Famitsu gives Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake 37/40 in its first Switch 2 review

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Nintendo Switch 2 has received its first review score, a 37 out of 40 from Japanese magazine Famitsu. Its four reviewers awarded the game 9, 9, 9, and 10 in the magazine’s latest weekly issue, days before the remake goes on sale.

The panel praised the smooth camera, the improved controls and gameplay flow, and the rebuilt graphics. Its main reservation was that the game is “relatively simple compared to many modern titles," with moments where players may be unsure of what to do next.

The total leaves the remake three points short of the 1998 Nintendo 64 original, which became the first game Famitsu ever awarded a perfect 40/40. It equals the 37/40 the magazine gave Ocarina of Time 3D, the Nintendo 3DS version released in 2011.

Famitsu’s score follows an earlier review that went live before the embargo lifted. NPR reportedly published its review two days ahead of release and then took it down. The piece carried no score, and its contents have since circulated through secondhand reports.

The leaked review called the remake “superb and streamlined” and described its enhanced visuals as a convincing modern update of the N64 game. It credited smoother combat, faster switching between weapons and items, and a new jump button that gives Link more control over his movement. It also found the story faithful to the 1998 release.

The review faulted the remake’s pacing, which it described as choppier than the original’s. The reviewer also found some of the new character art odd, singling out Nabooru’s redesign. Fully voiced cutscenes can interrupt players who would rather explore, the review noted, while the new over-the-shoulder camera replaces fixed angles that some long-time fans may miss. Target switching, it added, could have been simpler.

Coverage of the leak described Nintendo’s approach as safe, noting that some players had hoped for an expanded experience rather than a faithful recreation. The original game still holds a 99 on Metacritic, the highest score on the aggregator.

Nintendo has rebuilt Ocarina of Time with overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded character dialogue, and a symphonic orchestral soundtrack, alongside reworked camera and movement controls. Players can play or hum learned melodies into the Switch 2’s built-in microphone for Link to perform, and the game also responds to real instruments.

A companion service called Zelda Notes, available through the Nintendo Switch App, lets players track their adventure, create and share melodies, and take a daily quiz drawn from more than 2,000 questions. Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo arrive in 2027 and unlock retro-style masks, while other Zelda amiibo provide useful in-game items.

More reviews are expected once the wider embargo lifts ahead of launch. The remake arrives exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, with the digital edition priced at $59.99 and physical copies at $69.99.