Zelda Game Remake Changes (Part 1)

Whenever a game is remade, there are always changes. Most often, it's an upgrade in graphics and sound, accompanied by quality-of-life adjustments and additional content. But there are almost always things that are lost or taken out as well. There are technically 9 remakes, but I consider the OoT: Master Quest to be a spin-off and separate game rather than a remake, so I'm going to review the eight others - A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening (twice), Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Four Swords, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess. 

To simplify things, I'm going to do each game in 3 stages: changes that I liked or thought added/enhanced the game or were Quality of Life upgrades in green, changes that were expected (like slight graphical enhancements, glitch fixes, or adjustments made because of differing hardware) or ones I thought didn't make any or much difference in yellow, and changes that I thought took away fun/challenge or that made the game worse in red.

Unless I have a strong opinion about the good or neutral changes, I won't have notes about them. But I will be saying something on just about every bad change. In general, I'm in favor of having choices (being able to do something the original way or the new way) and options (like text speed or brightness) and more challenge.

The list of changes are taking from the Zelda Wiki pages about the remakes, and are probably not exhaustive, but are pretty close to being so. I can't think of changes that aren't listed here, so if I missed them they probably belong in the neutral category for not even noticing them. I am also going to simplify some of the larger paragraphs down to the main points for brevity's sake.

I'm going to break this up into 3 parts, with the third part being just the Majora's Mask remake along with finishing comments. 

Link's Awakening DX (LADX)


Good 

• The game has been given a color palette. 
• The Photographer and the photo side quest were added
• An additional dungeon called the Color Dungeon was added which is inaccessible when played on a regular Game Boy. The reward for completing the dungeon is a colored tunic that boosts Link's attack or defensive power. (note - it would have been nice to have the option to switch back to green) 
• The Start menu has been modified to show the different color tunics and pieces of heart if Select is pressed. 
• The secret ending has been changed. Instead of Marin floating across the screen with wings, she is now seen as a seagull with her image on the screen. 
• Additional music was composed by Yuichi Ozaki (who also wrote music for Super Mario Bros. Deluxe).

Neutral

• The original had an all-green Super Game Boy color palette but no special SGB border. DX has a Super Game Boy border and a standard color palette.
• The Instruments of the Sirens now fade in seven different colors.
• Fade in/out effects are less exaggerated, such as when using a bomb or a dungeon warp.
• Various chest contents were changed in dungeons.
• Some areas have had their landscape changed between the games.
• Additional dialogue has been added, for example upon receiving the L2 Sword.
• Various glitches and bugs were fixed. 
• The title screen has been slightly altered, most noticeable being the addition of clouds around the egg.

Bad

• The Genie boss now throws fireballs more slowly.(takes away challenge)
• In the original Japanese and localized versions (except for the US localization), Martha the mermaid loses her bikini top. In all localized DX versions (but not the Japanese DX), now she loses her Necklace. (I think it's funnier in the original Japanese version, but this is a localization change, not a remake change for those of us in the U.S.)
• The Stone Slabs were changed into Owl Statues that resemble the game's owl character and the Stone Slab Fragments were also changed into Stone Beaks. More hints were also added.(the change made it possible to have multiple hints in a dungeon, taking away some of the challenge)
• Players can no longer skip all of a character's dialogue by pressing B. (this is most egregious when bumping into a rock, bombable rock, or weird object and getting a Piece of Power/Guardian Acorn. So annoying to have to scroll through the dialogue so many times)

GBA Port of A Link to the Past  (LttP)

