The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Nintendo Switch 2 has become the highest-rated game of 2026 on review aggregator Metacritic, scoring 96. This places it above the previous frontrunner, Sektori, which holds a 93 rating.
The remake is set for release on Thursday, and reviews published earlier today confirmed its top position. Sektori originally launched on PC last year and was released on Switch 2 in May 2026.
Top 2026 rankings and all-time list
The rest of the year's top games are largely ports and remasters. Resident Evil 2: Deluxe Edition on Switch 2 ranks third with a score of 93, while The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered sits fourth with 92.
With its 96 score, the Zelda remake has also entered Metacritic's Best Games Of All Time list, currently at number 27. It sits ahead of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, the original Half-Life, and Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, all of which share the same score.
Comparison with the original
From Half-Life 2 at number 16 to GTA Double Pack at number 34, every entry has the same 96 score, seemingly ordered by the total number of reviews.
The remake has not beaten the original Nintendo 64 version of Ocarina of Time, which remains number one with a near-perfect 99. That rating is based on reviews from 28 years ago, and the methodology of its Metacritic score was questioned earlier this year.
Outlook for the rest of 2026
The only other game likely to top the 2026 list is GTA 6, set to launch worldwide on November 19. It may face more controversy compared to a polished remake of one of the best video games ever, making a unanimous consensus less certain.
The Ocarina of Time remake is Nintendo's big Christmas game for Switch 2, with the console's 2027 line-up including Metroid Ravenous, Kirby And The World Beyond, The Duskbloods, Xenoblade Genesis, and Pokémon Winds and Waves.
