The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is practically a game that needs no introduction. Both one of the best-selling titles in the long-running Legend of Zelda series and the first to make the transition to 3D, many still consider Ocarina of Time to be one of the best and most important games ever made. The formula that Ocarina of Time establishes builds on the foundations of the 2D Legend of Zelda games and then serves as the template for every 3D Zelda game following it until the release of Breath of the Wild.
Following the critical acclaim and widespread appreciation of the game’s original release on the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time would see several other versions arrive before eventually receiving a remaster for the Nintendo 3DS. Arriving in June 2011, Ocarina of Time 3D is a faithful port of the classic game to the 3DS hardware that improves the character models and textures, adds 3D functionality, and even goes so far as to include the Master Quest formerly exclusive to the GameCube re-release of the game. Further, Ocarina of Time 3D adds several quality-of-life features for new players who are unfamiliar with the original game.
Ocarina of Time 3D is the 13th best-selling 3DS game of all-time, with almost 6.5 million units sold as of 2022. In addition to its impressive sales, the remaster of one of Nintendo’s most-beloved games has a strong review aggregate score. Though it doesn’t quite reach the impressive heights of the original Ocarina of Time (which still holds the record for the highest aggregate review score of any game ever), the 3DS remaster has an impressive 94 on Metacritic and a respectable user review average of 91.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Premise
Ocarina of Time is the first 3D game in The Legend of Zelda and the 5th mainline game in the series, despite the fact that it takes place earlier than its predecessors in the official timeline. Hundreds of years before the events of the original Legend of Zelda, a mysterious conflict tears apart Hyrule, leaving several refugees wandering the land in search of asylum. One of these is a lone mother with her child, Link, who unbeknownst to her is the prophesied “Hero of Time” who will save Hyrule.
Players begin Ocarina of Time with Link as a young boy, waking up to find that he’s been summoned by the Deku Tree. Link sets off on an adventure where he meets the princess of Hyrule, obtains the Master Sword, travels through time, and saves the world from Ganon. Though the game is in 3D, the pacing and mechanics of Ocarina of Time are similar to the 2D Zelda games. Players explore an overworld map and interact with helpful NPCs, occasionally clearing dungeons.
Inside each dungeon, Link navigates a labyrinthine structure housing plenty of ingenious puzzles and combat challenges, culminating in a boss fight against a “Temple Guardian.” Ocarina of Time 3D adds a new Boss Challenge mode and helpful “Visions” that Link receives when players are stuck at a particular puzzle for too long. Although the game updates the visuals to give them some modern polish, the same core gameplay of the original Ocarina of Time remains intact.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Main Characters
Like virtually every other game in the series, the primary protagonists of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D are the titular Princess Zelda and her chosen hero Link. Additionally, Ocarina of Time features Link’s recurring arch-nemesis Ganondorf as well as the first appearance of his horse Epona. Aside from these main characters, there are several other important figures in the series’ lore that feature in Ocarina of Time. The main characters include:
- Link: Link is the “Hero of Time”, the legendary hero that will save Hyrule and protect both the Triforce and the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia. Players control Link during both his child and adult eras, as he gets frozen in time until he is ready to wield the Master Sword.
- Princess Zelda: The reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, Princess Zelda is the heir to the throne of Hyrule and the rightful guardian of the Triforce.
- Ganondorf: Ganondorf is the chief of the mysterious desert-dwelling Gerudo tribe, and the game begins with him having recently brokered a tentative peace between the Gerudo and the kingdom of Hyrule. However, Ganondorf intends to steal the Triforce and seize control of all Hyrule.
- Epona: Epona is Link’s horse companion, making her first ever series appearance in Ocarina of Time.
- Navi: Navi is one of several helpful faeries that join Link throughout the ages, though Navi is the first to appear canonically. Ocarina of Time begins with Link bonding with Navi per direction from the Great Deku Tree.
- Impa: Impa is a member of the mysterious Sheikah tribe and Princess Zelda’s handmaiden. Unlike her other series appearances, Ocarina of Time‘s version is a fierce warrior and Zelda’s protector until Link is of age.
