Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Is The Star Of Zelda's 40th Anniversary Plans

1 week ago 15

Young link with Navi over an image of Link riding Epona in Ocarina of Time

Published Jan 24, 2026, 7:00 AM EST

Lee D’Amato is a writer born, raised, and based in Queens, New York. With collective thousands of hours in games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Elden Ring, and The Legend of Zelda, he's now writes game features, guides, and reviews for Screen Rant, but has covered a wide range of topics, including ancient history, affordable travel, and overall health.

The Legend of Zelda series is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and Ocarina of Time is at the center of the festivities. Released in 1998 for the N64, Ocarina is a landmark game in the series, credited with several innovations that would shape not only the future of the series, but that of video games as a medium.

So it's only fitting that, for such a big occasion in Zelda history, one of its most iconic, influential, and enduring games should be at the forefront. Here's why (and how) Nintendo is celebrating Ocarina of Time on Zelda's 40th anniversary.

Ocarina Of Time Is The Definitive Zelda

A High Point For The Series

Ocarina of Time. A young Link plays his ocarina while an adult Link stands behind with the Master Sword and Hylian Shield in hand. Both are surrounded by a cast of characters from the game.

Everyone has their opinion when it comes to the best Zelda game of all time. Link's Awakening, Twilight Princess, and Majora's Mask are all serious contenders, but the Metacritic scores don't lie: Ocarina of Time is still its highest-rated video game of all time with a score of 99.

There's a reason for that: when Ocarina was first released, it was groundbreaking. It was the first-ever 3D Zelda game, effectively setting a precedent for almost every major entry in the series to come out since. It was an early pioneer of two mechanics now common in all 3D action games: enemy lock-on, or Z-targeting, and context-sensitive buttons.

In short, Ocarina of Time would go on to define the next 20-odd years of 3D gaming, and that's not even to mention its own merits. These include a massive open world, a decade-spanning story that sees Link come of age and take on world-saving responsibilities, and one of the greatest soundtracks in Zelda history, which you yourself can contribute to with the interactive, puzzle-solving ocarina.

The combat is still thrilling, with boss fights that play out more like deadly puzzles. The open world is littered with secrets that reveal themselves gradually as you earn more and more items, making for a richly rewarding exploration experience.

It's The Perfect Way To Kick Off Zelda's 40th

Nintendo Celebrates With A New LEGO Set

Nintendo is celebrating all of Zelda's history this year: the original Legend of Zelda was first released in Japan on February 21, 1986, so 2026 will mark its official 40th birthday, even though the series didn't come to the west until the following year.

Although every Zelda game is up for celebration, Ocarina of Time is likely to take center stage, and deservedly so. Nintendo has already announced a collaboration with LEGO, with a 1,000-piece set depicting the final boss battle from OOT to be available just weeks after the series celebrates its anniversary.

It also includes three minifigures of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. You'll also be able to build Navi, the Master Sword, and the Megaton Hammer as part of the set.

Nintendo is doubtless planning lots of other ways to celebrate The Legend of Zelda this year; there'll be new merch, including a record set, and, hopefully, a sale of all the Zelda games available for Switch. No matter what, though, it looks like Ocarina of Time will take center stage on this momentous occasion.