Ocarina Of Time Gets Surprise Emulation Fix On Switch

It seems Nintendo might be listening to Switch Online fans regarding emulation issues with some of the classic games it offers. Following a January 20 NSO update, which brought Rare’s 1998 N64 platformer Banjo-Kazooie to the subscription service, it appears that water in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been improved. This could be a good sign for future emulation quality on Nintendo Switch Online.


As spotted by VGC, Ocarina of Time’s infamous Water Temple has seen its graphics tweaked slightly to look a little better. If you recall, the Water Temple is where Link confronts his Shadow form. It’s a pivotal moment in the game that drew ire from fans for missing reflections when Ocarina became available on Nintendo Switch Online. In properly emulated versions, the building and tree are mirrored in the water and the arena is permeated with fog, but that’s not the case with the NSO version.


Without the reflecting water and foggy atmosphere, the mood of the iconic Ocarina of Time boss encounter is greatly harmed in the NSO release.


However, according to Nintendo dataminers LuigiBlood and OatmealDome, it appears the water issues in Ocarina of Time have been improved ever so slightly, putting them a little closer to, say, the GameCube rerelease of the game.


Read the full article on Kotaku