Good

• When bringing up the save menu, it is now possible to "Save and Continue" playing without Link dying, rather than simply "Save and Quit". A sound effect now also plays when the save menu appears and disappears. Saving and quitting no longer counts as a "game played" or death on the Quest Log. When reloading a save file, it is now possible to start from the same location where the game was last saved from. This places Link where he last was on the overworld, or at the start of a dungeon. This option replaces the mountain cave one found originally. Saving and quitting while in a dungeon no longer forces Link outside the dungeon when the file is reloaded. Filled Heart Containers are also preserved instead of being reduced when reloading a file.
• A new bonus dungeon, the Palace of the Four Sword, was added and can be found on the eastern side of the Pyramid of Power. It can only be accessed after completing the game and defeating Vaati in Four Swords on the same save file; otherwise a Gatekeeper will prevent Link from entering. Link faces several powered-up versions of the Dark World bosses throughout this dungeon, which are considerably stronger and require new tactics to defeat. These bosses guard the four colored blades necessary to destroy the barrier blocking the way to the final boss. The dungeon's final boss is a group of four Dark Links, which attack Link one by one.
• The Palace of the Four Sword features an alternative credit sequence upon its completion. After the credits roll, a Quest Log shows how many times each item was used, times saved, Rupees found, enemies slain, and total play time.
• A new sidequest, known as the Lumberjack's Riddles, is available once the player has obtained 10 Medals of Courage in Four Swords and has defeated Agahnim the first time in the current game. The quest is given to Link by Q. Bumpkin, a Lumberjack that only appears in the port, and has Link collecting objects in a Basket to solve a series of riddles. After solving the tenth riddle, Link learns how to use the Hurricane Spin, a much more powerful version of the Spin Attack. He also receives three Statues resembling Link, Princess Zelda, and a Cucco.
• The flames from the Lantern can now cause minor damage to enemies.
• Pots can now be shattered using Arrows or the Golden Sword, and Silver Arrows can break through entire rows of pots. This new ability is used for puzzles in the Palace of the Four Sword. Signs can now also be destroyed with the Master Sword and its upgrades.
• Link can now dive underwater using the Zora's Flippers. This allows him to dodge enemy attacks.
• The Shovel now has its own inventory slot and is kept after finding the Flute. Link is also able to dig in all four directions instead of just right and left.
• The Flute has a ninth destination point in addition to the original eight. This new location is at the top of the Light World equivalent of Turtle Rock (but only accessible after opening the dungeon). 
• There is an option to speed up and slow down the text speed.

