The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

 Nintendo 64
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 8290 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7,394 out of 8290
  2. Mixed: 307 out of 8290
  3. Negative: 589 out of 8290
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  1. Hill456
    Aug 1, 2017
    9
    Ok... not all games are perfect, I'll say that...but if you are so picky too even look into every single stupid detail, of course you'll give it a 0/10. Obviously you shouldn't listen to the haters who give this game 0... but you shouldn't listen to the fans either. I'll give this game the fairest review that i can.
    Pros:
    -Breathtaking graphics, even though they couldn't match up to    Ok... not all games are perfect, I'll say that...but if you are so picky too even look into every single stupid detail, of course you'll give it a 0/10. Obviously you shouldn't listen to the haters who give this game 0... but you shouldn't listen to the fans either. I'll give this game the fairest review that i can.
    Pros:
    -Breathtaking graphics, even though they couldn't match up to Horizon, the scenery is way more animated style instead of real life style, witch kinda gives off a better vibe. And for all those who say"ok" graphics, it's probably because you play PS4 and can't appreciate nintendo graphics
    -great music. Lots of games"Like minecraft Pocket edition" who are based in open world experience forget the music, witch gives a sense of loneliness in the open world. This game has a soundtrack for every single place or time. And they're all great.
    -Stuff to do. A lot of people"like me"made the horrible decision to look up every single shrine, side quest, korok seed and locations and spoiled the entire game. I saw one of the reviews saying that"Oh it feels like you're just aimlessly walking around hyrule untile you get board"Thats because you don't bother looking for things to do! If you can't find anything, you're blind, cuz there are tons of hidden secrets, side quests, murderers that awiat you! If you don't bother even checking for stuff to do and just aimlessly walk on rocks all day, that's your fault! I found myself taking on enemy camps in the middle of an ocean!
    I could name a ton of other things that make this game great, but that will take ages....
    Cons:
    -Small frame rate issues: This may happen 1 to 3 times per cession when the game is overloaded with action, but nothing major
    -Ending: This is what i despise the most of this game, the ending! You'd think that this ending a 10/10 ign game would have a great ending....wrong, just wrong.
    The most bland, unthought part of the entire game. First, the boss!?! What in the hell were the creators thinking! I won't spoil, but the final boss is even easier then the sub bosses.
    Then we have the shortest unfinished cutscene! To make matters worse, the game resets to where you face ganon, like nothing changed. The main quest to destroy ganon is still incomplete, the only difference...a tiny star to remind you that you beat him....wtf. Other then that, nothing changed. The castle is still red evil, at least we could have had a regular castle not in golfed with guardians, but nope! You gotta deal with this stupid castle still filled with enemies and an incomplete story.
    -Save files: 1 save file for the entire game... Wanna start a new adventure, gonna have to erase your old story...sorry
    -Weapon variety: Ok so there are a lot of weapons in this game, but when you think about it, they're all the same, only devised in 3 categories: swords, spears, and heavies. These three categories of weapons all have a different move sets, but the initial weapons are exactly the same, sometimes with a few changes. Example: The master sword is the exact same as the royal sword, just with different looks, power and ability, they don't have somewhat like a different move pool. Makes things boring

