| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | |
|---|---|
 North American box art | |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Directors |
|
| Producer | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Programmer | Kenzo Hayakawa |
| Artists |
|
| Writers |
|
| Composer | Koji Kondo |
| Series | The Legend of Zelda |
| Platforms | |
| Release | |
| Genre | Action-adventure |
| Mode | Single-player |
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time[a] is a 1998action-adventure game developed and published byNintendo for theNintendo 64. It was the firstLegend of Zelda game with3D graphics. It was released in Japan and North America in November 1998 and inPAL regions the following month.
Ocarina of Time was developed by Nintendo'sEntertainment Analysis & Development division. It was led by five directors, includingEiji Aonuma andYoshiaki Koizumi, produced by series co-creatorShigeru Miyamoto, and written byKensuke Tanabe. Series composerKoji Kondo wrote its soundtrack. The player controlsLink in the realm ofHyrule on a quest to stop the evil kingGanondorf by traveling through time and navigating dungeons and an overworld. The game introduced features such as a target-lock system and context-sensitive buttons, which have since become common in 3D adventure games. The player must play songs on anocarina to progress.
Ocarina of Time was acclaimed by critics and consumers, who praised its visuals, sound, gameplay, soundtrack, and writing. It has been ranked by numerous publications as thegreatest video game of all time and is the highest-rated game on the review aggregatorMetacritic. It was commercially successful, with more than seven million copies sold worldwide. In the United States, it received more than three times more pre-orders than any other game at the time.
A sequel,The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, was released in 2000.Ocarina of Time has been rereleased on every one of Nintendo's home consoles since and on theiQue Player in China. An enhanced version for theNintendo 3DS,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, was released in 2011.Master Quest, an alternative version including new puzzles and increased difficulty, is included in one of theGameCube releases and the3D version.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a fantasyaction-adventure game set in a three-dimensional world with an expansive environment.[1] The game world is mostly rendered inreal-timepolygonal 3D, while a few areas make use ofpre-rendered backgrounds.[2][3][4][5] The player controls series protagonistLink from a third-person perspective. Link primarily fights with a sword and shield but can also use other weapons such as projectiles, bombs, and magic spells.[6]: 22–25 The control scheme introduced techniques such ascontext-sensitive actions and a targeting system called "Z-targeting",[7][b] which allows the player to have Link focus on enemies or objects.[6]: 11–12 [c] When using this technique, the camera follows the target and Link constantly faces it. Projectile attacks are automatically directed at the target and do not require manual aiming. Context-sensitive actions allow multiple tasks to be assigned to one button, simplifying the control scheme. The on-screen display shows what will happen when the button is pushed and changes depending on what the character is doing. For example, the button that causes Link to push a box if he is standing next to it will have him climb on the box if the analog stick is pushed toward it.[7] Much of the game is spent exploring and fighting, but some parts requirestealth.
Link gains abilities by collecting items and weapons found in dungeons or in the overworld, including several optional side quests and minor objectives. Side quests can reward new weapons or abilities. In one side quest, Link trades items withnon-player characters in a trading sequence that features ten items and ends with him receiving the two-handed Biggoron Sword, the strongest sword. In another side quest, Link can acquire ahorse who allows him to travel faster but restricts him to only attacking with arrows while riding.[6]: 38
Link is given anocarina near the beginning of the game, which is later replaced by theOcarina of Time. Link learns twelve melodies that allow him to solve music-based puzzles and teleport to previously visited locations.[6]: 30 The Ocarina of Time is also used to claim theMaster Sword in the Temple of Time, which causes Link to be transported seven years into the future and become an adult. Young Link and adult Link have different abilities.[10] For example, only adult Link can use the Fairy Bow, and only young Link can fit through certain small passages. After completing certain tasks, Link can travel freely between the two time periods by replacing and taking the sword.[11]
Ocarina of Time is set in the fictional kingdom ofHyrule, the setting of mostLegend of Zelda games. Hyrule Field serves as the central hub, and is connected to several outlying areas with diverse topography which are home to theraces of Hyrule.[6]: 7–8 On the eastern outskirts of Hyrule are the Kokiri, a forest-dwelling race living as children with fairies, and the Zora, fish-like creatures in the middle of a crisis. North is Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town, where the royal family and most Hylians reside, and Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, home of the Gorons, rock-consuming creatures. The secluded western desert belongs to the Gerudo, a population mostly consisting of women who serve the king, a man that is born once every century. Lon Lon Ranch, a ranch renowned for its horses and high-quality milk, sits in the center of Hyrule Field, and Lake Hylia to the south serves as a touristic fishing attraction where theWater Temple resides.
