Zelda Ocarina Remake Scores 37/40 in First Famitsu Review

Image: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a Switch 2 remake of Nintendo's 1998 Nintendo 64 classic, launching on November 5, 2026, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. The remake earned its first review score on November 4, 2026, with Famitsu awarding it 37 out of 40, and Nintendo UK announced a midnight launch event in London for the night of November 4, 2026.

Key Takeaways

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake earned 37 out of 40 in Famitsu, with scores of 9, 9, 9, and 10 from four reviewers.
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches on November 5, 2026, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.
• Nintendo UK hosts a midnight launch event on November 4, 2026, at Argos Tottenham Court Road in London, with sales from 00:05 on November 5.
• Buyers at the London midnight event receive a free replica of the original UK Nintendo 64 box and an Ocarina of Time key ring, while supplies last.
• The digital edition costs $59.99 in the US, and the remake needs about 27 GB of storage, according to Nintendo's listings.

What score did Zelda Ocarina of Time get in Famitsu?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake scored 37 out of 40 in Famitsu, based on scores of 9, 9, 9, and 10 from the Japanese magazine's four reviewers. Nintendo Everything reported the score on November 4, 2026, from the latest issue of Famitsu, and noted praise for the smooth camera, improved controls, gameplay flow, and graphics. A 37 out of 40 total is a strong opening score for a remake, and it puts the Switch 2 version in the top tier of Famitsu scores for the year, though it is only one magazine's verdict so far.

More review scores are expected on November 4, 2026, the day before release, so the Famitsu score should be read as a first data point rather than a final verdict. Famitsu's four-reviewer system often produces a spread, and here three reviewers gave 9 and one gave a perfect 10, which suggests broad agreement with one reviewer rating the remake as exceptional. Players waiting for Western reviews should check back after the embargo lifts, because camera, controls, and graphics are the areas where a remake can divide critics even when the original game is widely loved.

When does Zelda Ocarina of Time release on Switch 2?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches on November 5, 2026, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. There is no version for the original Nintendo Switch, Switch OLED, or Switch Lite. The digital edition costs $59.99 in the US, while the physical edition is listed at $69.99 in the US, and Nintendo's listings put the download size at about 27 GB in the US and 24.5 GB on the UK page, a gap that likely reflects different ways of measuring the same download. US players who pre-purchased digitally can expect a midnight Eastern unlock on November 5, which is 9 p.m. Pacific on November 4.

The remake is a ground-up rebuild, not a simple port of the Nintendo 64 game. Players can hum or play one of Link's learned ocarina melodies near the Switch 2 console's built-in microphone, and Link will perform the song in the game. New compatible amiibo figures of Young Link and Young Zelda will launch in 2027. The remake also carries quality-of-life improvements, reworked visuals, new music arrangements, and some new content, according to Nintendo's own descriptions, which is why it is priced as a full remake rather than a budget re-release.

Image: Nintendo

What is the Zelda Ocarina of Time UK midnight launch event?

Nintendo UK announced a midnight launch event for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time at Argos Tottenham Court Road in London, at 216-217 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7PT. The event takes place on the evening of Wednesday, November 4, 2026, inside the Nintendo Experience Zone at the store, and the game goes on sale from 00:05 on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Players who buy the game at the event receive a free replica of the original UK Nintendo 64 box, with an inner tray and slip case that can store a Nintendo Switch 2 copy, plus a bonus Ocarina of Time key ring, while supplies last.

The replica box is the collector hook for the event, and it only applies to in-store purchases at the midnight launch, so an online pre-order does not qualify. Nintendo also held anniversary hardware alongside the launch: a limited-edition Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 console and Pro Controller, announced in September 2026 for the Zelda 40th anniversary, are already on sale, though stock has been limited by demand. US players are not shut out of launch-night events entirely, with Nintendo stores in New York and San Francisco holding reservation-only late-night events on November 4, but the free replica box offer is specific to the London event.

Should you worry about Zelda pre-order deliveries?

Some Zelda: Ocarina of Time pre-order buyers should plan for a tight delivery window, because Nintendo reportedly told retail partners to hold shipments until November 4, 2026. Canadian retailer Video Games Plus told a customer on social media that Nintendo would not allow shipping to start until Wednesday, November 4, and that the retailer could only promise to mail physical copies on or before launch day. That leaves little margin for error before the November 5 release, and some buyers may receive their copy after release day if their local delivery takes more than a day.

The hold is likely aimed at limiting early leaks of the physical game, a common concern for a remake of a famous title in the week before launch. Players who want the game on day one have three safer options: buy digitally and pre-load, attend a midnight launch event, or buy in store on November 5. Players who pre-ordered physically and need the game on launch day should check their retailer's dispatch notice on November 4, because a retailer that ships on November 4 can still miss November 5 delivery in some regions.

What does the Famitsu score mean for Zelda fans?

The Famitsu score of 37 out of 40 means the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has cleared its first critical test, with praise centred on the areas a remake must get right: camera, controls, flow, and graphics. Those four areas are where a modern rebuild of a 1998 game can fail, because the original's camera and controls were built for a different controller and a different era. A 9, 9, 9, 10 spread suggests the remake feels modern to play while keeping the original's structure, which is the outcome most returning players want.

It does not mean every reviewer will agree, and it does not answer the two questions that matter most to new players: how the remake handles difficulty and how much new content it adds beyond the original story. Both questions will be answered by the wider review roundup on November 4 and by player impressions after November 5. For now, the Famitsu score, the midnight launch, and the strong pre-order demand for the anniversary hardware all point the same way: Nintendo's biggest Switch 2 release before GTA 6 is landing with real momentum.

Image: Nintendo

Frequently asked questions

What did Famitsu score Zelda Ocarina of Time?

Famitsu awarded The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake 37 out of 40, with individual scores of 9, 9, 9, and 10.

When does Zelda Ocarina of Time release?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches on November 5, 2026, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.

Where is the Zelda UK midnight launch event?

The UK midnight launch event is at Argos Tottenham Court Road, London, on November 4, 2026, with sales from 00:05 on November 5, 2026.

How much does Zelda Ocarina of Time cost?

The digital edition costs $59.99 in the US, and the physical edition costs $69.99 in the US, with a download size of about 27 GB.

Sources: Nintendo Everything, Nintendo Insider, Radio Times, Notebookcheck.

Related on Nexorift: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 edition, Zelda 40th Switch 2 restock, Switch 2 November 2026 games.

Images: Nintendo.