於2002年11月28日在日本隨《薩爾達傳說：風之律動》預購活動或特定同捆包推出的《薩爾達傳說：時之笛 GC》（ゼルダの伝説 時のオカリナGC），是任天堂將N64時代巔峰之作移植到GameCube平台的重要作品。雖然本質上是一款復刻移植，但因內含傳說中未曾公開發售的「裏時之笛」（Master Quest），使這張GC光碟在薩爾達粉絲心中擁有極高的收藏與研究價值。

這並非單純的模擬運行，而是針對GameCube硬體進行專門優化。最明顯的改進是畫質輸出，支援480p逐行掃描（需搭配專用色差線），使原本在N64上略顯模糊的畫面變得格外清晰。更重要的是，這張光碟收錄兩個版本：一個是忠於原作的《時之笛》，另一個則是首次亮相的《裏時之笛 / Master Quest》。此「裏」版最初為N64 DD擴充機開發，保留主線劇情，但對所有迷宮的解謎邏輯、敵人配置與陷阱設計進行大幅改造，難度極高，是專為資深玩家設計的終極挑戰。

劇情圍繞海拉魯王國少年林克展開。林克居住在科奇里森林，沒有妖精相伴，受垂死的德庫樹指派，踏上阻止沙漠盜賊王加農多夫奪取聖地「三角神力」的旅程。取得時之笛並拔出大師之劍後，林克的靈魂被封印七年，醒來時已成為青年。玩家需在「童年」與「成年」兩個時間線穿梭，透過吹奏奧林匹亞之歌改變世界，喚醒七位賢者的力量，最終在崩塌的加農城與大魔王展開決定海拉魯命運的宿命對決。

操作上，由於GameCube手把與N64手把結構不同，任天堂進行精細的按鍵映射。原N64三個C鍵的道具使用功能，被對應到GC手把的X、Y鍵與C搖桿。初次接觸的玩家可能需要適應C搖桿方向控制，但整體操作流暢度依然保持高水準。劃時代的Z注目系統則被映射到L鍵，可以鎖定敵人進行環繞移動與精準攻擊，解決3D空間視角混亂的問題。此外，受益於GC光碟技術，讀取速度與選單切換比N64卡帶版更快，使遊戲體驗更加緊湊流暢。

本作在市場上獲得高度評價，即便多年後二手價格依舊居高不下。評論家讚賞它在保留原作風味的同時，提供更清晰的畫面效果。尤其是《裏時之笛》的加入，為老玩家帶來驚喜，其翻新的迷宮謎題讓即便熟悉原作的人也感到挑戰。市場普遍認為，本作證明《時之笛》的設計理念超越時代十年以上，即使換平台與操作邏輯，其冒險沉浸感與迷宮深度依然無可動搖。雖有人批評不像《惡靈古堡》進行完全重製，但作為「強化版移植」，它成功讓新世代的GameCube玩家見證3D動作冒險遊戲的巔峰。這張光碟不僅是一款遊戲，更像是保存珍貴歷史紀錄的數位檔案。

Released on November 28, 2002, in Japan as part of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker pre-order campaign or specific bundle packages, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time GC (ゼルダの伝説 時のオカリナGC) represents Nintendo’s significant effort to bring the N64 masterpiece to the GameCube (GC) platform. While fundamentally a remaster, its inclusion of the long-rumored and never-before-released “Ura Ocarina of Time” (Master Quest) gave this GC edition a unique collectible and research value among Zelda enthusiasts.

Ocarina of Time GC was not a simple emulation but was optimized for the GameCube hardware. The most noticeable enhancement was the graphical output, with support for 480p progressive scan (requiring component cables), making the originally slightly blurry N64 visuals remarkably sharp. More importantly, the disc included two versions of the game: the faithful recreation of the original Ocarina of Time, and the debut of Ocarina of Time Ura (Master Quest). Initially developed for the N64 DD add-on, the “Ura” version retained the main story but completely redesigned all dungeon puzzles, enemy placements, and trap mechanics, offering an extremely challenging experience tailored for veteran players.

The narrative follows Link, a young hero of Hyrule. Living in Kokiri Forest without fairy companions, he is tasked by the dying Great Deku Tree to prevent the desert-dwelling Gerudo King Ganondorf from seizing the sacred Triforce. After obtaining the Ocarina of Time and pulling the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link’s spirit is sealed for seven years, awakening as an adult. Players must traverse between the child and adult timelines, using songs played on the ocarina to manipulate the world, awaken the power of the seven sages, and ultimately confront Ganondorf in his collapsing castle to decide the fate of Hyrule.

Control adjustments were necessary due to the GameCube controller’s layout differing from the N64. The iconic N64 C-buttons, which handled item usage, were mapped to the GC controller’s X, Y buttons, and C-stick. While new players might need time to adapt to the C-stick’s directional input, overall control fluidity remained excellent. The revolutionary Z-targeting system was mapped to the L button, allowing players to lock onto enemies for precision attacks and movement, solving camera challenges in 3D space. Thanks to GameCube’s optical disc technology, load times and menu transitions were noticeably faster than the N64 cartridge version, making gameplay more seamless and responsive.

Ocarina of Time GC received widespread acclaim, and even years after release, its second-hand price remained high. Critics praised the remaster for preserving the original experience while offering significantly sharper visuals. The inclusion of Master Quest was particularly celebrated, providing even veteran players with unexpected challenges due to reworked puzzles. The general consensus is that the game’s design logic was ahead of its time by more than a decade; despite the change in platform and control scheme, its immersive adventure and dungeon design remained unmatched. While some critics noted it was not a full remake like Resident Evil, as an enhanced port it successfully introduced a new generation of GameCube players to the pinnacle of 3D action-adventure design. This disc is more than a game—it is a preserved piece of digital history.