Players control Link, a young boy living in the Kokiri Forest, which is also home to his Kokiri friend Saria and guarded by the Great Deku Tree. Unlike other Kokiri, Link does not have a fairy companion until the Great Deku Tree instructs the fairy Navi to be his guide. Navi is used to contextualize Z-Targeting for the player, and also provides hints and advice. On his quest, Link befriends Malon, daughter of Lon Lon Ranch's owner, Talon; Darunia, the leader of the Gorons; and Ruto, the Zora princess. Link also meets Princess Zelda, who is under the watch of her Sheikah caretaker, Impa, and encounters the King of the Gerudo, Ganondorf. In his adulthood, Link meets Rauru, the Sage of Light, and Nabooru, thede facto leader of the Gerudo in Ganondorf's absence. Along the way, Link is aided by Sheik, a mysterious young Sheikah. Link is also aided by great fairies who give him magical abilities.
Navi awakens Link from a nightmare in which he watches a man in black armor pursuing a young girl on horseback, and is brought to theGreat Deku Tree, who has been cursed by a "wicked man of the desert". Before dying, the Great Deku Tree gives Link the Spiritual Stone of the Forest and sends him to Hyrule Castle to speak with Hyrule's princess.[6]: 6 At the Hyrule Castle garden, Link meets Princess Zelda, who believesGanondorf, the evilGerudo king, is seeking theTriforce, a holy relic that gives its holder godlike power. Zelda asks Link to obtain the three Spiritual Stones to enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce before Ganondorf reaches it.[12] Link collects the other two stones: the first from Darunia, leader of the Gorons, and the second from Ruto, princess of the Zoras. Link returns to Hyrule Castle, where he sees Ganondorf pursue Zelda and her caretakerImpa on horseback, like in his nightmare, and unsuccessfully attempts to stop him.[13] Inside the Temple of Time, he uses the Ocarina of Time, a gift from Zelda, and the Spiritual Stones to open a door. There, he finds the Master Sword, but as he pulls it from its pedestal, he is incapacitated. Ganondorf, who snuck into the Temple after Link, appears and claims the Triforce. Ganondorf reveals that when Link pulled the Master Sword, he opened the Sacred Realm, allowing Ganondorf to take the Triforce.[14]
Seven years later, an older Link awakens in the Sacred Realm and is met by Rauru, one of the seven Sages who protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. Rauru explains that Link's spirit was sealed for seven years until he was old enough to wield the Master Sword and defeat Ganondorf, who has taken over Hyrule.[15] The seven sages have the ability to imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, but five are unaware of their identities as sages. Link is returned to the Temple of Time and meets the mysterious Sheik, who guides him to free five temples from Ganondorf's control and allow their sages to awaken.[16] Link befriended all five sages as a child: his childhood friend Saria, the Sage of the Forest Temple; Darunia, the Sage of the Fire Temple; Ruto, the Sage of theWater Temple; Impa, the Sage of the Shadow Temple; and Nabooru, leader of the Gerudo in Ganondorf's absence, the Sage of the Spirit Temple. After the five sages awaken, Sheik reveals himself to be Zelda in disguise and the seventh sage. Zelda explains that Ganondorf's heart was unbalanced, causing the Triforce to split into three pieces. Ganondorf acquired only the Triforce of Power, while Zelda received the Triforce of Wisdom and Link the Triforce of Courage.[17]
Ganondorf then magically captures Zelda and teleports her to his castle, imprisoning her in a large crystal. He telepathically explains to Link that the Triforce can be reunited and used properly if the three people holding each piece of it are brought together in one place. The other six sages help Link enter the stronghold, where he frees Zelda after defeating Ganondorf, who destroys the castle in an attempt to kill Link and Zelda. After they escape the collapsing castle, Ganondorf emerges from the rubble and transforms into a boar-like beast named Ganon using the Triforce of Power. He knocks the Master Sword from Link's hand, but with Zelda's aid, Link retrieves the Master Sword and defeats Ganon. The seven sages seal Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, but he vows revenge on their descendants using the Triforce of Power.[18] Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood. Navi departs and young Link meets Zelda in the castle garden once more, where he retains knowledge of Hyrule's fate, preventing its decline.[19]
Ocarina of Time was developed concurrently withSuper Mario 64 andMario Kart 64 for theNintendo 64 by Nintendo'sEntertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) division in 1994,[20] for more than $12 million with a staff of more than 200.[21]
