Ocarina of Time: Switch 2 Remake vs N64 vs 3DS
Compare the N64 original, Ocarina of Time 3D and the released Switch 2 remake: controls, saving, hints, extra modes, Master Quest and dungeon changes.
Use this page to compare versions of the same adventure. For what each Switch 2 change means in play, read every change in the Switch 2 remake. For differences between separate games, use Ocarina of Time vs BotW and TotK.
How do the three versions compare?
| Feature | Nintendo 64 original | Nintendo 3DS version | Nintendo Switch 2 remake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release | 1998 | 2011 | November 5, 2026 |
| Presentation | Original models, pre-rendered backgrounds in towns | Reworked visuals and stereoscopic 3D | Rebuilt visuals, voiced cutscenes, rewritten dialogue, orchestral music |
| Jumping | Automatic at suitable edges | Automatic at suitable edges | Jump button and a dash with no stamina limit |
| Camera | Fixed views in places such as Castle Town | Original-style camera | Free camera everywhere |
| Ranged aiming | Stick | Stick or gyro | Buttons or optional motion aiming |
| Changing equipment | Pause menu | Touch screen, including the Iron Boots | Quick-select bar; ocarina, Lenses of Truth and Iron Boots on the directional buttons |
| Saving | Several files; reload at fixed points | Several files; reload at fixed points | One file with autosave; resume where you saved |
| Time of day | Stops in towns and indoors | Stops in towns and indoors | Passes everywhere after you meet Zelda |
| Finding your next objective | Navi’s reminders | Navi plus Sheikah Stone hint videos | Threads of Time quest log |
| Playing the ocarina | Buttons | Buttons | Buttons, or optional microphone input |
| Bottles | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Master Quest | Not on the N64 cartridge; released separately later | Unlocks after the main quest | Not included |
| Boss rematches | None | Boss Challenge | A rematch hall with three boss runs |
What did the 3DS version already improve?
Ocarina of Time 3D reworked the visuals and added touch-screen item access and gyro aiming. Putting the Iron Boots on their own control is particularly useful in the Water Temple. It also has Sheikah Stone hint videos, Boss Challenge and an unlockable Master Quest.
Some Switch 2 features continue those ideas rather than starting them: motion aiming and a quick way to switch boots were already on 3DS. Other 3DS extras did not carry over. The Master Quest guide explains that mode and where you can still play it.
Is Switch 2 a port of the 3DS game?
No. It is a new remake of the adventure, not the 3DS game at a higher resolution. It keeps the same story, the same main dungeons in the same order and the two time periods, and areas are still separate regions joined by loading screens rather than one open world.
What differs is in the details. Several dungeons have rooms, chests, puzzles and Gold Skulltulas that moved or were removed, with the Water Temple changed the most. Some areas are laid out differently, the Great Fairies ask for a rupee offering, and wallets hold more. That is why an N64 or 3DS guide is fine for the overall order but not for room-by-room solutions.
Which version should you use for our guides?
Our main walkthrough and its dungeon chapters have been rewritten for the Switch 2 remake. Each Ocarina of Time guide shows a version note at the top saying whether it has been checked against the remake. The Master Quest page and the 3DS details on this page are the main places where older versions still matter.
For ways to play each version today, see how to play Ocarina of Time. If you are still deciding whether the adventure appeals to you, begin with the game introduction.
Video walkthrough
FAQ
Is Ocarina of Time 3D the same as the Switch 2 remake?
Were motion controls already in the 3DS version?
Does everything from the 3DS version return?
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