Zelda ocarina replicas: which ones really play?
Zelda ocarina replicas you blow into are real ocarinas, but they aren't all worth playing. Reviewer Andy Cormier warns against ceramic replicas under $40 and calls STL's $70 ceramic 12-hole the best value. Some things sold under the name are not instruments at all: the $49.99 Electric OCARINA OF TIME, made by HORI and sold by Nintendo, is a toy with buttons. We haven't measured any replica ourselves yet.
Is a Zelda ocarina a real ocarina?
Usually, if you blow into it and cover holes, but the name also covers toys and props. Three different things are sold as Zelda ocarinas:
- An electronic toy. Nintendo says the Electric OCARINA OF TIME "is an electronic toy and is not a real ocarina", worked with buttons and "not played by blowing into it". Its page gives $49.99 and a 5 November 2026 release, and its product data showed it out of stock when we checked on 30 October.
- A prop. Some are made only to look right, such as 3D-print files described as props for cosplay. If a listing talks about display, cosplay or printing and never mentions notes or range, assume it is one.
- A real ocarina shaped like the one in the game. You blow it and cover holes like any other, and whether it plays in tune depends on who made it. The rest of this page is about these.
Zelda ocarina replicas compared
Scores run from 16 out of 40 for a cheap ceramic to 38 for a Spencer alto C in Andy Cormier's review, published on 25 October 2026, which rates tone, tuning, ergonomics and looks. He earns a commission on Songbird and Amazon sales, which you should weigh. The scores below are his, and the prices are the latest we could find on the date shown.
| Replica | Holes | Price | Andy Cormier's score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap ceramic, such as Ohuhu | 12 | $22.99, Amazon US, 30 Oct | 16 | He says don't buy one |
| OcarinaWind plastic | 12 | $18-24, eBay, his figure | 21 | Cosplay, more than playing |
| Songbird plastic | 7 | $40.00, Songbird, 30 Oct | 24 | The Nintendo 64 look |
| STL ceramic | 12 | $70, STL via Google, 30 Oct | 30 | Value, in his view |
| Songbird ceramic alto C | 12 | $150.00, Songbird, 30 Oct | 34 | Looks for the money |
| Songbird double | Double | $200, his figure | 36 | Performing |
| Spencer alto C | 12 | $450.00, Spencer, 30 Oct | 38 | Best overall, and in short supply |
STL also sells a plastic 12-hole Zelda ocarina, which Google listed at $30 from STL on 30 October 2026. It wasn't in Andy Cormier's scores. We read these scores from the video's captions, so watch it if one of them decides your purchase.
Are cheap Zelda replicas in tune?
Often not, on the evidence so far. Andy Cormier says he has bought three cheap ceramic replicas and found two of them poorly tuned. When we read the reviews of the best-selling replica on Amazon US on 26 October 2026, Amazon's own summary reported buyers saying that only a few of its notes are in tune. Listings don't warn you, and the wording can be nearly identical: on 30 October 2026 Ohuhu's said "tuned by professional" and the Deekec listing "tuned by professional musicians".
A cheap one can still be a fine shelf piece, or a way to try the shape. As a first ocarina it is harder to learn on, because you can't tell your mistakes from the instrument's. Reviews are no substitute for a measurement, and we have not measured one yet.
Which Zelda replica should a beginner buy?
If you want to play it, buy a 12-hole from a specialist maker: STL's ceramic, or Songbird's if the looks are worth $150. STL's plastic is the cheaper way in, though Andy Cormier didn't score it. All our Ocarina of Time song pages work on a 12-hole in C. Songbird's plastic is a 7-hole with different fingerings, so check that it has tabs for what you want to play; Andy Cormier found it in tune but harder to play in tune without practice.
If the Zelda shape doesn't matter, a plain plastic 12-hole does the same job for about $40, and our guide to which ocarina to buy compares those. Whatever arrives, check it on a tuner before the return window closes, using the fair test for a bad-sounding ocarina.
Will a replica work with the Ocarina of Time remake?
Probably, but Nintendo hasn't said how fussy the game is. Nintendo's store page invites you to try "playing your own instruments into the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone", and its announcement says humming works too, which suggests some tolerance. Nintendo has published no pitch tolerance or list of instruments that we could find on 30 October 2026, and the game isn't out until 5 November.
Songbird says its 12-hole "will be perfectly compatible" with the game's detection. That is a seller's statement made before release. Our post on playing the remake with a real ocarina has more on which notes the game uses.
Should you wait for Nintendo's playable ocarina?
Nintendo has announced "a playable version for the musically inclined" for later this year. In the Direct's text Eiji Aonuma shows "an ocarina like the one in the game" and says "It'll be available for purchase on Nintendo Store." On 30 October 2026 we could find no price, hole count or exact date on Nintendo's pages. It is worth waiting if you want the official one; if you want to learn this winter, buy from a specialist now.
Which ocarina should I buy?