No matter what you think of the art style, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be a brilliant remake.

I honestly can't tell you how many times I've completed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, let alone spent hours in its bucolic version of Hyrule. Although, when I told my mom about the upcoming remake, she said, "Oh the one with music," in what I decided to interpret as delight. I think that says how much of a fixture this game was in my life, in our house. Continuation of the text

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2)

A Switch 2 remake isn't surprising — it's a pretty safe bet for Nintendo — and it's not the first time Ocarina has been remade. (And I highly doubt that last one.) Still, this is the first time the game feels like it's been reworked from scratch. A suggestion that made me wonder if this version could live up to the game that turned me into a Zelda fanatic in the first place.

Let's start with the most obvious change - the graphics. The art style had a mixed reaction after the release of the first full trailer. The Perfect Marmite Status You either love the weird "Haunted Dolls" art style, or you think Link and Zelda were born from the darkest depths of the uncanny valley. I fell into the "love" category on my first viewing, but the more I rewatched the trailer, the more worried I was that it was all a bit too much. Now that I've played parts of the remake, I'm happy to say that my gut instinct was indeed correct.

Unlike the 3DS remake, which smoothed out the rough edges of the original N64 graphics, Ocarina on Switch 2 completely rewrites them. In doing so, it has breathed new life into Hyrule, giving it texture and depth. You can find it in the little things. The rough bark of the tree, the setting sun gently painting the sky orange, a contrast between the vibrant castle town of Hyrule and the wild-born Kokiri forest. Best of all, the character designs don't look off at all. Instead, they look perfectly at home in the landscape. I'd love a remake of Majora's Mask in this art style - how nice to see it so wonderfully twisted and surreal and unsettling. Imagine the moon! However, in Ocarina, the world and characters painted together capture the essence of what the game has always been - a legend. A story of the deviation of good intentions and a brave soul whose will and very sharp sword saves the land.

But there are things that need getting used to. jump! Now, I'm not a fan of jumping in real life or in games, so the removal of auto-jump was a change I'll admit I was a little bummed about. However, I can see the logic behind this decision. It bridges the gap somewhat for players whose introduction to the Zelda series was Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom by more closely matching the Ocarina control scheme to those games. You can even change the jump button to Y in both Switch games.

Even though I knew this, I still nailed my first jump and embarrassingly landed right in front of Meadow (who is still a donkey). Overall, though, I can't see how removing auto-jump would fundamentally change Ocarina, other than potentially changing some puzzles, making returning players (me) remember to hit a button, and giving you another way to mess around. For example, I spent five precious minutes of the preview trying to jump to the top of the Meadow House. But this is what he deserves.

One change that may surprise returning players occurs in the dungeons. This is not a complete rebuild, nor a "surprise"! This is the Master Quest. In Forest Temple, these changes are manifested by Nintendo adding an elevator in the block puzzle room and removing the rotating pillars when you need to fire an arrow through a torch to open a switch. Meanwhile, in the Great Deku Tree, there's now only one Skulluta blocking your way deep into the wood, and the vines leading to the dungeon map have been cut (I never understood why those vines were there in the first place, when there was a perfectly good ladder nearby...) I found out more, but I won't spoil what's to come.

As a dedicated Ocarina fan, it was fun to see these changes. None of them ever felt like they stole the game from anything either. Instead, they felt more like Nintendo filled in the gaps to make the ground more solid under my feet, especially since the identities of each of the dungeons are still intact. While I wasn't allowed to complete the quest, Inside The Deku Tree is still a great tutorial dungeon where you can tackle combat and puzzle solving. In this Switch 2 remake, returning players can also get used to using the quick item selection menu - another modernization from BOTW and TOTK used here for Link's complete arsenal. It paired well with the Jungle Temple, which I played in its entirety, where the first dungeon's warnings about the dangers ahead really hit home.

The Forest Temple has always been one of my favorite Ocarina dungeons. I love hunting the Poe sisters in their paintings, running away from creepy floor masters in twisted rooms, and how the music sounds like someone is humming. So close to hear, but too far to understand. It creates a deliciously eerie atmosphere - the worry that every step you take is wrong - and the new graphics add to that feeling when you're faced with the beautiful stained glass domed ceilings. The colors shine brightly and create a perfect contrast to the decaying houses around you. Stare for too long, wondering when the Hyrule National Trust is going to try to maintain the building, and you might get caught by a disembodied hand. So the danger of exploring a haunted mansion is inexplicable. (Seriously, what is a forest temple? I have my own theories, but almost every Ocarina dungeon has a little explanation bar. Did someone really build a house in a place called the Lost Forest thinking nothing would happen? Stellar behavior. Love it.)

