It's been on our minds since the remake was announced, and now a dataminer has given us a little more hope after discovering files relating to the Master Quest in the Switch 2 Ocarina of Time Remake.
A dataminer called MrCheese has found the letters MQ in the game files hidden within the new remake. MQ has to stand for Master Quest, what with it being such a prevalent part of Nintendo's history. I remember getting the Master Quest as part of the GameCube release of The Wind Waker. It was a two-disc release, with Wind Waker on one and Ocarina of Time + The Master Quest on another. I also had it on the promotional GameCube Disc that Nintendo put out too!
The Master Quest made the game harder by adding extra elements into the dungeons. It was also available to unlock on the 3DS version of the game, flipping all of the dungeons around and all the environments too to give your brain a bit of a workout.
[Ocarina of Time] #ootspoilers There is data in the game files for Master Quest. It will be unlocked by *owning DLC* - it is not just an update. The data is incomplete, but I can confirm that the world is mirrored and dungeons are modified (e.g. cows in Jabu-Jabu's Belly).
— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) November 7, 2026
The references to MQ in the game files also allude to the user needing to own a DLC too. It comes after OatmealDome shared screenshots of code posted by MrCheese showing '_MQ' at the end of references to Dodongo's Cavern.
I was fully prepared for this to be a paid DLC from Day 1 - if it's something like £8.99 and it allows me to continue the adventure for longer, considering the game cost me £55, I'm fine with it. I don't know when the release is going to happen or whether we'll get it this year, but as soon as there's some official word from Nintendo, I'll be sure to let you know!
