'It Definitely Was a Shock': The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Artwork Splits Fans Following Trailer Reveal

· IGN

What do you think of the new art style for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake? It's the big question that fans have been discussing ever since today's Zelda Direct — and now they're poring over new artwork, too.

Looking over social media commentary alongside the Direct itself, there was a fair amount of surprise at how different this version of Nintendo's N64 classic actually looked. Of course, the visuals in this ground-up Ocarina remake have been given a vast upgrade. But the visual style employed here by Nintendo looks unlike any other Zelda game seen to date.

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The intent here, I think, is to create something that bridges the gap between the Switch 2's technical capability while retaining the slightly exaggerated and angular aesthetic of the N64 original. There's also a conscious decision not to turn this version of Ocarina into something it's not — a cel-shaded game, something stylized in the same fashion as Breath of the Wild, or even the grittier 3D tones of Twilight Princess.

Of course, not everyone is a fan. "They Cocomelon'd all of them 😞," wrote one fan, examining the character artwork that Nintendo has now released via Ocarina of Time's Japanese website (check it out in the slideshow of images above). "Kid Link looks like a goldfish," wrote another.

"It's not a bad design, but I grew up with the original, so the new designs just look too busy," wrote a third, who seemed to sit more on the fence. "I think that if I wasn't so familiar with the original I might like them a bit more."

Particular criticism seems to be being levelled at Young Link and Young Zelda, who have kept some of the stylized dimensions of their N64 designs (big foreheads!) while also now appearing far more detailed.

"I hate how wet and greebled Child Link looks, the voice acting and cutscenes seem abysmal, and Kokiri Forest looks gross, but otherwise it seems kind of great," wrote one fan with strong opinions. "The sizzle reel at the end looked unbelievably good. They should've started with that."

"I think part of Zeldas charm is that they always try new styles so I'd rather this than just the 3DS remake again," said another. "Zelda does look very weird though 😂"

Numerous comments mention the popular fan-made Unreal Engine projects that have popped up over the years, reimagining what Nintendo's series would look like updated to UE5. "We've been getting these UE fan remake projects for years now, and it's foolish to think Nintendo wasn't paying attention thinking this is what fans wanted," one fan added. "I think it looks good, and the cel shaded look needs a break."

"It definitely was a shock at first for me seeing it, but I appreciated the new art direction/style the more I watched it," said a more positive fan.

"Link (and other characters) look so adorable to me, and I like the new details such as beads on his cap," said another, clearly approving of Nintendo's new take. "Young Link looks so small and cute, we must protect him," said a third.

Of all the characters, Sheik and Ganondorf both seem to have garnered particular praise. (The less said about the Zora, the better.) "That Sheik redesign alone justifies this entire remake," said one fan. "They understood the assignment." And another: "Ganondorf looks awesome! Dude's got the aura!"

What are your thoughts?

Today's flurry of details included Ocarina of Time's release date, confirmation of its digital and physical pricing, details of its companion app gameplay, plus new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo figurines. For everything else shown today, including news on the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie, catch up on everything shown during the Legend of Zelda Nintendo Direct right here.

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