Zelda Ocarina How To Play

Legend of Zelda: How to Set Up Ocarina of Time Multiplayer

Want to enjoy a classic Nintendo 64 adventure RPG with friends? The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's fan-made multiplayer mod has you covered.

Classic RPG title Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is not a multiplayer game -- at least, not in its original form. In 2019, a group of modders attempted to turn the famous adventure game for the N64 into a co-op game. The Ocarina of Time Online was a project organized by a group of modders who moderated and altered ROMs available online so multiple players could play the game.

However, searching for Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Online is a tough process following the Mod's beta-test period during 2019. Modding an old N64 game might seem like a difficult process, but once you know how to mod your ROM and access the proper server, you should be able to play Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Online with a group of friends.

How Do You Download It?

To start with, you'll need a ROM of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, along with an N64 emulator program. There's a number of emulator programs out there, just make sure you can support a .r64 or .n64 file. Due to there being multiple versions of the Ocarina of Time out there, you need a clean version of 1.0. In order to get the ROM, you'll need to dump it from an official cartridge in order to legally use it. Dumping a ROM can be a little difficult, so make sure you check around for in-depth instructions and find the right equipment for your setup.

Then, download the OotModLoader. This will allow you to create an online lobby for your friends to play Ocarina of Time with your friends. Once you have installed the mod, you create a lobby for your friends to join on. All of your friends must have the mod installed and have a 1.0 version of Ocarina of Time downloaded. Once everyone has it open, you can join in and play the game with up to four players. From there, you can install other mods simultaneously with OotModLoader, including graphical upgrades. However, these can make the mod unstable.

Troubleshooting the Mod

A few common issues might occur when trying to play Ocarina of Time Online. It is possible to have multiple Ocarina of Time Mod Loaders open at the same time. If this happens, simply go into Task Manager and Force Stop all of them. Then, start the mod up again.

Other issues can occur with the Mod Loader itself. If you are having trouble, go into the folder for OotModLoader and open up OotModLoader-config.json in Notepad. Find the part written as "isMaster," and if after the colon it says "True," replace it with "False." If you still are having trouble, make sure every player is accessing the same Server. Using the same Notepad for reference, ensure the Master Server IP and Master Server Port are identical in OotModLoader as they are in the OotModLoader-config.

Another problem might be if you are playing it for the first time and the OotModLoader hasn't downloaded Bizhawk. Bizhawk are zip files included in the downloaded folder of OotModLoader. If they do not automatically download, extract them into your general mod folder where you've extracted your modding details. This should be done automatically the first time you boot the mod.

How Good is the Mod?

Sadly, things get a little problematic when you consider how the game functions. While all the players share the same equipment, they are essentially playing their own solo version of the game. If all players are in the same dungeon, this means that, should one player complete it before the other, the other player will be kicked out of the dungeon.

However, because of how the multiplayer function works, one player could fetch items for the other player trying to complete the dungeon. Because players share the same items, this means you can finish parts of the dungeons with minimal backtracking if you choose. This makes the games slightly easier but isn't quite the same as a full-blown multiplayer Legend of Zelda experience, as is the case in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures.

Other troubling issues include sound glitches and graphical glitches, such as when your fellow Links, rather than right on Epona the horse, levitate in the air. Even with the troubleshooting, the game will crash somewhat frequently for reasons that are hard to determine. Some players have stated that the game still won't load properly for them even when doing everything apparently right. Ultimately, while the multiplayer mod is fun, it is limited by the game data which it is modding.

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About The Author

Anthony Gramuglia (1418 Articles Published)

Earned my MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Written for The Mary Sue, ScreenRant, The Anime Feminist, The Gamer, and Vocal. Lifelong lover of comics, anime, and weird films. Loves different varieties of coffee.