Key Takeaways
- Speedrunners have discovered a new glitch in the Nintendo Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that allows Young Link to complete the Shadow Temple.
- Completing the dungeon triggers the game’s automatic transition to Adult Link, resulting in a hilarious character-model distortion during certain cutscenes.
- The glitch can make Link appear stretched and unusually proportioned, with the problem also visible in scenes following the dungeon.
- Speedrunner ZFG has confirmed that one remaining obstacle is preventing the trick from becoming a fully usable speedrunning strategy.
- The discovery is another example of how players are finding unexpected ways to break Nintendo’s recently released remake.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has barely been available on Nintendo Switch 2 for a week, but players are already finding some ridiculous ways to break it. The latest discovery involves a special glitch that allows players to complete the Shadow Temple while controlling Young Link, something that isn’t supposed to happen during a normal playthrough. However, the biggest surprise comes after finishing the dungeon, when Link’s appearance gets completely messed up.
Instead of smoothly transitioning into his adult form, the game appears to mix up the two versions of its protagonist during certain cutscenes. The result is a hilariously distorted Link with stretched proportions and an appearance that looks more like a character model accidentally pulled apart by a developer than the Hero of Time.
The discovery has already attracted attention from the Zelda speedrunning community, with players sharing clips and screenshots of the bizarre results. While the trick could eventually become useful for completing the game faster, there is still one obstacle preventing speedrunners from incorporating it into a proper route.
Ocarina of Time Remake Glitch Makes Young Link Look Completely Broken
The latest discovery comes from Zelda speedrunners experimenting with the movement mechanics in the Nintendo Switch 2 remake. By using a sequence-breaking technique, players have managed to access sections of the adventure that would normally require Link to become an adult first.
The Shadow Temple discovery is particularly interesting because it allows players to complete the entire dungeon while still controlling Young Link. Under normal circumstances, the dungeon is designed for Adult Link, meaning players are expected to progress through the story and obtain the necessary equipment before entering it.
However, the newly discovered glitch bypasses that intended progression. Once players defeat the dungeon’s boss and complete the Shadow Temple, the game automatically advances Link to his adult timeline. That’s where things get strange.
The remake appears to struggle when handling certain cutscenes after the sequence break. Instead of displaying Adult Link correctly, the game produces a distorted character model that mixes elements of his younger and older appearances.
Link’s body becomes stretched and oddly proportioned, creating an appearance that Zelda fans have already found hilarious. The issue isn’t limited to one isolated screenshot either, as players have shared footage showing the bizarre character model appearing in subsequent scenes.
One particularly entertaining example involves the Temple of Light sequence, where Link’s distorted appearance continues to be visible after completing the Shadow Temple.
Players can see the original footage shared by Zelda speedrunner ZFG on X, where the unusual results of the glitch are on full display.
How the Shadow Temple Glitch Works in Ocarina of Time
The trick is part of a larger collection of sequence-breaking exploits that players have started discovering since the remake launched on November 5, 2026.
Speedrunners have already found several ways to manipulate Link’s movement, allowing him to reach locations that would normally be inaccessible at certain points in the story. Some of these techniques involve repeatedly switching between items while airborne, while others use unusual jumping mechanics to gain significantly more height than intended.
One particularly useful discovery involves chaining jumps through carefully timed item switches. Players can use these techniques to reach higher platforms and bypass sections of the environment that would otherwise require solving puzzles or finding specific items.
These exploits can also create situations in which the game loses track of which version of Link should be appearing in a particular sequence. Since Ocarina of Time revolves around two separate timelines, the remake has to account for Young Link and Adult Link appearing in different locations and story events.
When players bypass those intended progression steps, certain cutscenes can end up displaying the wrong version of the character. This is what creates the stretched and distorted appearance seen in the latest Shadow Temple discovery.
The result isn’t necessarily a permanent change to Link’s appearance. Rather, it is a visual problem caused by reaching story sequences in an order the game wasn’t designed to handle.
Speedrunner ZFG Says One Obstacle Remains Before the Trick Can Be Used in Runs
Although completing the Shadow Temple as Young Link is already an impressive discovery, speedrunners aren’t quite ready to start using it in their regular runs.
ZFG, one of the community members documenting the remake’s emerging glitches, explained that the technique still has one major roadblock that needs to be overcome before it can become a practical speedrunning strategy.
The main problem involves what happens after the automatic transition to Adult Link. Completing the Shadow Temple as a child bypasses certain expected progression steps, leaving players without some of the items normally required to continue the adventure.
