Here is what matters: who wrote it, what is actually on the disc, why the music changes while you play, and how to get a legitimate copy in 2025 without paying scalper prices.
01Who composed it, and why it sounds like that
Koji Kondo wrote the score. He had already defined the sound of the series with the original Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros., and Ocarina of Time was his first Zelda built around a 3D world with real distance and real silence.
The hardware set the limits. The Nintendo 64 had no CD drive and no streaming audio, so almost every instrument you hear is a short sample triggered by a sequencer, then shaped by the console's audio chip. That is why the strings have a slight synthetic edge and why the percussion hits so dryly.
Kondo turned the constraint into a style. Sparse melodies, lots of space, and one instrument carrying the whole emotional weight of a scene. If you want to hear the same approach pushed further on later hardware, our breakdown of the best video game soundtracks shows where that lineage goes.
There is a second reason the score sticks: the ocarina itself is a game mechanic, not decoration.
02Why the score changes while you play
Ocarina of Time is one of the clearest early examples of adaptive music in games. The score does not just loop, it reacts to where you are, what time it is, and whether anything is chasing you.
Hyrule Field is the famous case. The theme sits quietly for a long stretch, then shifts into a faster, more urgent layer when enemies appear nearby, then settles back. Nothing restarts. The transition is smooth enough that most players never consciously notice it, which is the point.
Other systems work the same way. Day turns to night and the field music changes register. Enter a house and the score drops to a few notes. Stand still in a dungeon and the ambience thins out to almost nothing.
This is the part that ages best. A static orchestral recording cannot reproduce it, which is why the original album and the game itself are two different listening experiences.
Photo: Gergely Meszárcsek · Pexels
03The tracks people actually remember
Ask ten players for the most iconic piece and you will get roughly three answers, and they are all defensible.
- Song of Time, three notes that carry the entire plot. It is the closest thing the game has to a title theme.
- Zelda's Lullaby, the melody most often quoted in later Zelda games, and the one non-players recognize.
- Saria's Song (Lost Woods), a short, looping, oddly cheerful tune that burrows in and stays there.
- Gerudo Valley, the fan favorite. Spanish guitar flavor, driving rhythm, and by far the most covered track from the score.
- Hyrule Field Main Theme, less a melody than a place. It is the one that proves the adaptive system works.
Bolero of Fire, Requiem of Spirit and Nocturne of Shadow round out the warp songs, and each one is under twenty seconds long. Short, functional, unforgettable.
If you want to play any of these rather than just listen, the route is the same one people use for other game scores, see our guide to finding and reading piano sheet for game music.
Yes, there is an official release. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Original Sound Track came out in Japan in December 1998 on a single CD, and it contains 82 tracks, most of them between thirty seconds and two minutes, because they are game cues rather than concert pieces.
| Release | What matters most | Year | Tracks | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Sound Track (Japan) | Only fully official edition | 1998 | 82 | 1 CD |
| Rearranged Album | Different arrangements, not the game audio | 1999 | ~10 | CD |
| Vinyl reissues | Collector packaging, partial track list | 2010s onward | Varies | LP |
| Digital storefronts | Convenience, region-locked catalog | Ongoing | Varies | Stream/download |
The distinction that trips people up: the Rearranged Album is a separate project with new arrangements, not a remaster of the game audio. If you want the sound you heard on the Nintendo 64, you want the 1998 disc.
Prices are where this gets uncomfortable.
Photo: Emmanuel Codden · Pexels
04How to buy it without overpaying
The 1998 CD is out of print, so the used market sets the price. Expect a wide range depending on condition and whether the obi strip is included.
Before you pay anything, check these off:
- Confirm the catalog number matches the 1998 Japanese pressing, not a bootleg.
- Ask for photos of the disc surface, not just the cover.
- Check whether the obi strip and booklet are included, they drive most of the price gap.
- Compare at least three sold listings, not asking prices.
- For vinyl, confirm the track list before buying; reissues are often abridged.
If you mainly want to listen rather than collect, streaming and the game itself cover you. Buying the disc is a collector decision, not an audio-quality one.
05Common mistakes when hunting this score down
Most disappointments here come from the same handful of assumptions.
- Buying the Rearranged Album by accident. Consequence: you get new arrangements and wonder why nothing sounds right.
- Assuming a vinyl reissue is complete. Consequence: an LP holds far less than 82 cues, so tracks get cut.
- Paying sealed prices for an opened copy. Consequence: you lose most of the resale value immediately.
- Expecting orchestral production. Consequence: the 1998 master sounds thin on modern speakers, because it is a console score, not a symphony recording.
- Downloading from random MP3 sites. Consequence: wrong edits, clipped audio, and no reliable track list.
One more: people search for a "complete" version and end up with a fan edit. Those exist, and some are good, but they are not the official album, treat them as a separate thing.
FAQ
Is there an official Ocarina of Time soundtrack?
Yes. Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Original Sound Track in Japan in December 1998 on one CD with 82 tracks. It has never been kept in print, so new copies come from the used and collector market.
What is the most famous song from Ocarina of Time?
Gerudo Valley is the most covered and most requested, while Song of Time and Zelda's Lullaby are the most narratively important. Saria's Song is the one people hum without meaning to.
Who composed the Ocarina of Time soundtrack?
Koji Kondo, who also wrote the music for the original Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. He composed the score for the Nintendo 64 hardware, which is why it uses sampled instruments rather than live players.
Why does the music change while I play?
The score is adaptive. Hyrule Field adds and removes layers depending on time of day and nearby enemies, and indoor areas strip the music down to a few notes. It is one of the earliest well-known examples of this technique in a 3D game.
How many tracks are on the album?
82 on the 1998 CD. Most are short cues, since they were written to loop inside a game rather than to stand alone as concert pieces.
06What to do next
If you want the real thing, the 1998 Japanese CD is the only fully official album, and the obi strip is what separates a $70 copy from a $35 one. If you just want to listen, streaming and the game cover you fine. And if the arranging side interests you, our starter guide to the Ocarina of Time soundtrack picks up where this leaves off.
07More on the site
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