There are many things The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is not.
It is not the prettiest Legend of Zelda game. Exactly 20 years since its Japanese debut, the discernible polygons that make up the world and characters of Termina locate the game squarely in the fifth console generation. While we respect its Expansion Pak-enhanced visuals in the context of their day and we have a fondness for that era's aesthetic, Majora's Mask can't hold a candle to some of the other entries in the series, even with Grezzo's excellent work on the 3DS update.
It's certainly not the most accessible or player-friendly Zelda, either. If its downbeat, foreboding atmosphere doesn't put you off, the pressure of its three-day cycle--which effectively resets your progress in just under an hour of real-world time--proves stressful after the relative freedom and relaxation of Ocarina of Time's Hyrule. In Termina you don't have the luxury of languorous hours hunting Gold Skulltulas or kicking back at the fishing hole waiting for the Hylian Loach to bite.
It's not even the most original Zelda. Its engine and many assets were borrowed from Ocarina of Time and its base mechanics remain largely unchanged. And neither are those mechanics best-in-series. They were hugely influential, having been iterated on many times since (until Breath of the Wild gave the template an overdue revamp), but returning to the second-ever outing of those 3D mechanics only highlights the subtle enhancements made over the years, particularly to Z-targeting and swimming. Yes, even without that oft-maligned ticking clock, Majora's Mask can be frustrating.
So, why then is it often considered the 'hidden' best of the series? All the cool kids claim it's their favourite, but why when the game is so obviously flawed?
Simply put, it's the most interesting Zelda has ever been. Visually, the kingdom of Termina is a mash-up of Ocarina of Time's locations, with the addition of snow and ocean regions. Although it feels darker, the actual world is pieced together with similar earth tones to Hyrule, plus some luminous highlights in the dungeons. The recycling from the series' previous entry extends to the inhabitants themselves, including the impish Skull Kid antagonist previously seen in Hyrule's Lost Woods and corrupted by the titular mask. The Happy Mask Salesman, too, walks a fine line between jovial and sinister - a mixture that sets the tone for the entire experience. His masks imply childlike make-believe and play, although their transformative effects on Young Link appear quite terrifying.
Much of Termina's darkness and strangeness comes from seeing familiar characters in odd places, and often acting differently. Here we get a different view of characters we thought we knew and an opportunity to empathise. Old enemies can become friends. Many characters are duplicates from Hyrule, here assigned new identities (or sometimes multiple identities, as with the Gormon Brothers or the Romani sisters). These doppelgangers exist as archetypes across dimensions; satisfying touchstones for returning players to recognise, although familiarity with them enables the developers to subvert our expectations. Our memories of the egotistical Ingo from Ocarina colour our impression of Gorman the Troupe Leader, and give him a more textured personality when we discover his real story and his anger at failing to succeed in show business.
The three-day cycle, a cause of confusion and fatigue for many, actually provides context for the characters' endlessly repeating paths and dialogue and gives us a far more detailed view of their lives. In this short cycle, every cause has an effect. If the bomb lady is mugged on the first night, the Bomb Shop will lose its stock. If Anju isn't on reception at the Inn, she'll be cooking lunch or taking a walk in the rain. People don't just despawn or disappear in Majora's Mask; they're always somewhere. In those 72 hours we become intimately familiar with these people - their hopes and fears, the risks they take, the secrets they keep.
The real draw of Majora's Mask is the universal questions it poses about mortality, acceptance, attachment, friendship and failure. It asks the biggest of all questions: What is our purpose here? The four moon children at the end of the game quiz the player with the queries in the dialogue boxes throughout this article. Meeting these masked characters around a grand tree in a glade at the end of the game was a revelatory moment for this writer and those questions lingered in an impressionable young mind. They come after many hours spent completing tasks and experiences to which they are directly related.
You spend the majority of the game learning life lessons. It's impossible to please everybody all of the time, but we empathise with the people of this world and their failures because we have witnessed their potential - their best selves - in another time. Majora's Mask can be a gloomy proposition with the enemy-filled map and the looming lunatic face in the sky. No, I don't have time to save the Gorons today, so their winter will not end. The shambling mummies of Ikana must be ignored today because I'm needed elsewhere. Our power to affect the world is great but so are the demands on our resources. And, just as in the real world, time is our most precious commodity.
Perhaps this is one reason why so many take umbrage with the time 'limit'. The three-day cycle denies players the escapism of other games and forces self-reflection and management. From a company that habitually prizes mechanics and game-feel over story, the moments when Nintendo do explore narrative ideas and deeper questions seem all the more profound in a catalogue of work featuring a deluge of kidnapped princesses.
