The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure game created and sold by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was the first Legend of Zelda game to use 3D graphics. The game was released in Japan and North America in November 1998. It came out in PAL regions the next month.
Ocarina of Time was made by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development division. Five directors, including Eiji Aonuma and Yoshiaki Koizumi, led the project. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Legend of Zelda series, produced the game. Kensuke Tanabe wrote the story, and Koji Kondo, the series' composer, created the music. Players control Link in the world of Hyrule as he tries to stop the evil king Ganondorf. He travels through time, explores dungeons, and moves across a large world. The game introduced features like a target-lock system and buttons that change functions based on the situation. These features are now common in 3D adventure games. To progress, players must play songs on an ocarina.
Ocarina of Time received high praise from critics and players for its graphics, music, gameplay, and story. Many publications have ranked it as one of the greatest video games ever made. It holds the highest score on Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. The game sold more than seven million copies worldwide. In the United States, it had more than three times as many pre-orders as any other game at the time.
A sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, was released in 2000. Ocarina of Time has been re-released on every Nintendo home console since its original release, including the iQue Player in China. An improved version for the Nintendo 3DS, called The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, was released in 2011. Master Quest, a version with new puzzles and harder challenges, is included in some GameCube releases and the 3D version.
Gameplay
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a fantasy action-adventure game set in a three-dimensional world with a large, open environment. Most parts of the game world are created using real-time 3D graphics, while some areas use pre-made backgrounds. The player controls the main character, Link, from a third-person view. Link mainly fights with a sword and shield but can also use other tools like arrows, bombs, and magic. The game introduces features such as context-sensitive actions, where a button’s function changes based on the situation, and a targeting system called "Z-targeting." This system lets players focus on enemies or objects. When using Z-targeting, the camera follows the target, and Link always faces it. Arrows automatically hit the target without needing to aim manually. Context-sensitive actions allow one button to perform different tasks depending on the situation, making controls easier to learn. The screen shows what action will happen when a button is pressed, and the display changes based on what Link is doing. For example, if Link is near a box and presses a button, he might push it. If he moves the control stick toward the box, he might climb on it instead. Much of the game involves exploring and fighting, but some parts require sneaking to avoid enemies.
Link gains new abilities by collecting items and weapons found in dungeons or the open world, including optional side quests and smaller tasks. Completing side quests can give Link new weapons or powers. One side quest involves trading items with other characters in a sequence that includes ten items, ending with Link receiving the Biggoron Sword, the strongest weapon in the game. Another side quest allows Link to get a horse that helps him move faster but limits him to using arrows only while riding.
Early in the game, Link receives an ocarina, which is later replaced by the Ocarina of Time. Link learns twelve musical melodies that help solve puzzles and move to places he has already visited. The Ocarina of Time is also used to claim the Master Sword in the Temple of Time, which sends Link seven years into the future, making him an adult. Young Link and adult Link have different abilities. For example, only adult Link can use the Fairy Bow, and only young Link can fit through small spaces. After completing certain tasks, Link can travel between the two time periods by switching between the two versions of the sword.
Plot
Ocarina of Time takes place in the fictional kingdom of Hyrule, which is the setting for most Legend of Zelda games. Hyrule Field is the main area and connects to other regions with different kinds of land, where various races live. To the east of Hyrule are the Kokiri, a forest-dwelling race that lives as children with fairies, and the Zora, fish-like creatures facing a crisis. To the north is Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town, where the royal family and most Hylians live, as well as Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, home to the Gorons, creatures that eat rocks. The far western desert belongs to the Gerudo, a group mostly made up of women who serve the king, a man born once every 100 years. Lon Lon Ranch, known for its horses and high-quality milk, is located in the center of Hyrule Field, and Lake Hylia to the south is a popular fishing spot where the Water Temple is found.
Players control Link, a young boy living in the Kokiri Forest, which is also home to his friend Saria and protected by the Great Deku Tree. Unlike other Kokiri, Link does not have a fairy companion until the Great Deku Tree sends the fairy Navi to guide him. Navi helps the player understand how to aim using Z-targeting and gives hints and advice. During his journey, Link meets Malon, the daughter of Lon Lon Ranch’s owner, Talon; Darunia, the leader of the Gorons; and Ruto, the Zora princess. Link also meets Princess Zelda, who is watched over by her Sheikah caretaker, Impa, and faces the Gerudo king, Ganondorf. As an adult, Link meets Rauru, the Sage of Light, and Nabooru, who acts as the leader of the Gerudo when Ganondorf is absent. Along the way, Link is helped by Sheik, a mysterious young Sheikah, and by great fairies who give him magical abilities.