In particular, the sequence break can leave players without the Song of Time, which creates problems when trying to access later story content and obtain important equipment such as the Fairy Bow. Without the necessary progression, finishing the game becomes another challenge altogether.
This means the current discovery is more of a proof of concept than a fully developed shortcut. Speedrunners will need to find another way around the remaining progression obstacle before the trick can potentially save meaningful time in a complete run.
Still, the remake has only been available for a few days, so there is plenty of room for the community to discover additional tricks and workarounds.
Ocarina of Time Remake Is Already Being Broken by Speedrunners
The Shadow Temple discovery is far from the only unusual exploit players have found in Nintendo’s remake. The speedrunning community has already been experimenting with several movement tricks that can send Link flying through the air or allow him to access areas much earlier than intended.
One technique involves repeatedly switching between a Deku Stick and another item during an aerial attack. With precise timing, players can chain the movement and continue gaining height, effectively allowing Link to perform multiple jumps in succession.
Another exploit uses a technique known as actor jumping, which can produce even more extreme movement and allow players to reach otherwise inaccessible sections of Hyrule.
Players have also discovered ways to reach certain chests and story locations out of their intended order. These discoveries can produce unusual cutscenes, particularly when the game expects Young Link but the player arrives as an adult, or vice versa.
Interestingly, Nintendo introduced a dedicated jump button in the remake, replacing the original game’s familiar approach of jumping automatically when running off a ledge. The updated movement system makes exploration more flexible, but it has also created new opportunities for players who enjoy finding unintended mechanics.
Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time Remake Has Already Received Strong Reviews
The unexpected glitches haven’t stopped the new Ocarina of Time from becoming one of Nintendo Switch 2’s most talked-about releases. The remake launched on November 5, 2026, bringing the classic Nintendo 64 adventure back with a complete visual overhaul and several modern gameplay improvements.
Nintendo has rebuilt much of Hyrule with significantly more detailed environments, updated character models, improved animations, and fully voiced cutscenes. The soundtrack has also received new orchestral arrangements, giving familiar locations and story moments a different atmosphere.
Several gameplay changes make the adventure more approachable for modern players as well. Link now has direct jumping and sprinting options, while the camera controls have been updated to make exploration considerably smoother.
One of the more interesting additions is Threads of Time, a feature that helps players keep track of their progress and understand where they should head next. Nintendo has also introduced the Hall of Fallen Foes, which acts as a bestiary and provides additional challenges for players who want to test their combat skills.
The remake received particularly strong reviews after its review embargo lifted on November 4. It reached a Metacritic score of 96 based on more than 80 critic reviews at the time, putting it among the highest-rated releases of 2026.
Although some longtime fans have criticized the lack of a Master Quest mode, the overall reception has been overwhelmingly positive. The remake retains the original adventure’s structure while introducing enough visual and gameplay improvements to make another journey through Hyrule feel worthwhile.
Players looking to revisit the opening sections can also check out our Ocarina of Time remake Great Deku Tree dungeon walkthrough for help getting through Link’s first major dungeon.
Could Ocarina of Time Get a Master Quest DLC?
There is also speculation that Nintendo could have more content planned for the remake. Recent datamining discussions have raised the possibility of a Master Quest mode being added through a future update or downloadable expansion.
Master Quest originally offered a more challenging version of Ocarina of Time, featuring rearranged dungeon layouts, tougher puzzles, and different enemy placements. The mode was introduced with the GameCube version and later returned in Ocarina of Time 3D.
Its absence from the Switch 2 remake has disappointed some longtime fans, particularly those who have already completed the original adventure multiple times.
However, Nintendo has not announced a Master Quest DLC, and the reported datamined information should not be treated as confirmation that additional dungeon content is coming.
For now, players will have to wait for an official announcement before knowing whether Nintendo intends to expand the remake with additional challenges.
Ocarina of Time’s Speedrunning Community Is Just Getting Started
The latest Shadow Temple glitch is another reminder that even a game as familiar as Ocarina of Time can surprise players decades after its original release. Nintendo has given the classic adventure a fresh presentation and updated controls, but speedrunners are already finding ways to push those systems far beyond their intended limits.
The distorted version of Link might not be the kind of visual improvement Nintendo had in mind when rebuilding the character for Switch 2, but it has certainly provided the Zelda community with something to laugh about.
More importantly, the discovery could eventually have implications for speedrunning if players manage to solve the remaining progression problem. With the remake still in its first week, there is a good chance that even more unusual exploits will emerge as the community spends additional time examining its mechanics.
For now, players will have to settle for watching Link’s bizarre transformation and waiting to see whether speedrunners can turn the Shadow Temple trick into a legitimate shortcut.
