Nintendo 64 · 1998
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The 1998 Nintendo 64 action-adventure that moved Link between a childhood chapter and an adult chapter to save Hyrule.
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- Action-Adventure
- Released
- 1998
01
Overview
Link explores Hyrule, solving dungeons with the Ocarina's songs and a growing set of items. The adventure splits into a child chapter and an adult chapter, each with its own dungeons and puzzles. The game was one of the best-selling titles of the Nintendo 64 era and is frequently cited among the greatest video games ever made.
02
Why it matters
Its dual-timeline structure became a lasting template for later 3D adventures. As one of the Nintendo 64's defining cartridges, it is regularly discussed in industry publications as a landmark of the genre.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the cartridge, an instruction manual, and a cardboard box, though contents vary by region and printing. Box art and manual wording differ across North American, European, and Japanese editions, but these packaging variations do not indicate a different version of the game itself.
04
Playing it today
The game runs on an original Nintendo 64 console and is also included in the Nintendo Switch Online library. All that is needed is a working cartridge and a compatible controller.