The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hit Switch 2 today with a modernized control scheme that gives the game jump, sprint and a free camera. The changes make the classic adventure easier to play in some ways and more awkward in one very specific place: moving the camera while you hold sprint.
That is why the new controls are getting attention now. Anyone picking up the game on Switch 2 has to deal with the right stick camera and the sprint button at the same time, and that combination is what sends players looking for a better setup. Kyle Hilliard said the game is pretty excellent, and the control changes are part of why that is true.
The Switch 2 version also folds in quality-of-life improvements, which is the larger point of the remake beyond the visual upgrade. The game now lets players move with a free camera controlled by the right stick, jump more naturally and sprint without the old layout getting in the way of modern play. In practice, though, holding sprint can make it tricky to keep the camera exactly where you want it.
That is where the Switch 2 Pro Controller changes the equation. Its GL and GR back buttons can be remapped on a per-game basis through the Home menu, and for this game the writer says mapping A to GL and X to GR makes the most sense. With GL doing the dashing, a player can move fast without taking a thumb off the camera stick, while A still handles actions such as opening a chest or a door.
The setup also points to how Nintendo is trying to modernize The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time without breaking what made it work. Rolling and dashing feel right on the back buttons, but the smarter mapping depends on how each person wants to balance movement and camera control. For now, the game is on Switch 2, the back buttons are there, and the cleanest answer may be to let players decide which hand does what.
