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The water boulder glitch in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is reported to work on the original Nintendo 64 cartridge and the Nintendo Switch Online version. Kotaku also reports broad compatibility across Virtual Console ports, while the Nintendo 3DS remake is reported not to support it. The available reports do not identify individual Wii or Wii U Virtual Console releases, specific N64 cartridge revisions, or any later successor version precisely enough to give them a confirmed result.
The exploit depends on precise timing: Link uses a bottled item as an attack animation finishes, allowing the bottle interaction to overwrite the boulder’s damage state. It is a situational trick, not a universal button sequence with a guaranteed outcome on every attempt.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Nintendo 64 cartridge | Players using the original release | Reported support: Yes | Nintendo 64 | November 2026 |
| Nintendo Switch Online version | Players using the current subscription release | Reported support: Yes | Nintendo Switch | November 2026 |
| Virtual Console ports | Players on a Virtual Console release | Reported support: Yes, generally; individual ports are not named | Virtual Console platforms | November 2026 |
| Nintendo 3DS remake | Players checking the remake | Reported support: No | Nintendo 3DS | November 2026 |
| Specific Wii/Wii U Virtual Console releases and N64 revisions | Owners of an unlisted release | Unresolved in the cited reports | Wii, Wii U, or revision-specific N64 cartridges | November 2026 |
Which Ocarina of Time versions support the water boulder glitch?
The two specifically identified compatible versions are the original Nintendo 64 cartridge and the Nintendo Switch Online edition. GamesRadar reports both as working. Kotaku adds that the trick works on Virtual Console ports in general, but its report does not enumerate every platform or release.
The 3DS remake is the clear exception in the published coverage: Kotaku says the glitch does not seem to work there. That wording is important. It describes a reported compatibility result, not a guarantee that every possible setup has been ruled out.
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What is the water boulder glitch?
In normal play, some boulders require a conventional attack or item interaction to break. The reported trick combines a boulder attack with a bottle item. Link begins an attack, then pours bottled water or releases bottled bugs at the moment the attack animation is ending. The overlapping game states can make the boulder register damage and explode.
The underlying idea is broader than a water-only trick. Speedrunner ZFG described the discovery as using a bottled item while a lingering hitbox is disappearing, allowing that item to overwrite damage values. GamesRadar quotes the explanation as: “Using a bottled item as a lingering hitbox is disappearing can cause the bottled item to overwrite damage values.” The unusual wording reflects a technical description of the timing interaction rather than a simple gameplay mechanic.
Because the result depends on an animation boundary and a specific setup, the glitch should be treated as timing-sensitive. The reports do not provide a universal frame count, a guaranteed success rate, or a claim that every boulder behaves identically. A failed attempt does not by itself prove that the release is incompatible.
How does compatibility differ by version?
Original Nintendo 64 cartridge: reported yes
GamesRadar identifies the original Nintendo 64 cartridge release as compatible. This is the earliest version named specifically in the available reporting, so it is the safest reference point for players using original hardware and software.
No N64 cartridge revision is identified. If a cartridge has a different regional, manufacturing, or revision designation, the cited reports do not establish whether that changes the result. Do not turn the general N64 finding into a claim that every revision has been verified.
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Nintendo Switch Online: reported yes
GamesRadar also reports that the Nintendo Switch Online version supports the glitch. This gives the trick a specifically named modern release in addition to the original cartridge.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe report concerns the Nintendo Switch Online version itself. It does not establish compatibility for a future successor release or for an unlisted re-release simply because that product also contains Ocarina of Time. Compatibility should be tied to the exact version named by the source.
Virtual Console ports: broadly reported yes
Kotaku describes the glitch as working on Virtual Console ports generally. That is useful confirmation that the result was not limited to one physical cartridge, but it is less precise than the Nintendo 64 and Switch Online findings.
The article does not list each Virtual Console platform, region, or software revision. In particular, the available evidence does not let you mark an individual Wii or Wii U release as confirmed. If you are checking a specific Virtual Console download, record the platform and release first; the broad report is a reason to investigate, not proof for every edition.
Nintendo 3DS remake: reported no
Kotaku reports that the glitch does not seem to work in the Nintendo 3DS remake. The remake is therefore the version to treat as incompatible when planning around this exploit.
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The distinction is between the 3DS remake and the older releases, not between a physical and digital copy of the same software. A 3DS owner should not expect the N64 or Switch Online result to transfer automatically, because the remake is a separate version with its own game implementation.