Neutral

• In A Link to the Past & Four Swords, the file select screen is entirely new and is displayed before selecting either of the two games. Both A Link to the Past and Four Swords share the same file. When starting a new game in A Link to the Past for the first time on a file, the story of the Imprisoning War and the rest of the prologue is displayed before the rest of the game begins, and cannot be skipped. The player can however skip the Triforce sequence before the title screen appears, which was previously only possible in the PAL version of the game.
• The R-button now performs the same actions that the A-button originally did. The A-button now functions as the Y-button did.
• The cursor in the inventory screen is now a pair of parenthesis instead of a circle.
• Link can now jump over some of the tombstones found in the Graveyard.
• The cave in the Light World that can be accessed by using the Magic Mirror from outside Turtle Rock now contains Eyegores instead of Goriyas.
• A new shop appears in the Village of Outcasts that sells Bees, Fairies and Golden Bees, though Link cannot buy Golden Bees until he shows the shopkeeper one from the Light World.
• The Smithery is now called Smithy during the credits.
• One of the rooms in Hyrule Castle has a single Spear Soldier instead of the previous two.
• Trees in the Dark World only spit Bombs after being talked to, and only if they are unfriendly.
• The symbol seen before activating the Treasure Chest containing the Big Key in the Eastern Palace is replaced with a new one.
• The staircase leading to Ganon's Tower no longer makes Link walk faster halfway through it.
• The platform with the Treasure Chest appearing after defeating Moldorm in Ganon's Tower is extended by one row.
• Dropping Bombs or blocks created by the Cane of Somaria into a pit also makes the sound effect used when other items fall as well.
• During the prologue sequence, the blue Soldiers hold spears rather than swords as in the original Japanese version of the game.
• The Witch's Assistant is replaced by Maple.
• Light coming from the Lantern in dark rooms now disappears only after lighting every Torch in the room.
• The archaic spelling "Faeries" has been changed to the much more common "Fairies".
• The Good Bee has been renamed to the Golden Bee.
• Bushes can now be destroyed using the Magic Hammer.
• Bunny Link retains the Blue and Red Mail if hit by a Rabbit Beam while wearing it, rather than reverting to his Green Tunic.
• The Super Bomb now grows in size when it is about to explode.
• Link's hands no longer change color to indicate that he is wearing either the Power Glove or the Titan's Mitt.
• Bomb drops no longer create a splash effect when appearing on water.
• Upgrading an item at a Great Fairy Fountain now plays the "Get Item" jingle.
• Items thrown into a Great Fairy Fountain now move up a down when retrieved by a Great Fairy.
• Enemies and bosses now flash white and shake when struck, rather than flash in multiple colors.
• Crows are now more aggressive, however their Dark World counterparts, Dactos, are less so.
• Goriyas keep moving even if Link is pushing a solid object.
• Up to four Geldmen can appear at once instead of the previous three.
• Stalfos in the Eastern Palace can no longer be defeated before spawning.
• Link can no longer shoot Arrows when defeating a Lanmola until it fully disappears.
• Kholdstare now has an animation when its shell is melted.
• The title screen has been slightly altered where the Master Sword is now blue in color, as opposed to purple in the original game. The background also takes up more of the screen and a "PRESS START" prompt now appears under the game's name.
• The game has a lighter color palette to compensate for the lack of back light on the Game Boy Advance. However, the player can adjust the brightness on a file, and switching to "Dark" sets the colors closer to the original release. There is also a "Bright" option, which makes the colors even lighter.
• The icons that display at the top of the screen have been adjusted to compensate for the smaller screen size. The pause menu has also been adjusted.
• Certain sprites found in Dark World dungeons use the same green palette that is otherwise used for the overworld, as opposed to the blue palette used in all the original game's dungeons and the Light World. This has the effect of changing the color of certain enemies, such as Bari and Kyameron.
• Certain Rocks and Skulls will sparkle on the overworld. If Link strikes these with his Sword, they will scatter Rupees. Link can continue striking them until they return to normal.
• Rubble no longer falls from walls when blown with a Bomb.
• Items dropped after bashing a Tree now produce a sound effect.
• The Fairy Fountain theme no longer loops after a Great Fairy is summoned twice.
• Dashing over landmines does not make them explode, unlike in the original where it would safety detonate them.
• A sleep option was also added to the save menu. This allows the player to leave their Game Boy Advance in a battery-saving mode and resume playing where they left off later.
• The area south of Kakariko Village now plays the overworld theme instead of Kakariko's.
• The Digging Game can now be played again without the need to leave and re-enter the area. Also, the sound effect played when an item is dug up is changed.
• When Link's Rupee, Arrow or Bomb carrying capacity is full, the color of the amount's number changes to yellow to signify this.
• The secondary menu in the inventory screen that held the Bottles is now merged with the main screen, creating a new column on the right side. This is made possible due to the wider screen ratio of the Game Boy Advance.
• The shop to the west of the Pyramid of Power now not only sells Red Shields, but also Fighter's Shields and, once Link obtains it from Turtle Rock, Mirror Shields. This is because Link can now lose his Mirror Shield to Like Likes, which now infest the area around the shop as well as the Palace of the Four Sword.
• Dungeon names and their Level are now displayed on the screen when Link enters them.
• Obtaining an item which consumes Magic now fills the Magic Meter. Likewise, obtaining the Bow gives Link 10 Arrows.
• Fire breathed by Kodongos can no longer be seen in the darkness.
• Like Likes appear in the Palace of the Four Sword and near the Shield Shop to the east of the Pyramid of Power. Much like the Pikits, they will eat Link's Shield, but will also run away and fly into the sky to prevent him from getting it back. They will even eat the Mirror Shield, which can be repurchased only in said Shield Shop.
• Performing a Spin Attack on grass also cuts the grass patch Link is standing on.
• Link can now cancel a warp after being picked up by the bird summoned with the Ocarina.
• The Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past features a semi-new and more faithful translation in the game's localization. Several strings of in-game text were changed and a few expanded, and are paraphrased differently from the original text. A few names and references were also changed to remain consistent with the rest of the series; most notably the Seven Wise Men now being referred to as the Seven Sages and the Hylia referred to as Hylians. The prologue in the game's intro was expanded and explains the Imprisoning War in greater detail.
• Among other significant changes to the dialogue, Link's Uncle no longer says "Zelda is your..." when Link receives his Sword and Shield. A similar line is however referenced in the Palace of the Four Sword, when Blind the Thief II impersonates Link's Uncle.

