Talking Point: How Did You First Encounter Zelda: Ocarina of Time?

Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life

In case you haven’t noticed, another chance to play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is on the horizon. The coming 5th November release date for the Switch 2 remake has got us diving into our OoT memory banks and feeling all nostalgic about where our love for the game began — after all, you can replay it as many times as you like, but you only get a ‘first playthrough’ once.

For most of us here at Nintendo Life Towers, those early memories take us back to the N64, though some people will have first encountered the game through the GameCube, its 3DS remake or the NSO library. Heck, you might not have even heard of this little-known curio until Nintendo announced it for Switch 2 (we doubt that will be many of you reading this, but hey, there’s a chance).

So, join us on a trip down memory lane as we all share our first interactions with Ocarina of Time. Make sure to head down to the comments afterwards and share yours, too!

Jim Norman, Features Editor

Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life

Earlier this year, I recounted my first encounter with the N64 and Ocarina of Time as I wrote about my parents’ desperate search for new-baby respite in the 3D fields of Hyrule. The TL;DR of it is this: once I was finally old enough to be trusted on the system myself, I fell head-over-Iron-Boot-heels for Ocarina.

My first brushes with the game were with Dad at my side, instructing me how to defeat Skulltullas and navigate the Deku Tree’s spider webs, but I soon knew enough about its controls and systems that I could go it alone.

An overriding memory from that first encounter? First stepping into future Hyrule and hearing the scream of the Re-Deads. Some say I have never emotionally recovered from that moment.