It's safe to say the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake plans to leave the original's janky N64 controller in the past. That much is clear from Nintendo's reveal, as the revamped classic now has a free-moving camera and dedicated buttons for jumping and sprinting, but I'd argue adding support for the classic gamepad could honor the OG 3D Hyrule outing.
Okay, yes, if you really want to play Ocarina of Time with the arguably cursed retro controller, you should probably explore how to play N64 games instead. While the glossy new Switch 2 remake naturally uses the groundbreaking 1998 outing as a template, this Zelda romp will look and feel like something from 2026.
I'll concede that it'd be senseless to tether the Ocarina of Time remake to antiquated controls designed for retro consoles almost 30 years ago. At the same time, though, I fully believe playing N64 games using a controller with one stick and those massive A and B buttons is an experience in its own right, and the setup could add something unique for players seeking authentic gameplay vibes.
I dread to think how many hours I've sunk into Ocarina of Time over the past three and a bit decades. It has shown up on almost every Nintendo console I've owned since the N64, hitting everywhere from the GameCube to the Wii Shop, and it even got a remaster for the 3DS.
Each port feels every so slightly different to the next thanks to their respective gamepads, but there's one consistency across every single version: Z-targeting. It was Nintendo's take on camera controls, or arguably a lack thereof, and cemented a directional rhythm that turns what could be considered awful camera controls into something atmospheric.
If you've played the N64 original, the sensation of tapping the back Z button to shift the camera will be ingrained in your mind. Yes, it's primarily used to quickly reorient your point of view, but the controls also come with a tonal shift that adapts depending on where you are. In dungeons, the confirmational letterboxing, an element designed to emulate the feel of Samurai movies when you're actually locking onto an enemy, is accompanied by an eerie stone echo, which makes even trying to peek at the forward path ahead a bit more daunting.
In the overworld, Z-targeting produces a jauntier pan-flute sound, which shifts things to fit a more whimsical sense of curiosity when repositioning the camera. In both instances, using a button instead of just swinging a secondary stick around freely adds visual and audio cues that personally get me into the zone, whether I'm locking onto a ReDead trying not to pee myself or just peering down Hyrule Field at LonLon Ranch.
هەفتانە هەرسکردنەکان، چیرۆکەکانی ئەو کۆمەڵگایانەی کە خۆشت دەوێن و زۆر شتی تر
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/retro/you-probably-shouldnt-play-the-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-with-an-n64-controller-but-im-holding-for-og-atmospheric-controls