Navi wakes Link from a nightmare in which he sees a man in black armor chasing a young girl on horseback. Navi takes Link to the Great Deku Tree, who has been cursed by a “wicked man of the desert.” Before dying, the Great Deku Tree gives Link the Spiritual Stone of the Forest and sends him to Hyrule Castle to speak with Princess Zelda. At the castle garden, Zelda tells Link that Ganondorf, the evil Gerudo king, is searching for the Triforce, a holy relic that grants godlike power. Zelda asks Link to collect three Spiritual Stones to enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce before Ganondorf reaches it. Link obtains the first stone from Darunia, the Goron leader, and the second from Ruto, the Zora princess. When Link returns to Hyrule Castle, he sees Ganondorf chasing Zelda and Impa on horseback, as in his nightmare, and fails to stop him. Inside the Temple of Time, Link uses the Ocarina of Time, a gift from Zelda, and the Spiritual Stones to open a door. There, he finds the Master Sword, but when he pulls it from its pedestal, he becomes unable to move. Ganondorf then appears and mocks Link for helping him obtain the Spiritual Stones.
Seven years later, an older Link awakens in the Sacred Realm and meets Rauru, one of the seven Sages who protect the Sacred Realm’s entrance. Rauru explains that the Master Sword was the key to the Sacred Realm, and pulling it allowed Ganondorf to enter and take the Triforce. Link’s spirit was sealed for seven years until he was old enough to wield the Master Sword and defeat Ganondorf, who has taken over Hyrule. The seven Sages can imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, but five of them do not know they are Sages. Link is returned to the Temple of Time and meets Sheik, who guides him to free five temples from Ganondorf’s control so their Sages can awaken. Link had befriended all five Sages as a child, and by placing the Master Sword back in its pedestal, he can travel between his childhood and the present. Using this ability, Link awakens the five unknown Sages: Saria, the Sage of the Forest Temple; Darunia, the Sage of the Fire Temple; Ruto, the Sage of the Water Temple; Impa, the Sage of the Shadow Temple; and Nabooru, the Sage of the Spirit Temple. After the Sages awaken, Sheik reveals himself to be Zelda in disguise and the seventh Sage. Zelda explains that Ganondorf’s heart was unbalanced, causing the Triforce to split into three pieces. Ganondorf took the Triforce of Power, Zelda received the Triforce of Wisdom, and Link received the Triforce of Courage.
Ganondorf then captures Zelda, trapping her in a large crystal and teleporting her to his castle. He plans to use Zelda and Link’s Triforce pieces to gain more power and telepathically challenges Link to rescue her. The other six Sages help Link enter the castle, where he frees Zelda after defeating Ganondorf, who destroys the castle to kill Link and Zelda. After escaping the collapsing castle, Ganondorf emerges from the rubble and transforms into a boar-like beast named Ganon using the Triforce of Power. He knocks the Master Sword from Link’s hand, but with Zelda’s help, Link retrieves the sword and defeats Ganon. The seven Sages imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, vowing to seek revenge on his descendants using the Triforce of Power. Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood. Navi leaves, and young Link meets Zelda in the castle garden again, where he shares knowledge about Hyrule’s future, preventing its decline and saving it as Ganondorf is defeated offscreen.
Development
Ocarina of Time was created at the same time as Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 for the Nintendo 64 by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) division in 1994. The game cost more than $12 million and involved over 200 people.
During development, the team moved from using a 64DD disk drive to a cartridge because the game needed to store a large amount of data, including 500 motion-captured animations. The game originally aimed for 16 megabytes of storage but was increased to 32 megabytes, making it the largest game ever made for the Nintendo 64. Early in development, the team worried about the limited storage space on the cartridge. They considered a design where Link would be confined to Ganondorf's castle, similar to how Mario moves between areas in Super Mario 64 using paintings. However, the idea of a battle with a doppelganger of Ganondorf that appears in paintings became the boss of the Forest Temple dungeon.
Shigeru Miyamoto, who directed Super Mario 64, oversaw Ocarina of Time as a producer and worked with five directors. This was a new approach for Nintendo EAD, where different teams focused on tasks like designing scenarios, creating 3D versions of 2D game elements, testing camera angles, motion capture, sound, and special effects. Eiji Aonuma designed the dungeons.