Early on, the Happy Mask Salesman instructs us to work to improve the world and create happiness through the use of masks. The essential duality presented and mirrored throughout the game by the recurrence of doubles, twins and alter egos reflects the fact that pretence and play are very necessary components of a person's life, and of the human condition itself. The themes it throws up tie into the very nature of games themselves, video or otherwise. The creators at Nintendo are experts at enabling play; Majora's Mask asks us to consider why that is so important, and does so brilliantly.
Not such a terrible fate, after all. Share your thoughts and feelings on Majora's Mask below.
Comments 105
Ah yes, this one. Nintendo always makes the best games.
I’ve never actually finished Majora’s Mask. I’ve made it roughly halfway a few times but despite it being pretty good, I always just forgot about it and moved on to other things. I really should try again.
Ahhh I played the 3DS remake again a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of the best Zeldas, if not THE best.
Wish Nintendo could capture that magic once again in the series.
Strangest and arguably best imho. When people ask me what my favorite Nintendo game is, I almost always answer Majora's Mask, the game is pretty well flawless, at least to me and there are few games I look back on with such fond memories when compared to this one. I am hoping BOTW 2 is the Majora's Mask (aka darker) version of the two games, like Majora's was to OOT.
Probably one of the most unique games by Nintendo. I have never been a fan of this entry but it is far from being a bad game, Skyward Sword kinda feels like it falls into this category these days. Overlooked and under-appreciated in it's time, never really finding it's respect until later.
@JayJ Skyward Sword is still my favorite Zelda. Love BotW, but Skyward Sword just has that overall amazement.
My favorite Zelda game of all time. I remember getting the holographic N64 label in an issue of Nintendo power before it came out then getting the golf cart with the holographic label and I played the heck out of it. One of the first titles I double dipped on when it came to 3DS and I even got the DLC for Breath if the Wild mostly so I could wear Majoras Mask! The best Zelda imo.
Constraints lead to creativity - and it worked out really well in this case.
One of the only main Zelda games I haven’t finished (I haven’t finished the Oracle games either). I did try back on the 64. I couldn’t wrap my head around the three day cycle. I have it on 3DS. I just need to play it.
This was the very first game I pre-ordered online from Amazon back in 2000 (!). I loved Ocarina and could t wait for this game. I still have the gold cartridge and whilst I didn’t like it as much as Ocarina it is still a great game, though much more challenging. I think I had to buy a guide to finish it back in the day. I have the 3ds remaster but have never gotten very far with it. One day...
.... if only I had more time....
In 20 years, hundreds of Zelda clones were made.
But the unique Majora's Mask is that one ingeniuos game that no-one was able to copy.
For this it's one of my most respected videogames of all time.
The one thing standing between Majora’s Mask and greatness for me is the way each zone resets when you turn back time. I wish after working hard to save people from the ice or rescuing sea horses that the game would lock that in. Instead you reset and everyone goes back to being in trouble.
Really need to finish it on the 3ds.
Strange? Definitely yes. The strangest Nintendo game? Stranger than Earthbound? Hmm...
MM was no doubt in development at the same time as the original Animal Crossing, as they share lots of those weird little design choices to accommodate a real time clock. Not certain, but the there’s definitely some kind of connective tissue there.
@BulkSlash so like, the entire game?
20 years = Switch Remaster, Thank you please!!
This would have been one of my favorite Zelda games, were it not for the dungeons. I hated them. The first one isn't bad, just very boring. The last 3 are just too confusing to navigate, it's the only Zelda game were I actually had to use the mechanic to transport back to the entrance, just because I couldn't figure out how to navigate back. having a time limit only makes It worse, even with the extended time.
The only dungeon-y places I did like were the pirate hideout and and the moon itself.
Ocarina will always be my most favoured and memorable entry but this was a good one. I remember not liking the fact that there were only 4 dungeons albeit each being bigger than ocarinas and i didnt think the bosses were as creative either. I loved the 3 day cycle, especially when you started filling out the side quests and figuring out that certain things happened on certain days. Id very much like these 2 games to make an appearance on the switch.
@SuperToe I would say so. MM has the edge on emotion and tone and imagery, earthbound is more like weird wacky fun. Close race tho
I still think this is the best Zelda. It was definitely a stronger title than Ocarina of Time. I actually loved it so much I got Skull Kid wearing Majoras Mask inked on my arm
@mesome713 Skyward Sword could be one of my favorites too, but the silent realm segments ruined it for me. There are two things I generally dislike in games: arbitrary time limits and insta-fail stealth sections. The silent realm includes both. Also, Having to beat that big boss over and over again doesn't help either. Because of this, SS is the only Zelda game I've only played once.
But aside from that. SS is such a wonderful game and one of the best Zelda stories ever IMO.