Bad

• A piece of a broken bridge was added east of the Pyramid of Power in order for Link to see the Skulls used to cross the gap with the Hookshot. (gives away too many hints)
• The Ice Palace was altered to make the puzzle requiring Link to push a block to a lower floor slightly easier.(takes away challenge)
• The Telepathy Tile found in Chris Houlihan's room is no longer present. (now if a player comes across this room there's no explanation or "it's a secret to everybody" reference)
• Ganon's arm when holding his Trident has been mirrored horizontally. This may either be a graphical glitch or an oversight.
• The music and sound effects have been altered slightly due to the limited sound capabilities of the Game Boy Advance, resulting in some lower quality samples.(I guess there's really no way around this, but lower quality is less desirable in general)
• Link now has voice samples as sound effects, which are taken from child Link. He will yell when attacking and falling down holes, and grunt when taking damage. (it gets annoying fast)
• Pots make the same sound effect for shattering even if they fall down a pit, unlike in the original game. (I liked the original sound effect)
• The functions of the Start and Select buttons (which make the item sub-screen and Save/Quit sub-screen appear) has been reversed (this takes so long to get used to and is entirely unnecessary)

Ocarina of Time 3D (OoT3D)

Good

• The 3DS version is the first port of Ocarina of Time that recreates the graphics, instead of simply porting over the N64 ones, to take advantage of the more powerful hardware and fit modern standards. It is the first version of the game that is not an emulation, as the GameCube and Wii versions are. As such, most textures are significantly more detailed, and many models consist of more polygons than the original. In addition, the frame rate has been increased to 30 FPS, compared to the original's 20 FPS. This reduces choppiness significantly.
• The game includes an all-new system for equipping items. Specifically mentioned at the game's announcement were the Iron Boots, due to the constant swapping necessary in the Water Temple. Both the Iron Boots and Hover Boots have been converted into items, as the Iron Boots are in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. In addition, the three different arrow types are accessed in a "sub-menu" that is brought up when the player selects their bow twice in their inventory, rather than being treated as separate items. The new item system consists of two items that are mapped to the X and Y Buttons, and two touch-screen only slots that are labeled I and II. Any item can be mapped to these, and they can also be cleared. The item screen now allows players to organize their inventory themselves, rather than each item having a set spot on the subscreen. When acquired, items are automatically placed in the next available spot in the 4×5 grid. Selecting an item shows its full "collection" model on the upper screen, as well as a description, the description being a feature that was first implemented in Majora's Mask.
• Most of the original HUD has been moved down to the touch screen, leaving the upper screen mostly clear of graphic overlays. The only part of the HUD still on the top screen is the A Button prompt, which has been redesigned to look transparent. From this bottom screen the player has quick access to their inventory, equipment, and map. The Ocarina is permanently assigned to the bottom-left. The bottom screen can also be tapped to switch between inventory, equipment, and map, making it much easier and quicker to switch between tunics, swords, and boots. The bottom screen has a camera icon that can be tapped to switch to view mode, which can be controlled by using the Circle Pad. The camera can also be controlled by physically moving the 3DS around.  The view mode is also used to aim projectile weapons, such as the Fairy Slingshot and Fairy Bow. If the L Button is held, it is possible to slightly look around and increase the viewing window by moving the 3DS; this may have been done to accommodate the smaller 3DS screen. Note that this cannot be done when an enemy is being targeted. Any time Navi wants to give advice, the view icon will be replaced with a Navi icon that can be touched to hear what she has to say, and her name will flash along the bottom of the top screen.
• To unlock the Master Quest for Ocarina of Time 3D, the main quest has to be completed first. Upon doing so, the player will have an option to choose between the Main Quest or the Master Quest after starting up the game, allowing a second playthrough of the game with redesigned dungeons. The entire game has been mirrored, similarly to Twilight Princess for the Wii, making Link right-handed as well as flipping the entire overworld map and the dungeons. In addition to the game being mirrored, all of the enemies and bosses cause twice as much damage to Link, which also applies to the Master Quest's own Boss Challenge version.
• While in the back alleys of Castle Town, the camera will follow Link instead of staying in place.
• The Fire Medallion symbol is missing on the platform where Link has to use Din's Fire to open the entrance to the Shadow Temple, due to it possibly referencing a scrapped feature from the original game.
• Instead of pre-rendered backgrounds, the 3DS version instead renders the areas in 3D like other areas.
• All item descriptions can be quickly skipped.
• It is now possible to read the songs while playing the Ocarina. The Ocarina can either be played with the physical buttons or with the Touch Screen. In terms of the Ocarina's button positions, the L Button replaces the A Button from the original version.
• The Boomerang can now be called to Link instantly instead of having to wait for its return.
• Text scrolls far faster than in the original game and more of it can be quickly skipped.
• A new credits sequence for the 3DS version staff now plays at the end of the original credits. It features a new orchestral medley of various songs from the game.

