This year in video games, I\u2019ve swung a digital sword more times than I can count. Thrilling action games like Onimusha: Way of the Sword<\/em> and Phantom Blade Zero<\/em> have gotten the feel of a sword fight down to a science, as steel clashes and sparks fly in spectacular fashion. But my favorite duels of the year aren\u2019t in any of this year\u2019s most razor-sharp action games; they\u2019re all in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Switch 2 remake builds on the combat of Link\u2019s 1998 adventure in careful but effective fashion. The Master Sword feels more powerful than ever thanks to killer sound design and a bit of visual pizazz on impact. What the remake doesn\u2019t do, however, is change Link\u2019s moves to give him the most widely used trick in modern action games: the parry. There\u2019s no deflection to be found in Ocarina of Time<\/em>\u2019s remake, and that makes a seemingly simple combat system stand out in an unexpectedly refreshing way.<\/p>\n Compared to many modern games, Ocarina of Time<\/em>\u2019s swordplay doesn\u2019t require much mastery from players. Aside from a charged spin attack and a leaping slash, Link\u2019s offensive options are limited. Lock on, swing the sword, hit the enemy, and that\u2019s basically all you need to know. Sure, you can block attacks with your shield or use one of your items to switch it up, but you\u2019re always going to follow the same motions to take out a Deku Baba with consistent strikes.<\/p>\n One of my questions heading into the remake was about how much Nintendo would modernize that approach. After all, lots of remakes and remasters these days make reworked combat a priority; just this year, we\u2019ve seen that in projects like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered <\/em>and Assassin\u2019s Creed Black Flag Resynced<\/em>. Rather than following that wave, Nintendo chose to keep Link\u2019s offense relatively unchanged. That can take some getting used to if you play a lot of modern action games that all seem to have some version of a parry, or at least some kind of counterattack.<\/p>\n The quicker you acclimate to Ocarina of Time<\/em>\u2019s throwback action, though, the quicker you\u2019ll come to appreciate its elegance. Fights aren\u2019t meant to be long duels against evenly-matched opponents; Link is a master of his craft and can dispatch virtually any enemy in a few hits. Precision and timing are key as you patiently wait for your opening before lunging forward with a strike. The same goes for Link\u2019s evasive maneuvers, which allow him to sidestep and backflip away from incoming attacks. It only takes a few Stalfos encounters to learn their attacks and lock down the right dodge and attack follow-up timing to take one out quickly.<\/p>\n In my review, I compared that to the experience of playing Punch-Out!!<\/em>. <\/em>The classic NES game\u2019s staying power comes from the fact that every fight hinges on you learning each enemy\u2019s tells and reacting to them accordingly. Every boxing match is a dance, and you have to learn your half of it. Ocarina of Time <\/em>functions the same way, pushing you to hit all your marks rather than rush through a careful fight.<\/p>\n There are several fights in Ocarina of Time<\/em> that test your ability to follow that flow, especially the late-game Iron Knuckles who hit like a truck if you fail to dodge their attacks. The best skill check, though, comes during a clash with Dark Link in the Water Temple. It\u2019s the one time where you find yourself up against a fighter who is as efficient and precise as you, because it is <\/em>you. Patience is your greatest skill in a battle that will taunt you for swinging wildly while your shadowy foe seemingly has an answer to every mistake you make. It plays out like a theatrically staged fencing match. Once you feel that, every other fight clicks into place, too.<\/p>\n Though it may sound a little simple, Nintendo finds the right way to make every slash feel powerful. Every sword hit is accompanied by an impactful thwack <\/em>and an explosion of colorful particles. Even slashing the weakest enemies as Young Link feels spectacular, as if your blade has busted them open like a pinata. Those small touches make every hit feel important and satisfying to execute, rather than futile hits against a sponge. I can\u2019t say the same for something like GameFreak\u2019s summer not-quite-a-Soulslike Beast of Reincarnation<\/em>, where bosses fall to death by a thousand cuts.<\/p>\n It may sound strange to call a combat system rooted in 1998 design fresh, but it really is in a world where so many action games I play feel like variations on a theme. Ocarina of Time<\/em> may not impress modern players who look for expression in their combat, but you won\u2019t hear anyone labeling it a Soulslike or dubbing it \u201cparryslop.\u201d The battles have an unmistakable texture to them, born out of a focused design philosophy that suits an equally focused swordsman. Who needs a parry when no blade can cross you?<\/p>\n![\"Link](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-boss-fight.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image: Nintendo via Polygon<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Link](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-dark-link-fight.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image: Nintendo via Polygon<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n