    That's about it for what i really have to hate about the game, otherwise it's great!
    Should you buy a switch for this game: if you are someone that likes action like cod, then don't. If you complain about 4K graphics or are way too picky with every single detail, don't buy it. If you hate nintendo and wish you had all of their money, don't buy it. If you're too lazy to search a huge 10000mile wide world, don't buy it
    In any other case, buy it! A fantastic game that should be enjoyed by everywone. Don't listen to the haters that give this game 0/10 or 5/10 and say that this game is horrible because of this or that. Just be aware of what you should look out for.    … Expand
  2. TeranoSky
    Aug 4, 2017
    9
    Now, if you see my score you might be wondering why I didnt give it a ten. Well... this game is awesome don't get me wrong,but,it isn't flawless. For example,the game while having a large amount of content is extremely linear. Another thing is that,since the game is so linear once you've played trough it, you will most likely not play it again any time soon since aside from some trickyNow, if you see my score you might be wondering why I didnt give it a ten. Well... this game is awesome don't get me wrong,but,it isn't flawless. For example,the game while having a large amount of content is extremely linear. Another thing is that,since the game is so linear once you've played trough it, you will most likely not play it again any time soon since aside from some tricky side quests you will most likely have done pretty much everything. But even though it has some problems the game is a blast to play trough (save some boring sections) and since a normal playtrough can take months, by the time you finish you will most likely want to replay it! So do you get it? Yes, definitely. But keep in mind that even though the game is great its still a N64 game so dont expect 4k or HD.
    (Sorry if I misspelled some words, english isn't my first language.)    … Expand
  3. damaso7
    Feb 18, 2018
    9
    El único motivo por el que este juego no tiene mis 10 es porque la historia no acabó de convencerme.
  4. xXGamerzXx
    Apr 3, 2018
    9
    Honestly I think this game is overrated , but it's a great game nonetheless
  5. XWhiteWO1fX
    Jan 22, 2018
    9
    Iconic, Memorable, and a game changer to the series. If you haven't played OoT yet I highly suggest it!
    Only downside is the lack of a nonlinear storyline and adventure after the game.
    Any questions or concerns please write. Enjoy your day!
  6. gamecatz
    Mar 28, 2018
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have not beat the game yet but so I far I like everything except for what happens to Saria. It's great that she's a sage. Unfortunately it's crappy that she'll never see Link again and he'll never see her again!!! Saria is such a great character and I'm so pissed that Kokiri never grow up. Sure Zelda may be the "main girl" in the series; but Link and Saria always had special relationship and I mad that she's gone. I've still seen the credits of the game but I'm still mad. I'm sure if you go to this link you may ot may not agree with me.

    https://zeldadungeon.net/forum/threads/should-saria-return-in-another-zelda-game.5227/    … Expand
  7. Jconker
    May 8, 2018
    9
    The developers did an achievement by making every single character have a roll even if most of them aren't deep characters. Despite with almost no voice acting the story is showed by text like the previous entry in the series and with the use of body expression or even a little bit of face expression does help the story. The story is your usual save the princess with a few problems inThe developers did an achievement by making every single character have a roll even if most of them aren't deep characters. Despite with almost no voice acting the story is showed by text like the previous entry in the series and with the use of body expression or even a little bit of face expression does help the story. The story is your usual save the princess with a few problems in narrative along the way. The character models look blo-cky while others look amazing especially the bosses. The draw distance is a huge improvement over Body Harvest the game that came out a mere two months earlier. The scope of the game may not be bigger than Body Harvest but it sure is more detailed. The mix of puzzle solving in the dungeons with a tight sword combat system helps the game to be more fun. You can only jump automatically but it barely gives a problem while also the camera is better than Super Mario 64 overall by staying behind the silent protagonist then the camera does zoom in to much, when you lock on an enemy. Not letting you see the edges of a cliff for example, another small problem is since you don't have a horse at first you will be walking a lot in which might bother a few players but not a real flaw. The Soundtrack is fantastic and still holds up even today also the game adds items to collect, rewards, secret areas, power ups, magic, the use of an arrow in first person view and it truly shows the effort being put in the game when you see the enemy being variant that makes the world even more alive. The reason I don't consider this game a total masterpiece is because of the water temple making you use the menu way too many times for just changing your boots and that you need to go back to a shop if you don't have any arrows for example making you spend more time than it should. Even on some platforms it does feel like you are waiting a bit but overall this game is amazing it deserves to be loved.… Expand
  8. mr123
    May 21, 2018
    9
    This game in my opinion is one of the best n64 games. It has a great story, epic bosses and a lengthy story. I had wind Waker as my first Zelda but beat this one twice before I beat that one. And that is saying something. But I wish the combat was a bit more fleshed out. But other than that I LOVE THIS GAME!!! So I give it a 9.4/10
  9. 6oni
    Oct 19, 2018
    9
    +TIVE
    green greed s real when money grow n d trees wiz coloured reupies *o*
    musik
    it feels magic
    kawai ocarina wiz clever use
    -TIVE
    som points f d story wz nintendo princeses
    som dungeons mmh X(
    listen!
    wnt mor items 4 nt get bored
    protagonists n villain
  10. BeboFett
    May 17, 2019
    9
    It's said that it's the best video game. In my opinion Ocarina of Time if it's one of the titles that I could play for being a very complete game; graphically is great for the console and the era, its gameplay between control and mechanics is very fun (puzzles, combat, exploration, etc.), the plot may seem simple but it's loaded with the drama and feeling necessary for us to care and enjoyIt's said that it's the best video game. In my opinion Ocarina of Time if it's one of the titles that I could play for being a very complete game; graphically is great for the console and the era, its gameplay between control and mechanics is very fun (puzzles, combat, exploration, etc.), the plot may seem simple but it's loaded with the drama and feeling necessary for us to care and enjoy and don't forget that musically he has a beautiful soundtrack. Another Nintendo classic.… Expand
  11. manuelmb97
    Jan 2, 2019
    9
    Best game ever, simply one of the greatest masterpieces of the media, period.
  12. Fletch1027
    Nov 4, 2022
    9
    An amazing game with great story and music somewhat clunky controls compared to today’s games.
  13. gareththestuff
    Apr 26, 2021
    9
    Not the best game ever (or even the best in its series), but one of the best, and I have still played this and Master Quest more times than I want to admit.
  14. IrishPan
    Jul 8, 2022
    9
    Отличная игра, прошел с огромным удовольствием ставлю 91/100
  15. AlvarezCrack
    Sep 7, 2019
    9
    No hay mucho que decir, la infancia pesa (o juventud en mi caso) recuerdo que este juego lo jugué 2 veces y llegue solo hasta el templo del fuego y hay lo deje, a la tercera finalmente lo pase, como olvidar el templo del agua y el odio que llegue a tenerle, al final creo que ya me pase este juego 7 veces y vaya que me divierte, es uno de esos juegos que re juegas y aun da para más.
  16. Piedone
    Nov 4, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Altrough i like this game, it think is really ovverrated.How come is better than Breath of the Wild?!Come on people!
    I'll give it a 9.Great dungeons,ok graphics,good story(a bit confuzing)
    So,stop overrating this!Imo, WW is much better    … Expand
  17. hardcore_gamer6
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    This is, in my opinion, one of the best Zelda games ever. I never get tired of playing this game. Totally recommend it
  18. Thenoashow333
    Dec 29, 2019
    9
    Ok this isn’t so much a review cause what is there more to say it’s a brilliant game. But can you Zelda fan boys chill out . Some people won’t like this game and that’s justified. Some people may not enjoy the combat or may not like the controls . This game has ages in some aspects (which I think the exceptional 3ds remaster completely fixes) but still some people will hate me for stingOk this isn’t so much a review cause what is there more to say it’s a brilliant game. But can you Zelda fan boys chill out . Some people won’t like this game and that’s justified. Some people may not enjoy the combat or may not like the controls . This game has ages in some aspects (which I think the exceptional 3ds remaster completely fixes) but still some people will hate me for sting this

