The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Link journeys across Hyrule and through time to stop Ganondorf from seizing the Triforce. The Nintendo 64 release established the series in 3D and introduced systems that became influential across 3D action-adventure games.
N64
GameCube
Wii
Wii U
Switch
PC
Steam Deck When, why and how it was created
Nintendo developed Ocarina of Time as the first fully 3D entry in The Legend of Zelda series. The team used the move to Nintendo 64 to reinterpret familiar Zelda exploration, puzzles, sword combat and item use in three-dimensional spaces, while building a coming-of-age story around child and adult Link.
Moving Zelda into 3D
Nintendo EAD had to translate Zelda exploration, sword combat and item use into fully 3D spaces. Lock-on targeting became a central solution for readable combat.
Time as game structure
The seven-year jump changes locations, characters and available routes, letting one world support two overlapping states.
Music as an input system
Ocarina songs open routes, change time, summon Epona and later act as warp shortcuts.
Long afterlife
The game later appeared in official GameCube, Virtual Console and Switch Online releases, received a 3DS remake, and Nintendo announced a new Switch 2 version for 2026.