'What!?': Ocarina of Time Producer Admits Even the Zelda Team Was Shocked At Art Changes

Published Nov 5, 2026, 1:17 PM EST

Giovanni Colantonio is a video game journalist who has covered the industry for two decades. He was formerly a senior editor at Digital Trends and has contributed to publications like Inverse, Fanbyte, and Hard Drive. His specialty is criticism, as he’s focused on a modern approach to video game reviews that’s focused on the nuances of how interactivity communicates to players. He is currently a member of the New York Video Game Critics Circle.

If you initially weren’t sure what to think about Ocarina of Time’s new look, the developers behind the project understand. In an interview with Polygon, longtime Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma explained that the Zelda series’ constant art direction shifts can take the team itself off guard. But Aonuma believes that the cycle of shock and acceptance is very much part of the Zelda ethos.

When the Ocarina of Time remake was announced, players were immediately torn over its art — just as they were when Star Fox was revealed earlier this year. Snap reactions characterized the game as a typical Unreal Engine makeover with “Nintendo, hire this man!” energy. In discussing that with Aonuma, I mentioned that the reaction felt similar to that of Wind Waker when it was first revealed decades ago. Initially, the adventure’s cel-shaded art drew criticism from fans upon release who expected a more realistic Zelda game on GameCube. That judgment has aged poorly, considering that Wind Waker’s look is now widely hailed as timeless, but Aonuma empathizes with that cycle.

“Even ourselves, when we see a new art style for the very first time, sometimes we have that direct reaction of like, "What!?" And so we go through the same kind of cycle that you mentioned,” Aonuma told Polygon. “First there's a surprise moment, and then you get used to it. You really like it and you understand why it's a good fit for this game's unique qualities. So, if we can have other people experience that cycle as well, then I think surprise can be a good start for all of that. It's all about finding the best fit and sometimes that's a long road to finish that task.”

For Aonuma, the shapeshifting nature of Zelda’s art is as part of the series' DNA as Rupees and Moblins. Figuring out what a Zelda game should look like — even a remake, where the answer might seem obvious — is all about figuring out what best suits the story. In Ocarina of Time, for example, Aonuma says that the team settled on a “puppet show” feel to evoke a feeling of nostalgia. That’s the kind of thought that goes through the team’s mind when starting a new game.

“I think something that's kind of interesting about Zelda is you often have a very big graphical shift of art style from one title to the next,” Aonuma said. “But for us, it's all about finding the best fit, like what works well with the game and what we're trying to do here. It's not just change for change's sake, of course. Now you will have some similarities in games that are connected. So Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have a connected story, so you would understand why they share a similar art style. But if you don't have that connection, then it's really about finding the expression that works best for what you're trying to do there. And that art direction has to have its own unique feel.”

“If it's something that is expected, I think you're losing a bit of an opportunity in terms of having an impact on the player,” Aonuma said.

You can read our full interview with Eiji Aonuma and producer Hidemaro Fujibayashi, where the duo discussed how the remake came together, and the young generation of developers who made it possible.