Development was migrated from the64DD disk drive peripheral[22][23] to cartridge due to the high data throughput of streaming 500motion-captured character animations throughout gameplay.[24] Initially targeting 16-megabytes, it was increased to 32 megabytes, as Nintendo's largest game ever.[25][26] Early in development, the team had concerns about the data storage constraints of the cartridge; in the worst-case scenario,Ocarina of Time would follow a similar structure toSuper Mario 64, with Link restricted to Ganondorf's castle as a central hub, using a portal system similar to the paintings that Mario uses to traverse the realm.[27] An idea that arose from this stage of development, a battle with a doppelganger of Ganondorf that rides through paintings, was used as the boss of the Forest Temple dungeon.[27]
While series co-creatorShigeru Miyamoto had been the principal director and producer ofSuper Mario 64, he was involved in the game's production and now in charge of five directors by acting as a producer and supervisor ofOcarina of Time.[28][29] Different parts were handled by different directors, a new strategy for Nintendo EAD. Four or five initial teams grew over time, each working on different basic experiments, including scenario and planning, Link's actions, transforming classic 2D items into improved 3D form, camera experiments, motion capture, sound, special effects, and the flow of time.[30] The dungeons were designed byEiji Aonuma.[31]
Although the development team was new to 3D games, assistant director Makoto Miyanaga recalled a "passion for creating something new and unprecedented".[32] The towns inOcarina of Time were based onmedieval Europe.[33] When creating Hyrule Castle's market, Miyamoto traveled toGermany for inspiration of itshalf-timbered architecture inLower Franconia, spending a few weeks in northernBavaria.[34] Despite the setting being a "medieval tale ofsword and sorcery", Miyamoto used thechanbara (samurai) genre of Japanese sword fighting as a model for the combat and was content with the positive worldwide reception.[35] The development involved more than 120 people, includingstunt performers used to capture the effects of sword fighting and Link's movement.[36] Miyamoto initially intendedOcarina of Time to be played in a first-person perspective[37] to enable players to take in the vast terrain of Hyrule Field better and let the team focus more on developing enemies and environments. The concept was abandoned once the idea of a child Link was introduced, and Miyamoto believed it necessary for Link to be visible on screen.[38] Originally Z-targeting involved a generic marker, but Koizumi changed the design to that of a fairy to make it less "robotic". The fairy gained the name of the "Fairy Navigation System" amongst staff, and ultimately, this turned into the nickname "Navi", which in turn resulted in the "birth" of Navi's character. The "birth" of Navi was a pivotal point in the story's development.[39]
Miyamoto wanted to make a game that was cinematic yet distinguished from films.[28] Takumi Kawagoe, who createscutscenes for Nintendo, said that his priority was to have the player feel in control of the action.[40] To promote this instantaneous continuity of cinematic gameplay, the cutscenes inOcarina of Time are completely generated withreal-time computing on the Nintendo 64 and do not use prerenderedfull-motion video.[28] Miyamoto's vision required this real-time architecture for the total of more than 90 minutes of cutscenes, regardless of whether the console had a vast medium like CD-ROM on which to store prerendered versions.[30] Toru Osawa created the story based on an idea by Miyamoto andYoshiaki Koizumi.[41][42][43][44][45] He was supported byA Link to the Past andLink's Awakening script writerKensuke Tanabe.[45][46] Miyamoto said the real-time rendering engine allowed his small team of 3 to 7 cinematic developers to rapidly adjust the storyline and to focus on developing additional gameplay elements even up to the final few months of development, instead of waiting on a repeated prerendering process.[30]
Some of Miyamoto's ideas were instead used inSuper Mario 64, since it was to be released first.[20] Other ideas were not used due to time constraints.[28] A storytelling shopkeep character named "Hobbit" that was initially to be cut was eventually repurposed as the Deku Scrubs later in development.[47]Ocarina of Time originally ran on the sameengine asSuper Mario 64 but was so heavily modified that Miyamoto considers the final products different engines.[48] One major difference between the two is camera control; the player has a lot of control over the camera inSuper Mario 64, but the camera inOcarina of Time is largely controlled by the AI. Miyamoto said the camera controls forOcarina of Time are intended to reflect a focus on the game's world, whereas those ofSuper Mario 64 are centered on the character ofMario.[28] Miyamoto wanted the difficulty level to be accessible to all players, and in particular he wanted it to be easier thanSuper Mario 64.[49]
