10 Things We Learned From The Zelda Direct
10 Things We Learned From the Zelda Direct
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at all the biggest announcements from Nintendo’s 40th Anniversary Direct for “The Legend of Zelda,” including new details about the upcoming “Ocarina of Time” remake!
A Small Movie Update
Although we didn’t get a trailer or even a teaser for the upcoming live-action adaptation, we did get a brief update from Shigeru Miyamoto. He reiterated that the movie was releasing exclusively in theaters on April 30th, 2027, but also revealed that, unlike many of the games, the movie has no subtitle. It will seemingly tell an original story that pulls from various elements across the series, and he teased how important a role the Triforce would play. The adaptation, which is directed by Wes Ball and stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda, wrapped filming in New Zealand this past April. But we’ll still have to wait before we get a clear look at the project.
Release Date and a New Model
Nintendo got the gaming world buzzing when it announced the “Ocarina of Time” remake, with everyone aching to know when they could get their hands on it. Well, now we know. In addition to showing off more of the game, Nintendo announced it will be released on November 5th, 2026, showing it isn’t too worried about competing with “GTA VI.” It’s somewhat significant, though, as the original “Ocarina of Time” launched the same month in 1998. There will be several other official goodies released in honor of the game, most prominent of which is a new model for the Nintendo Switch 2, launching on October 29th. Available the same day will be a new Pro Controller and carrying case. Similar to the original’s limited edition gold cartridge, players can pre-order a special Foil Cover Art version while supplies last.
Zelda in Concert
The anniversary direct began with an incredible orchestral performance, featuring a medley of iconic tunes from across the “Zelda” series. As it turns out, this was more than just a way to celebrate the franchise’s music. Koji Kondo, who has worked on the series’ music since the beginning, later appeared and announced Nintendo would be holding a series of concerts to celebrate 40 years of “The Legend of Zelda.” Specific dates were announced for Japan in 2027, with dates for North America, Europe, and Australia to be revealed at a later date some time next year. Considering how beloved the franchise’s music is, that sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The Zelda Celebration
I promise I’ll get to the actual game soon, but Nintendo has plenty more planned in honor of the franchise’s 40th anniversary. There’s a limited-time event at the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, running around a year, and a new restaurant opening in Fall 2026, featuring a huge statue of Link, among characters from other franchises. Nintendo also has a ton of promotional merchandise planned, including an official Ocarina of Time, a Mineru Amiibo, and a Lego set of Link riding Epona, their third collaboration so far. However, release dates and prices were not announced at the time of writing.
From the Ground Up
As we knew, “Ocarina of Time” is a completely from the ground up remake, and we now have a good sense of what it will look like. Environments look much grander and highly detailed, as do character models, featuring great little details like the feather in Link’s cap. It’s interesting to see how this will play into world design, too, like a redone segment in the game’s first dungeon where Link gets the Slingshot. Hyrule Castle Town in particular looks fantastic, packed with more NPCs than the original, who also have more dynamic movement. The back alleyways are now connected to the main area, and time now moves forward in town instead of standing still.
Zelda Notes & Amiibo
Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom,” appeared to tell players about some additional ways to connect with the “Ocarina of Time” remake. The Zelda Notes app will be getting a huge update. In addition to tracking a variety of stats, players can save screenshots of certain achievements, and receive hints towards hidden rewards. Collecting rewards also gets points towards unlocking songs that you can play on a digital Ocarina, though you can also create your own to share with friends. Players can quiz themselves on over 2,000 questions about the game. And if Zelda Notes isn’t your thing, there are also Amiibo for Young Link and Young Zelda planned for 2027, which unlock in-game masks.
Playing with the Ocarina
As you probably noticed, the new look at gameplay also came with completely reworked music. It all sounds incredible, unsurprisingly. But there’s also a change to how music works as an in-game mechanic. Link can play the Ocarina of Time with buttons, as he normally does. But for a bit more fun, you can also hum the notes, which the Switch 2 tablet or Pro Controller’s microphone can pick up. Producer Eiji Aonuma also demonstrated how the official Ocarina of Time can be used to connect with the game, so you can really play the songs like Link.
Voice Acting
As most probably already thought, the “Ocarina of Time” remake will feature voice acting. Although, similar to “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom,” it will be kept to cutscenes, We heard snippets from several characters, including Zelda, Darunia, Impa, and the new Navi, who’s a little less shrill than her original counterpart. We got to hear Ganondorf, with Matt Mercer officially reprising the role after appearing in “Tears of the Kingdom.” We only got a taste of these performances, and it will be interesting to hear what other characters sound like. Although, it does seem like Link will, as always, remain silent.
Updated UI
Another big update is coming to the game’s UI, which looks much more streamlined. The menu is divided between Collection, Equipment, Items, and System. Link can cycle through his current equipped item, which shows in the top right corner of the screen during gameplay. This is similar to more recent games in the series, like cycling through weapons in “Breath of the Wild,” meaning you won’t always need to pause to equip something. We also noticed, thankfully, that Iron Boots are being kept as equippable items like they were in the 3DS remake. However, there’s also a new feature called the Threads of Time, which seems to keep track of Link’s questlines while filling out a tapestry of Hyrule.
Updated Gameplay
As to be expected with any from the ground up remake, “Ocarina of Time” is getting a nice update to controls and mechanics in addition to the visual overhaul. Some of these updates are small, but to be expected, such as a completely dynamic camera system and the removal of static camera angles, like the one in Hyrule Castle Town. Others make Link’s movement much more fluid, adapting the Wild Era Link’s ability to jump, and holding A to start spriting after a roll, an inclusion that also called out something we all did to make it across Hyrule field faster in the original. There are likely still more little tweaks and updates to make the game fresh that have yet to be revealed. But we don’t have much longer to wait to see for ourselves.
Are you excited for the “Ocarina of Time” remake? Which section are you looking forward to playing the most? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!
