Nintendo is set to release *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* for the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026. The fact that the game’s CERO rating includes a “Horror” icon has sparked a lot of discussion.
This remake has been rated CERO B, with icons for “Fear,” “Sexual Content,” and “Violence” all appearing alongside it.
*The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. It was later remade as *Ocarina of Time 3D* for the 3DS in 2011, and this Nintendo Switch 2 version marks its second remake.
Both the N64 version of *Ocarina of Time* released on Wii/Wii U and *Ocarina of Time 3D* were rated CERO A (All Ages) (Reference: Title search on CERO),according to the Nintendo Store page, the Switch 2 version of *Ocarina of Time* has been rated CERO B (Ages 12 and up).
The content icons indicating the basis for this *Ocarina of Time*’s rating include four categories: “Sexual,” “Violence,” “Fear,” and “Crime.”
It may be that, as the hardware’s capabilities have improved, elements of “fear” and “violence” in the game—which previously went unnoticed—have now become significant enough to warrant a rating…
Given the appearance of the Re-Ded and other elements, many people likely have scary memories of the original game. It seems reasonable to interpret this as the game’s horror elements finally being formally recognized through the CERO rating.
Note that according to the U.S. ESRB rating, the Switch version of *Ocarina of Time* is rated E10+ (for ages 10 and up), the same as the 3DS version *Ocarina of Time 3D*; however,unlike the CERO rating, which includes a “Sexual” designation, the ESRB rating has removed the “Suggestive Themes” category. It’s possible that the characters’ outfits might differ between the Japanese and international versions…
The Nintendo Switch 2 version of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* is scheduled for release on November 5.
