Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake launched without Master Quest, the harder remixed version that came with the GameCube and 3DS releases.
Master Quest was never part of the original N64 release. It first shipped on a bonus disc tied to the 2002-03 GameCube port, where it effectively added a second playthrough, and returned in the 2011 3DS version. Fans who expected the same here will finish the Switch 2 game with nothing tougher to start. According to Kotaku, players who’ve already beaten it found no such option, and the N64 game on Switch Online doesn’t have Master Quest either.
The other changes are small. GoNintendo says a few Easter eggs went, including Mario-related portraits in Zelda’s courtyard and Skyward Sword art from the 3DS version. Nintendo also fixed some known glitches and exploits, including a few fairly iconic ones.
Eiji Aonuma didn’t rule out Master Quest returning. Speaking to IGN, he said the team likes to leave room for future ideas, but he stopped short of a promise.
But I don’t think that we would announce anything specific at this time.
Eiji Aonuma, producer of the remake
The game’s files also hint at it. The datamined “MQ” entries in the remake suggest Master Quest may sit behind a DLC check, though Nintendo hasn’t announced anything.
VGC reports a Metacritic score of 96, a figure that will move as more reviews arrive. Nintendo Life says that makes it the site’s highest-rated Switch 2 game so far, ahead of Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition at 95. Critics praised the quality-of-life changes and new cutscenes, while some found the art direction inconsistent.
Nintendo announced the remake in its June Direct, and it launched on Nintendo Switch 2 on 5 November 2026 for $59.99 digital or $69.99 physical. The new extra is the Hall of Fallen Foes, with statues of beaten monsters and boss rematches. Next up are Link and Young Zelda amiibo, due in 2027, which will unlock N64-inspired masks.
