Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Remake Limited-Time Free Download Officially Confirmed

Published Oct 22, 2026, 6:15 AM EDT

James is a gaming writer from London who has spent thousands of hours exploring titles from every genre. Though he has a particular affinity for multiplayer titles like World of Warcraft, Destiny 2 and League of Legends, he has also put thousands of hours into single-player experiences, from deep RPGs to epic PC strategies. When he's not playing or writing, he can usually be found supporting his beloved Brentford FC.

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Though Nintendo obviously haven't been super shy about bringing old Legend of Zelda games back in the past, the upcoming release of Ocarina of Time really does feel like a bit of a moment for older fans. Those of us who grew up playing the original (myself included) are largely tied to it on an emotional level, and seeing it return for a new generation can only be seen as a good thing.

It was also one of the best games ever at the time of its original release, and if it can replicate that same sense of magic, then it could easily have the chops to be one of the best arrivals of the year. However, it does turn out when it gets here in November, if you are planning to play it on launch, there's a freebie you can get your hands on at no extra effort.

As first reported by GoNintendo, the developer is offering players the chance to pick up a free wallpaper without having to do anything beyond buying the game. Specifically, Nintendo has confirmed that those who manage to purchase the digital version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time before Nov 23 at 11:59pm PT will get a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary digital wallpaper as an early purchase bonus.

And a very nice wallpaper it is too, featuring art from lots of the games that have dropped over the years, all rendered on top of a tessellating Triforce pattern that makes the whole thing pretty unique. It also comes in a bunch of different formats that allow it to fit natively on different screens, whether they are portrait or landscape.

If you haven't decided whether or not you want to commit to buying Ocarina of Time (which is understandable given all that's on the way next month), the description of the changes made this time around may help:

"Enjoy completely overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, and symphonic orchestral music. You can also jump and dash through the action with enhanced controls and modern camera movements, making this an excellent entry point into the Legend of Zelda™ series!"

It's interesting because it likely means that there won't be a ton of additional content, beyond refreshed versions of what we got back in 1998. The recent release of Star Fox was a relatively similar situation, with the changes made not necessarily going far enough for everyone's liking, and there were calls for future remakes from Nintendo to really lean into additional content.

This latest version of Ocarina of Time is set to drop on November 5, giving you a couple of weeks to explore everything it has to offer if you do plan on playing Grand Theft Auto VI. You do have a few weeks after the official launch day to buy the game and take advantage of the offering of a free wallpaper though, so don't feel as though you are being rushed into making a decision on that front, at the behest of Nintendo.