Ocarina of Time's music was written byKoji Kondo, the composer in charge of music for mostZelda games.[50] In addition to characters having musical themes, areas of Hyrule are also associated with pieces of music.[51] This has been calledleitmotif in reverse—instead of music announcing an entering character, it now introduces a stationary environment as the player approaches.[52] In some locations, the music is a variation of an ocarina tune the player learns, related to that area.[52]
Beyond providing a backdrop for the setting, music plays an integral role in gameplay. The button layout of the Nintendo 64 controller resembles the holes of the ocarinas in the game,[53] and players must learn to play several songs. All songs are played using the five notes available on an ocarina, although by bending pitches via the analog stick, players can play additional tones.[53] Kondo said that creating distinct themes on the limited scale was a "major challenge" but feels that the result is very natural.[50] The popularity ofOcarina of Time led to an increase in ocarina sales.[54]
The official soundtrack ofOcarina of Time was published byPony Canyon and released in Japan on December 18, 1998.[55] It comprises one compact disc with 82 tracks.[55] A U.S. version was also released, although with fewer tracks and different packaging artwork. Many critics praised the music inOcarina of Time, althoughIGN was disappointed that the traditionalZelda overworld theme was not included.[53] In 2001, three years after the initial release ofOcarina of Time,GameSpot labeled it as one of the top ten video game soundtracks.[51] The soundtrack, at the time, was not released in Europe or Australia. In 2011, however, a 51-track limited edition soundtrack for the 3DS version was available in a free mail out through aClub Nintendo offer to owners of the 3DS edition, as an incentive to register the product. The original musical theme for the Fire Temple area contained asample of theIslamic call to prayer and was altered in later revisions of the game, due to Nintendo's policy of not including real religious references in their products; the altered theme simply removed the sample.[56][unreliable source?]
In 1999, a live performance album of twelve orchestrated versions of songs from the game, entitledThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Hyrule Symphony, was released in Japan by SM Records Ltd..[57] All arrangements were done by Ryuichi Katsumata.Hero of Time, an orchestral recording ofOcarina of Time's score performed by the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, was released by video game label Materia Collective in 2017. A vinyl version was published byiam8bit.[58] It was nominated for "Best Game Music Cover/Remix" at the 16th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.[59]
Ocarina of Time was first shown as a technical and thematic demonstration video at Nintendo'sShoshinkai trade show in December 1995.[7][60] Nintendo planned to releaseSuper Mario 64 as alaunch game for the Nintendo 64 and later releaseOcarina of Time for the 64DD, a disk drive peripheral for the system that was still in development.[22][23] Problems with performance of the 64DD peripheral led to development being moved from disk to cartridge media,[24] and thus the game would miss its scheduled 1997 holiday season release and was delayed into 1998.[35] They planned to follow its release with a 64DD expansion disk.[61] Miyamoto additionally attributed the delay to Nintendo prioritizing development efforts toYoshi's Story after that game missed its planned second quarter release slot,[49] as well as the desire to better compete withBanjo-Kazooie.[62]
Throughout the late 1990s, the Nintendo 64 was said to lack hit first-party games.Next Generation wrote that "Nintendo absolutely can't afford another holiday season without a real marquee title"; they further wrote thatZelda was "one of the most anticipated games of the decade", upon which the Nintendo 64's fate depended.[63] Nintendo spent $10 million onOcarina of Time's marketing.[64] In March 1998, it was the most anticipated Nintendo 64 game in Japan.[65] ChairmanHoward Lincoln insisted at E3 1998 thatZelda ship on time and become Nintendo's reinvigorating blockbuster, akin to a hit Hollywood movie.[63]
Customers in North America whopre-ordered theOcarina of Time received a limited-edition box with a golden plastic card reading "Collector's Edition". This edition contained a gold-colored cartridge,[66] a tradition that began with the originalLegend of Zelda (1986) for theNintendo Entertainment System. Demand was so great thatElectronics Boutique stopped presales on November 3, 1998.[67]
Several versions ofOcarina of Time were produced, with later revisions featuring minor changes such asglitch repairs, the recoloring of Ganondorf's blood from crimson to green, and the alteration of the music heard in the Fire Temple dungeon to remove a sample of an Islamic prayer chant.[68][69][unreliable source?] The sample was taken from a commercially available sound library, but the developers did not realize it contained Islamic references. Although popularly believed to have been changed due to public outcry, the chanting was removed after Nintendo discovered it violated policy of avoiding religious material,[69] and the altered versions ofOcarina of Time were made prior to the original release.[70]
