How to Play Ocarina of Time Now: Switch 2, Switch Online, 3DS

There are three main ways to play Ocarina of Time today. If you own a Switch 2, the remake that came out on November 5, 2026 is the one to play. On an original Switch, the Nintendo 64 version in Nintendo Switch Online is the way in. The 2011 Nintendo 3DS version still matters for one reason: it is the only one of the three with Master Quest.

Which version should you play?

Why is the Switch 2 remake the first choice?

It is the same adventure, rebuilt with modern controls and fewer of the original’s frictions:

• Controls: a jump button, a dash, a free camera, a quick-select item bar and optional motion aiming.
• Saving: one file that autosaves, so you continue where you stopped.
• Guidance: the Threads of Time quest log tracks the story and most side quests, and Navi interrupts less.
• Extras: a hall where you can rematch bosses and take on three boss runs.

Nintendo’s US store lists the game file size as 24.9 GB. The full list of changes is on the remake features page, and our main walkthrough is written for this version.

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, and it is still in the library. This is the route on an original Switch, or if you want to see the 1998 game as it was.

1. Get the Expansion Pack tier. The base Nintendo Switch Online membership ($19.99 a year on Nintendo’s US site, November 2026) does not include Nintendo 64 games. Upgrade to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack ($49.99 individual or $79.99 family).
2. Open Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics 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. On Switch 2, hold ZL + ZR to rewind a few moments, and you can turn on a CRT filter. The original Switch does not have these two features.

The membership is cheaper than the remake for one year, and it includes the rest of the Nintendo 64 library. The difference is ownership: the Nintendo Switch Online version is available only while your membership is active, while the remake is a purchase you keep.

How do saves and controls differ between versions?

For the side-by-side history of all three versions, see Remake vs N64 vs 3DS.

Is the 3DS version still worth it?

Only if you already own it or specifically want Master Quest. Ocarina of Time 3D includes Master Quest after you finish the main quest, mirrored and with double damage. The 3DS eShop closed on March 27, 2023, so you need a cartridge. Older digital releases on the Wii U Virtual Console can no longer be bought either, although earlier buyers can still redownload them.

What should you read before starting?

All versions share the same core: two time periods, the same main dungeons in the same order and the same key items. Our beginner tips cover the item order and the places new players most often get stuck. Prices, editions and launch details for the remake are on the release date page.