For many gamers, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the greatest video games of all time. Its fantastic story, mechanics, and music instantly transport you back in time, making this title an endless source of nostalgia. However, Nintendo hasn't given this game the attention it deserves over the years. Although there was a remaster for the Nintendo 3DS, we've always felt that Ocarina of Time deserved much more. And it's no coincidence that so many indie developers are creating their own remakes of this masterpiece.
Ocarina of Time fangame level up with UE5
A few months ago, we told you about a programmer who was creating his own ultra-realistic version of Ocarina of Time using Unreal Engine 5. RwanLink's results were quite interesting, but we never really expected the hypothetical game to ever reach our computers. However, for all these years, the developer CryZENx has been working on his version of the game, and this time there are ways to download and play it at home.
CryZENx has been working on his own remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for years . He started in Unreal Engine 4 and has refined every detail of the game to make it much more modern. The creator has periodically uploaded videos showcasing his improvements. CryZENx's Zelda versions are available to his Patreon supporters.
Just a few days ago, CryZENx announced to his community that he had successfully ported his fangame to Unreal Engine 5. For now, his backers can only enjoy a small downloadable demo. However, we have seen a video that details the technical improvements the game has achieved thanks to the engine change.
As he mentions on YouTube, transitioning from one engine to another wasn't easy, but seeing the results, he has absolutely no regrets. The game has benefited enormously in terms of lighting, textures, and reflections. Thanks to the change, the fangame is now also compatible with DLSS , Nvidia's technology that allows for increased frame rates thanks to the Tensor Cores on GeForce RTX cards. We assume that in a few months, this UE5 version will be available to his Patreon members.
Could Nintendo do a similar project?
If a programmer can do a project like this at home with virtually no help, why doesn't Nintendo do something similar? It's been 24 years since Ocarina of Time was released. Objectively speaking, the game is no longer visually appealing, as the video game industry has changed and newer generations are unlikely to be drawn to it.
Projects like this could land CryZENx in hot water, but once again, an independent developer proves they can single-handedly do the work of an entire company. Let's hope Nintendo takes note so that one day we can enjoy a true remake of Ocarina of Time . For now, it's almost confirmed that the next Nintendo Switch will support DLSS, so technically, the graphical step down won't be an obstacle.