Ocarina of Time remake release time, price and pre-load details

Four days before launch, a remake of a 1998 Nintendo 64 game sits at the top of the Switch 2 eShop. Nintendo Everything's Switch 2 eShop chart for November 1 has Ocarina of Time at No. 1, ahead of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and Final Fantasy Resonance, and puts the jump down to pre-loads going live. If you pre-ordered digitally, the game is probably already on your console; what's left is the unlock time and whether 27 GB of space is free.

What is the Ocarina of Time remake release time?

In North America the digital version should unlock at 9 p.m. PT on Wednesday, November 4 (midnight ET), the night before the Ocarina of Time release date of November 5; in the UK, Europe and Australia, at 00:00 on November 5. The game is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive with no Switch 1 version, and it lands two weeks before Grand Theft Auto VI on our November 2026 release calendar.

Nintendo of America's support page on eShop release times says digital games that are also sold physically "will usually be available at 9:00 p.m. PT the night before the physical game's release date." Nintendo's UK and Australian pre-load FAQs both say "Most software titles are released at 00:00 on their release date," though some arrive later in the day. Prices come from Nintendo's eShop price data, including Japan's ¥7,980; Game Watch reports ¥8,980 for the Japanese boxed game.

Can you pre-load Ocarina of Time, and how big is it?

Yes. Notebookcheck reported on October 28 that buyers were already getting the pre-load. Per Nintendo's FAQ, the full game downloads up to seven days early and a small update unlocks it at release; leave the Switch 2 asleep and online and that update installs itself.

The size depends on which Nintendo page you read. The UK game page lists a 24.5 GB download, and GoNintendo spotted 24.54 GB in the eShop's backend on October 24. The US eShop page still says an estimated 27 GB, so clear that much and you're covered either way.

How much does Ocarina of Time cost on Switch 2?

In the US it's $59.99 on the eShop and $69.99 for the physical version at the Nintendo Store; other regions' digital prices are in the table above. Buying digitally before November 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT adds a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary wallpaper, according to the publisher notice on the eShop listing, and the first print run of the physical game comes in textured foil packaging while supplies last. Nintendo hasn't announced a deluxe edition or any paid early access.

Boxed copies are already out early: Notebookcheck reports the cartridge holds the full game (not a Game-Key Card), runs without a patch, and footage is spreading.

What's new in the Switch 2 version of Ocarina of Time?

Nintendo describes the game as remade for Switch 2 with "completely overhauled visuals," and the changes go well past textures. Link can now jump and run freely with new button commands, the camera sits on the Right Stick, load times are shorter and the score is fully orchestral. Characters are fully voiced in expanded cutscenes and have "a great deal more to say," and the day/night cycle keeps running even in towns. Threads of Time lets you check story progress and your next objective at any point, filling in a large tapestry as you go, and Nintendo's October trailer post adds the Hall of Fallen Heroes, where statues of beaten monsters can be studied or fought again.

amiibo support comes in two parts. Existing Zelda amiibo give "useful rewards" when tapped, while new Young Link and Young Zelda figures ($24.99 each at the Nintendo Store) arrive in 2027 and unlock masks in a retro graphical style.

The biggest new trick is musical: hum a melody Link has learned, or play it on a real instrument, near the Switch 2's built-in microphone and he plays it in the game. The button controls still work.

Nintendo of America's October 14 overview trailer shows most of these changes in motion.

Do you need one of the new ocarinas to play?

No. Humming or the buttons do the job, and the instruments are optional. HORI's Electric Ocarina of Time is listed at the Nintendo Store for November 5. It's a button-operated electronic toy that can auto-play 12 songs from the game. HORI's own store prices it at $49.99 and currently shows it as unavailable. Nintendo is also making a Playable Ocarina, a real instrument "for the musically inclined" that the game can hear, due later this year from the Nintendo Store; it has no price or date yet.

When do Ocarina of Time reviews come out?

Probably Wednesday, November 4, though Nintendo hasn't announced an embargo. Hands-on previews have been up since October 14, and the Metacritic page already lists 22 of them from outlets including IGN, GameSpot, VGC and The Guardian, all unscored. According to Notebookcheck, Metacritic told followers to watch for scores midweek without naming a day. It also notes that Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild and Echoes of Wisdom reviews each landed the day before launch. For comparison, the N64 original holds a 99 on Metacritic and the 2011 3DS version scored 94.

What we don't know yet

• A game-specific unlock time; the times above follow Nintendo's general rules.
• The review embargo, beyond Metacritic's "midweek" hint.
• Whether a day-one patch is coming; none has been announced.
• Release dates for Nintendo's playable ocarina and the 2027 amiibo.

Sources

• Nintendo: Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct announcement
• Nintendo: Ocarina of Time overview trailer
• Nintendo eShop (US): Ocarina of Time
• Nintendo Store (US): Ocarina of Time physical edition
• Nintendo UK: Ocarina of Time game page
• Nintendo Store (US): Electric Ocarina of Time
• Nintendo Support (Americas): eShop release times
• Nintendo Support (UK): pre-order and pre-load FAQ
• Nintendo Support (Australia): pre-order and pre-load FAQ
• Nintendo eShop price data: Japan
• HORI: Electric Ocarina of Time
• Game Watch: Japanese release date and boxed price
• Nintendo Everything: Nintendo Switch 2 eShop charts, November 1, 2026
• GoNintendo: file size listed as 24.54 GB
• Notebookcheck: pre-load begins
• Notebookcheck: physical copy leaks early
• Notebookcheck: Metacritic hints at review timing
• Metacritic: Ocarina of Time (2026)
• Metacritic: Ocarina of Time 3D