Nintendo hasn’t announced Master Quest for the Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but the game’s files suggest it may be waiting in the wings. Dataminers have found “MQ” entries in the code that point to the harder, remixed mode from the GameCube and 3DS versions, and one report says it sits behind a DLC ownership check. As Nintendo Life reports, none of this amounts to confirmation, so treat it as a rumour for now.
What the files show
The trail starts with dataminer MrCheeze, who posted on Bluesky on 6 November. The post shows lines of data that carry an “MQ” tag next to the Dodongo’s Cavern entry. In a follow-up, MrCheeze listed four strings in the executable’s filesystem: HasMQ, IsMQModeExist, NewGameMQ and ReleaseMQ.
Those names read like a mode-select system, but Nintendo Everything points out the obvious alternative: they could be leftovers from development rather than a sign of future plans. A later update to its report pushes the DLC reading. Citing a post from fellow dataminer OatmealDome, the outlet says Master Quest unlocks through owning DLC rather than through an ordinary update. The same post reportedly shows a mirrored world and modified dungeons, including cows in Jabu-Jabu’s Belly.
Power Up Gaming also relays that finding, but cautions that the available data is incomplete. That’s the sensible reading. A DLC check shows a delivery mechanism exists in the code, but it doesn’t say whether Nintendo plans to use it, when, or at what price.
What Nintendo has said
Nintendo hasn’t commented on the datamine. The nearest thing to an official position is an IGN interview published on launch day, in which the outlet asked producer Eiji Aonuma about Master Quest. As Nintendo Everything quotes him, he said Nintendo wants to leave future possibilities open for the developers and support their interests, then added “I don’t think that we would announce anything specific at this time”. That’s a non-answer, which is why it keeps being read both ways.
The question matters because the remake launched without the mode. Kotaku reported that early players found no Master Quest option, and Nintendo Everything’s earlier report adds that nothing unlocks after the credits either. Nintendo Life describes the Switch 2 version as a breezy experience for anyone who knows the original or the 3DS release. Its writers say they’d welcome either a Hero Mode or a port of Master Quest.
Why Master Quest has a following
Master Quest is a remixed take on the game that rearranges dungeon layouts and puzzles. According to Mezha, it first appeared as a bonus disc with the GameCube release in 2002-03 and returned in the 2011 3DS version. According to Wikipedia, the 3DS edition went further, with mirrored dungeons and a dedicated boss challenge where enemies hit for double damage. Players who know those versions have a clear idea of what’s missing here.
What a Switch 2 version would look like is open. Nothing in the datamine says whether it would copy the older dungeon layouts or rework them for the remake’s new controls and camera. It also doesn’t say whether it would be free, as it was on GameCube and 3DS, or paid.
What to expect
For now, the safest assumption is that the remake is what you can buy today: a full Ocarina of Time without Master Quest. Nintendo still has Zelda in the spotlight, with our earlier coverage noting the live-action film is due in cinemas in May 2027, and the remake first surfaced in the June 2026 Nintendo Direct. If a Master Quest announcement comes, we’d expect it from Nintendo directly, not from the files. We’ll update this story if it does.
Is Master Quest in the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake?
No. The mode isn’t in the game at launch and doesn’t unlock after finishing the story. Nintendo hasn’t announced it as DLC or an update.
Will Master Quest be free or paid DLC?
Nobody knows yet. Dataminers say the files check for DLC ownership, but Nintendo hasn’t given a price, a date or a plan.
Should I wait for Master Quest before starting the remake?
That depends on how you play. Nothing is confirmed, and there’s no timeframe, so waiting means waiting on a rumour. The main game is the same whether or not Master Quest arrives.
