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Japanese gaming company Nintendo has set a launch-sales record for the Nintendo Switch 2 with the reworked version of “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” first released in 1998. The game, released Nov. 5 for the console, sold more than 5.2 million copies worldwide in its first four days.
Priced at $59.99, the game has increased interest in Nintendo’s new-generation console, Bloomberg reported.
According to an official statement Nintendo released Nov. 11, 810,000 of the first four days' sales were in Japan. The company said the figure is the highest four-day global total to date among Switch 2 games published by Nintendo. The sales data covers both physical and digital copies.
First released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, “Ocarina of Time” is among the highest-rated video games in history.
The game follows Link as he tries to free the kingdom of Hyrule from the villain Ganondorf. Players travel between Link’s childhood and adulthood, solving puzzles using different abilities and items.
For the 40th anniversary of the series, Nintendo fully redid the graphics in the new version. Character dialogue was expanded, voice acting was added to cinematic scenes and symphonic orchestra arrangements were added to the music.
Camera and motion controls were updated to modern gaming standards. A smartphone service called Zelda Notes also offers new features to assist players during their adventures.
The new “Ocarina of Time” has also received high scores from critics. It holds 96 out of 100 on Metacritic, which compiles game reviews, placing it among the highest-rated games of 2026.
GamesRadar reported that critics welcomed Nintendo’s decision to preserve the original game's atmosphere while making significant visual and technical updates.
The original 1998 release remains among the highest-rated games of all time, with a Metacritic score of 99.
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