@BulkSlash But that adds to the dark foreboding atmosphere of the game. You are unable to make a true difference, all of your progress seems meaningless, another part of the game that adds to the oppressive stressful feeling of the game that adds to its general electric feel. Majora's Mask nails atmosphere and knows how to evoke emotion and anxiety from the player, which is why it is arguably the best narrative given to us by the Zelda team.
@Static_Fanatic none of the other Zelda stories come close! Links Awakening maybe, but it really does make the other stories feel boring and conventional in comparison
@Crockin I'm completely in agreeance. The other narratives are excellent, yes, don't get me wrong, but they lack the depth of Majora Mask. The game forces you to get to know each of the NPCs stories, making them feel like real people, and enriching Majora Mask's sense of foreboding and urgency. These aren't just someone I need to speak to for a bit of flavor text, they have desires, fears, routines, and lives that all may end in three short days.
Nice article! I'd like to take this opportunity to mention that for anyone wanting to play Majora's Mask again (or for the first time), there's a 'restoration patch' for Majora's Mask 3D. For those not in the know, Majora's Mask 3D sadly suffers from a slew of problems that weren't present in the original game on the N64. 'Project Restoration' (successfully) attempts to fix these issues. You'll have to install homebrew on your 3DS if you haven't done so already (if you have a New 3DS, you really should either way because you can force the N3DS's higher clock speeds on older games to improve performance), but it's absolutely worth it (remember that 'homebrew' is not the same thing as 'piracy', and the patch is designed to work with a legitimately obtained copy of the game). The difference between the normal and the 'restored' Majora's Mask 3D is night and day, and it really makes Majora's Mask 3D the best version of the game.
You can find more information about the patch here:
https://restoration.zora.re/
If you just want to watch a video explaining the issues in detail, here's a good one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=653wuaP0wzs
@nessisonett Definitely, but play the N64 original. Unlike OoT, the 3DS remake changes the boss battles and some other minor elements far too much.
Edit: looks up Restoration Patch, eh? Hmm, interesting. That would be worth checking out.
As for MM in general, it remains an intriguing game and a reminder of the careful balance needed to be struck with each Zelda game. I'll grant that Termina/Field should have been larger and more organic ala BotW, but for being dated, it blends sidequests, emotions, story, action, lore, everything very well.
From the golden age of nintendo
Reading this made me want a HD remaster even more, perhaps with much improved bosses and a master quest. Not getting my hopes up they haven't even ported Twilight Princess HD and Windwaker HD to the Switch yet.
I've put a lot of thought into this over the years and have come to the conclusion that this not just my favourite Zelda game (it's certainly the one with the most commentary on the world) but also one of my favourite games of all time. That's largely because it's one of the best examples of what a videogame can achieve with narrative that no other media can match.
Whilst I understand the desire for cinematic story telling in games ultimately that approach will always, by definition, be a lesser form of cinema. MM on the other hand has you interact with its cast of characters in such an indepth way, with so many variables and differing scenarios that by the end you know everyone in Termina in such a well rounded way. It's not a linear arc to the stories end but instead an exploration of these characters; who they initially present themselves as and how they react to the apocalypse, how your interactions can shift their narratives, force new scenarios and interactions between characters and reveal new personas for them.
Then on top of that there is a persistant element of "permanent failure" throughout that few other games dabble in - your actions (or lack of) have direct consequences. Fail to rescue the Deku Princess? That monkey's getting boiled. Didn't manage to defend the Ranch? Looks like there's been some abductions. And until you reset the three day cycle that's the status quo. You'll have to live with that, as will the rest of the characters (feeding back into the previous paragraph).
I'll stop there before I end up writing a full on essay. Whilst I can understand why the games systems might frustrate players I would urge everyone to at least give MM a chance. Those systems are required for the kind of experience that only videogames can allow.
I always named this my favourite Zelda, but I must admit, the only time I beat it was with a guide when I was 12. Got all the masks. I played through about half of the 3DS version, but got distracted. It seemed to have enough QOL improvements that it might be possible to navigate the game without one. I was enamored with the atmosphere and story, much like all the other folks that call this their favourite.
He never did find Navi, right?
Kinda sad he didn’t even accomplish what he originally intended to do...
Yep love this game. Played on N64 back in 2004 and got about halfway, then moved onto something else silly I know!. Completed the 3ds version a year or so ago. Wonderful. X x x for some reason this game and ocarina are the only Zelda’s I can relax in and not worry about finding all the hearts and everything, I like to keep the mystery alive. I will go back to this quite soon. I wonder what will happen if collect all those fairy things in the dungeons. I believe there was also a romance side quest which is the longest in the game. X x just remembered in the stealth sections I didn’t know u could shoot guards with arrows! X x x I remember one areas music was so creepy as well I think it was near the last dungeon in the game x x x x x x x good times and looking forward to playin more soon x x x x.
