Developers working on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time have disclosed that they didn’t like Link’s fairy friend, Navi, in the game. Since its original release on the N64 in 1998, several ports of the game have appeared, the most recent of which was included in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. It’s possible that a PC version of Ocarina of Time will be released in April of 2022 by a fan. A link has travelled through Hyrule and beyond with a variety of pals over the course of the game. There are various characters who appear in multiple games, like Epona and Zelda, as well as one-off characters like Midna and the King of Red Lions.
It’s also worth noting that there are Zelda fans and even some series developers that would prefer never to hear from these partners again. Navi was Link’s first companion, although she wasn’t exactly adored by the people who made her. According to an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto recently translated by Kotaku, the Ocarina of Time designer felt the fairy companion be a bit of a nuisance.
“The main weakness of Ocarina of Time is Navi’s help-giving mechanic,” says Miyamoto in the translation. It was revealed that the developer originally intended to remove the system altogether, but that Link’s sidekick would have been rendered unplayable if that had been the case. In Miyamoto’s mind, Navi is the kind of friend who can help players who have been away from the game for a long time get back into the swing of things.
From the translation, it appears the showrunner wanted the fairy to serve as more of an all-purpose guide who could give specific advice in a wide range of scenarios. Instead, Miyamoto opted for straightforward and apparent advice because he believed that developing a more comprehensive help system would have taken as long as developing Ocarina of Time alone. Since Navi first appeared in The Legend of Zelda in 1998, many additional Zelda characters have vied for the title of most obnoxious. In Skyward Sword, the character Fi stands out as the top contender due to her frequent incursions.
It was so loathed by the community that the interruptions had to be toned down for the HD remake. To irritate fans of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for over two decades and earn the ire of the series’ creator, there must be something remarkable about Navi.