Buying guide
Zelda: Ocarina of Time — buying the N64 original or the 3DS version
Ocarina of Time came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1998 as the first Zelda in 3D. In 2011 it returned as Ocarina of Time 3D for the Nintendo 3DS: the same game, rebuilt by Grezzo. Two versions, one adventure — and one difference that decides a used purchase: only the cartridge has a save battery.
The short answer
Playing on original hardware: the N64 cartridge — the version as it was meant, but ask about the save battery. Mainly want to play it through: Ocarina of Time 3D — sharper picture, a save on flash memory and Master Quest included. Both consoles are region-locked: a European console takes a PAL copy, and every listing of ours states the region.
Why this game
In 1998 Ocarina of Time introduced the targeting system that locks onto an enemy and lets you circle it (Z-targeting), the horse Epona, and the jump between Link as a child and as an adult. Almost every 3D action game that followed still leans on that first idea.
N64 or 3DS?
The 3DS version is the same game, rebuilt: sharper graphics, a higher frame rate, the items on the lower screen, and the harder Master Quest on the same cartridge. The story, the dungeons and the music are unchanged. It plays on the whole 3DS family, 2DS and New 3DS included.
The N64 cartridge is the version as it was meant, on the controller it was designed for. The difference that matters when buying used: the cartridge keeps your progress on a battery that can be flat after twenty-plus years — then the save is lost when you switch off. The 3DS version saves to flash memory and does not have that problem. We test saving on both and state what we find.
What to check on a used copy
- The save battery (N64). Save, power off, restart. A flat cell means the game plays but keeps nothing — we test it on every cartridge and put the result in the listing.
- The region. The Nintendo 64 is region-locked: cartridge slot and video standard differ, so a European console takes a PAL copy. The 3DS is region- locked too. We mostly stock PAL and state the region in every listing.
- Function and condition. Every copy is play-tested on real hardware and described honestly — good or fair condition, with label, shell or box as they are.
Playing it on original hardware? We keep tested Nintendo 64 games on the shelf; the 3DS version sits with our Nintendo 3DS list.
Buy it already tested
Every Ocarina of Time we sell — N64 or 3DS — has been play-tested and save-tested on real hardware, with the region and the battery status stated. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked from the Netherlands to all 27 EU countries — no customs inside the EU.
See Ocarina of Time in stockQuestions we get asked
What is the difference between Ocarina of Time and Ocarina of Time 3D?
It is the same game. The 3DS version from 2011 was rebuilt by Grezzo with sharper graphics, a higher frame rate and the items on the lower screen, and it includes the harder Master Quest. The story, the dungeons and the music are the same.
Does the save still work on an N64 cartridge?
That depends on the battery inside the cartridge — Ocarina of Time uses one for the save. After twenty-plus years they are often flat, and then your progress is lost when you switch off. We test saving before sale and put the result in the listing; the 3DS version saves to flash memory and does not have this problem.
Will an N64 copy play on my European console?
Only if it is a PAL copy: the cartridge slot and the video standard differ per region, and the Nintendo 64 is region-locked. The region is always in the product description, and we mostly stock PAL.
Which consoles play Ocarina of Time 3D?
The whole 3DS family — 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL, 2DS and New 2DS XL. The 3DS is region-locked as well, so a European cartridge for a European console; we state the region in every listing.
Why is Ocarina of Time so important?
In 1998 it introduced the targeting system that locks onto an enemy and lets you move around it (Z-targeting), the horse Epona, and the jump between Link as a child and as an adult. Almost every 3D action game that followed still leans on that first idea.
N64 or 3DS — which version should I get?
Playing on original hardware, the N64 cartridge is the version as it was meant — mind the battery status above. If you mainly want to play it through, the 3DS version is the practical choice: sharper picture, a reliable save, and it plays on the 2DS and New 3DS too.
Where it fits in the series: all Zelda games in order — or all Zelda games on the shelf.
Dutch reader? Zelda: Ocarina of Time kopen — dezelfde gids in het Nederlands.