For the longest time, I just assumed anyone who dabbles in video games has played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64; however, the passage of time is always cruel, and I realize we have a whole new generations of gamers that weren’t even alive when it released in 1998. There are a significant number of people out there whose first Zelda game is Breath of the Wild. Before my spine collapses into ash, let’s discuss whether it’s important to play the original Ocarina of Time before the remake drops this November.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is special in many ways. Aside from its impact in the industry, it also impacted a generation who bonded over memories specific to a game of that time. If you’ve played the N64 classic, you will get the frustration of the Iron Boots in the item screen. You will recall that unnecessarily creepy image of the Zora behind the rupee diving challenge. You’ll definitely not forget Kaepora Gaebora and the consequences if you don’t read his paragraph’s worth of text.
However, should newer Zelda fans play the original before taking on the Ocarina of Time remake? The old lady in me is screaming yes, for they wouldn’t understand how significant the changes are to appreciate the remake. They didn’t know what it was like to not have a dedicated jump button or a lack of a dual control stick to manipulate the camera. They certainly didn’t experience how flat Hyrule Castle town was or odd some of the textures looked. Moreover, the N64 version of the game is reasonably accessible, so long as you have the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass.
However, at the same time, I’m not sure if new Zelda fans really need to play the original to experience the magic that is Ocarina of Time. In fact, because of the nature of the game, I feel that playing the original will dampen the joy of that first moment that we once experienced in 1998. Also, unless the modern gamer has experience with “retro” games, the graphics and dated controls may turn them off. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the highest rated video games of all time for a reason. If we want a Wilds-era Zelda gamer to throw in their support for that sentiment, I say let them start with the remake. Time has changed, and we have to meet people where they are at.
One more thing to consider— Ocarina of Time is a straightforward, linear game, and judging by what we’ve seen so far, Nintendo plans to remain pretty faithful to the original. The brief demo from the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct showed similar enemy placement and puzzles. While there will be some changes, I would bet that most (but not all) things will be exactly where you find them, and with modern gamers already treated to open-world Zelda or the Final Fantasy VII remakes where everything changed, playing the original Ocarina of Time right before the remake may cause a little boredom upon revisiting everything.
With that said, if a new gamer wants to experience the original to appreciate the difference, I say go right on ahead!
What do you think? Should the new generation of Zelda fans plug and play the N64 verision of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time before the remake comes out? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
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