The Water Temple has, at worst, been the bane of players’ existence, or at best, the butt of their jokes. Bring up the Water Temple to anyone who has played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and they will surely talk about that “missing key”. Whether or not you had a difficult time there or not, I personally was eager to see if Nintendo made tweaks to this notorious temple.
I haven’t played Ocarina of Time in many years, so I was a little nervous as I entered the Water Temple. I no longer had perfect memory that I could rely on. Of course, Nintendo made sure we didn’t need to open the menu any time we needed to equip or unequip the Iron Boots. They also kept a change they made in the 3DS version, which was illuminating the path where you can change the water levels. Both these things make sense, and I expected these at the very least.
Shockingly, I made it through the temple without overlooking a single key. Not once did I get turned around, and I didn’t recall any major changes to the dungeon layout. So, why did it feel so…easy? I think it was a combination of smaller, but important, adjustments.
For example, Nintendo intentionally focused on two rooms that people tended to overlook during cutscenes—perhaps focused a little too much. I also realized the designs on the walls helped me orient myself and maintain direction, just as dual-stick camera control can help in the same sense.
With that said, Nintendo didn’t make the Water Temple easier, but they modernization of graphics, leveraged patterns, took advantage of the camera-angles, and highlighted easy-to-miss rooms, which can clue our brains as we navigate the dungeon.
Have you played through the Water Temple if The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake? What did you think of it compared to the original? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Nintendo Pow Block – A Nintendo Podcast by Boss Rush
Nintendo Pow Block is a weekly Nintendo podcast hosted by Edward Varnell, Corey Dirrig, and their friends from around the internet. Each week, they dive into the latest Nintendo news and rumors for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, new and upcoming releases, updates to Nintendo Switch Online and the Nintendo Music app, and discuss what they’ve been playing in the Playing with Power segment.
Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Now your Podcasting with Power!
Zelda Director Revealed, Future Remakes, & Switch 2 2027 Lineup – Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Now Your Podcasting with Power!
- Zelda Director Revealed, Future Remakes, & Switch 2 2027 Lineup
- Nintendo Indie World, Switch 2 Jailbreak & The Duskbloods Delay
- Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Expansion Pass, Zelda: Ocarina of Time Updates, & More
- Nintendo's Physical Future, Final Fantasy VII Cast Tearful Farewell
- Bayonetta’s Future, & Monster Hunter Wilds, & Capcom's AI Dev Tools
Listen to Nintendo Pow Block on Podcast Services
Apple Podcasts + Spotify + Goodpods + Amazon + More Links
Follow and Connect with Nintendo Pow Block: A Nintendo Podcast
X/Twitter + Bluesky + Instagram + Threads + YouTube
Thank you for watching or listening to Nintendo Pow Block, the Nintendo podcast from Boss Rush Network! If you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe to the channel, give the video a Like, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast app, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review—it really helps! For more great content, visit our website at BossRush.net. Thanks for your continued support of Nintendo Pow Block and our independent endeavor with the Boss Rush Network!
Featured Image Credit: Nintendo
Leave a Reply