First identify which version you are playing: the original Nintendo 64 release, Ocarina of Time 3D on Nintendo 3DS, or a Nintendo Classics version on Switch. The controls are not interchangeable. The Nintendo 64 instruction booklet calls the focus mechanic “Z Targeting,” while the 3DS guide calls it “L-Targeting.”
Targeting keeps Link focused on an enemy or object so you can fight, aim and move around it. This guide separates each edition’s controls, explains how to talk, attack and jump, and shows where to verify button assignments on Switch instead of guessing from modern controller labels.
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Identify your edition before pressing buttons
| Edition | What to look for | Target input | Inventory style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo 64 original | Game Pak running on Nintendo 64 hardware or an official Nintendo 64 instruction booklet | Z button; the booklet calls this Z Targeting | C-button item assignments |
| Nintendo 3DS remake | Ocarina of Time 3D on a Nintendo 3DS-family system | L button; the quick guide calls this L-Targeting | Touchscreen item icons and subscreens |
| Nintendo Classics on Switch | The Nintendo 64 library launched through Nintendo Switch Online | Depends on the current controller mapping | Use the in-game mapping view to see the assigned buttons |
The 3DS edition is Nintendo’s remake of the Nintendo 64 classic and was released in Europe on 17 June 2011. Nintendo’s European page also records that Nintendo 3DS-family eShop purchases ended on 27 March 2023; that is a European storefront date, not a statement about every region or about current secondhand availability. See Nintendo’s product information at Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time 3D page.
If you are using a physical Nintendo 64 cartridge, check the cartridge region, condition and console compatibility before buying or installing anything. The original game is a Nintendo 64 Game Pak; a 3DS copy is a different release.
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Quick control key
Keep this distinction beside you while learning:
- N64: Z starts or maintains Z Targeting, depending on whether the game is set to Switch or Hold mode. The C buttons are used for assigned items.
- 3DS: L starts L-Targeting. The lower touchscreen displays item and equipment shortcuts, and the action icon changes to fit the situation.
- Switch Nintendo Classics: do not assume that a modern controller’s shoulder, trigger or face-button label matches the original N64 symbol. Open the Suspend Menu and inspect the game’s mapping.
How do I Z-target in Ocarina of Time?
Nintendo 64: choose Switch or Hold
The original Nintendo 64 booklet describes two Z-targeting modes. In Switch mode, press Z once to make the focus cursor appear; press Z again to remove it. In Hold mode, the cursor remains only while you keep Z held down. Switch is the default the first time the game is turned on. Choose Hold if you prefer targeting to end as soon as you release the button, or Switch if you want to maintain a target without holding Z continuously. These options are settings for the Nintendo 64 version, not instructions for the 3DS remake.
Nintendo 3DS: use L-Targeting
On 3DS, press L to target. The quick guide uses the term L-Targeting rather than Z Targeting because the input moved to the L button. Once focused, Link continues to face the target while you move sideways, allowing you to strafe around an enemy without turning your view away from it.
What targeting actually does
Targeting is a focus tool, not a separate attack. It selects an enemy or another usable object and keeps Link oriented toward it. That orientation makes sword attacks, defensive movement and aimed actions easier to control. It is especially useful when an opponent circles you, when you need to keep a flying enemy in view, or when an object must be struck or examined from a particular direction.
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How do I move, strafe and jump?
3DS movement and automatic jumping
The 3DS quick guide distinguishes walking from running by how far you push the Circle Pad: a short movement walks, while a greater movement runs. When L-Targeting is active, moving sideways makes Link strafe while he continues facing forward toward the target.
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There is no ordinary jump button in the 3DS control scheme. Running off an edge or across a gap triggers the contextual jump automatically. Nintendo’s quick guide states: “You will automatically jump if you run off the edge of a height or a gap.” Approach the edge with enough forward movement; a small adjustment may make Link walk instead of reaching the edge at a running pace.
Nintendo 64 movement and contextual actions
The N64 game also treats jumping as a contextual movement action rather than a dedicated jump command. Approach a suitable ledge while moving and Link performs the jump as the terrain requires. Do not search for a separate jump button on the N64 controller; use the movement stick and watch the environment.
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Move within interaction range, then use the action command shown by the game. In the 3DS remake, the lower-screen action icon is contextual: it can display Open, Talk or Check, among other situation-specific actions. If it says Talk, face the character and activate that prompt; pressing an unrelated item button will not start the conversation. On N64, the equivalent action is assigned to the game’s main action button, but the prompt and situation still determine whether Link opens, talks or examines.
If no action prompt appears, adjust Link’s position, face the character directly and move closer. Some conversations begin only after a short event, at a particular time or from a specific side of an object.
Nintendo 64 controls: the original setup
Movement, action and items
The Nintendo 64 instruction booklet is the authoritative reference for the original button symbols. Move Link with the Control Stick, use the main action command for context-sensitive interactions, and assign usable items to the C buttons. Because C-button assignments are part of the N64 design, check which item is currently assigned before entering a fight or puzzle room.
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The Z button is reserved for the booklet’s Z Targeting system. It is not safe to assume that the physical Z position on an original three-pronged N64 controller is identical to a trigger or shoulder button on a modern pad.
Changing Z-targeting behavior
When the game first starts, Switch mode is selected by default. To change the behavior, use the control or configuration option described in the N64 booklet and select Switch or Hold. In Switch, one press toggles focus; in Hold, focus lasts only while Z is held. This setting changes how the target cursor is maintained, not which enemies or objects can be selected.
Sound and brightness
The original setup also includes sound and brightness settings. If the image is difficult to read on a modern display, adjust brightness in the game’s settings before changing television controls; keep in mind that the manual’s guidance was written for Nintendo 64-era output.
