The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 includes changes to the Water Temple, one of gaming's most notorious dungeons. Director Eiji Aonuma stated that he wanted to address the temple's difficulty decades after creating it. "I had some overdue homework: I wanted to do something about the Water Temple I created 28 years ago," Aonuma said in a Nintendo developer interview. "Since it became well known for its difficulty in the original game, I had the team make some adjustments in this version."
The original Water Temple requires players to manage water levels across three settings to navigate a four-story structure. Players had to remember which doors controlled which water levels, creating a frustrating experience based on limited visual information.
The remake adds clearer signposting. Doors leading to water controls now display symbols showing exactly how the water level will change. Each of the three routes is color-coded with pipes that visually guide players to control rooms. Players following blue pipes, for example, will find marked pedestals with clear instructions.
A control scheme change also reduces friction. The ocarina now stays mapped to the D-pad at all times, and Iron Boots receive a quick swap button. This eliminates the need to juggle these essential items in the menu, freeing up inventory slots for other tools like the Hookshot. Players can manage remaining items through a quick menu on the R button without pausing.