Image: Nintendo Life

Welcome all, to a very special edition of Box Art Brawl!

Looking back at last week, we checked out Revenge of the 'Gator to celebrate its addition to Nintendo Switch Online. Both designs for this one are great in their own way, but it was Japan that took home the trophy with 58% of the vote, leaving North America and Europe to mop up the remaining 42%.

This week, we're doing something special. We've already covered the original Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64 along with the 2011 3DS remake. However, with the release of the Switch 2 remake, we thought we'd throw every box art into the ring for an ultimate showdown.

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You'll note that we haven't included every Ocarina of Time release here. The bonus disc included with Wind Waker pre-orders for the GameCube also included the logo for Master Quest, so we're not adding it here. Similarly, the Collector's Edition disc for GameCube had no direct reference to Ocarina of Time on its box art, so it too has been excluded.

So with that said, let's get cracking, hm?

N64

North America

OOT N64 NA
Image: Nintendo / Launchbox

This is the classic box art, right? The one of which most of you will likely be familiar. It's simple yet effective, with the game's iconic logo presented against a plain gold background. Chef's kiss. Did it really need anything else? Probably not, and it served as a wonderful thematic continuation of A Link to the Past.

Europe

OOT N64 Europe
Image: Nintendo / Launchbox

Europe's design is equally simple, yet equally stunning. This time, we have a jet black background punctuated by a shining gold logo in the centre. In fact, all of the text here is in gold. Again, it's the simplicity that really sells it, and the contrast to the North American version is particularly striking.

Japan

OOT N64 Japan
Image: Nintendo / Launchbox

Japan's N64 approach is very cool. It utilises the portrait orientation to great effect, showcasing an image of Link riding Epona, while flames surround the outside of the composition. There's a bit more going on here compared to the western designs, but there's still a sense of simplicity with the approach. It's not busy at all, and we love the contrast of the black and white background against the coloured logo.

3DS

North America

OOT 3D NA
Image: Nintendo / Launchbox

The North American approach for the 3DS takes the same image of Link and Epona from the original Japanese release. It also leans heavily on that classic gold presentation, resulting in a classy yet eye-catching final image.

Europe / Japan

OOT 3D Europe / Japan
Image: Nintendo / Launchbox

This here is the winner of our Ocarina of Time 3D brawl, and it's easy to see why. We can see Link and Epona depicted over on the right, but your eyes are just immediately drawn to the stunning landscape of Hyrule Field. Lon Lon Ranch, Hyrule Castle, and Death Mountain are all visible, and it's just such a stunning interpretation of the game's most iconic environments.

Switch 2

Worldwide

OOT Switch 2
Image: Nintendo

Okay, finally we have the box art for the latest release on Switch 2, and holy moly, it's absolutely gorgeous. Many folks will have picked up the textured foil version, and this just adds a whole new layer to its beauty. Interestingly, this is the only box art to feature Child Link, but it's a nice approach. It really delivers that sense of whimsy and adventure you feel during those opening portions of the game, and it's just such an impactful composition. Lovely stuff. Changing the logo text to gold is a nice touch too.

Which box art for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the very best?

Thank you for voting! We'll see you next week for another edition of Box Art Brawl!