I know there has been a lot of debate about whether the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's modern visuals actually look good, but from the moment I saw the gameplay reveal during the Zelda 40th anniversary Direct, I have personally never been bothered by them. In fact, that's a bit of an understatement, because I was positively blown away by the amount of detail Nintendo managed to pack into the remake of a game that, to me, hasn't aged well at all from a graphical standpoint. Back then, on the Nintendo 64, we had to fill in a lot of the detail with our imagination, and now, Nintendo is handing us its own interpretation of those details on a silver platter. In my opinion, that's perfectly fine, and I think Ocarina of Time looks fantastic on the Switch 2.
And so far, that opinion has only been corroborated by the footage we continue to see of Ocarina of Time's remade world, with Goron City being put on display most recently, and now Zora's Domain. Of course, from what I can see, some of us actually got a look at Zora's Domain a couple of weeks ago, despite it only now being pushed even harder. Nevertheless, the latest glimpse at one of Ocarina of Time's most memorable locations has me itching to play the remake once it finally launches on November 5, 2026. There are plenty of things to love about the game's many other locales, but Zora's Domain is on a different level for its uniqueness and atmosphere. Now, the remake is making it look like something of a Switch 2 showcase.
Ocarina of Time Remake's Zora's Domain Looks Beautiful on the Switch 2
When it comes to Ocarina of Time locations, none are quite as cozy or as inviting as Zora's Domain. At just the mention of its name, I can hear the soothing classical guitar playing in the background while I run Link up and down its stairs, through its corridors, eventually leading him to the edge of a waterfall where he makes a masterful dive into the pond below. Ironically, the Zora are actually known for being cautious and restrictive toward outsiders, so the domain's inhabitants aren't as inviting as the atmosphere and soundtrack suggest. Still, it's one of my favorite locations in the game, simply for how relaxing it can feel to be there.
Put the consoles in the correct order.
Well, now, on the Switch 2, it looks like Zora's Domain is getting the overhaul only dreams are made of, to the point that it's making the console look like a legitimate powerhouse. Don't get me wrong—the Switch 2 really is powerful for a Nintendo console. For a developer that has been behind in power for decades now, it's nice to finally see it catching up. However, it's still behind in many ways, and yet the Ocarina of Time remake's version of Zora's Domain looks closer to something you'd see on the PS5 or Xbox Series X|S.
For starters, this legitimately looks like a place where the Zora could live, rather than simply a cavern Nintendo designed around the limitations of the Nintendo 64. There's so much more texture to the environment now, especially with the way the rock formations seem to naturally wrap around the pools and waterfalls instead of looking like the relatively smooth surfaces we got in the original. Even the water itself looks phenomenal, which is obviously pretty important for an area like Zora's Domain. The reflections alone make a huge difference, especially whenever Link is swimming around and the surface of the water is catching everything around it. It may sound strange to focus so much on water in a Zelda game, but when an entire location is practically built around it, getting that part right can completely change the way the place feels.
Ocarina of Time Remake's Enhanced Lighting Keeps Zora's Domain Feeling Like Zora's Domain
I also don't think the lighting here can be overlooked, because it's doing a lot to make Zora's Domain feel like the peaceful place I remember it being while still making it look significantly more impressive than it ever has before. The original already had a very specific mood, and I think that's probably why I've always remembered it so fondly, but there was obviously only so much the N64 could do to actually sell the idea of this enormous aquatic cavern. Now, there are areas where the light seems to almost glow against the water, and it gives the whole place a softness that fits Zora's Domain incredibly well. To me, that's one of the biggest things this remake needs to get right. It can add all the detail in the world, but if these locations stop feeling like the places I remember, then some of what made Ocarina of Time so special is going to get lost in the process. At least from what Nintendo has shown of Zora's Domain, I don't think that's happening here.
Zora's Domain Might Be the Best Look Yet at What the Switch 2 Can Do
What really stands out to me about all of this is that Nintendo doesn't seem to be using the Switch 2's extra power simply to make Ocarina of Time look sharper. Zora's Domain looks like Nintendo is actually taking advantage of the hardware to finally realize details that the original game could only suggest. That's where I think this remake has the potential to be so impressive, because there is a massive difference between remaking an old game with better textures and actually considering what these places were supposed to look like before hardware limitations got in the way. Zora's Domain is probably one of the best examples we've seen of that so far.
That's also why I keep coming back to how much this particular location makes the Switch 2 look like a far more capable console than I think Nintendo hardware has traditionally been given credit for. Again, I'm not about to argue that the Switch 2 is suddenly going toe-to-toe with the most powerful hardware on the market, because that's not really the point. What matters is that I'm looking at Ocarina of Time's Zora's Domain and not thinking about compromises. I'm not looking at it and wondering how much better it might have looked somewhere else. I'm just looking at one of my favorite locations from one of my favorite games and thinking Nintendo has somehow made it look even more like the place I imagined it was when I was a kid. For a remake like this, I can't think of much higher praise than that. My only question now is: can Link still do his cool dive off the waterfall with a manual jump button?
Source: Game Rant