Nintendo explains the puppet-like look of the Ocarina of Time remake, and the new 200-ruby wallet raises questions about the Skulltula quest ahead of the November 5 launch.
Ahead of the November 5 launch of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo explained why the characters in the remake look so puppet-like. In the second part of the *Ask the Developer* interview series (Vol. 24), Art Director Aya Shida and Producer Eiji Aonuma explain that the look—which has caused a stir in the community—was a deliberate choice.
The character designs for the remake have divided fans of the series since its announcement. Shida said the team initially considered how it could leverage the Switch 2’s capabilities to explore new forms of visual expression. “An obvious direction would have been to create a highly detailed world that could actually exist. But our goal wasn’t simply to make everything realistic.” Instead, the art department worked based on two key concepts: a puppet theater feel and the analog look of films with practical effects.
The Young Team’s Nostalgia as the Catalyst
In preparation, the team created sketches of Link, Zelda, and other characters, built a 3D model of the Great Deku Tree, carefully fine-tuned its lighting and textures, and presented it to Aonuma. Aonuma, who worked on the original N64 game in 1998 as one of the original developers, said: “Back then, we thought we were creating something that was technically cutting-edge for its time. We weren’t trying to create something nostalgic. But after all these years, today’s team feels a certain nostalgia when looking at the original, and the attempt to express that led to an analog, puppet-theater-like feel. As one of the original developers, this approach made sense to me.”
Nearly 28 years separate the original N64 game from the remake. Shida said that the contrast between the dark, beautiful world of Hyrule and the colorful, whimsical characters was what gave the original its mysterious, dreamlike charm. Capturing that balance was one of the main themes of the art work.
New Wallet Raises Questions About the Skulltula Collection
In addition to the visuals, a gameplay change has sparked discussion. According to preview reports, Link carries up to 200 rubies from the start in the remake—more than twice the 99 rubies in the original. In the 1998 original, a purse holding 200 rubies was the reward for collecting ten Golden Skulltula Tokens in the collection quest involving the cursed family in Kakariko Village. Nintendo has not revealed whether it has replaced this reward in the remake.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026.
