The Kotaku author praised The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remaster for its improved visuals, controls, and flow, considering it the best way to experience the game today. However, the highly faithful remake made it difficult for him, as someone familiar with the original, to recapture the freshness of initial exploration.
Having beaten the original multiple times since the Nintendo 64 era, the author could still quickly recall most key moments in the main storyline upon reaching the Gerudo Fortress. In contrast, the children playing alongside him viewed the new version as an entirely different game.
In terms of gameplay, the author found the new version visually stunning, with responsive and satisfying controls, and a smoother experience thanks to streamlined progression. The 3D dungeon puzzle structure established by the original remains ingenious even after nearly 30 years, but combat remains largely unchanged, with very similar enemy behaviors and side content that mostly follows the original.
The remaster launched without a Master Quest mode or additional dungeons crafted with modern design insights. As a result, the author felt the experience was somewhat hollow, though he acknowledged this contradiction stemmed largely from his extensive history with the original. He still wholeheartedly recommends this version, but wishes it offered more new content to recreate that sense of first-time discovery.