Zelda Series Producer Explains Why Nintendo Removed Mario Portraits From Ocarina of Time Remake

Nintendo removed portraits of Super Mario characters from the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time because they could disrupt the atmosphere and distract players from exploring Hyrule.

The original Ocarina of Time included several playful references to another famous Nintendo series. The most obvious were Talon’s appearance and the Bowser pendant worn by Talon and his daughter. Another secret was a set of Mario character portraits visible through the windows in the courtyard of Zelda’s castle.

Series producer Eiji Aonuma explained the decision to remove the portraits in an interview. He said some staff members had suggested adding references to a shared Nintendo game timeline, but he rejected the idea so the team could focus on creating “the best possible version of Ocarina of Time.”

Aonuma said the portraits were not a major problem in the original, but they could undermine immersion and the consistency of the game world in the more detailed remake. If a player saw Yoshi in the courtyard and wondered, “Why is Yoshi here?”, it could distract them from what was happening.

The game also removed a reference to Skyward Sword that had been added in the 3DS version.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available on Nintendo Switch 2.

Source: iXBT.games