NintendoportedOcarina of Time to its next console, theGameCube, as part ofThe Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition, a compilation ofZelda games. This port is anemulation of the original Nintendo 64 version. The emulated port runs at a resolution of 640×480, quadruple that of the original, and supportsprogressive scan.[68][71] Another GameCube release included the original game and a second, more difficult version titledMaster Quest that was included as a pre-order bonus withThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002) in Japan and North America[72] and included in GameCubebundles worldwide. It was also given to those who registered certain hardware and software or subscribed to official magazines and clubs.[73][74] In November 2003,Ocarina of Time was ported to China'siQue Player as one of the five games available on its release.[75][76]
In February 2007,Ocarina of Time was released for theWiiVirtual Console service for 1000 Wii Points.[77] This version is also an emulation of the Nintendo 64 version. Because this version does not support controller vibration, the "Stone of Agony" item – which employs vibrations via theRumble Pak controller accessory – has no function.[78] A five-minute demo can be unlocked inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl (2008).Ocarina of Time was rereleased on theWii U Virtual Console worldwide on July 2, 2015,[79] this time including the original controller vibration.[80] It was also released on theNintendo Classics service on October 25, 2021.[81]
In June 2011, Nintendo releasedOcarina of Time 3D, anenhanced port for theNintendo 3DS handheld console.[82] It was developed by Nintendo EAD withGrezzo, an independent Japanese studio headed byKoichi Ishii.[82] It includesMaster Quest and adds features including touchscreen and gyroscope controls,[83] a "Boss Challenge" mode,[84] instructional videos to guide stuck players,[85] and a modified version of the Water Temple with reduced difficulty.[86]
After completingOcarina of Time, which was designed to be able to access data stored on a 64DD disk,[87] Nintendo developed a new version for the then-unreleased 64DD peripheral with the working titleUra Zelda,[88] commonly translated as "Another Zelda".[89] Described as a second version ofOcarina with rearranged dungeons,[88] it contains new content, some that had been cut fromOcarina due to time and storage constraints.[90][87][91] In an interview with IGN in 1998, Miyamoto said that he expectedUra Zelda to be released in 1999 under the assumption that the 64DD would be released that year, but acknowledging that he was uncertain over whether the 64DD would actually be released, said that a special edition release may be necessary if the 64DD wasn't released.[87] The 64DD's release outside of Japan was indeed cancelled, preventing a release on that format, and thoughUra Zelda had been finished by August 2000 and other ways to release the game such as via tie-ups with game magazines considered, it was never released on the N64 due to the expense of manufacturing cartridges.[92][93] In August 2000, Miyamoto stated that no online functions had ever been planned forUra Zelda.[92]
The release ofUra Zelda became more feasible after the release of the GameCube, which used less expensiveoptical discs, and it was released on the GameCube in 2002 in Japan asZeruda no Densetsu: Toki no Okarina GC Ura (ゼルダの伝説 時のオカリナ GC裏) and in 2003 in North America and Europe asThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest.[88][93][94] According to Miyamoto,Ura Zelda was simple to port as it used few of the 64DD features.[93]Master Quest uses the same engine and plot ofOcarina of Time, but with increased difficulty and altered dungeons and puzzles.[68]
IGN's Peer Schneider gaveMaster Quest a mostly positive review, likening the concept to the second quest of the originalLegend of Zelda. He said that some redesigned areas were poorer than the originalOcarina of Time and speculated that they may have been constructed from "second choice" designs created during development. He described the port as graphically improved but containing no substantial improvement to the frame rate. He also expressed that controls translated to the GameCube controller felt clumsy. Nonetheless, he summarizedMaster Quest as a "sweet surprise for anyZelda fan" and wrote that he would have recommended it even at full price.[68] Zachary Lewis of RPGamer praised the revised puzzles, which require precise timing and find new uses for theOcarina items, but wrote that players would be enthralled or frustrated by the increased difficulty.[95]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 98%[96] |
| Metacritic | 99/100[97][d] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame | 5/5[98] |