    My Twitter is @Big_Sushi_slice if you want to send me a death threat (This game is amazing thou)    … Expand
  19. daskomika
    Feb 7, 2020
    9
    Absolutely great. It‘s so much fun and it gets a 95/100 from me. Only TWW and BotW are better in my opinion..
  20. BuxIsahak
    Feb 21, 2020
    9
    This game is super! The graphics for 2020 are not very good, but what did you want from the 1998 game? Cool gameplay, ADVENTURE! MORE ADVENTURES!
  21. yunus_Pro
    Jun 20, 2020
    9
    Ocarina of time is a very very good game but playing the game in 2018 , the games flaws are noticable . The combat system is good but the enemies are crap they dont need any reflex or brain to beat . Shadow temple is very short and have like 3 puzzels . Water temples design is really good but it takes WAY TOO LONG . Fire temples puzzels are too easy that its hard to call them puzzels .Ocarina of time is a very very good game but playing the game in 2018 , the games flaws are noticable . The combat system is good but the enemies are crap they dont need any reflex or brain to beat . Shadow temple is very short and have like 3 puzzels . Water temples design is really good but it takes WAY TOO LONG . Fire temples puzzels are too easy that its hard to call them puzzels . Still ocarina of time is a classic that defined lots of generes like action , open world and 3d puzzle . Its gameplay and lvl design is really good even for todays standarts . open world is small but has lots of side content to do which makes up for its size .… Expand
  22. JimPickens
    Oct 22, 2021
    9
    Ocarina of Time might just be one of the most overrated games of all time, but by god if I didn't love almost every minute I spent with this game.

    Ocarina of Time is the 4th entry in the long running Legend of Zelda series and if you play any Zelda game in your lifetime, it should probably be this one. I must admit this isn't my favourite Zelda game, but it's certainly up there. For    Ocarina of Time might just be one of the most overrated games of all time, but by god if I didn't love almost every minute I spent with this game.

