Recent gameplay footage of the upcoming remake for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has ignited discussions regarding its art style, particularly the character models for child Link and Zelda. While environments like the Great Deku Tree and Hyrule Castle Town have been praised for their updated visuals, the new interpretations of the young protagonists have proven more polarizing.
Initial reactions to Zelda's appearance in the latest trailer have ranged from confusion to dismay. Some observers noted her features were sharper than in recent Zelda titles like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The prominent shading on her nose was particularly singled out, with some feeling it detracted from her typically elfin appearance, making her resemble a gnome. This sentiment was echoed by some critics who suggested that the developers may struggle with accurately modeling children, drawing a parallel to how historical painters sometimes depicted young characters as small adults.
However, this critical view is not universal. Shortly after the footage was released, many fans expressed strong approval of the character design on social media. A render shared by the official Japanese-language Zelda account on X also presented a version of Zelda that was better received by some.
The character designs appear to be an intentional effort to evoke the low-polygon aesthetic of the original Nintendo 64 title. Despite the mixed reception, the author anticipates that players will eventually come to appreciate the new artistic direction for a beloved character by the time the remake launches on November 5.