For example, in Ocarina of Time, the Forest Temple and Medallion were supposed to be the Wind Temple and Medallion. Although the forest design for the temple was chosen, the Medallion and insignias placed in Ganon's Tower and around the Forest Temple are still reminiscent of the windmill-like symbol relative to the pre-release Wind Temple.
Equipped MedallionA developmental Great FairyAn early Great Fairy FountainUnused Red Ice block in the Ice CavernLink obtaining the Triforce
Because of its popularity, Ocarina of Time has been hacked many times to create mods or just to look into the game's assets. Along the way, much unused content was found hidden within the cartridge data. Early previews of the game also provide insight into unused content.
A Sword Beam can be seen in screenshots and early trailers.
The Arwing, the famed Star Fox starfighter, makes an appearance in Ocarina of Time as a flying enemy. It was used to make Volvagia's flying animations.[1] It could have also been used to test the Z-Targeting system as well as projectile weapon usage.
An early model for Fado exists within the cartridge data.
In early builds of the game, Medallions worked differently. Several early screenshots depict Link with the Forest Medallion (then known as the Wind Medallion) equipped. In a November 1997 interview by Famimaga 64, Shigeru Miyamoto explained that the Medallions, known as "Magic Medallions", were supposed to have been used in conjunction with Link's Bow and Arrow. There were to be six types of Magic Medallions, including fire, wind, darkness, and light, meaning that they might have been used instead of the Fire, Ice, and Light Arrows that turned out in the final, released version of the game.[2] The Forest Medallion and Water Medallion were originally the "Wind Medallion" and "Ice Medallion", but their names and corresponding dungeons were changed during development.[3] Two icons relating to these original medallions are still present in the game's code.[4]
Early screenshots show a Stalfos different from the current Stalfos design.
A different Jump Attack animation can be seen in early previews. This was replaced with the current animation in the final build.
Also in early previews, Link can be seen doing front flips - this move does not exist in the final game. The animation still exists and can be hacked in, however.
In some early Japanese previews, the B Button was labeled ジャンプ (Jump). In order to streamline the gameplay, this was removed in favor of the Autojump.[5]
The Master Craftsman's Son had a hairstyle with bangs and a mohawk. [6]The hairstyles can be loaded separately or together.[7]The Mohawk model was later used for Majora's Mask.
The game includes Nintendo 64DD-exclusive programming, remnants of an early period of development. Ocarina of Time was originally going to have an expansion disk released for the 64DD, but after the 64DD failed in Japan, the expansion disk was canceled. However, through the use of a cheating device, one can force the game to mark an existing save file as one intended for use with the (nonexistent) expansion disk. This file, once modified, cannot be loaded.
Link's Hylian Shield and Master Sword had different designs in earlier versions of the game.
In early footage, Link was seen obtaining the Triforce.
An Ocarina Pedestal, similar to the Medallion pedestals, was modeled but never used in the final game. It can be found in an unused cutscene taking place in Zora's Fountain.[8]
During the development of Ocarina of Time, the Great Fairies were not the same ones that appeared in the final version of the game, for they had more of a crystal appearance with long, white wings. Their crystalline appearance is similar to the appearance of the Great Fairies from The Wind Waker. The early Great Fairy, surprisingly, shares the same model file as the in-game Great Fairy.
The Unicorn Fountain, an area resembling a Fairy Fountain containing a statue of a Unicorn's head, can be seen in pre-release material. This location does not exist in the completed game.
Gold-rimmed Treasure Chest models, similar to those used in Majora's Mask, can be seen in some pre-release screenshots.[9]
The later discovery of a Master Quest debug ROM (used for testing) reveals even older remnants, including unused rooms not found in the final game. This includes test rooms and an older version of the Hyrule Castle courtyard.
Concept art had Link with an attire similar to incarnations prior to Ocarina of Time.[10]
By using cheats, a block of Red Ice can be found inside the Ice Cavern in the White Wolfos chamber. It was probably used to cover the Treasure Chest containing the Iron Boots. It was later used in Master Quest.
The character control was significantly different from the final release.
In pre-release footage of the game, a different First-person view camera from the final release, the camera being centered at Link's upper-back up to the back of his head, identical to that of Super Mario 64.
The game also featured the use of a manual 180-degree turnaround. This manual turnaround is depicted as being able to be done not only while standing still but while walking and running.