Neutral

• After defeating a boss, Link will have the option of battling against it once again after completing the Forest Temple. This can be done by going to his house and approaching his bed to have the option to go to sleep, which will allow him to rest up and recover his lost health. From then, Link has the opportunity to fight against any boss he has already beaten. In this new feature, battles will be timed, although they will still be played the same. Each time a boss is defeated during the Boss Challenge, the game will tally up the victory and show how many times that boss has been defeated as well as the record time. (Boss rush modes aren't my favorite type of play)
• After having defeated every boss once again, the Boss Gauntlet will be unlocked. In this mode, Link has to fight through every boss, one after another. At the end of each fight, the young hero will be rewarded with a Treasure Chest containing a power-up, such as Deku Nuts or hearts. Throughout the Boss Gauntlet mode, Link can only restore his life between battles by using any of the bottled items he might have with him.
• Ruined Castle Town is more intact, allowing the buildings to be identified as the Bazaar, Happy Mask Shop, etc.
• The walls in most towns are given more detail, such as Dodongo cave art in Goron City and posters in Kakariko Village.
• Various minor changes to the world geometry have been made, such as more slopes on the banks of the Hyrule Field section of Zora's River, and uneven steps leading up to Kakariko Village.
• The Fishing Pond has been greatly redesigned, looking more realistic, and the Sinking Lure has changed locations.
• The music no longer mutes certain instruments in the Lost Woods while trying to find Saria for the first time. The only area where instruments are muted is the area with the entrance to the Sacred Forest Meadow, where the player otherwise wouldn't be able to progress.
• The Royal Family's Tomb now has a door at the beginning.
• The hidden grotto with two Wolfos in the Sacred Forest Meadow looks completely different. Instead of metallic walls that shift color as Link moves, the grotto features rock walls that shift color more subtly. Glowing particles fill the air.
• The Kokiri still fade out of sight, but at a farther distance.
• The stone obstacle inside the Gerudo's Fortress is replaced with a wooden one.
• The entrance to the Bottom of the Well is now blocked with a boulder during the past. The boulder is removed once the well is emptied.
• The Super Mario 64 easter egg found in the Castle Courtyard is replaced with a New Super Mario Bros. one.
• The room in the Ice Cavern where the Serenade of Water is learned has been made to look much more realistic, with large ice structures, instead of the old star-like patterns on the wall.
• The blood that covers the floor of the central room at the Bottom of the Well looks more realistic and is therefore harder to see.
• The brickwork in the Forest Temple is now more noticeable, and no longer looks like simple tiles.
• One of the Crystal Switches in the Forest Temple is replaced with a Floor Switch to prevent sequence breaking.
• On the path which leads towards the lair of Phantom Ganon in the Forest Temple, there is an addition of several paintings along the wall.
• A few Crystal Switches located behind bars have been moved, namely in the Water Temple and the Spirit Temple. This is due to Link not being able to hit objects through walls in the 3DS version.
• More pillars have been added to the Temple of Time, and the carpet now extends the full length of the room. The floor now shows a reflection of the temple's world geometry. There is more space between the pillars and the wall, and the pillars are much thinner. There are also Triforce-shaped chandeliers and a visible ceiling.
• The walls in Bongo Bongo's lair are now visible.
• The bird figurehead of the boat in the Shadow Temple has been replaced with a Death-like figure in a red hood and releases smoke from its skull when moving.
• The walls along the stairs to Ganondorf's lair are now covered in Hylian text that changes color periodically. The same effect can also be seen along the walls in the room where Link battles Twinrova.
• The Rainbow Bridge to Ganon's Castle created by the Sages has a more refined design, complete with railing.
• The room in which Link battles Ganondorf has been completely re-textured, making it look more refined and well-crafted.
• Sheik's model is now more curved and feminine, likely due to the debate regarding the character's gender. Sheik also now refers to the Boss Challenge mode in the Prelude of Light cutscene.
• Impa's default pose has been changed to have her right arm raised with the elbow resting in her left hand, while in the original game her arms were merely folded.
• A few of Ganondorf's voice files have been changed. His laugh when he meets Link at the drawbridge to Castle Town, for instance, sounds significantly different.
• Animations of almost all characters in the game have been redone, often appearing more exaggerated and elaborate.
• When Navi wants to talk to Link, the alert will be displayed at the bottom of the top screen (as the yellow button icons are no longer present).
• Sometimes while battling and not attacking, adult Link twirls his sword in a nearly identical manner to Twilight Princess.
• Wallmasters have a more detailed shadow that clearly resembles a hand, rather than the original circle.
• Iron Knuckles no longer reveal a Gerudo head if the camera is manipulated to look through the armor. This is due to the original Iron Knuckles likely using a preliminary version of Nabooru's model. Several differences, like chainmail covering the mouth, and loop earrings, can be observed in the otherwise-unused model in the original game. The Iron Knuckles' subtle Gerudo-like arms and chest can still be observed when enough armor is destroyed.
• Navi's hint for the Shabom enemy has changed completely, now advising the player to run away instead of slashing at it.