| Computer and Video Games | 5/5[99] |
| Edge | 10/10[100] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10[101] |
| Famitsu | 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10[102] |
| Game Informer | 9.75/10[103] |
| GamePro | 5/5[104] |
| GameRevolution | A[105] |
| GameSpot | 10/10[106] |
| IGN | 10/10[53] |
| Next Generation | 5/5[107] |
| Nintendo Life | 10/10[108] |
| Nintendo Power | 9.5/10[109][110] |
| RPGamer | 5/5[95] |
Upon its initial Nintendo 64 release,Ocarina of Time received unprecedented critical acclaim. It garnered perfect review scores from the majority of gaming publications that reviewed it,[96][128] includingAllGame,[98]CVG,[99]Famitsu,[163]Next Generation,[107]Edge,[100]Electronic Gaming Monthly,[101]GameSpot,[106]GamePro,[104]GameRevolution,[105]Nintendo Life,[108] andIGN.[53] The review aggregator websitesMetacritic andGameRankings both rank the original Nintendo 64 version as the highest reviewed game of all time,[164][165] with average scores of 99/100 from Metacritic[e] and 98% from GameRankings.[97][96] The reviews praised multiple aspects, particularly thelevel design, gameplay mechanics, sound, and cinematics.GameSpot reviewerJeff Gerstmann wrote thatOcarina of Time is "a game that can't be called anything other than flawless",[106] andIGN called it "the new benchmark for interactive entertainment" that could "shape the action RPG genre for years to come".[53] Editors ofGameTrailers called it a "walkingpatent office" due to the number of features it contains that became "industry standard".[166] Scott Alan Marriott ofAllGame described it as "completely unforgettable" and "an incredible adventure".[98]
The graphics were praised for their depth and detail, although reviewers noted they were not always the best the console had to offer.GameRevolution noted the characters' faces, the "toughest graphical challenge on 3D characters", saying that the characters' expressions and animation featured "surprising grace".[105]IGN believed thatOcarina of Time improved on the graphics ofSuper Mario 64, giving a larger sense of scale.[53] Impressivedraw distances and largeboss characters were also mentioned as graphical highlights.[53] Although excelling in the use of color and the visibility and detail of the environment, reviewers noted that some graphical elements ofOcarina of Time did not perform as well asBanjo-Kazooie,[53][101] a game released for the same platform earlier that year.IGN said that theframe rate and textures ofOcarina of Time were not as good as those ofBanjo-Kazooie, particularly in the marketplace of Hyrule Castle, which was called "blurry".[53]
Gameplay was generally praised as detailed, with many side quests to occupy players' time.IGNsaid players would be "amazed at the detail" of the environment and the "amount of thought that went into designing it".IGN praised the cinematics, citing great emotional impact and "flawless camera work".[30]EGM enjoyed that Nintendo was able to take the elements of the older, 2DZelda games and "translate it all into 3D flawlessly".[101]Nintendo Power citedOcarina of Time, along withSuper Mario 64, as two games that "blazed trails" into the 3D era.[167] The context-sensitive control system was seen as one of the strongest elements of the gameplay.[53] Reviewers noted that it allowed for simpler control using fewer buttons but that it occasionally caused the player to perform unintended actions.[7][53] The camera control was quoted as making combat "second nature",[53] although the new system took time for the player to get used to.[53][101]
The audio was generally well received, withIGN comparing some of Koji Kondo's pieces to the work ofPhilip Glass.[53] Many atmospheric sounds andsurround sound were designed to effectively immerse the player in the game world. Some reviewers complained that the audio samples sounded dated;[53] others considered this a benefit, calling them "retro".[105]GameRevolution called the sound "good for the Nintendo, but not great in the larger scheme of things" and noted that the cartridge format necessitated "MIDI tunes that range from fair to terrible".[105]Pitchfork gave the official soundtrack album a 9 out of 10.[168]
Assisted by a large marketing campaign,Ocarina of Time was a commercial success. In the United States, over 500,000 pre-orders were placed, more than tripling the number of pre-orders for any previous game,[169] for which it was awarded theGuinness World Record for Most Advance Orders for a Game.[170] Upon release, more than 1 million copies were sold there in less than a week.[118] In 1998, 2.5 million copies were sold, although it was released only 39 days before the end of the year; it earned$150,000,000 (equivalent to $290,000,000 in 2024) in U.S. revenues, higher than anyHollywood film in the last six weeks of 1998.[171] It was the best-sellingvideo game of 1998 in the United States.[172][173] In Japan, 920,000 copies were sold in 1998, becoming the eighth best-selling game of that year;[174] a reported 386,234 copies were sold in its first week there, surpassing the 316,000 first-week sales ofMetal Gear Solid.[175]
