Ocarina of Time 3DThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Year: 2011
Rating: E10
Time Played: 16.95 hours

When I was cataloging my video game collection a few years ago, I realized how I seemed to have a lot of Nintendo console games that I also had in a Game Boy version. While this seems to indicate I was the prime market for the Switch decades before it came out, I never considered the “portable” versions of these games to be that good. With the recent uptick in remakes and re-ports to newer hardware, I can’t claim that I appreciate buying the same game I already own and can still play on an older system. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is the exception to this.

While it had been some time since I played Ocarina of Time, it was one of the first Zelda games I actually completed when I was growing up. So, with a bit of nostalgia tinting my play-through of the 3D version, I came to realize some of the weaknesses of the original. In fact, I’d almost say that the 3D version should be the definitive play experience for several reasons. Firstly, the 3D graphics (and improved textures) are gorgeous. Secondly, being able to use the gyroscope to aim the slingshot and bow is something I didn’t know I needed so badly. Thirdly, climbing speed, touchscreen inventory, and tweaks to the Water Temple made this play-through so much more enjoyable.

Some will argue that this is the best Zelda title prior to Breath of the Wild, and I’d agree with them to a point. Compared to its predecessors, Ocarina of Time was leaps and bounds ahead in how cinematic it felt. That being said, there is a lot of hand-holding and linearity to the story that forced me to play a certain way instead of exploring the world the way I wanted to (a la A Link to the Past or Breath of the Wild). It’s still a game worth experiencing, though, and even more so on the 3DS.

The definitive version of one of the best games of all time, I give The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D 5.0 stars out of 5.

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