Flip-Flop Fanboy: The OcaRe-run of Time

Well, hindsight is always 20-20, isn't it folks?

I must say that on the face of it, a straight up remake of one of Nintendo's most popular (and subsequently ported) outings in the Zelda franchise, even with a fresh lick of paint and Twilight Style Motion Control (Maybe even Plus+, you never know...) wouldn't be a good idea.

But looking back at Ocarina's history, it is entirely possible that a remake wouldn't be entirely horrible at all.

No, I haven't completely lost my senses in some Choco-licious Easter Stupor. As mind-bendingly wonderful the cocoa-based wonder-drug is, it does nothing to effect my clarity and focus on this wonderfully wonderful chocolately chocolate...

...Okay, maybe a little...

But back on topic. Ever since the 1995 SpaceWorld tech demo, the title was hotly anticipated. Whereas Super Mario 64, which was developed alongside Ocarina, was released the next year as a launch title, Ocarina spent a while longer in development limbo, bouncing from a 64DD title, to a stand-alone cartridge title with a DD-Based expansion to come along after...

For the uninitiated or the un-nerdy, the Nintendo 64DD (Disk Drive) was an unmitigated commercial failure, originally conceived to sit underneath the N64 and run along with it, expanding on already released titles. (Random Fact: This was the original premise of Banjo-Tooie Stop'n'Swop interaction with it's predecessor).

Most of the titles in development moved to cartridge or were canned entirely. (Random Fact: The Death of the DD put paid to the development of the first 3D Pokemon RPG. Pokemon Stadium was also on the list, but moved over to Cart form.) This was the fate of the Ocarina expansion, known in quarters as 'Ura Zelda' or 'Zelda Gaiden' (The later name springing from memory only). It did eventually seem to resurface in the form of a Bonus Disk in certain LOZ: Wind Waker packages as 'Master Quest', though all this really did was change about dungeons slightly.

I'm guessing though, that it was intended to be something much more... And only helped fuel speculation of rumours of 'Temple(s) of Light' (See Fake on Left) and being able to actually get the Triforce itself.

So, this is what I'm saying:

If I got told that OcaReRun was actually going to be a fully realised, bells and whistles version of everything Ura Zelda was supposed to be, and maybe more (I'm thinking in amongst the veins of a lot of Fable II's DLC in additional story veins, emphasis on seemingly secondary characters and some kick-ass sub-quests)...

Then I'm willing to give my support to it.

This way, it's less Lucas' deviant exploits in Peru, and more a long-awaited Director's Cut, or Extended Edition. Nintendo reading from the book of Peter Jackson and LOTR.

Possibly controversial in amongst those of you I speak to, but...

The thought of seeing Ocarina become deeper, even richer an experience, ESPECIALLY given the (oft-complained about on my part) superficiality of current generation Wii games...

Surely that's worth placing the sword back in it's pedestal for?