EPONA

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Epona in the 2026 Ocarina of Time remake

The Switch 2 remake, on sale since 5 November 2026, still uses Malon’s Friend. Learn the song as a child with X, Y, A played twice. As an adult, pay 20 rupees, win two races, and jump a low fence. Ingo is easier than on N64, according to IGN.

Last reviewed:

Frame from the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct that presented the remake
Illustration of a chestnut mare on a misty ridge

Buttons and fees next to the original

DetailN643DSSwitch 2Status
Song buttonsC-Up, C-Left, C-Right ×2A, X, Y ×2X, Y, A ×22 sources
Ocarina inputButtonsButtons and touchButtons or the Switch 2 microphone2 sources
Ride fee10 rupees (Zelda Wiki)Same quest20 rupees (IGN)Sources disagree
IngoTwo races, second stakes the horseSame structureIGN calls him more forgiving1 source for the difficulty note
Release21 Nov 1998 (US N64)19 Jun 2011 (3DS)5 Nov 2026, Switch 2 only2 sources

Steps on Switch 2

  1. See Princess Zelda, then return to Lon Lon Ranch in the daytime. Malon teaches the song. Threads of Time lists this as Malon’s Friend.
  2. Play X, Y, A, X, Y, A, or use the microphone. The child still cannot ride.
  3. After the seven-year jump, pay 20 rupees at Ingo’s ranch, play the song, and Epona approaches.
  4. Win both races. IGN says the remake’s Ingo is more forgiving than the N64 rider.
  5. He locks the gate. Take a run-up and jump the low wall. You can then call her in Hyrule Field and at Lake Hylia.
  6. Once you have a ranged weapon, horseback Poe shots work the way they did on N64.

Growth, bugs, and “cannot come here”

On the original cartridge the foal becomes an adult horse because seven years pass. I have not found a separate “make Epona grow” system in the remake coverage, so I am not describing one. Searches for a Switch 2 Epona bug and for the line “cannot come here” were loud by 13 November 2026, but I did not find a patch note or two independent write-ups that describe a reproducible fault. The known-issues section stays empty until that pair of sources exists.

Wikipedia’s remake article lists sprinting, faster swimming, motion aiming, a jump button, an item wheel, spoken scenes, a fully walkable castle town, time that keeps moving in town, Threads of Time, the microphone ocarina, and the Hall of Fallen Foes. It also says there is no Master Quest. Those are game-wide changes. Only the ocarina buttons, the microphone, the 20-rupee ride, and IGN’s note about an easier Ingo are Epona-specific. Sales: 5.2 million copies in four days, the fastest Switch 2 seller in that source.

Video

Nintendo of America published this Direct on 8 September 2026. It is the presentation tied to the Switch 2 remake, not a step-by-step Epona walkthrough.

FAQ

How do you play Epona’s Song on Switch 2?

X, Y, A, X, Y, A. The Switch 2 microphone can also play the ocarina.

Why won’t Epona grow?

The original story grows her across the seven-year gap. No separate growth mechanic showed up in the sources I used.

Is there a known Epona bug in the remake?

Not one I can cite. I am leaving that claim out until a patch note or two independent reports describe it.

Can you summon Epona anywhere?

IGN says Hyrule Field and Lake Hylia accept the song after you own her. Other maps are not listed.

Related

N64 and 3DS stepsNotes and tabsBuy the remake

Sources