    Ocarina of Time is the 4th entry in the long running Legend of Zelda series and if you play any Zelda game in your lifetime, it should probably be this one. I must admit this isn't my favourite Zelda game, but it's certainly up there. For what it's worth, it is my favourite N64 game, which doesn't mean much when I've only played 3 N64 games I'm aware.

    for 1998, OoT is remarkably impressive, it hasn't aged great visually, but for the most part it still plays flawlessly. Link feels almost entirely free of the jank that plagued Mario 64 and other N64 games I haven't played because the only other one is Banjo and that also plays great.

    The story is appropriately the most complex thus far, it's a three-dimensional story if you will... Sorry. You are Link, or whatever you wanna name him, I always just call him Link, and you live in the Kokiri Forest among the -you guessed it- Kokiri, one morning being told by a magical blue ball called a fairy named Navi to go to the Deku tree. Link, with sword and shield in hand, ventures forth to find the Deku tree dying, upon proving himself Link is given a mission and sets off with Navi as his new companion to find Zelda, get engaged to a fish, become bro's with some rock people and listen to an owl explain sh*t 3 times over because you keep accidentally pressing "yes" instead of "no" when he asks you if you want him to repeat himself. Where the "Ocarina of time" comes in to... Ocarina of Time, is about halfway through the game where Ganondorf steals Zelda and she throws you said titular instrument and you set off to the Temple of Time to take up the famous Master Sword , sending Link forward in time and also giving him gauntlets, pants and earrings thanks... Time? did Rauru do that? Did Fi? Anyway there you meet Rauru, the first of seven Sages with which you are tasked with finding throughout Hyrule, so you go to Lon Lon Ranch because f*ck traversing Hyrule on foot, you get Epona and you begin the real adventure.

    Ocarina is not the best Zelda, but the story, music and characters really come together in such a way that it's hard to not love this game, it really feels like an adventure you're embarking on. It pulls a bit of a Final Fantasy 6 and has the villain win halfway through, but this time you have to prevent it in the future rather than just kill the villain and live in the now ruined world.

    As the title would suggest, Ocarina has a heavy focus on music, you play music to call Epona, you play music to change the weather, you play music to advance the story, this game loves music, and it's all very good, I find myself humming Saria's Song to this day. This game also handles its musical instrument far better than its successors, whereas Wind Waker forces you to stop in your tracks and tediously play the song timed perfectly, Ocarina lets you play the song however fast you like as to not halt the gameplay for something relatively arbitrary. One of my few complaints and one that's shared by many is of course the Water Temple, but even that can be remedied by playing the 3D version on the 3ds, which is personally the version I recommend over the N64 version. Another complaint would have to be Navi, I don't hate her as much as many but I find her largely barren of personality, maybe I've just been spoiled by Midna in Twilight Princess but I simply can't go back to Navi anymore, even the King of Red Lions is an improvement, but I guess she isn't as bad as Fi.

    In closing, Ocarina of Time is a great game and absolutely worth your time, it's a fantastic game but contrary to popular belief, no it's not perfect, it has issues and the Water Temple can give you several migraines but it is a good game. Music is great, characters are fun, graphics are... play the 3D version.    … Expand
  23. Jessicaw
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    This game really has a special place in my heart as my first video game and it delivered everything perfectly. It was a great open world for it's time and really put the whole weight of that world onto you.
  24. Addposer
    Jun 23, 2020
    9
    It is a masterpiece, it is a very good game, but it is NOT the best game of all time.
  25. ProGamesPlayer
    Jun 25, 2020
    9
    I love the game. Story rich and fun to play. I love just roaming around the land doing quest after quest and exploring. This is an all time favorite.
  26. AbrahamConSal
    Jun 29, 2020
    9
    Sin lugar a duda es uno de los mejores juegos de todos los tiempos, la historia es muy buena y las mazmorras tienen una gran variedad, al igual que los jefes de cada una de estas, un juego que debes jugar sin lugar a duda.
  27. emilyratesgames
    Jul 1, 2021
    9
    Score: 9
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
  28. JamesDrawsThngs
    Aug 14, 2020
    9
    Everything that can be said about Ocarina of Time has been echoed a million times over. Widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever conceived, and one of the most influential, even to this day. It's a game that, even if you don't like it, still commands a level of respect. However, OoT is not above criticism. It's not flawless, and like many games of its time has shown its age, butEverything that can be said about Ocarina of Time has been echoed a million times over. Widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever conceived, and one of the most influential, even to this day. It's a game that, even if you don't like it, still commands a level of respect. However, OoT is not above criticism. It's not flawless, and like many games of its time has shown its age, but that doesn't mean the game still isn't great.

