Why The Legend of Zelda Oracle Games Need a Modern Makeover
Sarah Oconnor
Published May 15, 2026
By Published Apr 23, 2026, 9:01 PM EDT Megan Peters is the Deputy Editor at ScreenRant for comics, anime, and manga. Her career in entertainment journalism spans more than a decade as she built coverage lanes at ComicBook under CBS and Paramount following years of freelancing.
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Even after all these years, the charm behind 's Oracle games hasn't dimmed a bit. Developed by Capcom in 2001, the handheld series ushered in a bold new era for The Legend of Zelda, one that took Nintendo's hardware to the limit. The series brought two new games to shelves, and the top-tier 2D titles worked in tandem. As one focused on combat, the other took joy in puzzle solving and time travel. When played together, , so it's not surprising fans want to see the series get a modern remake. However, there's a big issue facing the comeback that few fans have considered.
If you do not see any issue with an Oracle reprisal, the situation is only obvious when you look at the series' in-game world. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons are definitely a product of their time. As games released in the early '00s, their delightful pixel art holds up to this day, but the same cannot be said for their aspect ratio. Modern gaming is used to wide views and expansive spaces, giving players plenty of maps to explore with a single glance. The Legend of Zelda, however, does the exact opposite with Oracle.
The handheld titles unfold their in-game map slowly, teasing fans with their surroundings whether they are in a dungeon or in the over world. As noted by X user , a modern remake of .
"This is exactly why I think Ages/Seasons remakes like LA Switch would utterly mess [with] level design intent. Seasons gated to certain areas, the mystique of not knowing what's beyond certain areas (Tarm Ruins, Sea of No Return) is just gone. They'd need to rework it all," the netizen shared, and it seems fans agree with the developer for the most part.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle Games Would Need A Complete Rework
The biggest issue facing a modern remake of Oracle has to do with map titles and the game's aspect ratio. Overworld tiles are 160x128, which is a 10:9 ratio if you add the 16-pixel height HUD, so they couldn't implement the same camera restrictions given the change in resolution," alexaugerdev shared with fans, going on to break down how dungeons work in the games. "The dungeons tiles, however, are 240x176, for a total of 240x192, which could work in a 16:9 ratio."
In order to get the aspect ratio correct in a remake, Nintendo would need to adjust its screen resolution for the Switch 2. If the remake wants to stay at a standard 16:9 ratio, The Legend of Zelda would need to add vertical scrolling to its remake unless it wants to give away all its map secrets. Much of the series relies on the element of surprise as Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons carefully curate its revelations. If the map's aspect ratio spoils a surprise because too much of its map is exposed, that is a massive problem.
What Is Our Next Zelda Remake?
It is clear that Nintendo will have to give The Legend of Zelda's Oracle series a very careful re-imagining should a remake be ordered. The makeover will not be easy, but in the meantime, Nintendo can pursue other remakes that are more straightforward. In fact, recent reports surfaced in early 2026 suggesting . With the game eyeing its 40th anniversary, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is very overdue for a full-on remake in the wake of its successful remaster. With , there's never been a better time to revisit the best-selling video game, so here's to hoping this Switch 2 rumor pans out.
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