- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has become the best-reviewed game of this year by far.
- The remake received a 96 Metascore at the time of writing, thanks to an incredibly positive reception.
- The reviews have gushed about the remake’s visual upgrade, added worldbuilding, and enhanced core game design.
Nintendo has been on a roll when it comes to releasing the best-rated games of 2026. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is its latest exclusive, and it has honored the legacy of the original by becoming the top-reviewed entry of 2026 so far.
The critic reviews for the Ocarina of Time remake are finally out, putting it at a staggering 96 Metacritic score based on 70 critic reviews at the time of writing. The title received overwhelmingly positive reviews for expanding on the original in the best ways possible.
Why it matters: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is a faithful reinterpretation that improves the original without replacing any of the elements that made it special. It is also hailed as arguably the most visually striking game on Switch 2 by some reviewers.
The remake also boasts an incredible 95 score on the review aggregator site OpenCritic. Regardless, Metacritic scores from some of the major gaming publications can be seen below:
- IGN – 9/10
- GameSpot – 9/10
- Eurogamer – 10/10
- GamesRadar – 10/10
- VGC – 10/10
- Nintendo Life – 9/10
- RPG Site – 8/10
As per multiple reviews, the Ocarina of Time remake modernizes the visuals with dramatically enhanced lighting, atmospheric elements, more expressive character animations, and richer dungeons.
The expanded NPC dialogue, story moments, cutscenes, and new side content also improve the gameplay without affecting the core game design. The added side missions and expanded worldbuilding make the world feel more lived-in and organic.
The QoL and accessibility features also enhance the already strong sense of adventure and atmosphere of the original.
Additionally, the core game still surprisingly holds up in modern times, but certain legacy elements faced a little criticism from a few reviewers.
Do you think The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will be overshadowed by GTA 6, or will the new Nintendo exclusive keep its lead this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devotedly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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