Ocarina of Time Remake Changes: Switch 2 vs N64/3DS, Threads of Time & Pandemonium

The short version

If you played the N64 or 3DS version, the biggest change is how it feels to control: jumping is manual, a dash and a free camera are new, and the ocarina accepts humming. Next is presentation: visuals, voice work and music are rebuilt. Finally, support systems: Threads of Time tells you where to go next, the Pandemonium facility lets you rematch bosses, and Fairy Memories add a new collectible.

If this is your first time, read the beginner guide instead. This page is about what changed.

Rebuilt from scratch, not an HD port

The Ask the Developer interview says the game was rebuilt from scratch rather than ported and upscaled from the N64 code.Official

Terrain, characters, lighting, UI and cutscenes were all redone. The team describes the art direction as a puppet-show and practical-effects look rather than plain realism. Judge the final result in game.

Controls: auto-jump is gone

The original jumped automatically near specific ledges. The remake removes auto-jump and gives you a jump button you can use anywhere.Official

The stated reason is that players used to newer games ask why they can jump in one place but not another. The trade-off is that you judge the landing yourself, and the team had to rebalance gaps in the terrain.

Jump attack defaults to a two-step input like Breath of the Wild: jump, then attack. The team also added an optional one-button jump attack closer to the original. Both schemes are available and do not interfere with each other.

Dash and free camera

Hold the roll button to dash, and the original endless forward roll is still available.Official

The dash makes cross-map travel smoother, but it is not invulnerability: running into an enemy still hurts. The free camera uses the right stick. In caves, look around before moving so you do not miss a hidden entrance or a platform above you.

For the actual button table, mic settings and HUD options, use the Switch 2 controls page.

Voice and music

• Cutscenes and main dialogue are voiced; Link still does not speak.
• The score is rearranged, with some pieces taking on an orchestral style.
• Sound design and ambience were redone, widening the gap between caves, fields and temples.

The store page does not break down which languages have voiced dialogue, so check the in-game settings for the final answer.

Threads of Time

Threads of Time turns the adventure so far into a story you can review and points to the next goal.Official

For a first-time player, this is often more useful than a guide: when you are stuck, check it before assuming you missed an item. For returning players, it works as an automatically updated adventure log.

Pandemonium: boss rematches

The Pandemonium facility displays monsters you have defeated, shows their traits and lets you fight strong enemies again.Official

The rematches are time trials you can attempt whenever you want, without affecting story progress. It is a convenient place to practise a boss, test a new item or chase a better time. The exact unlock point and roster should be checked in game. The English in-game name may differ from the translated name used here.

Fairy Memories

Fairy Memories are hidden across Hyrule, and Navi can read them.Official

This is a new collectible in the remake. Nintendo says they are hidden across Hyrule but has not published a total or a location list, so this guide does not invent a number. Watch for glowing spots and Navi's hints while exploring.

ZELDA NOTES

The game supports the ZELDA NOTES smartphone app.Official

• Today's Record recaps the day's play in chronological order.
• Rumor Quest shows a photo on your phone and asks you to find that place in the game.

The app is optional; you can finish the game without it. The pre-launch Ver. 1.1.1 update added ZELDA NOTES support.

Water Temple readability changes

According to the developer interviews, the Water Temple was adjusted for readability: lattice walls improve visibility, item switching is smoother and there are fewer ways to get lost. It is still one of the easiest temples to get lost in, but it no longer relies entirely on memorising water levels. Check the final behaviour in game, and see the story walkthrough for the route.

Loading between regions stays

The region-to-region loading screens are still there. The developers describe them as a deliberate nod to the original; some reviewers call them dated. It is a design choice, not a performance problem.

What did not change

• Story skeleton: three Spiritual Stones, a seven-year sleep, six Sages and the final battle.
• Two eras: travel between Child and Adult, with some items and areas limited to one era.
• Dungeon structure: Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit and Ganon's Castle. Check the exact order and bosses in game.
• Single-player only: there is no online mode.

Open questions

• A Master Quest, Hero Mode or higher difficulty option at launch. Nothing was announced as of 5 November 2026, and launch reviews say there is none.
• DLC or a post-launch content roadmap. Nothing announced.
• Exact frame rate and resolution. Nintendo has not published a detailed breakdown, so this guide does not repeat numbers Nintendo has not published.

Next, read the beginner guide and practise jumping, dashing, the camera and the ocarina.