12 Things You Didn't Know About The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
2. Super Mario References
Super Mario 64 and Ocarina Of Time are hardly comparable when it comes to gameplay, with Mario and Link both handling very differently. But as it turns out, there were some surprising references in Ocarina towards Nintendo’s other juggernaut.
One is found with Lon Lon Ranch’s staff. Run by Talon and his employee Ingo, these two men bear a striking resemblance to Mario & Luigi. Adding to this, you can see that both Talon and his daughter Malon’s broaches are Bowser-shaped upon closer inspection.
Another moment occurs within Dodongo's Cavern, where you’ll find a tile about opening the pathway to the boss. It’s a reused asset, which wouldn’t merit much discussion if it wasn’t the infamous “L Is Real 2401” tile, which led to SM64’s many theories about unlocking Luigi.
Ocarina’s most striking reference occurs within Hyrule Castle though. Where you met Princess Zelda, if you look through the Courtyard windows you can spot portraits of Mario, Bowser, Yoshi, Peach and Luigi. Considering Ocarina runs on SM64’s engine, albeit heavily modified, it makes sense the similarities go that little bit further.