The upcoming Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has changed the Hylian Shield from how it looked in the original game, based on the new trailer released by Nintendo. Opinions on the shift are mixed among fans of Ocarina of Time, with some preferring the original look.
The existence of a Ocarina of Time remake has been rumored for a long time, with leaks indicating that it was under development, but without official confirmation from Nintendo. That all changed during the summer Nintendo Direct, which closed with a brief teaser for the game. Not much was shown, aside from some background art and a brief glimpse of young Link, but the title card has given something away already.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hylian Shield Has Been Updated
via Nintendo
via Nintendo
via Nintendo
Though it was only visible for a moment during the title screen at the end of the trailer, it didn't take fans long to notice that something had changed. Ocarina of Time's Hylian Shield appears to have been replaced with the newer design that has been used since Skyward Sword, and returned in both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Notably, the Triforce and crest take up less space on the newer design, and the notorious fourth triangle at the base of the shield has been removed. The silver border of the shield is also more ornate than the original Ocarina of Time version. The Master Sword has also been updated, with the gold ornamentation now on the hilt, instead of beneath it, and the grip of the sword is wrapped like the modern version of the iconic weapon.
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Curiously, this is the first time that the Ocarina of Time shield has been significantly changed. Ocarina of Time 3D for the Nintendo 3DS notably kept the original shield design, albeit with a graphical upgrade. However, Ocarina of Time 3D released in 2011, earlier in the same year as Skyward Sword, so the now-standard Hylian Shield design hadn't yet been introduced in time for the remaster's release. It's highly likely that the change in the upcoming remake was made to unify the designs with the newer games in the series. The fourth triangle on the original Ocarina of Time Hylian Shield notably fueled a lot of rumors about a fourth piece of the Triforce, which could be one more reason for its removal.
Whether this means something for the lore of the game, however, remains to be seen. Not much is known about the Ocarina of Time remake from official channels, so players have to wait and see if there are plans to expand upon the original game, or if it might even cut some content from the N64 classic. It's not out of the question for the remake to include nods to elements that have been introduced to the series since — but happened chronologically prior to Ocarina of Time — like Fi from Skyward Sword. However, there's a good chance that Nintendo will stick with what made the classic great without introducing too many new plot points, if any, since Ocarina of Time is considered a treasure by so many gamers.
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While there are a lot of questions that have been left unanswered about the Ocarina of Time remake, thankfully, players don't have to wait a long time to find out more. Nintendo has given Ocarina of Time a 2026 release window, and with the year approaching the halfway point, fans should be able to expect the game to arrive sometime within the next six months.
- Released
- 2026
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
- Number of Players
- Single-player