• The Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors in Zora's River have been remapped to closer match the 3DS's button/ocarina note layout.
• Some names of items have been changed, such as the Odd Potion being renamed to Odd Poultice and the Gerudo's Membership Card to Gerudo Token.
• The Stone of Agony has been changed to the Shard of Agony, as no rumble pack is present on the 3DS. Instead of rumbling the controller, the shard will flash in the top-left corner of the screen and an audible tone will play to signify a secret nearby.
• When equipped, both the Giant's Knife and Biggoron's Sword now have their own sheath visible on Link's back (both have the same sheath design) rather than having the Master Sword's sheath and changing to the Master Sword model when sheathed.
• There are some instances where if the broken Giant's Knife is equipped. It will have its normal, exclusive sheath but is automatically changed to the Master Sword's sheath when crouch guarding and L-Target guarding.
• The Giant's Knife and Biggoron's Sword each have different in-game designs. The Giant's Knife's pommel is light blue (the same color as its crossguard), while the Biggoron's Sword's pommel is now golden (the same color as the crossguard's Goron-emblem).
• Equipping Fire, Ice, and Light arrows is now done through a small sub-menu on the touch screen.
• When aiming with the Hookshot, the red aiming pointer is now replaced by a red laser. It also shows an extra red ring when the Hookshot is pointing at a viable target Link can reach by grappling onto it.
• The Hover Boots now cause the pace of Link's running animation to be more brisk and fast-paced. However, this does not affect the running speed in any way, as the running speed remains the same as in the original with the Hover Boots.
• The European/Australian version uses British English.
• Some of the dialogue has been altered (mostly to account for the different controls). A notable change is replacing "he or she will die" with "we will die" in the Kokiri Forest.
• In the Japanese version, all lines that originally contained commas (、) have now been replaced with spaces. Some dialogue are also more simplified, having words that were originally written in Hiragana changed to their Kanji forms, and sometimes even vice versa.
• The Japanese version now has Furigana.
• A cutscene now plays when Link encounters the Club Moblin near the Forest Temple. It also now has a new death animation and less invincibility frames.
• ReDeads' masks now resemble their official artwork and looks separate from the Spooky Mask. Most noticeably, their teeth are now shown.
• The color of the Spirit Medallion platform in the Temple of Light is more yellowish than the original.
• Artwork from Skyward Sword appears as an Easter egg behind the boxes in the soup room in Gerudo Fortress, behind the jars in Malon's home in Lon Lon Ranch, and in the Bombchu Shop in the alleyways of the Castle Town market.
• During the ending, after Link lays the Master Sword back in its pedestal, he has the shield he last wore as a child.
• Music continues to play during the cutscene where Nabooru is captured by Twinrova.
• During the Trading Quest, the in-game description of the items received will tell Link where to go next, as well as informing that the arrows on the map indicate the place where the young hero must go. (the arrow was already present)
• L-Targeting is a tad touchier, and Navi will often target things behind Link.
• Standard swinging of the Biggoron's Sword no longer makes Link rotate slightly.
• Water looks a bit less clear.
• While it is still possible to roll after a fall, the game is much pickier about when it can be done. Most of the time, it cannot be done where it could be done in the original.
• Some text coloring has changed; some text that was red in the original is now blue.
• Conversational text is not centered anymore.
• The Great Deku Tree's Early Modern English features more accurate usage (ex. "I entreat thee" instead of "I entreat ye"). He also references the hint-giving Sheikah Stones in his speech after Link clears the first dungeon.
• Many camera angles have changed, mostly the zoom-ins that occur when talking or reading signs.
• Loading times are slightly longer. Some cutscenes also take more time to play through.
• Footstep sounds are changed for certain materials.
• During the battle with Ganondorf, stunning him with a Light Arrow causes the game to slow down to a crawl for a few seconds. It is unknown if this was intentional or not, as sound continues to play normally; however, it is likely not, as the slowdown is extremely choppy.
• Link has an extra strap for his scabbard that was previously added to his Majora's Mask model.
• In the original game, the Hylian Shield had a plain metal back while being shown when retrieved from a chest, but when equipped by Link, it had a wooden back. The 3DS version consistently has a wooden back.
• The game now has an E 10+ rating as opposed to the original's E. The E 10+ rating was not in place when the game was first released.
• At Fairy Fountains, Fairies will only be used one at a time when Link walks into them.
• Rolling while running does not halt abruptly at the end of the roll as much as in the original, giving the rolls much more control. This also applies to the Hover Boots.
• The Happy Mask Shop has an almost completely new look, resembling a small mansion instead of a small shop. The interior of the shop also features the salesman's masks and backpack from Majora's Mask.
• One of the walls in the Graveyard is now taller, preventing a skip into the Shadow Temple.
• It is no longer possible to jump off the elevator in the Forest Temple while it is moving. 
• The damage dealt while performing a Jump Slash with a Deku Stick is reduced.
• Several glitches and bugs from the original game have been fixed, most notably the one that prevents Link from obtaining the Deku Nut upgrade in the Forest Stage after obtaining the Poacher's Saw.