Although the team had no prior experience with 3D games, they were driven by a desire to create something new. The towns in Ocarina of Time were inspired by medieval Europe. To design Hyrule Castle's market, Miyamoto visited Germany to study its half-timbered architecture. Despite the game's medieval setting, combat was based on the chanbara (samurai) genre of Japanese sword fighting. Over 120 people, including stunt performers, helped capture realistic sword-fighting movements. Miyamoto initially planned for the game to be played in first-person to better show the world of Hyrule Field, but this idea was abandoned when the concept of a child version of Link was introduced. The Z-targeting system, which originally used a generic marker, was changed to a fairy by Koizumi, leading to the nickname "Navi" for the character.
Miyamoto wanted the game to feel cinematic but different from movies. Cutscenes in Ocarina of Time were created in real-time on the Nintendo 64, not using pre-recorded videos. This allowed the team to make changes quickly, even late in development. The story was written by Toru Osawa, with help from Kensuke Tanabe, based on ideas from Miyamoto and Koizumi.
Some ideas from Ocarina of Time were later used in Super Mario 64, while others were not included due to time limits. A character named "Hobbit" was later changed to the Deku Scrubs. Ocarina of Time used the same engine as Super Mario 64 but was heavily modified, leading Miyamoto to consider them as different engines. The camera in Ocarina of Time was more limited and controlled by the game's AI, focusing on the world rather than the character. Miyamoto wanted the game to be easier than Super Mario 64 to appeal to a wider audience.
The music for Ocarina of Time was composed by Koji Kondo, who has worked on most Zelda games. Each area of Hyrule has its own musical theme, which introduces environments as players approach them. The Nintendo 64 controller's button layout was designed to resemble the holes of an ocarina, and players learn to play songs using five notes. Some songs include additional tones played with the analog stick. The game's popularity increased ocarina sales.
The official soundtrack of Ocarina of Time was released in Japan in 1998 and included 82 tracks. An American version had fewer tracks and different artwork. Critics praised the music, though IGN noted the absence of the traditional Zelda overworld theme. In 2001, GameSpot ranked the soundtrack among the top ten video game soundtracks. A limited edition 3DS version was released in 2011. The Fire Temple's music originally included a sample of the adhan, which was later removed due to Nintendo's policy against real religious references.
In 1999, a live performance album titled Hyrule Symphony featured orchestral versions of the game's music. In 2017, an orchestral recording by the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra was released. A vinyl version was published by iam8bit and was nominated for an award.
Release
Ocarina of Time was first shown as a demonstration of technology and game ideas at Nintendo's Shoshinkai trade show in December 1995. Nintendo planned to release Super Mario 64 as a launch game for the Nintendo 64 and later release Ocarina of Time for the 64DD, a disk drive add-on for the system that was still being developed. Issues with the 64DD's performance caused the game to switch from disk to cartridge format, leading to delays. The game missed its planned 1997 holiday release and was delayed until 1998. Nintendo planned to release a 64DD expansion disk after the game launched. Miyamoto also said the delay happened because Nintendo focused on developing Yoshi's Story after that game missed its planned release date, and because Nintendo wanted to compete better with Banjo-Kazooie.
Throughout the late 1990s, the Nintendo 64 was said to lack popular games made by Nintendo. Next Generation wrote that Nintendo needed a major game to succeed during the holiday season and that Zelda was one of the most anticipated games of the decade. Nintendo spent $10 million on marketing for Ocarina of Time. In March 1998, it was the most anticipated Nintendo 64 game in Japan. Chairman Howard Lincoln said at E3 1998 that Zelda must be released on time to help Nintendo succeed, like a popular movie.
Customers in North America who pre-ordered Ocarina of Time received a special box with a golden plastic card labeled "Collector's Edition." This version included a gold-colored cartridge, a tradition started with the original Legend of Zelda (1986) for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Demand was so high that Electronics Boutique stopped presales on November 3, 1998.
Several versions of Ocarina of Time were made. Later versions had small changes, such as fixing glitches, changing Ganondorf's blood color from red to green, and changing the music in the Fire Temple dungeon to remove a sample of an Islamic prayer chant. The sample came from a commercial sound library, but the developers did not know it included Islamic references. Nintendo removed the chant after learning it violated their policy to avoid religious content. These changes happened before the game's original release.
Nintendo released Ocarina of Time on its next console, the GameCube, as part of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition, a collection of Zelda games. This version copies the original Nintendo 64 game and runs at double the resolution of the original. Another GameCube release included the original game and a harder version called Master Quest, which was given as a pre-order bonus with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002) in Japan and North America. It was also included in GameCube bundles worldwide and given to people who registered certain hardware, software, or joined official magazines and clubs. In November 2003, Ocarina of Time was released on the iQue Player in China as one of five games available at launch.
