Oli Welsh, writing for Polygon's Switchboard newsletter, has decided against playing the new remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, even after declining an offer to review it. He cites the game's sacred status and a desire to share the experience with his son as the primary reasons.
Despite acknowledging the overwhelmingly positive reviews from trusted colleagues and Polygon's own coverage, Welsh expressed trust in Nintendo's in-house Zelda team and producers Eiji Aonuma and Hidemaro Fujibayashi. However, he also noted that the original game, while captivating, has aged poorly due to its early 3D technology, questioning its current playability.
Welsh's 10-year-old son is an avid fan of Tears of the Kingdom and has read the Ocarina of Time manga, but has not yet settled into older Zelda titles. The remake, arriving for Christmas, is seen as a perfect opportunity for his son. Welsh believes playing it before his son would diminish the magic of that moment for him.
Beyond his son, Welsh admits a personal desire to experience the remake during the quiet, familial atmosphere of the holidays, away from work and the industry's discourse. He anticipates this will allow him to recapture a childlike sense of wonder.
In other Nintendo news, the eShop highlights Zero Parades: Director's Cut, a narrative RPG from former Disco Elysium developers. The Nintendo Classics selection is Capcom's Mega Man 2, lauded as an all-time great action platformer. The soundtrack sample for the Ocarina of Time remake features new arrangements of Koji Kondo's classic themes, with the "Hyrule Field Main Theme" highlighted for its epic scope.
This week's releases for Switch 2 include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on November 5th, followed by Stellar Blade and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy on the same day. Shrek 2 Remastered arrives on November 10th for Switch and Switch 2, alongside the detective mystery Hillthorn for Switch.