physical Edition | $69.99, ships November 5, limit 2 per customer |
| Download size | 27 GB (estimated) |
| Players | 1 (TV, tabletop and handheld modes) |
| Digital bonus | Zelda 40th Anniversary wallpaper if bought before Nov 23, 11:59 p.m. PT |
Nintendo hasn’t posted an unlock time for this game. Its support page on pre-purchases says pre-loaded games become playable after a small update “beginning at 12:00 AM Eastern Time” on release day. Some third-party games wait until 12:00 PM PT, but Ocarina is published by Nintendo. US clocks go back on November 1, so midnight ET on November 5 is 05:00 UTC, or 9:00 PM PT on November 4. For the edition differences and regional pre-order bonuses, see our Ocarina of Time Switch 2 editions guide. If you’re still hunting for the matching console, our Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock tracker lists stock by store.
Who the remake is for
It’s worth your time if you bounced off the 1998 controls. Jumping, dashing, a modern camera and an objectives tracker lower the barrier, and Nintendo calls this “an excellent entry point” into the series. Returning fans get boss rematches and, as our Dark Link ad report showed, familiar fights rebuilt in detail.
What’s next
Ocarina of Time unlocks on November 5. It leads our Switch 2 games coming in November calendar. Nintendo hasn’t mentioned a day-one update; we’ll update our editions guide if the unlock time or physical stock changes.
Sources: Nintendo UK (YouTube), Nintendo US store (digital), Nintendo US store (physical), Nintendo (Oct 14 overview trailer post), Nintendo Support, Nintendo Life.
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Featured image: Nintendo
