After the release of gameplay footage for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered, the characters' waxy skin texture, exaggerated faces, and limb designs resembling fixed joints have become focal points of discussion. Some players find the visuals strange or even unsuccessful.
However, this art style is no accident. The aesthetic is rooted in Japanese cultural history and reflects an overall creative philosophy. Former Nintendo designer Takaya Imamura once tweeted that he sensed Shigeru Miyamoto's long-standing interest in puppetry from the new models. It should be noted that references to classic puppet TV shows like "New Romance of the Three Kingdoms" are not officially confirmed, so they should currently be regarded as personal interpretations.
In terms of visual details, Link and Zelda's costumes emphasize fabric density and a textured,凹凸 quality reminiscent of handmade stage costumes. Main characters feature high levels of detail, while some non-player characters retain simplified proportions closer to the original Nintendo 64 version. This contrast is interpreted by the article as a hierarchical arrangement of protagonists versus background figures on a miniature stage, further linking it to the tradition of puppetry in storytelling myths.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered will launch on Switch 2 on November 5, but we must wait for Nintendo's official explanation regarding its artistic inspirations.
