Sorry, The Nintendo Switch Doesn't Need Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Often considered to be one of the greatest games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is clearly one of Nintendo's crown jewels. The triumph of good over evil in Ocarina of Time is a tale as old as time, with a little time travel thrown in the mix. When many players think of a typical Zelda adventure, Ocarina of Time might come to mind. Many of the norms of a Zelda game were established, or cemented, by this installment in the series. Open worlds, expansive dungeons, the Golden Goddesses with the Triforce, the sages, Ganondorf, and more were all part of the game's impact.
Even more, Ocarina of Time went on to revitalize the interest in the franchise. Several fans will point to the game to say it's the best in the series, and it constantly shows up in fan culture from fan art to even inspiring Zelda-themed rings for anniversaries. That being said, there has been a lot of discussion among fans about what older Zelda games should be brought to the Switch. But Nintendo really doesn't need to port the Hero of Time's story to the Switch right now.
Originally released in 1998 for the N64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the first entry in the franchise to be 3D. It is an incredibly important game to the series, solidifying several of the Zelda norms mentioned before, and eventually becoming integral to the official timeline for The Legend of Zelda series. Depending on the "outcome" of Ocarina of Time, the once streamlined timeline for the series splits into three different paths. There is the dark timeline where the Hero is defeated, the Adult timeline that leaves the world without the Hero, and the Child timeline where Ganondorf is banished to the Twilight Realm.
However, Ocarina of Time doesn't need to be Nintendo's Skyrim. It doesn't need to be a game that Nintendo ports to every single console available by virtue of it being a successful game. The breadth of games available in the Zelda series is also far greater than what is currently out in The Elder Scrolls series. A couple years after Ocarina of Time's initial release, the game ended up receiving a port to the GameCube and the iQue Player, a Chinese game console. Eventually, an enhanced port for the Nintendo 3DS was released in 2011, and the game has appeared on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Consoles. While this isn't to say Ocarina of Time should never be ported again, it isn't an utmost need to have it on the Switch.
There are plenty of installments in the overall Zelda series that are important to its history and popular among fans. With The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD heading to the Switch this summer, more fans will be able to experience the first story in the series' fictional chronology. The Wind Waker is another game in the series that will often show up as a fan's favorite. In regards to 2D games, A Link to the Past and its spiritual successor A Link Between Worlds are great games in the series. While Ocarina of Time is definitely a major game for the series, and for Nintendo, playing it isn't necessary for fans to love Zelda.
Ocarina of Time may be one of the best-selling entries in the series, but a port to the Switch doesn't mean it will sell just as well. If Nintendo is looking at the best ways to increase sales for future Zelda games and the Nintendo Switch, making new content is the way to go. Millions of fans love The Legend of Zelda series, and it will continue for many years to come. There will be some fans that get tired of constant remakes and remasters, and some that will love them. Either way, the series will be able to continue growing with each completely new entry. Plus, not every Zelda games needs a huge 3D open-world from now on. Nintendo could also make completely new 2D Zelda games for fans.
While every Legend of Zelda fan has their favorite game in the series, most will agree that other Zelda games should get ports as well. Games like The Minish Cap, the Oracle duology, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess could all be brought back to life, so to speak, on the Nintendo Switch. Fans would be interested, especially if certain games like The Minish Cap were fully remade, and not just ported to a Virtual Console. A recent example is Grezzo's work on the Link's Awakening remake, which presented the older 1993 title in a whole new way.
With 2021 being the 35th anniversary of the series, fans are clamoring for some kind of Zelda anthology collection to be released for the Switch. Games like Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are rumored to get Switch ports, and would bring Link's post-Wind Waker adventures to a new audience. It is also possible that Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD could be bundle as a Switch port, since those are the most recent remasters before the upcoming Skyward Sword HD. If Nintendo continues its trend of bringing remakes, HD remasters, and Virtual Console ports to the Switch, there are certainly plenty of options to consider.
Overall, there is always the possibility that Ocarina of Time could release for the Switch as part of Zelda's 35th anniversary. It could even be coupled with Majora's Mask, since the two are related to begin with, and both received Nintendo 3DS versions. In all honesty, if Nintendo wants to position the Switch as the best console from the company ever, then it may try to bring as many successful games from its flagship series as possible. It wouldn't hurt to bring Ocarina of Time to the Switch in some way, but it isn't the most important thing for Nintendo to do right now. With millions of fans waiting for more news and the eventual release of the sequel to Breath of the Wild, Nintendo should focus more on that game at the moment.
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