The specialist gaming press has delivered its verdict on the Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and the praise is close to wall-to-wall — with one interesting dissent on the margins.

GamesRadar+ called it 'pure magic — the biggest, boldest remake I've ever played,' crediting Nintendo with recreating the beauty of the original while making it feel genuinely different. Polygon said the lovingly crafted remake 'beautifully recaptures the magic of an all-time classic.' The first review anywhere came from Japan's Famitsu, which scored it 37/40 — on par with the 3DS remaster, per GamesRadar+, though below the N64 original's legendary reception.

Nintendo Life offered the most measured take: a 'stunning remake, but not quite definitive,' even while admitting that stepping into a rebuilt Hyrule Field for the first time is an experience no trailer prepares you for. The question of which version of Ocarina of Time is the one to play has animated fans for decades across N64, GameCube, 3DS and emulation — and this remake, however gorgeous, apparently hasn't fully settled it. What's not in dispute is that Switch 2 owners are getting one of 2026's essential releases.