On October 13, 2026, iam8bit announced the Hero of Time 2xLP Anniversary Edition — the Legend of Zelda Hero of Time vinyl reissue, rebuilt for the series' 40th anniversary with four different colored-vinyl variants at US$42.99 each. The music is a one-hour, 22-track orchestral arrangement of Koji Kondo's Ocarina of Time score, performed live by the 64-piece Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. The original 2017 pressing has been out of print for years and commands serious aftermarket prices, so this reissue is the moment most collectors have been waiting for. This guide compares all four variants, breaks down exactly what is on the record, and tells you which edition to buy — and where, if you are in Canada.
The Four Hero of Time Variants at a Glance
| Edition | Vinyl color | Where to order | Price | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iam8bit Edition | Translucent Link Green & Zelda Violet | iam8bit.com | US$42.99 | October 2026 (per iam8bit) |
| Retail Edition | Navi Blue | Participating retailers | US$42.99 (CA$64.99 at VideoGamesPlus.ca) | Varies: Nov 30, 2026 (Canada); Jan 2027 est. (EU) |
| Light in the Attic Exclusive | Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds | lightintheattic.net | US$42.99 | Ships by Nov 20, 2026 |
| Materia Collective Edition | Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds | materia.store | US$42.99 | Check storefront for dates |
All four editions contain the same music across two LPs and share the same packaging: artwork by Ryan Brinkerhoff, a die-cut ocarina window on the jacket front, a gatefold with Light and Dark sides, a gold foil-stamped Triforce on the back, and — new for this anniversary edition — a special 40th anniversary obi strip. The only differences are the vinyl colorways and where you buy them.
iam8bit Edition: Translucent Link Green & Zelda Violet
The flagship variant, sold directly by iam8bit, is pressed on translucent Link Green & Zelda Violet vinyl — the two signature colors of the series. iam8bit's product page states shipping begins in October 2026, making this the fastest way to get the record in hand. If you want the edition the label itself considers definitive, this is it.
Retail Edition: Navi Blue
The wide-retail variant is pressed on Navi Blue vinyl — named after Link's fairy companion. This is the edition most brick-and-mortar and online record shops will carry, and the one most likely to be available outside the US. Canadian buyers take note: VideoGamesPlus.ca has the retail edition up for pre-order at CA$64.99 with a listed release date of November 30, 2026. In Europe, Black Screen Records lists it at €46–48 with an estimated ship date of January 2027. Shipping dates genuinely vary by retailer here, so order from the shop whose timeline suits you.
Light in the Attic & Materia Collective: Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds
The two partner-exclusive variants share the most evocative colorway: Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds vinyl, described as being inspired by the ever-changing cycles of the Hyrule sky. Light in the Attic — the Grammy-winning reissue label — sells its exclusive through lightintheattic.net, where it is on pre-order with a stated "ships by November 20, 2026" date, while Materia Collective (the label behind the original 2017 release) sells the same colorway through materia.store. If you judge a variant by how it looks on the turntable, this is arguably the prettiest of the four.
Which Version Should You Buy?
- Buy the iam8bit Edition if you want it first — it ships in October 2026, and the Link Green & Zelda Violet colorway is the one iam8bit chose to represent the anniversary.
- Buy the Retail (Navi Blue) Edition if you are outside the US. It is the easiest to find at local shops, and Canadian buyers can pre-order it domestically at VideoGamesPlus.ca for CA$64.99 instead of paying international shipping.
- Buy the Light in the Attic or Materia Collective Edition if you want the Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds colorway — many collectors consider it the best-looking of the four, and Light in the Attic's reputation for quality pressings is a bonus.
- On a budget or just want the music? The music is identical on all four. Pick whichever variant is cheapest or closest to you — the obi strip, gatefold and foil Triforce come with every edition.
What Is on the Record: 22 Tracks of Orchestral Ocarina of Time
An honest note first: Hero of Time is not the original Nintendo 64 recordings. It is a one-hour arrangement album — Koji Kondo's melodies reimagined for a full orchestra, recorded live at Studio 1 in Bratislava by the 64-piece Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. Arrangements and musical direction are by Eric Buchholz, a veteran of video game concert tours including The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony and Symphony of the Goddesses. The album was specially mastered for vinyl by Infrasonic. The orchestration takes an "east-meets-west" approach, folding in taiko ensembles and eastern woodwinds alongside the symphony.
The 22 tracks span the game's defining moments: Hero of Time, Hyrule Field, Castle Town Market, Princess Zelda, Lon Lon Ranch, Sheik, The Forest For the Tree, Fire Temple, Spirit of the Valley, Ganon's Tower, Great King of Evil and Epilogue ~ End Credits, among others. Hearing the Hyrule Field theme or Lon Lon Ranch carried by a full string section, after knowing them only as N64 sound-chip melodies, is the entire point of this record.
The backstory adds to the appeal. Hero of Time began as a Kickstarter project that raised over US$50,000 from more than 1,000 backers, and the vinyl — released in 2017 for iam8bit's own 20th anniversary — was reportedly the first Zelda vinyl ever released outside Japan. It has been out of print for years. This anniversary reissue keeps the same recordings and upgrades the packaging with the new obi strip, so longtime fans finally get a second chance at a reasonable price.
