Nintendo Recruits Original Ocarina of Time Artist to Create New Map for Upcoming Switch 2 Remake

Director HokWai Ng reveals Nintendo commissioned the original 1998 illustrator of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to draw a new world map for the Switch 2 remake.

Nintendo has revealed an interesting connection between the original Nintendo 64 version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and its forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 remake. In a newly published developer interview, director HokWai Ng confirmed that Nintendo commissioned the artist responsible for the original game's illustrations to create a new map for the modern adaptation. The decision reflects the development team's intention to preserve the atmosphere and geographical identity of the 1998 adventure rather than completely redesign its world. According to Ng, the developers deliberately retained the original structure of separate geographical areas instead of transforming Hyrule into one uninterrupted open environment. This approach preserves the distinctive transitions between locations that helped establish the rhythm of the original game. The new illustrated map is intended to capture the same sense of discovery that accompanied the Nintendo 64 release. Ocarina of Time remains one of the most influential three-dimensional action adventures ever created, helping popularise targeting systems, context-sensitive interactions and cinematic environmental storytelling. Its world design also established a template that influenced numerous later games. The forthcoming remake is scheduled for November 5, although its final technical performance and reception remain to be established after release. Bringing back an original contributor provides an unusually direct connection between the historical production and the new version. For longtime fans, the involvement of the original artist may be particularly meaningful because maps and illustrations helped define how players imagined Hyrule beyond the limitations of Nintendo 64 graphics. Nearly three decades after Link first entered the Temple of Time, Nintendo has apparently discovered that the best way to revisit the past is to invite somebody who helped create it.