    Let's just get the issues out of the way as there aren't too many. A minor one is, despite being moved to (then) next-gen hardware, the story is not much more complicated (or different) from that of A link to the Past on the SNES. There's a decent amount of world-building, but not a lot of story occurs, and what does occur is repetitious (learn song, beat dungeon, save sage, repeat). While general story-telling was never the series' strong-suit, more certainly could have been done. Characters like Zelda and Ganondorf aren't the most fleshed out, but they get the job done. The NPCs you interact with carry a lot more personality than the main characters (and that's quite sad). A more prominent issue though, is the land of Hyrule itself, specifically just how overly spacious and empty it is. While a technical marvel for 1998, not much really happens in the field, and until you get a horse it becomes a bit of a slog to get through (even with side-stepping). Some aspects of the controls haven't aged too well, either, like aiming with a bow/slingshot/hookshot, and menu navigation and item management are pretty clunky. Most of the boss fights are nothing too special and are often incredibly simple to take down.

    Really, though, that's about all have for any major issues, because everything else about this game is what makes it legendary. For 1998, the game looks fantastic for the N64, and while not all of the soundtrack is that memorable, it still has its fair share of great tunes and some solid atmospheric pieces sprinkled in. Despite some issues with aiming, the controls hold up very well, and it's one of those games that is still best played with an original N64 controller. The manual lock-on system was revolutionary for its time and still works great. I love the dungeon designs in this game, and even the dreaded Water Temple is not quite as bad as the horror stories make it out to be (most of the issues simply come from switching to and from the Iron Boots). While I may have issues with the overworld, there is still this excellent sense of adventure and discovery throughout the game that make it worth-while to explore. I especially love the finale. While most of the bosses are serviceable, the final boss fight with Ganon is among one of the best in the series, especially from an atmospheric perspective. There are also tons of mini-games and sidequests along the way that will keep you busy. Some of them aren't really worth going out of the way of completing, but many give you worthwhile rewards for your efforts.

    I mean, I can never bring myself to dislike this game. It's a classic for a reason, and I still love going back to this one from time to time. It's a must own for N64 collectors, of course, and if you have never played a Zelda game before, I'd say this is a good start.    … Expand
  29. neojotic
    Aug 27, 2020
    9
    Ocarina of Time is arguably the best Zelda game of all time and there's a HUGE argument to be made for best 64 game and even best Nintendo game.

    Great graphics, awesome story and great controls. This is an adventure on N64 that is not one to miss out on! I'm not even a fan of the franchise but this game is a gem.
  30. ZeroBacon
    Sep 4, 2020
    9
    Yeah, this game is heavily overrated. It does have many flaws, and has aged quite a bit, but that doesn’t stop it from being a timeless classic that everyone can get around. Although the graphics aren’t very good, and the water temple is awful, I still think this is worth playing. So yeah, a good game. The greatest of all time? No. That might go to Final Fantasy 7, Chrono Trigger, orYeah, this game is heavily overrated. It does have many flaws, and has aged quite a bit, but that doesn’t stop it from being a timeless classic that everyone can get around. Although the graphics aren’t very good, and the water temple is awful, I still think this is worth playing. So yeah, a good game. The greatest of all time? No. That might go to Final Fantasy 7, Chrono Trigger, or Xenoblade Chronicles.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best N64 Game of 1998
1
#1 Most Discussed N64 Game of 1998
1
#1 Most Shared N64 Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
99

Universal acclaim - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. My Gamer
    Mar 24, 2016
    94
    The player will be drawn into the Zelda fantasy world from the moment the opening sequence bursts onto the screen, and the game won't let go-not even after finishing the quest.
    Read full review
  2. Happy Puppy
    Mar 24, 2016
    90
    Realism is one of the major reasons this title is so amazing. After playing for a while it feels as though you have actually been to Hyrule.
  3. Gaming Age
    Mar 24, 2016
    95
    Featuring unparalleled 3D environments, a deep and involved quest, brilliant and intuitive play controls, and a well-developed cinematic quality that enhances rather than overwhelms the whole game experience, Miyamoto's latest soon-to-be-classic title deserves to be played by each and every person who might deign to consider themselves a fan of great games.
    Read full review
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