Reviews, Digital Foundry analysis and the 1.1.1 launch update all land the day before the Switch 2 release.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 tomorrow with the kind of critical and technical reception that few remakes manage. Embargoes lifted on November 4, 2026, and the game currently holds a 96 Metascore from more than 80 critic reviews with no mixed or negative scores. That puts it at the top of Metacritic’s 2026 rankings and roughly 27th on the all-time list.
Additionally, Digital Foundry’s technical breakdown paints an equally strong picture. The remake targets a locked 60 fps (the original ran at 20 fps; the 3DS version at 30 fps) and is described as extremely stable, to the point that VRR in docked mode is largely unnecessary. Docked resolution reaches up to 1440p with dynamic scaling down to around 1080p. Handheld sits between 1080p and 720p with slightly more aggressive LOD and filtering. It appears to build on underlying Breath of the Wild technology, uses SMAA with FSR1 (no DLSS), and introduces proper physically based materials, advanced global illumination, robust ambient occlusion, and far more detailed geometry and foliage.
World improvements include a fully seamless Castle Town, physicalised pot shards that stay in place, Navi acting as an actual light source, denser and reactive foliage, and selective reworking of areas such as the castle yard. Climbing now allows full 360-degree movement. The drawbridge no longer rises and falls with the day/night cycle. Voice acting appears in cutscenes, and a new orchestrated soundtrack is in place. Different HUD options are available, and the Hookshot only attaches to designated points.
Lastly, for anyone playing the game tomorrow, Nintendo has also pushed version 1.1.1 on November 4, 2026. The patch adds support for Zelda Notes via the Nintendo Switch app (players are prompted to configure it after updating) and includes various bug fixes described as improving the overall experience. With early physical copies already in some hands, the update effectively serves as the day-one patch.
Zelda | Ocarina of Time’s Full English Voice Cast Revealed (Matt Mercer Returns as Ganondorf)
Source: Digital Foundry
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