In February 2007, Ocarina of Time was released on the Wii Virtual Console for 1000 Wii Points. This version copies the Nintendo 64 game but does not support vibration from the Rumble Pak controller, so the "Stone of Agony" item has no function. A five-minute demo of the game can be unlocked in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008). The game was rereleased on the Wii U Virtual Console worldwide on July 2, 2015, including controller vibration. It was also released on the Nintendo Classics service on October 25, 2021.
In June 2011, Nintendo released Ocarina of Time 3D, an improved version for the Nintendo 3DS handheld console. It was developed by Nintendo EAD and Grezzo, a Japanese studio led by Koichi Ishii. This version includes Master Quest and adds features like touchscreen and gyroscope controls, a "Boss Challenge" mode, instructional videos, and a modified Water Temple with less difficulty.
Master Quest
After completing Ocarina of Time, which was made to use data from a special disk called 64DD, Nintendo created a new version for the 64DD. This version, called Ura Zelda (meaning "Another Zelda"), was described as a second version of Ocarina of Time with changed challenges and new content that had been removed earlier because of time and space limits. In 1998, during an interview with IGN, Miyamoto said Ura Zelda was expected to be released in 1999 if the 64DD was released that year. However, he also said a special release might be needed if the 64DD was not released. The 64DD was not released outside Japan, so Ura Zelda could not be made for that format. Although the game was finished by August 2000, other ways to release it, such as through game magazines, were considered but never used because of the high cost of making cartridges for the N64. In August 2000, Miyamoto said no online features were ever planned for Ura Zelda.
The release of Ura Zelda became possible after the GameCube was introduced, which used cheaper discs. It was released on the GameCube in 2002 in Japan as Zeruda no Densetsu: Toki no Okarina GC Ura and in 2003 in North America and Europe as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest. According to Miyamoto, Ura Zelda was easy to adapt because it used few 64DD features. Master Quest uses the same game system and story as Ocarina of Time, but with harder puzzles and changed challenges.
IGN’s Peer Schneider gave Master Quest a mostly positive review, comparing it to the second quest in the original Legend of Zelda. He said some redesigned areas were not as good as the original Ocarina of Time and thought they might have been created from designs that were not used first. He noted the graphics were better but said the game’s speed did not improve much. He also said the controls felt awkward on the GameCube. However, he called Master Quest a "sweet surprise" for fans and said he would recommend it even at full price. Zachary Lewis of RPGamer praised the new puzzles, which require careful timing and use the Ocarina items in new ways, but said the increased difficulty might make players feel excited or frustrated.
Reception
When Ocarina of Time was first released for the Nintendo 64, it received very high praise from critics. Many major gaming publications, such as AllGame, CVG, Famitsu, Edge, GameSpot, and IGN, gave it perfect scores. Review websites like Metacritic and GameRankings ranked the original Nintendo 64 version as the best-reviewed game ever, with average scores of 99/100 from Metacritic and 98% from GameRankings. Critics praised the game’s level design, gameplay, sound, and movie-like scenes. One reviewer called it "flawless," while another said it set a new standard for action role-playing games. Some editors compared it to a "walking patent office" because it introduced many features that became common in later games. Another reviewer described it as "completely unforgettable" and "an incredible adventure."
The game’s graphics were praised for their detail and creativity, though some reviewers noted they were not always the best the console could produce. Characters’ faces, which were a big challenge for 3D animation, were described as having "surprising grace." Some reviewers said the game improved on the graphics of Super Mario 64, making the world feel larger. Features like long views of the environment and large boss characters were highlighted. However, some reviewers said the game’s frame rate and textures were not as good as those in Banjo-Kazooie, another game on the same platform. For example, the marketplace in Hyrule Castle was described as "blurry."
Gameplay was praised for its complexity and variety, with many side quests to keep players busy. Critics noted the game’s environment was full of detail, and its movie-like scenes had strong emotional impact. One reviewer said Nintendo successfully translated the style of older 2D Zelda games into 3D. The control system, which used fewer buttons for simpler commands, was seen as a strong feature, though it sometimes caused unintended actions. The camera system made combat feel natural, but players needed time to learn how to use it.
