Google Hides a Nostalgic Ocarina of Time Easter Egg in Search
WHO:
Mashable - The article describes the Easter egg as intended for Zelda fans.
Engadget - Google is responsible for the Ocarina of Time Easter egg in Search.
Video Games Chronicle - Google added the Easter egg; the game’s characters include Link and young Link.
WHAT:
Mashable - The article presents a Google trick themed around *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* as a nostalgic trip back to 1998.
Engadget - The Easter egg takes users back to an earlier version of Google Search.
Video Games Chronicle - Searching for “zelda” on Google causes the Master Sword to appear above its pedestal in the Temple of Time.
Video Games Chronicle - Clicking or tapping the sword makes it enter the pedestal; users hear Link shout and see a time-travel-style screen effect.
Video Games Chronicle - When the effect ends, Google displays a version of its search page resembling its 1998 design, with simple text results, no AI assistant, and the “I’m feeling lucky” option.
Video Games Chronicle - The Easter egg is limited to the Zelda results page; users cannot continue browsing Google in that low-fidelity style.
Video Games Chronicle - Other Google game-related Easter eggs include a 360-degree page rotation for “do a barrel roll,” a coin sound from the Question Block shown for “super mario bros,” and a red mushroom for “the last of us” that grows cordyceps-like fungus when clicked.
Video Games Chronicle - The publication said its hands-on preview of the remake lasted a couple of hours and praised its quality-of-life improvements, visual overhaul, music arrangements, new content, and overall feel.
WHERE:
Video Games Chronicle - The Master Sword appears at the corner of the Google search screen; the in-game pedestal is in the Temple of Time.
WHEN:
Video Games Chronicle - The article says the remake is scheduled for release “this Thursday, November 5”; this is a future date relative to the stated current date.
WHY:
Video Games Chronicle - Google added the Easter egg to celebrate the remake’s release.
HOW:
Video Games Chronicle - The effect references the game mechanic in which adult Link places the Master Sword in its pedestal, travels back through time, and becomes young Link.
(UPDATED November 2, 2026 19:04 UTC)
Google added an Ocarina of Time Easter egg to Search, celebrating the remake’s release. Search “zelda,” then tap the Master Sword to trigger a time-travel effect. Google’s page transforms into its nostalgic 1998 design, with simple text results.