Zelda: Ocarina of Time mod transforms the N64 classic’s 3D visuals

Nintendo is officially developing a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but a modder is already offering a fresh take on Hyrule — quite literally.

Modder Reonu has introduced a new mod for Ocarina of Time that transforms all the game’s pre-rendered 2D backgrounds into true 3D environments.

“I’ve been working on this for over a year,” he shares. The working title is OoT unJPEG. While a version of Ocarina of Time exists on the 3DS, Reonu aims to capture the original game’s aesthetic. To enhance the mod further, it will be available for the Zelda 64 Recompiled project and as a ROM hack that can run on actual Nintendo 64 hardware. Getting it to function on the original console has been a challenge, requiring Reonu to develop custom CPU culling code.

A video showcasing the mod provides a glimpse into Reonu’s work. Ocarina of Time relied heavily on 2D images for backgrounds due to the limitations of the Nintendo 64’s hardware, similar to how classic films used matte paintings to depict expansive cityscapes or stunning vistas. OoT unJPEG replaces these 2D images with fully rendered 3D environments. In some instances, the original 2D images may appear superior, primarily due to the placeholder textures currently in use. Reonu acknowledges his texture-making skills aren’t the best and is seeking help from texture artists to elevate the project.

Another noteworthy feature of OoT unJPEG is its performance optimizations. Reonu has crafted original code to ensure the mod runs smoothly on the original hardware. The performance demonstrated in the teaser video is already impressive, but Reonu has taken it a step further. The market area from Ocarina of Time has been merged into a single environment, eliminating the original game’s load screens. If similar enhancements are included in the full mod release, it could offer a captivating way to experience this classic Nintendo 64 title. While there’s no set release date for OoT unJPEG, fans can keep an eye on Reonu’s social media for updates.

Nintendo is also set to release a new version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a complete remake of the N64 classic for the Switch 2.