The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered preserves the original’s core structure and improves overall presentation. Foreign media outlet ComicBook argues that Nintendo accurately captured long-time players’ expectations for classic works, understanding core gamers better than Xbox and PlayStation.
The new version doesn’t completely overhaul the game just for the sake of change; familiar locations like Goron City and Kakariko Village are preserved. The author compares this approach to the emotional connection Nintendo has built over decades with core IPs like Mario and Zelda, arguing that remaking this 1998 title is both a safe business choice and a way for older players in their thirties and forties to reconnect with childhood memories.
The article also compares Nintendo with Xbox and PlayStation. The author argues that the latter two emphasize technological achievements and new experiences, but recent decisions have caused alienation among consumers and developers; Nintendo, meanwhile, builds trust by cherishing classics, maintaining physical media, and understanding why players love its games.
Detailed report from foreign media:
Why has Nintendo won the hearts of gamers? The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered teaches Sony and Microsoft a lesson
Recently, Nintendo seems to have turned back the clock nearly 30 years, a metaphor that fits perfectly with the themes involved. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is not only a milestone game but also captures a special era. In 1998, Nintendo held a pivotal position in the gaming industry. In 1995, Sony rose rapidly with the PlayStation, committed to promoting true 3D gaming. The 3DO, Sega Saturn, and Atari Jaguar had similar goals but ultimately failed under the impact of the PlayStation. However, Nintendo had already established its dominance in the industry. With the release of its 64-bit console, the Nintendo 64 (N64), Nintendo once again became a giant the entire industry couldn’t ignore. Although Sony reversed the situation in subsequent console generations, 1998 was undoubtedly Nintendo’s highlight year, and Ocarina of Time was released that same year.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered is more than just bringing back a classic game; it’s like a journey across time, allowing the generation now in their 30s and 40s to return to the era when Nintendo was at its peak. Its significance goes far beyond the game itself. As the gaming industry continues to move toward the future, Nintendo is working hard to strengthen its relationship with players. However, for several major players in the industry, the future may not be so smooth. Sony is increasingly alienating the core users who once saw PlayStation as their dedicated gaming platform. Just as Sony considers issues like canceling physical game ownership, Nintendo has clearly stated that it has no plans to stop releasing physical games in the near future. At first glance, this may seem unrelated to the Ocarina of Time remaster, but in reality, it reflects how Nintendo strengthens its bond with veteran players by respecting them, while competitors risk distancing themselves from the very users who helped them succeed.
Given the legendary status of Ocarina of Time and fans’ long-standing anticipation, releasing a remastered version of this game was almost an obvious decision. But the question remains: how many companies in the gaming industry fail to make even these seemingly correct decisions, or don’t act on them at all?
Nintendo knows that its most popular classic IPs are its biggest selling points
Today, the gaming industry has entered an era of remasters, reboots, sequels, and repeated use of classic IPs. Such works are often questioned for lacking originality. But Nintendo has somehow transcended this issue, even creating opposite expectations among players.
Over the 40-year history of the gaming industry, Nintendo has experienced its share of lows, but the company has always maintained extremely high quality standards for its core game series. Today, Mario is as reliable as McDonald’s Spicy Chicken Burger. Mario games keep coming out, and each time they maintain consistent excellent quality, even better than before. If you don’t like this product from McDonald’s, please forgive the analogy. But you should understand my point. Nintendo knows its strengths well, and the Ocarina of Time remaster proves exactly that.
Nintendo spent decades building deep emotional connections with players and its game series. In contrast, Xbox and PlayStation focus more on technological breakthroughs and new gaming experiences, which isn’t inherently wrong. But Nintendo chose a more long-term path, and now it is reaping the rewards. For many players, nothing resonates more than the emotional connection established with their childhood. Therefore, compared to launching new IPs, Nintendo’s revival of beloved classic works often generates a much bigger impact.
In contrast, some AAA titles from Sony and Microsoft have frequently been criticized in recent years for lacking creativity. Recently, Bruce Straley, director of The Last of Us, stated that modern AAA games are “boring.” His comments targeted the current AAA game development model, which also involves Sony’s long-running God of War series’ new entry, God of War: Laufey.
Nintendo understands how important it is to preserve the core charm of classic games
If you’ve experienced the newly released Ocarina of Time remaster and are familiar with the original N64 game, you should clearly feel that Nintendo hardly made any mistakes in recreating the classic. Of course, except for the Mario portrait in Hyrule Castle.
The core gameplay content remembered by players has been fully preserved, only with improved overall presentation. Nintendo didn’t radically overturn the original, nor did it completely transform this classic title. The development team clearly understood that fans have been experiencing Ocarina of Time since 1998, and there was no need to change the game’s overall structure.
This also reflects the deep connection Nintendo has built with players. The development team knows that players want to rediscover the Goron City and Kakariko Village from their memories. These places may have new visuals, but the familiarity remains. Players can explore these areas naturally, just like strolling through the neighborhoods where they grew up.
Clearly, Nintendo not only knows what players want to play most, but also how best to present these titles to them.
Sony and Microsoft should learn from Nintendo
For decades, Nintendo has been working to close the distance with players. As mentioned earlier, it chose a long-term development path and built a solid strategy around its core IPs that can last for generations.
In 1998, Ocarina of Time was exactly what The Legend of Zelda fans had been dreaming of. Before that, the series mainly featured 2D perspectives, and although the games already included dungeon exploration and semi-open world gameplay, they never truly achieved 3D. Now, the land of Hyrule is finally presented to players in full 3D form, which was undoubtedly a dream-come-true moment.
I deeply relate to this, as I was only 12 when Ocarina of Time launched on the N64. Nintendo seemed to instinctively foresee the series’ future direction and accurately grasped what players truly wanted. This almost telepathic rapport with fans is rare and precious. Looking at the original game’s Metacritic score of 99, one can understand its influence. Although the remaster’s score is 3 points lower than the original, it still received widespread acclaim.
By releasing a remaster of this classic game, Nintendo not only made a smart business decision but also further accumulated player goodwill. It already had massive fan support akin to a mountain of death, and now it has added even more player trust to that foundation.
Sony and Microsoft would clearly benefit if they could find such rapport with players. Recently, a series of decisions made by both companies have sparked considerable controversy among players and developers. These controversies fully expose the growing divide between corporate management and their target audiences. Often, companies seem to make decisions based solely on financial statements, without truly listening to players or having an intuitive sense of market demand.
It has been a long time since Xbox or PlayStation generated such strong anticipation among their respective fan bases as the announcement of the Ocarina of Time remaster did.
Recently, three titles launched simultaneously in physical and digital stores: Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War: E-Day, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remastered. The first two received decent reviews and commercial success, but Ocarina of Time quickly won fan support upon announcement, ultimately earning top media scores and widespread player approval.
Of course, we don’t yet have specific sales data for these three games, so direct comparison isn’t possible. But I suspect the ultimate winner will be quite obvious.
Xbox and PlayStation don’t need to copy Nintendo’s strategy entirely, but they should at least reconsider one question: Why did players fall in love with their consoles in the first place?Releasing a Halo remaster without a multiplayer mode is clearly not the answer.
The gaming industry will certainly continue to move forward, and technological innovation will not stop. But there is one point worth serious consideration by all game companies: A company that truly understands its players should recognize that its past is just as important as its future.