Nintendo 3DS controls: what changed from N64?
Touchscreen inventory and item use
The 3DS remake moves item management to the lower touchscreen. The quick guide shows equipped item icons that can be tapped, along with separate item, ocarina, map and gear subscreens. Tap the item you want to equip rather than trying to reproduce the N64 C-button layout. This is one of the clearest practical differences between the editions.
Action icon and Navi help
The action icon changes according to what Link can do at that moment. Examples in Nintendo’s guide include Open, Talk and Check. Treat the icon as the game’s immediate instruction: approach the object or character, wait for the appropriate label, then activate it.
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Navi’s help is also edition-specific. Nintendo’s quick guide says: “The Navi icon will appear in certain situations. Touch it to receive hints about your quest.” The icon does not remain available in every location, so its absence is not necessarily an error.
Gyro-assisted aiming
The 3DS product page documents gyro use for first-person shooting and camera control. This is a feature of the 3DS hardware and remake; do not apply it to the original Nintendo 64 edition. If you prefer not to move the system, use the standard controls for the same first-person view where the game permits it.
Basic combat and defense
The 3DS quick guide presents several combat options: normal sword attacks, a jump attack, a roll attack and shield use. While targeted, move sideways to circle an enemy, then choose the attack that matches the opening. Holding the defensive command while moving lets Link orient his shield toward danger. Keep these 3DS inputs separate from the N64 C-button and controller-symbol instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What targeting does in a fight
Hold your line against one enemy
Activate Z Targeting on N64 or L-Targeting on 3DS before committing to an attack. Link and the camera stay oriented toward the selected target, so you can judge distance without repeatedly turning the camera.
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Strafe instead of turning away
On 3DS, sideways Circle Pad movement while targeted produces a strafe: Link faces the enemy while shifting laterally. Use this to avoid a straight attack, move around a shielded side or create room for a counterattack. The N64 version uses its own controller behavior and terminology, but the purpose is the same: maintain focus while repositioning.
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Release targeting when it becomes a liability
Targeting is not mandatory. Release it when you need to inspect a broad area, line up a first-person view or move toward a different object. On N64, whether that requires another press or simply releasing Z depends on Switch versus Hold mode. On 3DS, press L again when you want to stop focusing.
Starting your first session
- Confirm the edition. Write “N64,” “3DS” or “Switch Classics” beside your screen so you do not mix button instructions.
- Test movement in a safe area. Walk, run and stop. On 3DS, compare a small and large Circle Pad movement so you can feel the walk/run threshold.
- Test targeting. Face a nearby enemy or object and press Z on N64 or L on 3DS. Verify that the focus cursor or target behavior appears.
- Practice one circle. While targeted on 3DS, move sideways around the target without attacking. On N64, learn how your chosen Switch or Hold mode behaves.
- Read the action prompt. Approach a door, character or inspectable object and wait for Open, Talk or Check on 3DS. Use the corresponding contextual action on N64.
- Equip one dependable item. Assign it to a C button on N64 or tap its lower-screen icon on 3DS, then confirm that the icon changes before leaving the area.
- Try a contextual jump. On 3DS, run off a safe low edge and observe the automatic jump. On N64, approach a suitable ledge while moving; the game supplies the jump when the terrain allows it.
- Find help when stuck. On 3DS, touch Navi’s icon when it appears. On N64 or Switch, use the game’s manual and in-game menus rather than copying a 3DS touchscreen instruction.
Nintendo Classics on Switch: check the real button mapping
Modern Switch labels are not universal replacements for the N64 controller symbols. Nintendo’s current support procedure applies to Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube and Virtual Boy libraries:
- Start the Nintendo Classics game.
- Open the Suspend Menu.
- Choose View/Change Controls.
- Review how the original buttons map to the controller currently connected.
- Check the game-specific additional controls, then customize the mapping if the library and controller combination permits it.
Nintendo states that Nintendo 64 library access requires a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership in the support context. The mapping screen is the reliable authority for your setup because assignments can depend on the controller and any customization already saved. See the official procedure at Nintendo Support’s button-assignment guide.
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Troubleshooting common beginner problems
The target cursor never appears
- On N64, verify that you are pressing the Z button and check whether the game is set to Switch or Hold.
- On 3DS, press L and face a valid enemy or object; not every background element can be targeted.
- On Switch, open View/Change Controls and confirm which current button is mapped to the original Z input.
Link walks when you expect a jump
On 3DS, increase Circle Pad travel so Link runs before reaching the edge. A short movement produces a walk, and the automatic jump occurs only when running off an appropriate height or gap. Reposition and try again if the edge is not a jumpable one.
The wrong action appears
Move closer, face the intended object and wait for the contextual label. Open, Talk and Check are situation-specific; the presence of an object on screen does not guarantee that the desired action is currently available.
You cannot keep an enemy in view
Activate targeting before attacking. On 3DS, use sideways movement to strafe while facing forward. On N64, switch between Hold and Switch if the way focus is maintained feels unsuitable, then practice releasing and reacquiring the target.
The 3DS guide’s touch instructions do not work
Touchscreen item icons and Navi hints belong to Ocarina of Time 3D. They do not apply to the original N64 cartridge. Use C-button assignments and the N64 controller symbols for that edition.
Quick Recap
Official references
- Nintendo 64 instruction booklet for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Nintendo 3DS Software Quick Guide: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
- Nintendo UK/Nintendo of Europe product page for Ocarina of Time 3D
- Nintendo Support: viewing or changing button assignments for Nintendo Classics games
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