The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - review

In 1998, at arguably the height of its creative powers, Nintendo released a game that is commonly regarded as the finest ever made. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is considered the pinnacle of game design; an action-adventure par excellence which has inspired countless other titles. Though Nintendo has rereleased the game several times, this 3D version, launched to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Zelda series, is the first time it hasn't appeared in its original form.

The makeover, courtesy of little-known developer Grezzo Co, helps to breathe new visual life into a game whose looks had undeniably faded. Though emerging on to the vast plains of Hyrule Field can't possibly have the dazzling impact it had more than a decade ago, especially given the disparity between handheld and TV screens, Ocarina's world looks brighter and crisper than ever. Shops and towns throb with detail, just as graphical tweaks for the menagerie of monsters found in and outside the puzzle-ridden dungeons augment the still striking creature design.

Nudging the console's 3D slider upwards completes the picture. The added depth makes navigation easier, while arresting effects abound – fairy helper Navi swoops in and out of the screen as she follows elfin hero Link, while fireflies appear to hover gently in the space just above your thumbs. Meanwhile, outdoor areas seem to stretch wider and farther than in the N64 original, with the moon rising and falling in the distance.

Yet these cosmetic nips and tucks are not the only adjustments. The gyroscopic sensor in the 3DS hardware is put to good use, allowing you to aim from a first-person perspective by moving the console around; awkward when playing on public transport, perhaps, but a godsend when firing Link's slingshot at fast-moving foes. An elegant and entirely optional hint system is a welcome sop to newcomers, while a host of additional features adds extra value to what is already a substantial quest.

These changes help to modernise a game now two generations old, but even without such revisions, Ocarina feels timeless. It is, simply, a rollicking good adventure: an exciting and epic fairy tale that satisfies the mind, the reflexes and the heart in equal measure. To venture into the world of Hyrule is to be enriched and enraptured by a game that remains, 13 years on, the one to beat.