Google Has a Cool The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Easter Egg That Transports Us Back to the 1998 Era of Search Results

Google has released a nostalgic Easter egg timed with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Nintendo Switch 2. By searching “zelda” on Google, users can trigger a hidden feature that temporarily transports them back to the internet of 1998.

When activated, a Master Sword icon appears in the bottom-right corner of the Google search results page. Clicking the sword causes it to insert itself into its pedestal with accompanying sound effects and visual distortion, then the page transforms to display Google’s original 1998 interface. The retro version shows search results as a minimalist series of blue hyperlinks — a stark contrast to modern Google’s feature-rich design.

The Easter egg represents Google’s latest gaming-related tribute, joining a history of similar promotional collaborations. Previous examples include interactive Super Mario question mark blocks, Pokédex mini-games, playable Breakout, and Splatoon 3 ink-splattered search results. The company frequently releases these hidden features to coincide with major game releases.

The timing aligns with the November 5, 2026 launch of the Nintendo 64 classic’s Switch 2 remake, making the Easter egg a cross-promotional effort between Google and Nintendo.

Google Has a Cool The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Easter Egg That Transports Us Back to the 1998 Era of Search Results

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