The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Must Leave This Controversial Area Alone

Like countless other players, I'm beyond excited for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake. The late reveal of the remake also means that we don't have to wait much longer for the release of the game, which is scheduled for later this year, assuming that there are no unforeseen delays.

Right now, there's not a lot of information on what Nintendo plans on changing in the remake, if anything, or even if the remake is going to be more of a remaster, similar to the version of the game that was brought to the 3DS, which was basically a port of the game with graphical polish. For the sake of players who hold onto fond memories from the original version, some sections in OOT need to be remade without changing their fundamental design.

The Water Temple Must Be Left Alone

Water levels in games are quite hit-or-miss, and a lot of them end up being the most hated sections of their respective games. The Water Temple in Ocarina of Time isn't immune to criticism. A core mechanic for getting through the Water Temple is shifting the water levels in the temple using Zelda's Lullaby at specific locations, along with using the iron boots to walk underwater in locations that require you to keep the water level high, but also force you to move through lower areas. However, I'll admit that I would love to have the iron boots updated to feel less clunky in the remake.

I know that the Water Temple can be annoying, as I've played through it many times over the years. At the same time, it's one of the most iconic locations in the game. Whether you love it or hate it, you remember it and how the puzzles force you to consider how the water level changes throughout the entire temple. After enough playthroughs, it becomes easier to remember the best way to navigate the temple, and then you grow more efficient and far less frustrated.

The frustration is part of the experience, and playing Ocarina of Time for the first time without having that feeling of "Are you kidding me? I swear I went the right way" in the Water Temple would be sad to me. Then, you get to the end of the temple and have one of the most memorable boss fights, which is against Dark Link. In a way, the frustration of getting through the temple is matched by how frustrating the fight can be, as Dark Link acts like a mirror and knows your abilities.

Preserving an Experience In the Middle of Modernization

Remakes have been the trend lately, especially for beloved games like Silent Hill 2 and Final Fantasy 7, and those remakes have been largely successful. They also make changes from the original games to varying extents, with FF7R feeling like a sequel to the original game given the way that some characters seem to have knowledge they shouldn't. I wouldn't blame Nintendo for wanting to follow a similar path for Ocarina of Time and remake the game with a new vision that modern technology allows now that didn't in the 1990s.

There are elements in Ocarina of Time that could use changes. Toning down Navi would be a good start, since she quickly becomes annoying while trying to guide you through a tutorial that you might not even need, depending on if you've played the game before. It would be nice to have the option to turn off her help and have her for locking onto targets. As you might expect, a number of general gameplay mechanics and controls feel outdated now, and they could definitely use the overhaul that a remake allows for.

I love remakes and the potential that comes with them, and I'm excited to play this new version of a childhood favorite, but I hope that Nintendo preserves the experience and focuses on improving it instead of changing it entirely. There are parts, like the Water Temple, that could be tempting for developers to change due to how divided players are on them, but when you have a classic game like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, making too many changes ruins the experience that we remember.