How the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake changes the classic game’s script
The upcoming Switch 2 remake of 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' features updated dialogue and minor gameplay tweaks while remaining faithful to the original 1998 experience. Producer Eiji Aonuma noted that the script was expanded to give characters more personality.
Why it matters
Remakes of classic titles are a major driver of the gaming industry, and this analysis highlights how developers balance nostalgia with modern narrative expectations.
∙ Paid 17 1 1 Share At the start of the iconic 1998 Nintendo 64 game The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, our playable hero Link wakes up in his tree cabin, heads outside and is greeted by his friend Saria.
In other people’s copies of the games, she might say “Hi, Link!” or “Hi, Brick!” or use whatever other name the player was allowed to input when first launching the game.
The more important point is that she starts with a “Yahoo!”
In Nintendo’s 2011 remake of Ocarina of Time for the 3DS handheld, Saria greets Link with that same word.
But for the 2026 Switch 2 re-remake of Ocarina of Time , out November 5, Saria’s salutation has changed: “Hello, Link!” she exclaims.
Last month, in an official Nintendo video preview, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma described the remake as a “faithful interpretation using modern technologies.”
Also covering this story
4 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
The Ocarina of Time remake feels remarkably modern — and surprisingly terrifying
Hands-on with the Ocarina of Time remake, the most ornate Zelda game ever made
Ocarina of Time Remake Will Support All Existing Zelda Amiibo With In-Game Item Bonuses
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time preview - Link faces his scariest challenge yet: the 4K era
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in