Ocarina of Time Story Recap: The Original Plot Before the Remake

How does the story begin?

Link lives among the Kokiri, forest children who each have a guardian fairy. Link is the only one without one, until the Great Deku Tree sends the fairy Navi to wake him.

The Deku Tree has been cursed by a Gerudo man from the desert. Link enters the tree and defeats the parasite Gohma, but it is too late: the Deku Tree tells Link to seek the princess at Hyrule Castle, hands him the Kokiri’s Emerald, and dies.

Why does Link collect the Spiritual Stones?

At Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda tells Link about her dream: dark clouds over Hyrule, and a boy from the forest bringing light. She believes the Gerudo king Ganondorf, who has sworn loyalty to her father, is really after the Triforce, the sacred relic in the Sacred Realm.

Her plan is to get to the Triforce first. That needs the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time to open the Door of Time in the Temple of Time. Zelda’s attendant Impa teaches Link Zelda’s Lullaby.

Link earns the other two stones:

• The Goron’s Ruby from Darunia, after clearing Dodongo’s Cavern. Darunia names Link his sworn brother.
• The Zora’s Sapphire from Princess Ruto, after rescuing her inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. To the Zoras, this counts as an engagement ring.

What happens at the Door of Time?

Link returns to find the castle under attack. Impa rides away with Zelda, who throws the Ocarina of Time into the castle moat for Link. Ganondorf chases them.

Link plays the Song of Time, the Door of Time opens, and he pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal. This is the twist: opening the door also opens the way to the Sacred Realm, and Ganondorf follows Link inside and claims the Triforce.

Because Link was too young to be the Hero of Time, his spirit is sealed for seven years. He wakes as an adult in the Chamber of Sages, where Rauru, the Sage of Light, explains what happened.

What is Hyrule like seven years later?

Ganondorf rules Hyrule, and monsters roam the land. A mysterious Sheikah named Sheik guides Link and teaches him the warp songs.

To break Ganondorf’s hold, Link must awaken six Sages. Five of them are people he met as a child:

After the Forest Temple, the Deku Tree Sprout tells Link he is not a Kokiri at all. He is a Hylian, brought to the forest as a baby by his dying mother during a war.

The Spirit Temple is the only temple Link must clear as both a child and an adult.

Who is Sheik?

Once all six Sages awaken, Sheik reveals that she is Princess Zelda. When Ganondorf touched the Triforce, it split into three parts:

• Power stayed with Ganondorf.
• Wisdom went to Zelda.
• Courage went to Link.

Zelda gives Link the Light Arrows, but Ganondorf seizes her and carries her to his castle.

How does Ocarina of Time end?

Link breaks the barriers in Ganon’s Castle with the Sages’ help and defeats Ganondorf at the top of the tower. The castle collapses, and Link and Zelda escape. Ganondorf rises from the rubble and turns into the beast Ganon. Link wins, and the Sages seal Ganon away in the Sacred Realm.

Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood, so he can live the years he lost. Navi leaves him. In the final scene, child Link meets Zelda again in the castle courtyard, before any of it has happened.

What will feel different in the remake?

The story beats above are the same in the trailers, but Nintendo says the cutscenes are expanded and fully voiced, with more dialogue throughout. Link still doesn’t speak. You can also hum the songs into the Switch 2 microphone, and a new Threads of Time tapestry tracks how far the story has come.

See the full remake vs N64 changes list, or where to buy the remake if you’re ready. When you’re playing, our walkthrough and tracker will help you find everything you missed in 1998.