In Europe,Ocarina of Time was the fifth best-selling game of 1998, grossing more than €39,000,000 or$44,000,000 (equivalent to $85,000,000 in 2024).[176] In the UK, it was the fastest-ever-selling game until the release ofGran Turismo 2 in 2000,[177] selling 61,232 copies during its first weekend.[118] 1.14 million Nintendo 64 copies were sold in Japan[178] and 7.6 million copies worldwide.[179] By 2000,Ocarina of Time had sold 7 million cartridges and grossed about$400,000,000 (equivalent to $770,000,000 in 2024) worldwide.[180]
In 1998,Ocarina of Time won the Grand Prize in the Interactive Art division at theJapan Media Arts Festival.[117]Ocarina of Time won six awards at the2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: "Game of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", "Console Adventure Game of the Year", "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design", and "Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering"; it also received a nomination for "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development".[181][116] At theBAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards,Ocarina of Time won in four categories - "The Games Award" (precursor to the British Academy's "Best Game" award), "Innovative Game Award", "The Interactivity Award" and "The Computer Programming Award".[182]Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it both the editors' choice and readers' choice awards for "Game of the Year for All Systems", "Nintendo 64 Game of the Year" and "Action RPG of the Year" as well as the readers' choice awards for "Best Music" and "Best Graphics", and it was runner-up for the reader's choice "Best Sound Effects" award.[183]Edge gave it the awards for "Game of the Year" and "Gameplay Innovation" and placed it 2nd place for "Graphical Achievement" (behindVirtua Fighter 3tb).[112]
After publication,Ocarina of Time was featured on a number of compiled lists of best or most influential games. It was ranked the greatest video game of all time by numerous publications includingComputer and Video Games,[120][121]Edge,[122][123][124][125]Entertainment Weekly,[121]GameTrailers,[121]IGN,[126][127]Next Generation,[121]Nintendo Power,[128][129][130]Game Informer,[135]Slant,[136]FHM,[137] andPALGN.[139] It also appeared on other lists of greatest games including those ofElectronic Gaming Monthly[184] andIGN.[126][127][185][186] It was placed second inOfficial Nintendo Magazine's "100 greatest Nintendo games of all time", behind onlySuper Mario Bros.[187]Game Informer ranked it as its 11th favorite game of all time and described it as "untouchable".[188] In May 2011,IGN held a tournament-style competition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the originalThe Legend of Zelda's release in which fans votedOcarina of Time the greatestZelda game; it beatMajora's Mask in the final round.[189]Ocarina of Time has consistently been placed at number one inEdge's "top 100 games" lists: a staff-voted list in January 2000,[122] a staff- and reader-voted list in July 2007,[123] a list of "The 100 Best Games to Play Today" in March 2009,[124] and a 2013 readers' poll selecting the 20 best games released since the magazine's launch in 1993.[125]Edge concluded its 2009 list with: "Ocarina of Time is here in the list not because Nintendo had the power and wisdom to make a great game, but because it had the courage to make a unique one".[190] In 2022,The Strong National Museum of Play inductedOcarina of Time to itsWorld Video Game Hall of Fame.[191]
Reception for theMaster Quest and Virtual Console rereleases was positive; while some considered aspects of the graphics and audio to be outdated,[95][192] most thought that the game had aged well. TheMaster Quest version holds an average score of 89.50% on GameRankings and 91/100 on Metacritic.[193][194]IGN said in their review that "Ocarina of Time has aged extremely well",[68] and noted in regard to the graphics, while the textures and models look dated, the visual presentation stood the test of time. GameRevolution said that although it has "noticeably aged compared to brand new RPGs ... it's still a terrific game", awarding 91 out of 100.[195] In 2007, formerGameSpot editorJeff Gerstmann gave the Virtual Console port 8.9 out of 10: "Even after nine years,Ocarina of Time holds up surprisingly well, offering a lengthy and often-amazing adventure".[78]
In November 2021, enthusiasts fullydecompiledOcarina of Time'sROM into human-readableC code.[196] In March 2022, a group called "Harbour Masters"[197] publicly released a PC port under the nameShip of Harkinian, which includes widescreen support and an increased framerate, among other features.[198][199]
Ocarina of Time popularized features such as a target lock system and context-sensitive buttons that have since become common elements in 3D adventure games.[7][200] Its credited with increasing the popularity and sales of the ocarina.[201]