Then, of course, there's the head of the temple, Phantom Ganon. As Phantom Ganon begins his menacing approach before exploding from the canvas, paintings appear over your head. A split second to send a shot before retreating back into the paint. It doesn't take long for the Phantom to lose patience and the energy ball tennis begins. Timing is everything, failure leads to bad shock. Finally, Ganon falls to his knees to fall victim to the Master's sword's vicious blows. What a fight, so gloriously recreated as if it had been plucked from my own memory. Unfortunately, I have to admit a personal mistake. I was so caught up in the moment that I forgot to check if you can still reflect his energy balls with an empty bottle. I'm sorry

It's not just the dungeons that have seen changes, Hyrule itself has been revamped for this iteration of Ocarina. Some changes will barely affect the area - like the Kokiri Forest land bridge that has a new starting point - while others will literally change your perspective on a place.

The removal of the fixed camera in Hyrule Castle Town has allowed the developers to add life to the town. Free from forcing bird's-eye views or attaching to springs. You see the wanted posters in the back alleys, finally properly enjoy the view from the balcony of the main square and wonder how in the name of Hylia the happy mask seller got permission to put on such a disturbing display. Have you ever wondered what is in front of the urn room? It turned out to be a stable! (Someone please tell me I'm not the only one who thought this.) Some of the characters are also affected. Some are finding new homes, while others are wondering about the streets. Hyrule Castle Town really does feel like a bustling capital, a place you'll visit for purposes other than rupees to grow the glass room. But this is not the place to find my favorite changes.

I can still remember the first time I visited Hyrule Field. Sweeping fields and castles on the horizon promising adventure, I am blissfully unaware of the owl. Now I know the field so well that I can draw it from memory. However, Hyrule Field wasn't what I expected when I visited it during the preview. All the main locations - Lake Hilia, Kakariko Village, etc. - were where they should be, but the geography between them had changed. Wheat is already growing in the pastures around Lon Lon Ranch, and I found a ruined building near the moat of Hyrule Castle City. Even though the sun was shining, I was not safe either. Little Peahat larvae—flying plants with spikes—appeared out of nowhere to attack Link. (And no, I wasn't always near a big Peahat when that happened.) The six trees that once guarded the path leading to Kokiri Forest also. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I've always loved those trees - they feel like a forest for a final farewell to Link. Although the flow in their place is very beautiful.

I didn't manage to fully explore Hyrule Field. Partly because of the timing, partly because the Nintendo employees were very good at catching me whenever I got too close to an off-limits area. However, one of the new things I discovered was an abandoned camp hidden in the corner of a cliff. There I found a note from a fairy that Navi translated. It turned out to be a reference to rolling in trees. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more scattered about Hyrule. While the rest of the notes are likely hints, it would be nice if the developers used them to provide more (read: any) characters for Navi.

I mentioned earlier that I can't tell you how many hours I've spent playing Ocarina of Time. This is because I enjoyed a long phase where I would start up the game and ignore the dungeons in favor of exploring. Sometimes I would visit my favorite places and look for secrets, other times I would create a new adventure for Link in my head and run it. The world was brilliantly full, with new surprises around every corner. This feeling naturally faded over time as my brain registered every bit of information I found. However, when I first walked into Hyrule Field during the preview, I felt this burst of nostalgia and homecoming. Standing on the edge of a world I know so well, yet barely recognize.

However, one aspect of the remake I wasn't keen on was the English voice acting. It reminds me of a cute anime dub from the late 90s to early 00s, and not in a good way. And it's a shame that given the original 1998 version of Ocarina, you'd think that tone was perfectly fine. Fortunately, behind every English dub there is an excellent subtitle. Yes, you can change the audio language.

The Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time is like returning to your hometown after a long absence. At first glance, everything is as it should be and you believe you can direct it, eyes closed. The longer you are there, the more unfamiliar it becomes. Was that shop here last? Where does this sign lead? Is that grave new? Unbeknownst to you, the ground has shifted beneath your feet and transported you to an unknown territory. The question is - do you like the land you found yourself in?

I love what I have played so far. Every change seems to have a purpose. From the reimagined Hyrule graphics to the refreshingly familiar music. To the souls who discovered Zelda through BOTW and/or TOTK, I say give Ocarina a chance. This game is the foundation of the modern 3D adventure genre and I doubt you will regret seeing it. For myself, I'm looking forward to exploring Hyrule Ocarina and uncovering more of its secrets. Although I'm still not sure how I feel about those missing trees.

Nintendo has provided travel and accommodation to attend this preview event.

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Lottie Lynn is the Eurogamer guide editor. He loves exploring new games and still has nightmares about the moon from Majora's Mask.