A Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time fan has built part of the classic N64 game in Unreal Engine, making for some incredible sights. The Zelda franchise is no stranger to upgrades: Nintendo is always remaking and remastering Link's old adventures, from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD for the Wii U to the more recent The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening for the Switch. The Zelda franchise has also crossed over into other modern franchises, including Crypt of the Necrodancer. There's something about Zelda titles that lend the series well to remakes and reimaginings, whether it's nostalgia, the enduring nature of the puzzles, or the classic sounds of its music.
Despite the high quality that comes with Nintendo-sanctioned remakes, they don't always go in a direction that fans want. Nintendo's traditionally underpowered hardware means that the games don't look as nice as they could on a better console. Some fans have taken it upon themselves to remake Link's adventures on other platforms, pursuing projects like capturing the visual style of the original Link's Awakening in the sandbox game Dreams. Others have given graphical updates to existing titles through PC development software like Unity and Unreal, which allows for sharper, brighter graphics and the ability to make a demo for other fans to play. This treatment has been used on titles that haven't received much of a visual update since their release, like The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, which only received a port to the 3DS in 2015.
Looking to show what Hyrule could look like with the graphical power of Unreal Engine, Zelda fan and Youtuber Yianni Papazis built part of Ocarina of Time in UE4, and it looks incredible. The playable build includes the locations Castle Town, part of Hyrule Field, and the Temple of Time and preserves the N64 title's style and colors while upgrading just about everything else. Though it's more of a tech demo than a fully-playable game, the landscape shows off what many hope future Zelda titles will look like. Several commenters noted that "this is how I saw Ocarina of Time when I was a kid," combining the power of nostalgia with the beautifully-remastered locations. Yianni Papazis is no longer working on the project, but they have left it open for others to continue if they want to build more of Hyrule.
Last year was slow for Nintendo fans. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released, but other than that, 2020 was mostly devoid of major first-party games, likely because of manufacturing issues in China and the impact of COVID-19. Fans who are hoping for Breath of the Wild 2 or a significant remake of another Zelda title will probably have to wait a little longer, even though this year is the Zelda franchise's 35th anniversary and Nintendo is sure to do something to celebrate. The disappointment in the remaster collection released for Mario's 35th anniversary, which was last year, is likely one reason why devotees are turning to fan-made creations rather than Nintendo's own offerings.
The Mario anniversary collection can be partly excused because of the difficulties of COVID-19, but now that things are coming a little more under control, Nintendo has a chance to right things with whatever they decide to do to celebrate Zelda's anniversary. Fans are hungry for new content, but at times, it feels as though Nintendo isn't listening to what series enthusiasts really want, resulting in a frustrating experience all around. In the meantime, those who want more of Hyrule and Ocarina of Time will have to check out Yianni Papazis' and other fans' amazing creations.
Source: Yianni Papazis