Summary
- Tears of the Kingdom includes several callbacks to the classic Ocarina of Time, such as Link whistling or humming songs from the predecessor while cooking.
It would be a difficult task to find a The Legend of Zelda fan who doesn't have a deep love for Ocarina of Time or at least someone who doesn't have several fond memories of playing the now classic entry when they were younger. Now that The Legend of Zelda has evolved to Tears of the Kingdom, fans look to the classic Ocarina of Time, one of the best speed-running games, to see what it brings to the sequel decades later.
The emotional story, recurring themes, and tight gameplay have made Ocarina of Time an iconic entry in the series, so much so that the latest title, Tears of the Kingdom, actually makes more than a few callbacks to this predecessor. There's no doubt that diehard Ocarina of Time fans will notice some of these easter eggs immediately, but Nintendo certainly did a good job at hiding them from plain view.
8 Cooking Whistle
Each time Link throws a few ingredients into a pan, he'll begin to whistle or hum a little melody until the food is finally ready, but he doesn't always follow the same tune. While Link will usually recite the main theme of Tears of the Kingdom, there's also a chance he will sing a selection of songs from Ocarina of Time including the beloved "Song of Storms" and "Espona's Song".
Despite being right in front of us this entire time, this hidden easter egg is quite hard to notice, but having multiple songs as opposed to just one still makes it a great addition, and a heartwarming callback to a few of the fan-favorite songs from Ocarina.
7 Identical Ganondorf Scene
In one of the earliest memory cutscenes, there is a scene showing a deceptive Ganondorf bowing to the Hyrule King as he talks about the Zonia ancestors before leaving with a suspicious look in his eyes. This scene is near-identical to a moment in Ocarina of Time where Link and Zelda are spying on Ganondorf as he bows to the king, with Zelda explaining that he is a man with "evil eyes" who cannot be trusted.
It seems no matter what iteration of Ganondorf it is, he always carries over a habit of betraying royalty in one way or another which only goes to display how he's not just a villain who relies on his strength, but also his genius intellect which allows him to earn the trust of key individuals extremely easily.
6 Zelda Gets Spooked
There's a scene in the Tears of the Kingdom reveal trailer where Zelda turns behind her and looks straight at the camera before it is revealed that she had heard the lifeless Ganon regaining his power while he lies there as a near-lifeless corpse. Upon meeting Zelda for the first time in Ocarina of Time, Zelda will turn around with a concerned look on her face in the same way, saying that she's shocked Link managed to even make it past the guards.
This is undoubtedly another callback to an incredibly memorable moment from this earlier title considering how on the nose the camera angle and facial expression is, and this humorous character quirk makes an appearance in most of the games including Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess.
5 Underground Secrets
The beginning of Tears of the Kingdom sees Link and Zelda traveling through a cavern underneath Hyrule Castle to uncover a poisonous substance that has been seeping out and killing the people of Hyrule, that is until they are attacked by a corpse-like figure and are afflicted with Gloom before Zelda vanishes.
The notion of a mysterious underground area that withholds some crucial information that heavily impacts the story is not a new thing in the Zelda series, since this was the same in Ocarina of Time, specifically beneath the Well and Shadow Temple which both held some very revealing secrets about the royal family which adds even more mystery and intrigue to the overall plot.
4 Rauru's Name
Sage Rauru admittedly played a pretty minor role in Ocarina of Time, but his tiny frame and exaggerated mustache certainly made him very unique, and while his name was a reference to a town Link visits in Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, the name Rauru makes another appearance in Tears of the Kingdom, referring to the first King of Hyrule.
This time around, Rauru plays a far bigger role in the story, often acting like a teacher to Link, guiding him through his quest to reunite with Princess Zelda. Unlike the Ocarina of Time iteration, King Rauru gets plenty of development in Tears of the Kingdom, and in many ways, is just as important to the plot as Zelda or Link.
3 Lon Lon Milk
If players take a close look at the front of a glass of 
Fresh Milk in Tears of the Kingdom, they will be able to see an image of a hand-drawn cow with some text next to it which is the same emblem that can be found in the Lon Lon Ranch in Ocarina of Time.
Because of the time that the game was released, it's fairly hard to see the logo in Ocarina when chugging a glass of milk, but the main emblem of the cow at the center is still very visible. Unfortunately, unlike in Ocarina where the milk can heal five hearts, the Fresh Milk in Tears of the Kingdom will only heal half of a heart, but it can still be used with other cooking ingredients to make a nutritious meal such as a warm and delicious stew.
2 Ganon's Iconic Pose
Ganon has a very unique pose that he performs when Link defeats him during the final boss fight at the end of Ocarina of Time where he stretches his arms out and raises them high into the sky. Ganon isn't defeated when he does this in Ocarina though as he simply tears down his castle in a final attempt to kill Zelda and Link.
Nintendo brought this pose back in Tears of the Kingdom when the mummified version of Ganon laying under Hyrule Castle finally raises and positions his arms in the same way he does in Ocarina. What's interesting is, just like the game it's referenced from, this is an indication that the menacing villain isn't dead yet, and is only getting ready to cause even more destruction.
1 The Armor Of Time
The elf-like green outfit that Link wears in Ocarina of Time can be acquired in Tears of the Kingdom, and while it's quite tricky to get to and will require a decent set of weapons and armor, it's still incredibly worth it, even if it is just for the nostalgia factor. Each of the four parts of the Armor of Time can be found in the Depths which is easy to access from the Lindor and Gerudo Highlands Skyview Towers.
The armor itself isn't very strong and will only be able to defend Link from moderately powerful attacks and projectiles, but it's still a real treat for the eyes and a callback that is instantly recognizable to one of Link's most iconic costumes.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.