Nintendo’s newly announced The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Switch 2 is changing the original N64 classic’s storyline in a notable way.
The Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake was officially revealed during Nintendo’s June 9 Direct presentation, along with a new teaser trailer. As to be expected, that trailer is the subject of heavy debate right now, mostly due to how little about the game was shown.
However, what Zelda fans really should be talking more about is how this new remake appears to reveal one of the story’s biggest plot twists far earlier than it did in the original OOT.
Ocarina of Time’s Switch 2 Trailer Spoils One of the Game’s Biggest Plot Twists
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a game that’s as much known for its storyline and characters as it is for its gameplay. While its dungeon design, exploration and combat controls made it revolutionary for 3D action games, what made OOT truly timeless is its simplistic fairytale-style story and whimsical aesthetic.
Just as much as players will never forget the first time they entered the Great Deku Tree dungeon, they’ll also never forget when they first saw the dystopian world of the Adult Timeline, or when they first learned Shiek’s true identity.
OOT’s story is a crucial part of what makes it a special game, which is why it’s notable that Nintendo has already made some changes to that story by way of its initial reveal trailer.
In the trailer, Link is shown lying in bed as he is at the very start of the original game. However, things quickly take an interesting turn when the Triforce appears on the back of Link’s hand, signifying his connection to the Triforce of Courage.
In the original game, players don’t learn about Link’s true connection to the Triforce until much later in the story, even if it’s obvious he’s the hero. The Triforce itself isn’t even explained by the Great Deku Tree until players have beaten the first dungeon, and it’s not even revealed that Link actually has the Triforce of Courage until he has freed all the Sages. Finally, the actual Triforce doesn’t show up on the back of Link’s hand until the final battle.
Revealing Link’s Triforce Connection Early Has Major Implications for OOT’s Storytelling
While it’s certainly possible the cutscene in this trailer could take place in a different part of the story than it does in the original game, or that this exact scene might not even appear in the final version of the game at all, it nonetheless brings with it some major implications.
The idea that Link is the one boy in Kokiri Forest without a fairy is meant to be a source of early mystery in the game, so outright revealing that he has the power of the Triforce could change a lot about how the story is delivered to newer players. This change could take some impact away from the Triforce actually appearing on the back of Link’s hand later in the game, when he faces Ganon in that final battle.
On the other hand (no pun intended), the implications of this storyline change aren’t all bad.
For newer players, showing this symbol on Link’s hand right away probably won’t particularly spoil anything major outright, especially if they’re unfamiliar with the franchise’s lore. If the game chose to wait to explain the significance of the Triforce until much later, it could still preserve some of that mystery for longer.
In fact, the Triforce appearing on Link’s hand earlier could even add a greater sense of mystery for first-time players. Seeing this symbol appear on Link’s hand from the start, only to later see that same triangular imagery pop up in various places throughout Hyrule, might actually amplify players’ curiosity regarding Link’s destiny.
There are definitely ways this change could be for the better in the long run, but there’s no denying it’s still a significant change for longtime fans.
The fact Nintendo is already showcasing lore alterations like this right in OOT’s initial reveal trailer is reason enough to believe some other big storyline changes could be on the way in the future.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time comes exclusively to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.
- Released
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2026
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Number of Players
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Single-player