Multiple members of thevideo game industry have expressed how the game influenced them and the industry. FormerRockstar Games vice president of creativityDan Houser stated in 2012 that "anyone who makes 3-D games who says they've not borrowed something fromMario orZelda [on the Nintendo 64] is lying".[202] Rockstar founder andGrand Theft Auto directorSam Houser describedGrand Theft Auto III as "Zelda meetsGoodfellas".[203]Ōkami directorHideki Kamiya (Capcom,PlatinumGames) said that he had been influenced byZelda when he developedOkami.[204]Soul Reaver andUncharted director,Amy Hennig (Crystal Dynamics andNaughty Dog), citedZelda as an influence for theLegacy of Kain series, notingOcarina of Time's influence onSoul Reaver.[205]
Dark Souls creatorHidetaka Miyazaki (FromSoftware) said that "The Legend of Zelda became a sort of textbook for 3Daction games".[206]Ico directorFumito Ueda (Team Ico) citedZelda as an influence onShadow of the Colossus.[207]Darksiders directorDavid Adams (Vigil Games) citedZelda as an influence on his work.[208]CD Projekt Red (The Witcher,Cyberpunk 2077) citedZelda as an influence onThe Witcher series, includingThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015).[209]Final Fantasy andThe 3rd Birthday directorHajime Tabata (Square Enix) citedOcarina of Time as inspiration for the seamlessopen world ofFinal Fantasy XV.[210]
...the boy hero, now grown into a young man... will continue his quest——riding on horseback, gaining new items....
Princess Zelda: 'You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!'
Ganondorf: 'Arrrrgh! I lost her! You, over there! Little kid! You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now ... Which way did it go?! Answer me!! So, you think you can protect them from me ... You've got guts, kid. Heh heh heh ... You want a piece of me?! Very funny! I like your attitude! Pathetic little fool! Do you realize who you are dealing with?! I am Ganondorf! And soon, I will rule the world!'
Rauru: 'The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch ... Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time ... However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time ... Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. ... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace ... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil ... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters.'
Sheik: 'You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages ... One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. ... Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm ...'
Sheik: 'Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true. The Triforce separated into three parts. Only the Triforce of Power remained in Ganondorf's hand.'
Ganondorf: 'Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand...."Zelda: "Thank you, Link... Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm!'
Eiji Aonuma: Our first 3DThe Legend of Zelda game for the N64 turned out to beThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I did some direction on that one, although it was only partial: I was in charge of dungeon design.
Koizumi: [...]So anyway,this time the focus was on where to show how the game was different from Ocarina of Time. Even if this is the same grassy field, we wanted to do something different with it... Something like using a more vibrant color palette or making strangely shaped trees. The towns, which were inspired by medieval Europe in Ocarina of Time, have more of a Southeast Asian stylethis time.
[...an even more realistic representation of the Hylian land is possible for the first time, according to Tanabe and Miyamoto's ideas. For example, the developers designed Hyrule's Market based on Lower Franconian half-timbered architecture. (Two years ago, Miyamoto spent a few weeks in northern Bavaria to brainstorm the design!)].
And I was really happy that we here in Japan could make a medieval tale of sword and sorcery liked by the people of the world. Despite using a historical drama at Toei Kyoto Studio Park as reference! (laughs) It was received well overseas.
Shigeru Miyamoto: However, the scenario and game modes are only about 50% my idea.
Shigeru Miyamoto: Die komplette Story ist von mir. / The entire story is from me.
Well, the fact is that the videotape sequences shown at Shoshinkai bear very little resemblance to what the final product will actually look like. Spectacular scenes of a surprisingly large Link clad in polished armor are most likely to end up in cut-scenes rather than representing the actual play.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)While Nintendo 64 titles dominated the top-10 best-seller list in 1997, PlayStation software rebounded in 1998, occupying six of the top-10 spots. Nevertheless, the leader in sales,Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, is the continuation of a popular fantasy series manufactured by Nintendo.
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