The Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time now has its official ESRB rating summary, and there's one small but telling difference from the last time Nintendo remade this game. The ESRB rates the Switch 2 version E10+ (Everyone 10+) for Animated Blood and Fantasy Violence. The 3DS version carried a third descriptor, Suggestive Themes, and that one is gone.
Nintendo Life reported the summary on 23 October. It notes the E10+ rating itself first surfaced on Nintendo's official store page back in July, so the rating isn't new. What's new is the ESRB's full written description.
What the ESRB says
Rating summaries are written to tell parents what's actually in a game, and this one is a tidy description of Ocarina of Time. In the ESRB's words, it's "an adventure game in which players assume the role of a hero on a quest to defeat evil and save a fantasy realm called Hyrule."
The summary goes on to explain that from a third-person perspective, players explore Hyrule, talk to characters, solve puzzles and battle "fantastical enemies (e.g., bat-like, spider-like, chicken-like enemies; guards)". Combat uses "swords, shields, arrows, and magic spells", and battles come with impact sounds, colourful light effects and cries of pain. The detail behind the Animated Blood descriptor is specific: "Certain enemies may emit a green or purple blood effect when defeated." And the ESRB notes that some areas have larger bosses "that require more protracted combat to defeat."
If you know the original, none of that will surprise you, and that's the point. It's a clear, plain-English account of the game for anyone who doesn't, and a useful checklist for parents deciding whether a younger player is ready for its dungeons and bosses.
What changed from the 3DS version
Here's the interesting bit. Ocarina of Time 3D got the same E10+ rating, but with Suggestive Themes added. Nintendo Life quotes the ESRB's description at the time: "Link encounters a few female characters that are depicted from low camera angles and dressed in outfits that display moderate amounts of cleavage."
The Switch 2 summary includes no such descriptor or description. The ESRB doesn't explain why, and neither Nintendo nor the ESRB has said anything about character designs, so it's best not to read too much into it. All the summary tells you is that the ESRB didn't flag that content this time.
What it means for you
For parents, the practical takeaway is simple. E10+ is the ESRB's Everyone 10+ rating, and the content it flags in this game is fantasy combat with some coloured blood effects, not realistic violence.
For everyone else, it's a small step on the road to launch. The remake arrives on 5 November, and Nintendo Life notes Nintendo has also put out new commercials for it this week. Nintendo Life also reports that the game's digital file size has seemingly been reconfirmed this week. Next up is the release itself, with the rating, the summary and the store listing now all in place.
Reporting notes