The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct: Everything Announced
Posted: September 8, 2026
Nintendo opened today's Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct with a medley of music from across the series, then pulled the curtain back on the game a lot of us have been waiting for: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. And this isn't a simple graphical remake.
Rebuilt from the ground up
Ocarina of Time has been rebuilt for Switch 2 with completely overhauled visuals, remodeled locations, symphonic orchestral music, faster loading, smoother performance, and improved camera controls. For the first time in the series, the game will also feature full voice acting — cutscenes are fully voiced and expanded for the remake.
New locations, same heart
Kokiri Forest and the Great Deku Tree look incredible. Hyrule Field finally has the scale you imagined it having back in 1998, Castle Town is far more populated and alive, and the day/night cycle now continues everywhere — including in towns, which never used to keep time. Nintendo also gave us our first looks at Adult Link, Sheik, and Ganondorf in the new art style.
How it plays
There are some significant gameplay changes on top of the visual overhaul. Link can now freely run and jump with a button, the right stick gives full camera control, and a new Threads of Time system tracks your story progress and next objective while gradually completing a large tapestry as you make your way through the adventure.
The ocarina itself
Instead of only entering songs with buttons, you can hum a melody directly into the Switch 2 microphone and Link will play it back in-game — it can even recognize melodies played on a real instrument. Nintendo is also releasing both a playable ocarina and an electronic version from HORI later this year.
Zelda Notes is getting full Ocarina of Time support too. The companion phone app will track accomplishments and stats, offer location hunts using hint images, give you a virtual playable ocarina where you can create and share music via QR codes, and even includes a daily Ocarina of Time quiz with more than 2,000 questions.
Two new amiibo — in 2027
Nintendo also revealed new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo, coming in 2027. Tapping them unlocks special masks that give Link a retro graphical appearance.
The anniversary hardware — October 29
The Nintendo Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition launches October 29, alongside a matching Zelda Pro Controller and carrying case. The black, green, and gold Triforce design carries across the system, Joy-Con 2, and dock.
Then, one week later: November 5, 2026
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches physical and digital, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. The first physical print run also gets special textured-foil cover art, while supplies last.
Ocarina of Time helped redefine what a 3D adventure game could be in 1998. Almost three decades later, we're about to walk into Kokiri Forest and Hyrule Field again, with the world finally looking closer to the scale we imagined as kids.
After everything Nintendo showed today — the remake itself, the 40th Anniversary Switch 2, the amiibo — what's the one thing you're most excited about, or are you trying to get all of it?
Sources: Nintendo's official Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct presentation, September 8, 2026. Images © Nintendo.
From the shop
Got an original N64 copy of Ocarina of Time, an old Player's Choice reprint, or anything Zelda-adjacent sitting in a drawer? Browse what we've got in stock while you wait for November.