Nintendo’s freshly released remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2 has quickly become a statistical outlier on Metacritic. Within just a few days of its launch, the title achieved the highest aggregate critic score of any game released in 2026, posting a 96‑out‑of‑100 rating. In addition, the remake earned an unprecedented user‑generated score of 9.6 out of 10, the highest ever recorded on the site.
Metacritic milestones
The dual achievements were highlighted by a Forbes report that noted the remake’s rapid ascent. The 96 critic aggregate makes the Ocarina of Time remake the top‑scoring 2026 release on Metacritic to date, a distinction that was confirmed after the platform updated its reviews a week ago. While the critic score is impressive, the user rating sets a new all‑time benchmark. More than 8,750 individual users have submitted scores, pushing the average to 9.6, a figure that surpasses every prior entry in Metacritic’s history.
For context, the original 1998 Nintendo 64 version of Ocarina of Time still holds the record for the highest critic rating on Metacritic, with a perfect 99 out of 100. That record has endured for decades, underscoring the significance of the remake’s performance on both fronts.
User scores and sample size
Although the user rating is based on a substantial pool of over eight thousand submissions, it is worth noting that Metacritic does not require proof of purchase for a user to post a score. Consequently, the platform’s methodology allows anyone to contribute a rating, which could introduce variability if individuals submit scores without having actually played the game.
The remake has been in consumers’ hands for just over four days at the time of reporting, meaning the current sentiment reflects very recent impressions. As more players engage with the title, the aggregate user score could shift, either reinforcing its record or adjusting downward.
Future outlook
While the Ocarina of Time remake currently dominates Metacritic’s user leaderboard, its reign may be challenged by upcoming releases. Notably, Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI is slated for release on November 19, and early anticipation suggests it could attract a massive player base that might impact user‑score rankings.
Regardless of potential competition, the remake’s early performance demonstrates strong consumer approval and critical endorsement. The visually enhanced version, praised for its “resplendent” graphics, appears to have resonated with both longtime fans and newcomers, reinforcing Nintendo’s strategy of revisiting classic titles for modern hardware.
Industry observers will likely continue to monitor how the scores evolve as the game’s install base expands and as other high‑profile releases enter the market later in the year.
Mitchell Landsberg is a Senior Technology Correspondent at News Raise. He covers consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, software developments, and digital privacy trends.