The game’s audio was well received, with some reviewers comparing the music to the work of a famous composer. Sound effects and surround sound helped players feel immersed in the game world. Some critics said the audio sounded old-fashioned, but others thought this was a benefit. One reviewer said the sound was "good for the Nintendo 64, but not great overall." A music review gave the game’s soundtrack a 9 out of 10.
Ocarina of Time was a big commercial success, partly due to a strong marketing campaign. In the United States, more than 500,000 copies were pre-ordered, breaking a record for the most advance orders for a game. Within a week of its release, over 1 million copies sold there. In 1998, it sold 2.5 million copies and earned $150,000,000 in U.S. sales, more than any Hollywood movie in the last six weeks of that year. It was the best-selling game in the U.S. in dollar sales that year and the second best in unit sales. In Japan, it sold 920,000 copies in 1998 and became the eighth best-selling game of that year. It sold 386,234 copies in its first week there, more than another popular game, Metal Gear Solid.
In Europe, it sold more than 39,000,000 euros (about $44,000,000) in 1998. In the UK, it sold 61,232 copies in its first weekend, a record that stood until 2000. By 2000, the game had sold 7 million copies worldwide and earned about $400,000,000 in total sales.
Ocarina of Time won many awards. In 1998, it received the Grand Prize in the Interactive Art category at the Japan Media Arts Festival. It won six awards at the Interactive Achievement Awards, including "Game of the Year" and "Console Game of the Year." It also won four awards at the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it multiple "Game of the Year" awards, and Edge named it "Game of the Year" and "Gameplay Innovation."
Legacy
After its release, Ocarina of Time was included in many lists of the best or most influential video games. It was named the greatest video game of all time by several publications, including Computer and Video Games, Edge, Entertainment Weekly, GameTrailers, IGN, Next Generation, Nintendo Power, Game Informer, Slant, FHM, and PALGN. It also appeared on other lists of top games, such as those from Electronic Gaming Monthly and IGN. Official Nintendo Magazine ranked it second on its "100 greatest Nintendo games of all time" list, behind Super Mario Bros. Game Informer placed it as its 11th favorite game of all time and called it "untouchable." In May 2011, IGN held a competition to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original The Legend of Zelda and found that fans voted Ocarina of Time the best Zelda game, defeating Majora's Mask in the final round. Edge magazine has consistently ranked Ocarina of Time number one in its "top 100 games" lists, including a staff-voted list in 2000, a combined staff- and reader-voted list in 2007, a list of "The 100 Best Games to Play Today" in 2009, and a 2013 readers' poll of the best games since 1993. Edge stated in 2009 that Ocarina of Time was on the list not because Nintendo made a great game, but because it made a unique one. In 2022, The Strong National Museum of Play added Ocarina of Time to its World Video Game Hall of Fame.
The Master Quest and Virtual Console re-releases of the game were well received. While some noted that the graphics and audio looked older, most believed the game remained enjoyable. The Master Quest version has an average score of 89.50% on GameRankings and 91/100 on Metacritic. IGN said the game "has aged extremely well," noting that while the graphics look dated, the overall design still holds up. GameRevolution called it "a terrific game" despite its age, giving it 91/100. In 2007, GameSpot editor Jeff Gerstmann rated the Virtual Console version 8.9/10, saying it "holds up surprisingly well" after nine years.
In November 2021, fans converted Ocarina of Time's ROM into human-readable C code. In March 2022, a group called "Harbour Masters" released a PC version of the game called Ship of Harkinian, which includes features like widescreen support and a higher frame rate.
Ocarina of Time introduced features such as a target lock system and context-sensitive buttons, which are now common in 3D adventure games. It also helped increase the popularity of the ocarina.
Many video game industry members have said Ocarina of Time influenced them and the industry. Dan Houser, a former vice president of creativity at Rockstar Games, said in 2012 that anyone who makes 3D games who claims they never borrowed ideas from Mario or Zelda is lying. Sam Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, described Grand Theft Auto III as "Zelda meets Goodfellas." Hideki Kamiya, director of Ōkami, said Zelda influenced his work. Amy Hennig, director of Soul Reaver and Uncharted, said Zelda influenced the Legacy of Kain series and Soul Reaver.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of Dark Souls, said The Legend of Zelda became a guide for 3D action games. Fumito Ueda, director of Ico, said Zelda influenced Shadow of the Colossus. David Adams, director of Darksiders, said Zelda influenced his work. CD Projekt Red, creators of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, said Zelda influenced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Hajime Tabata, director of Final Fantasy and The 3rd Birthday, said Ocarina of Time inspired the open world of Final Fantasy XV.