Bad

• The main quest of Ocarina of Time 3D also implements a variation of the "Super Guide" feature to show players where to go next if they are stuck at a certain point in the game. This feature, which is simply called Visions, are short clips that demonstrate how to advance in the game instead of completing the puzzle directly for the player like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. These can be accessed via Sheikah Stones, which are larger, more animated versions of the Gossip Stones from the original game. Link has the option to crawl inside these Sheikah Stones to bring up the Visions screen. From here, the player can choose one of the Visions listed and get hints on how to complete the specified puzzle or defeat a boss.Visions are not available in the Master Quest mode, and each Vision will only become available once a certain point in the game has been reached or the player has attempted to solve the puzzle. Once a new Vision is unlocked, it will be labeled in red as "New" on the Visions screen, and it will be replaced with a green checkmark once the Vision has been watched. When the goal shown within the Vision is completed, a green "Clear" will appear next to it in the Vision selection screen. (While it is entirely up to the player whether to visit this hint guide, I would prefer an option to turn it off entirely. The game is easy enough.)
• The Water Temple with the new color-coded doors. This temple received the most prominent changes. Colorful borders direct Link towards the areas where he can raise/lower the water level, and some cutscene camera angles are changed to help the player solve puzzles.  (makes it too easy - would have liked the option to turn it off)
• A cutscene was added when first entering the Forest Temple that shows the Treasure Chest on the tree. (again, makes it too easy)
• Navi now reminds the player to take a break every hour. She also suggests the player head to a Sheikah Stone if they appear to be having trouble in a dungeon. (more annoyances/interruptions)
• Princess Ruto has been slightly redesigned to appear less prominently naked: she now has fins on her torso that act as a "bra". (presumably to satisfy the prudes)
• Cojiro does not crow when Link enters the Lost Woods. (this was the only indication that you were on the right track; this is the one thing that was really obscure and the solution wasn't shoved in your face)
• The death count in the file selection screen has been removed.(I liked being able to show a 0)
• The forest icon now has only three arms instead of four, most notable on the Forest Medallion. Curiously, certain icons in the Forest Temple (such as above doors) still have four arms. (while I understand not wanting it to look like the swastika, it's catering to an already too sensitive crowd.)
• The graphics have been noticeably brightened up significantly during the final boss, which is now viewable in its entirety. (the darkness added to the mood)
• Bugs dropped for Magic Bean Hole Gold Skulltulas cannot be recaptured. (adds tedium by needing to go back and get more bugs)

Remake Changes Part 2


Remake Changes Part 3