Games in The Legend of Zelda Series
Ocarina of Time 3D is a faithful remake of the 5th mainline game in the series, reminding players of the genius of its source material almost 15 years after its release. Since the arrival of Ocarina of Time 3D, the formula that it adheres to has since given way to a newer, open-world style of Zelda game thanks to the series’ radical reinvention courtesy of Breath of the Wild. Where the series goes next is currently unknown, but the list of mainline Zelda games includes:
- The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (1993)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages (2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Cheats and Secrets
Rewards for Collecting Gold Skulltulas
Link will hear the scuttling sound of Skulltulas while in the overworld and in dungeons, and occasionally they’ll be the elusive Gold Skulltulas. Collecting these and bringing them to the Windmill in Kakariko Village will reward Link with some great items:
- 10 Skulltula Tokens – Adult Wallet (Carries 200 Rupees)
- 20 Skulltula Tokens – Shard of Agony (Reveals Secrets)
- 30 Skulltula Tokens – Giant’s Wallet (Carries 500 Rupees)
- 40 Skulltula Tokens – Bombchus
- 50 Skulltula Tokens – Piece of Heart
- 100 Skulltula Tokens – Huge Rupee (200 Rupees)
To see if Link has collected all of the Gold Skulltulas in an area, open the map and look at the number next to the Skulltula icon (this is a new feature in Ocarina of Time 3D).
Easy Phantom Ganon Kill
When fighting Phantom Ganon as the final boss of the Forest Temple, it’s possible to simply use an Empty Bottle to reflect his magic right back at him. Keep in mind that this only works in the Forest Temple and not when fighting Ganon on his horse at the end of the game.
Quick Huge Rupees
As Adult Link, return to the spot in the Lost Woods where Link would play the Ocarina for the Forest Kids. This should be just east of the entrance in the room with the target hanging from the tree. As Adult Link, the Forest Kids will try to fight him since they don’t “like adults”, and beating them rewards one Huge Rupee per kid (3 kids, 200 Rupees per Huge Rupee). This is a quick way to quickly get the Giant’s Wallet completely full.
Big Poe Locations
Players will need to catch all of the Big Poes for the owner of the Ghost Shop as part of his quest, and collecting all 10 of them rewards Link with one of Ocarina of Time 3D‘s four Empty Bottles. The locations of the Big Poes are:
- Near the sign outside Hyrule Castle directing toward Lon Lon Ranch
- Near the tree just outside the entrance to Lon Lon Ranch
- After exiting Hyrule Castle, just to the right near the stream and bushes
- After exiting Kakariko Village, toward the ledge on the right
- After exiting Hyrule Castle, head to the left of Lon Lon Ranch and look for the spot in the stone wall where it begins to turn
- Near the boulder at the split in the road between Lon Lon Ranch and Lost Woods
- From Lost Woods, heading straight past the boulder, near a lone tree in the grove
- After exiting Lake Hylia, head slightly to the right and look for another grove
- Near the split in the road just outside Gerudo Valley
- Near the only tree at the entrance to Gerudo Valley
Great Faerie Locations
- Near the top of Death Mountain, bomb the makeshift door just to the left of the sign.
Reward – Magic Spin Slash - After entering Hyrule Castle, climb the vines, jump off the gate, and run forward toward the rock. Bomb the rock.
Reward – Din’s Fire - After entering Zora’s Fountain, head to the right and look for an island with trees and rocks. Bomb the rock on the wall and head inside the cave.
Reward – Farore’s Wind - Play the Bolero of Fire on the Ocarina and then cross the bridge leading to the Leader Goron. Instead of heading inside, head left after equipping the Megaton Hammer and use it to destroy the rock.
Reward – Double Magic Meter - As Adult Link, head toward Ganon’s Castle from the market and bear right until running past a cluster of rocks. Use the Gold Gauntlets to lift the column.
Reward – Double Energy
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Cheat FAQs
How many hours is Ocarina of Time 3D?
A standard playthrough of Ocarina of Time will typically take around 25 hours, though a completionist playthrough can see this extend up to 40 hours or more.
Does Ocarina of Time 3D include the Master Quest?
Ocarina of Time 3D is the first version of the Nintendo 64 classic to include the Master Quest along with the standard version of the adventure. In order to unlock the Master Quest, players simply need to beat the standard adventure once and save their clear game file.
How many bottles are in Ocarina of Time 3D?
There are a total of 4 Empty Bottles available in Ocarina of Time 3D, each of which have their own requirements for how to obtain them.
Is it better to play Ocarina of Time on N64 or 3DS?
This mostly boils down to personal preference, but the 3DS version of Ocarina of Time is generally considered to be an improvement over the Nintendo 64 original. That said, if players have access to native hardware or can only access the original via Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack and can’t play Ocarina of Time 3D, the Nintendo 64 version is the same increidble game.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Nintendo.