The Zelda 40th Anniversary Timeline
The vinyl is one piece of a much larger anniversary program Nintendo mapped out in its dedicated Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8, 2026. Key dates:
- October 29, 2026: Nintendo Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition console, Pro Controller and carrying case. Note: the console does not include a game — it is collector hardware.
- November 5, 2026: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake launches for Nintendo Switch 2, rebuilt with overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes and symphonic orchestral music.
- 2027: The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert Tour — the series' first official global tour since Symphony of the Goddess (2012–2017) — begins in Tokyo in January, reaches North America in February and Europe in April. Toronto gets two shows, October 21–22, 2027, at Roy Thomson Hall with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra — currently the only Canadian dates and the final dates of the tour.
- April 30, 2027: The live-action The Legend of Zelda film arrives in theatres (Sony Pictures), directed by Wes Ball and starring Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto says it tells an original story drawn from series lore rather than adapting a single game.
The first Legend of Zelda game launched in 1986, which makes this the rare anniversary where the music, the remake, the concert tour and the film all land within months of each other. The vinyl reissue sits right at the center of it.
Is Video Game Music on Vinyl Worth Collecting?
Video game soundtracks are one of vinyl's fastest-growing niches. Labels like iam8bit, Laced Records and Mondo have turned game music into a serious collector category: colored variants sell out, anniversary editions get repressed, and titles like Hero of Time bridge two audiences — gamers who grew up with the melodies and vinyl collectors who appreciate the orchestral recording. A well-recorded, officially licensed pressing of iconic music tends to hold its value, and this one has the two things collectors look for: a beloved score and packaging that was clearly designed by people who love the source material.
That said, buy it because you want to hear it. The aftermarket premium on the out-of-print 2017 pressing is exactly why reissues like this exist — US$42.99 for a 2LP orchestral recording with this packaging is a fair price for the music alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in the Hero of Time vinyl reissue?
The Anniversary Edition is a 2xLP containing all 22 tracks of the orchestral Hero of Time album — Koji Kondo's Ocarina of Time score arranged for the 64-piece Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. Packaging includes Ryan Brinkerhoff's artwork, a die-cut ocarina window on the jacket, a Light/Dark gatefold, a gold foil-stamped Triforce on the back, and a new 40th anniversary obi strip. Four vinyl colorways are available at US$42.99 each; the music is identical on all of them.
Which version of the Hero of Time vinyl should I buy?
Buy the iam8bit Edition (translucent Link Green & Zelda Violet) if you want it fastest — it ships in October 2026. Buy the retail Navi Blue edition if you are outside the US; Canadians can pre-order it at VideoGamesPlus.ca for CA$64.99. Buy the Light in the Attic or Materia Collective edition if you prefer the Blue Clouds & Violet Clouds colorway. The music and packaging are the same on all four.
Is the Hero of Time vinyl reissue a limited edition?
iam8bit has not announced pressing quantities or numbering for the reissue, so it is not being sold as a numbered limited edition. The colorways are exclusive to their respective storefronts, and the original 2017 pressing sold out and went out of print — so ordering during the pre-order window is the safe move, but there is no stated edition size to speculate on.
What is the difference between the iam8bit and retail Hero of Time vinyl editions?
Only the vinyl color and the seller. The iam8bit Edition is translucent Link Green & Zelda Violet, sold by iam8bit.com and shipping in October 2026. The retail edition is Navi Blue, sold by participating record shops worldwide (CA$64.99 at VideoGamesPlus.ca in Canada, €46–48 in Europe). Music, artwork, gatefold, foil Triforce and obi strip are identical.
Why is Ocarina of Time getting a remake in 2026?
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series (the first game launched in 1986). Nintendo announced the remake in its September 8, 2026 anniversary Direct: a rebuilt Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 with overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes and symphonic orchestral music, launching November 5, 2026.
What's included in the Zelda 40th anniversary celebration?
Nintendo's program includes the Hero of Time vinyl reissue, a Zelda-themed Nintendo Switch 2 console and accessories (October 29, 2026), the Ocarina of Time remake (November 5, 2026), a world concert tour across 2027 (including Toronto, October 21–22, 2027), and the live-action The Legend of Zelda film (April 30, 2027).
Is video game music on vinyl worth collecting?
For fans, yes: officially licensed pressings of iconic scores from labels like iam8bit, Laced and Mondo have proven to hold value, especially anniversary editions with distinctive packaging. The practical advice is the same as any vinyl purchase — buy the music you love, treat variant collectibility as a bonus, and pre-order rather than chasing the aftermarket.
When does the Ocarina of Time remake come out?
November 5, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2 — one week after the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition console and accessories launch on October 29.
Does the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 include a game?
No. Nintendo confirmed the 40th Anniversary Edition console bundle does not include a game — it is collector hardware (console, themed Pro Controller and carrying case), sold separately from the Ocarina of Time remake.
Shop Soundtrack Vinyl at CatalogTM
We do not stock the Hero of Time reissue — but if this guide sent you down the game-music-on-vinyl rabbit hole, our shelves are deep in soundtracks: browse our Soundtracks collection and our Coloured Vinyl collection, or search soundtracks for everything from anime and game scores to classic film music. New and sealed, shipped worldwide from Toronto, Canada in reinforced, collector-grade packaging.
Cover photo: Ocarina front by 0x010C, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
