How to Play Ocarina of Time Now: Options, Whether to Wait

There are three ways to play Ocarina of Time legally in late 2026. You can play the Nintendo 64 original through Nintendo Switch Online, the 2011 Nintendo 3DS version if you already own it or buy a used copy, or the full Switch 2 remake from November 5. They play differently enough that the choice matters, especially for saving and controls.

What are your options in 2026?

Older digital releases on the Wii U Virtual Console can no longer be bought either, because the Wii U eShop closed on the same day as the 3DS shop. If you bought the game there before, you can still redownload it.

How do you play the N64 version on Nintendo Switch Online?

Ocarina of Time was one of the launch Nintendo 64 games when the Expansion Pack arrived in late October 2021. It is still in the library.

1. Get the Expansion Pack tier. The base Nintendo Switch Online membership ($19.99 a year in the US) does not include Nintendo 64 games. Upgrade to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack ($49.99 individual or $79.99 family).
2. Open the Nintendo 64 app and pick the game. It works on both the original Switch and Switch 2, and you can remap controls on either console.
3. Make suspend points as you go. Press the minus button (ZR on the Nintendo 64 controller for Switch) and choose to create a suspend point. You get four slots, and each one saves the exact moment you stopped.
4. On Switch 2, use rewind when you slip. Since June 5, 2025, the Switch 2 version of the app lets you roll back a few moments and adds a CRT filter. The original Switch does not have these two features.

How do saves and controls differ between versions?

The full list of remake changes is on the new features page, and the side-by-side history of all three versions is in Remake vs N64 vs 3DS.

Should you play now or wait for the remake?

It depends on what you already own and why you want to play.

On cost alone, one year of the Expansion Pack ($49.99 in the US) is a little cheaper than the remake’s download ($59.99), and it also includes the rest of the Nintendo 64 library. The difference is ownership: the Nintendo Switch Online version stays available only while your membership is active, while the remake is a purchase you keep. If you plan to replay the game over the years, that matters more than the ten-dollar gap.

What should you know before starting any version?

The N64 and 3DS versions share the same core: two time periods, a fixed dungeon order and the same key items. Nintendo’s remake pages keep the two time periods, but Nintendo has not said whether the dungeon order or key items change. Our beginner tips cover the item order and the places new players most often get stuck. When you are ready to go dungeon by dungeon, the full walkthrough follows the original structure. Prices and pre-order bonuses for the remake are on the release date page.