How should you attempt the glitch on a compatible release?
Before trying it, identify the exact release and have a bottle containing water or bugs available. The published descriptions do not give a complete input script, so the useful guidance is about sequence and timing rather than a fixed list of button presses.
- Confirm the version. Treat an original N64 cartridge and the Nintendo Switch Online edition as the specifically reported targets. Treat an unnamed Virtual Console release as a tentative case and the 3DS remake as unsupported according to Kotaku’s report.
- Prepare the bottled item. The reported examples use bottled water or bottled bugs. The bottle is part of the damage-value interaction, not merely a cosmetic substitute for another item.
- Start the attack on the boulder. The bottle action must overlap the end of the attack animation. Starting it too early or too late can leave the boulder unchanged.
- Release the water or bugs as the animation ends. The critical window is described as the attack or lingering hitbox disappearing. There is no source-backed frame number to memorize, so expect repeated attempts while you learn the timing.
- Evaluate the result cautiously. An exploding boulder is the expected visible result. If nothing happens, retry the timing and setup before concluding that the version lacks support; the coverage presents the trick as precise and situational.
These steps summarize the reported interaction, not a guarantee of success. The cited articles do not claim that every attempt works, and they do not provide a full troubleshooting table for controller timing, regional releases, or cartridge revisions.
What else can the bottled-item damage glitch do?
The boulder is one application of a broader damage-flag glitch. GamesRadar reports that speedrunners were examining at least two major boss uses: defeating Volvagia without the Hammer and defeating Ganondorf without Light Arrows. Those examples show why the discovery attracted speedrunning attention, but they do not change the version-compatibility list.
Boss applications may require different positioning, items, or timing from the boulder setup. A release that supports the underlying interaction should not be assumed to make every reported application easy or identical. The practical commonality is the bottled item’s temporary hitbox and its interaction with damage values.
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Can you use the compatibility reports to choose a version?
If the glitch is a priority, the original Nintendo 64 cartridge and Nintendo Switch Online edition are the clearest choices because both are named explicitly as compatible by GamesRadar. A physical cartridge is relevant only if you already have access to the original release; availability of any particular listing is not established by the compatibility reports.
A Virtual Console edition is a conditional choice. Kotaku’s general statement supports investigating those ports, but the lack of a platform-by-platform list means you should not treat every Wii or Wii U release as independently confirmed.
The 3DS remake is the poor choice for this specific technique. If you are playing it for its other remake features, that is a separate decision, but the reported water boulder exploit should not be part of your plan.
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The ranking above follows the specificity of the available reports. A version is listed as confirmed only when a source names it directly: GamesRadar names the original N64 cartridge and Nintendo Switch Online; Kotaku gives the broader Virtual Console claim and the 3DS caveat. Where the sources do not identify a platform, region, or revision, the table leaves the result unresolved instead of inferring compatibility.
These are published compatibility findings, not independent testing by this site. The GamesRadar report supplies the named N64 and Switch Online results and quotes ZFG’s explanation. Kotaku’s coverage supplies the broad Virtual Console statement and the 3DS qualification. A Reddit discussion reflects the contemporaneous player question about whether the trick works on 3DS, but it is community commentary rather than a definitive compatibility test.
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What is the safest conclusion?
Use the original N64 cartridge or Nintendo Switch Online version if you need the strongest reported compatibility. Consider a Virtual Console port only with the understanding that the source does not name every individual release. Treat the 3DS remake as incompatible for this glitch, and leave specific Wii, Wii U, and N64 revision questions open until a source identifies them directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could a different Nintendo 64 cartridge revision change the result?
It could, but the cited reports do not identify cartridge revisions or compare them. The only supportable statement is that the original Nintendo 64 cartridge release is reported compatible; a revision-specific answer remains unknown.
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No. They are separate reports: GamesRadar names Nintendo Switch Online directly, while Kotaku describes Virtual Console ports in general. A broad Virtual Console statement should not be used as proof for one particular Wii or Wii U release.
What should I do if the boulder does not explode?
First check the timing and bottle setup, because the interaction is described as precise and situational. If repeated attempts fail, verify the exact release; failure alone cannot distinguish bad timing from an unsupported revision when that revision is not named by the sources.
Does bottled bugs work differently from bottled water?
The reported description allows either bottled water or bottled bugs as the item used at the end of the attack animation. The sources do not publish separate compatibility results for the two contents, so they should be treated as alternative setups for the same reported interaction.