The battle system was significantly different, as well. Link can be seen slashing and cutting against enemies in a far more fluid motion than any of the 3D Zelda games to date.
In the final version, attacking is by inputting the attack button while holding a certain direction; and, if inputted the same way three times, it features Link doing a slash/stab, then repeating that move, followed by a slightly unique slash, varying from an upwards slash to the left (vertical and thrust), inward slash to the right (horizontal), or diagonally upward slash to the left (diagonal). However, in the footage, Link can be seen able to slash about freely, as well as able to slash multiple times in any manner the player would choose, without having to limit to only three strikes, as well as having lock-time between slashes, being able to attack multiple times in one attack, as opposed to only three simple limited attacks.
In one segment of the footage, Link is shown attacking several blue and green Chu-Chus. The first attack the user does is a running swipe to the left, indicating that Link can swing his sword while running, much like was possible in Twilight Princess. However, unlike in Twilight Princess, Link isn't forced into canceling the chain, or forced to do idle standing slashes when the running attack(s) connect; Link is able to freely chain the running slashes and standing slashes together with ease, and vice versa.
When standing still, Navi would bounce around in a dancing-like fashion, as opposed to her moving around in a wide circular motion above Link like she does in the final version of the game.
In the early development stage of the game, Link's character model resembled A Link to the Past Link greatly.
His shield also had very similar characteristics to A Link to the Past Link's shield, and the Red Shield. The Shield's shape was the same as the finalized model, being a hexagonal-shape. But, the silver border outline of the shield didn't have as much of a unique design, having only a plain basic silver/white outline, and the rest of the shield was blue and had a large Triforce symbol, and beneath the Triforce was a "v"-symbol (this symbol being identical to the same symbol that appears on the Red Shield that was separated centerwise vertically. This symbol and the triforce were colored slightly different from its later design, this early version was colored limeish yellow rather than the standard gold color.
The later development stages had the Shield be more close to the final version of the Hylian Shield. It now featured a more wave-style border on the shield and had the two cloud designs at the top-left and top-right (these being also more wave-like in design, as well) of the shield and had a more gold-colored Triforce and under the Triforce was a gold upside-down triangle/Triforce Piece.
It was planned for the game to feature permanence in regards to the players actions. If the player were to cut a tree, cut some grass for Rupees, destroy a pot(s), or even leave footprints in the ground/sand, these things would remain there for the remainder of the game. The footprints would remain and not vanish, pots would not respawn, cuts on trees would stay until the end of the game, and grass would not regrow.
A staff item was meant to appear as a weapon at some point during development.[11]
↑"Volvagia is a dragon, so it wriggles and undulates. I only gave Morita-san the dragon model parts, but he set it in motion immediately. It was mysterious how he could do that. [...] I couldn't help but ask how he did it. He said it was the same as the programming for Star Fox 64. There's this scene when another fighter aircraft is tailing Arwing and..." —Satoru Takizawa (Iwata Asks: Ocarina of Time 3D: Original Development Staff - Part 2.)
↑"This is a wind magic medallion. There are six types of magic, including fire, wind, darkness, and light. I'm thinking about mixing the different types of magic (Miyamoto forces a smile). Truthfully, you can use magic in conjunction with Link's bow and arrow. Since you can use magic missiles, it's important that you can use magic on arrows." —Shigeru Miyamoto (Miyamoto answers 100 questions about OoT.)
↑"You had to press a button to jump when we first started making The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. [...] As we were making Super Mario 64, we were thinking about The Legend of Zelda the whole time, and started talking about decreasing the action element in The Legend of Zelda and increasing the puzzle elements." —Yoshiaki Koizumi (Iwata Asks: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: The Legend of Zelda with Chanbara-style Action.)
↑"You can use magic or items to attack. There are a lot of missile weapons like arrows and pachinko balls. There are also hammers and staffs, as well as "hook shots."" —Shigeru Miyamoto (THE Z-FILES.)
↑"Q: What happens when your Hit Points go down? Miyamoto: Your speed will get slower, and it will be easier for you to be defeated." — IGN Staff, THE Z-FILES , IGN, published November 26, 1997, retrieved October 22, 2017.
![[4]](http://tcrf.net/File:OoT-Dodongo_Pre-boss_Room.jpg){kind=link}
