The Ocarina of Time remake is getting the full old-school midnight launch treatment, because Best Buy has announced late-night store openings in the US for the Switch 2 release on 5 November! You can grab Link’s big comeback the second the clock ticks over, just like it’s 1998 all over again.
It’s a lovely bit of nostalgia theatre, but it also raises the obvious question of whether this remake is worth queuing in a car park at midnight for, and whether the price actually makes sense. Let me explain.
Wait, People Still Do Midnight Launches?
Apparently they do, and according to GameSpot, if you’ve already preordered through Best Buy you can switch your order to in-store pickup at midnight on 5 November, and if you haven’t, you can just turn up and buy it on the night like a proper chaotic gremlin.
Best Buy will also have the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 and matching Pro Controller on hand, though only in “limited quantities”, which in retail speak usually means three boxes and a very tired employee. Midnight launches mostly faded away once digital downloads took over, so seeing one come back for a Zelda remake is honestly a bit charming, isn’t it?
Quick NoteThe midnight event is a Best Buy thing in the US, so if you’re in the UK or elsewhere, don’t go rattling the doors of your local shop at 12:01am expecting a party… check with your retailer first!
What Is Actually New in the Ocarina of Time Remake?
Nintendo revealed the remake back on 8 September during a Zelda 40th anniversary Direct, and as Gematsu lays out, this is a lot more than a resolution bump, with a full visual overhaul and plenty of quality-of-life fixes layered on top:
- Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive
- Release date: 5 November 2026
- Price: $59.99 digital, $69.99 physical
- Visuals and audio: rebuilt graphics, orchestral music, fully voiced cutscenes and expanded dialogue
- Controls: reworked camera and movement, plus faster load times
- Threads of Time: a new feature that tracks your story progress and points you at your next objective
- The ocarina gimmick: hum or play a song you’ve learned near the Switch 2’s microphone, and Link plays it in-game
The humming feature is either the most delightful thing Nintendo has done all year or a recipe for very confused housemates, and I genuinely can’t decide which. I personally have mixed feelings about the art style, much like most of the internet, but this is nostalgia bait of the highest order and resisting feels futile.
Is a $10 Physical Premium Fair for a Remake?
Here’s where I get a bit grumpy, because $59.99 for a ground-up remake of one of the most important games ever made is reasonable enough, but charging an extra $10 for the physical copy feels like a tax on people who actually want to own their games, foil cover or not.
The first print run does come with textured foil packaging while stocks last, which is a nice touch for collectors, but if you’re not fussed about shelf candy, the digital version is the better-value pick. Better than before and actually worth it are two different things, after all!
Worth NotingThe Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 and its matching accessories land a week earlier on 29 October, while the Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo aren’t due until 2027, so your wallet gets a short breather between hits.
Should You Queue at Midnight for the Ocarina of Time Remake?
If you love the ritual of a launch night and live near a Best Buy, go for it, because there’s something wonderful about a bunch of grown adults queuing for a game about a boy in a green tunic, and it’s a much better story than “the download finished at 3am”.
For everyone else, my take is to preorder digital and wait for reviews, because the feature list sounds brilliant but the 3DS already gave us a remastered Ocarina back in 2011, so this one has to prove it’s a genuine upgrade and not just a prettier coat of paint. And if you fancy a Nintendo re-release story with a few more warts on it, my piece on buying Pokémon Fire Red on the Switch so you don’t have to is right there, trust you me!
FAQ
When does the Ocarina of Time remake come out?
The Ocarina of Time remake launches on 5 November 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, with Best Buy running midnight launches in the US.
How much does the Ocarina of Time remake cost?
It costs $59.99 digitally and $69.99 for the physical version, and the first physical print run comes with foil packaging.
Is the Ocarina of Time remake on the original Switch?
No, the Ocarina of Time remake is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
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