Culture 3 min read By Trevor Kendall
Fans Post Ocarina of Time Covers Using In-Game Microphone Instrument
After the release of the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, players are recording covers of pop hits and famous tracks using the game's built-in ocarina feature.
Following the release of the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, players have begun widely posting covers of popular songs online, performed using the ocarina feature built into the game. The remake came out last week and has already received positive reviews. According to reports, it is one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic among players, which reflects broad interest in both the original and its updated version.
To play the ocarina, users can use a Switch 2 controller or a microphone. The microphone function turns the player's humming into melodies within the game, so anyone can try to reproduce a favorite composition without any special preparation. This possibility has become the basis for a wave of creative works that fans are spreading online.
Among the most notable covers is a version of Linkin Park's "In The End", which has been viewed more than 4 million times. A cover of "Macarena" has garnered over 334 thousand views on the X platform. Players are also performing tracks by Sabrina Carpenter, Eiffel 95, Ninajirachi, and Porter Robinson, blending pop, electronic, and other genres with music originally created for the game. Other works borrow themes from Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Mario, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings, demonstrating how broad the range of gaming and cinematic themes is that fans are reinterpreting.
Such videos show that the in-game instrument goes beyond a simple mechanic and becomes a platform for musical self-expression. For many viewers, watching the covers has been a way to dive back into the world of Hyrule, even if they have not played the original game in a long time.
At the same time, Nintendo is celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise with an orchestral concert tour. Performances begin at the Tokyo Garden Theatre in January 2027. The tour is later expected to visit Europe, North America, and Australia. Two evenings at London's Royal Albert Hall have already been confirmed, while concerts in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain are still being planned. Thus, the musical component of the series, which for a long time lived primarily within the game, is gaining a new format of performance on a large stage.
Source: nme.com
6
