Remake of Classic Zelda Inherits Open-World Frustration
The newly remade version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 retains many beloved elements of the original but adopts a cumbersome horizontal inventory system from Breath of the Wild, which critics argue disrupts the game's streamlined flow. This change, while seemingly minor, adds friction during gameplay by forcing players to navigate through cluttered menus for item management. The article highlights how this feature, originally introduced in Breath of the Wild, was not essential to the classic structure and now detracts from the remake’s otherwise faithful approach.
The newly remade version of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* on the Switch 2, released in November 2026, preserves many core elements of the original 1998 Nintendo 64 classic, including its linear structure, iconic dungeons, and time-travel narrative. However, it introduces a controversial UI change: the horizontal inventory menu first popularized in *The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild* (2017) and carried forward into later entries like *Tears of the Kingdom* (2023) and *Echoes of Wisdom* (2024). This menu displays all of Link’s items—weapons, magic spells, bottles, and tools—in a single scrollable line, forcing players to navigate through up to 30+ entries just to access a rarely used item. While the remake offers some improvements, such as D-pad access for key items like the ocarina and masks, the central inventory remains unwieldy. The article notes that even with these fixes, users often find it quicker to open the pause menu and manually equip items than to scroll through the horizontal line. This design choice is criticized not for being new, but for being inappropriately transplanted into a game that thrived on streamlined pacing. The decision reflects a broader trend in Nintendo’s recent titles, where open-world mechanics have influenced even traditionally linear experiences, despite prior criticism of the horizontal menu as inefficient and frustrating.
The background reveals a pattern: *Breath of the Wild* introduced the horizontal inventory as a pragmati
The controversy over the horizontal inventory menu reflects a broader societal tension between preserving legacy experiences and adapting them for modern expectations. Gamers who grew up with *Ocarina of Time* may feel alienated by changes that disrupt the game’s original rhythm, especially when those changes stem from open-world design principles better suited to different genres. This could affect player loyalty, particularly among long-time fans who value authenticity in remakes. The backlash may also influence how publishers approach remastering classic titles—potentially leading to more community-driven development or greater transparency in design choices. A comparable case is the 2017 *Final Fantasy VII Remake*, which faced criticism for altering pacing and narrative structure, sparking debate about what constitutes a faithful adaptation. In this context, Nintendo’s repeated use of the horizontal menu across multiple titles may signal a deeper institutional inertia rather than i