Ganondorf Death Scene Censored in Switch 2 Remake Release
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake drops Ganondorf’s fatal coughing-up-blood animation for the Nintendo Switch 2, replacing the brutal moment with a kneeling monologue. The November 5 release alters the villain’s final moments, removing the red blood from the 1998 original and the green tint introduced in subsequent editions.
Marie Rose Phantom spotted the change on Twitter, writing that the sequence is entirely omitted and noting that the new version feels even more censored than the 3DS release. In the revised sequence, Ganondorf drops to his knees to explain to Link that he lost because of a few wretched children.
Midnight Queues Form Worldwide for November Release
Long queues marked the midnight launch between November 4 and November 5 outside retail locations across the globe. Crowds gathered at the flagship Nintendo store in Manhattan, alongside Best Buy and GameStop locations, while footage captured heavy foot traffic from Toronto to London.
Neil Flynn joined 110 people waiting outside the Argos store on Tottenham Court Road in London as the sole person arriving with a 3DS. Buyers also hunted for the rare Zelda-themed Nintendo Switch 2 console at the Bellevue Best Buy, where lines reportedly stretched past the queue for the original Switch 2 hardware debut.
Metacritic Scores Place Classic Remake at the Top of the Year
Critics responded with near-universal praise for the updated Nintendo classic. The title achieved a 96 out of 100 on Metacritic, making it the highest-rated game of the year and surpassing the Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Forza Horizon 6, and the Witcher 3 re-release. OpenCritic records a 95 average, with every reviewer recommending the title.
IGN and GameSpot gave 9/10 scores, alongside maximum marks from Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, and VGC. Reviewers pointed to improved lighting, more expressive character animations, detailed dungeons, expanded dialogue, and modern motion controls as major upgrades over the N64 original.
Rebuilding Familiar Environments with Updated Fidelity
The remake rebuilds the world from the ground up, blending familiar environments with updated fidelity. The lush greenery of Kokiri Forest, the vast grassy plains of Hyrule, the bustling market town, and the mystical atmosphere of the ancient dungeons evoke familiar yet exciting sensations for players. While the game maintains its structured approach to exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving, the experience is punctuated by the euphoria felt upon completing a temple. The title currently ranks behind only the twin-stick shooter Sektori, which holds 93 points on some charts, though its 96-point average secures its place as the year’s top-rated release across major aggregators.
Decades of Censorship Precede the Switch 2 Alteration
Nintendo first altered Ganondorf’s defeat shortly after the 1998 Nintendo 64 launch to clear ESRB standards. The company released version 1.2 of the game cartridge that year, swapping the red blood for green liquid and removing chanting from a dungeon to lower the creep factor. The Ocarina of Time 3D port carried forward that green-tinted version before the Switch 2 project removed the visual entirely.
Koji Kondo’s original musical compositions return alongside updated technical performance, keeping the 1998 gameplay loop intact for modern hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ocarina of Time Remake
When did the Ocarina of Time remake launch?
The title released exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026, following trailers and announcements issued in October.
What platforms received the new Zelda remake?
The release arrived exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, complete with modern lighting, expanded dialogue, and updated motion controls.
How do critics rate the Nintendo Switch 2 version?
The title holds a 96 average score on Metacritic and a 95 on OpenCritic, making it the highest-rated release of the year.
Related reading