This is still my favorite Zelda game and one of my top 10 favorite games of all time.
@KingBowser86 I didn’t realise that they’d changed stuff. I’ll check out the patch, I’ve done it with other games with missing content, thanks!
I so want it for 3DS, but even used is quite expensive
@nessisonett what!?
Love it so much. The ambiance is just so incredible good, it's so thrilling, from beginning to end. Like a psychodellic trip. Hope there will ever be a sequel or just something like it.
@sketchturner mine is ww but I do love mm
This game is spooky as all get-out, and the personal tragedies are downright heartwrenching.
I wish the game would have been a slight bit more comfortable to play, as the someone unrefined nature just makes it that bit less attractive for replays to me, even if I wish to re-experience the magic.
hopefully they make another remaster for switch for zeldas 35th anniversay!
@nab1 I actually loved doing them, but I like hard challenges. And getting the Hylian Shield as a reward was epic. Even if was at the end of the game, it felt rewarding.
Amazing article for an amazing game! Although, I think that Earthbound is the weirdest Nintendo game ever created. In a good way.
Next article maybe?
@Static_Fanatic Maybe the best story in a nintendo game period now that I think about it. There's definitely sacrifices to the game design in plenty of ways, but the immersion is really stunning. I remember getting it just after release day, and played all the way through the first dungeon that night. I loved ocarina too, but something just felt so special about MM, especially since most people I knew had moved on to Playstation or Dreamcast that year.
I love Majoras Mask because of how dark and different it was compared to OOT
@Crockin Agreed. No other story stuck with me as much as Majora's did, except maybe Wind Waker. Ocarina of Time was forgettable, Skyward Sword was a tad underwhelming, and Twilight Princess was dull to me. Majora's Mask created a familiar, dark, yet vibrant world that stuck with me for ages.
I remember on my first play through back in the day I was never really sure what the hell was going on with all the characters and whatnot but I got through it. Then a few years later I’ve gave it another go and it clicked. Such an odd yet brilliant Zelda.
This is my favorite Zelda game next to A Link Between Worlds, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword (Funny because I used to hate it for the controls but I replayed it recently and its now my favorite combat system in zelda for how unique it is.)
MM was phenomenal in that it allowed you to experience the goron and zora worlds in ways that wouldn't have been nearly as fun as human Link. I have awesome memories of rolling around Termina field trying to crush enemies as a goron or dolphin jumping out of the water as a zora just for fun.
I've still got Majora for 64 and the gamecube port but Switch commands a spot on the big tv compared to the backroom for 64/GC so I'd love to see it brought to switch where I'd be more likely to delve back in.
I wish for a remaster, or even just a port, of this and Ocarina for switch but fear Nintendo will hold them back for future consoles. They won't put all of their gems on switch which would use up future ammo to try and entice people to buy the next console, especially if ends up a commercial did like WiiU and they need to give it a boost.
Switch already sells well enough without giving the fans what they want (at least 64-era Zelda fans). Though I hope to be proven wrong!
I must admit that the section with the Moon Children hit me quite hard. It's such a sombre, sad, reflective, melancholy moment. Particularly the "friends" question. It may sound strange, but... as a person with little confidence... that question very often troubles me even to this very day. "Do these people... think of you... as a friend?" I'm pretty sure that they don't.
Y'know, in hindsight, its obvious why Majora's Mask is more fondly remembered in hindsight. Not just because of the strange and bold story related things that everyone's talked about to death. But quite frankly, the game is way better when you get past the frustrating parts. I played this game with a walkthrough as a kid, and I still utterly failed to get through the second dungeon (for stupid reasons, to be fair, I was just being dumb in that case). But without a guide or finding the right clues, there's quite a bit about this game that could've and probably would've really frustrated me and a lot of people. But once you know about what to do in the game, its not a problem and thus you can appreciate everything else about the game.
The things, I bet a bunch of people my age at the time or older, didn't know about the extra songs. Or got lost in the dungeons. Or didn't figure out a bunch of other things (especially if they didn't bother to get the Bomber's notebook, which you only get by redoing a minigame you already did). As much as I love the game, I bet a ton of people gave up on it back in the day. And I don't necessarily blame them. (also why no matter what problems it has, I understand why the 3DS version is what it is)
Could never get past the three-day mechanic but I respect what the game tried to accomplish, and I understand why it's a favorite for so many people.
The art in this game is awesome and I mean that both graphics and sound are much much better than Breath of the Wild which are mediocre in my opinion. I really love it but I admit that the 3DS version improved gameplay and also added two fishing areas with bosses included.
@mesome713 I like hard challenges, but this one to me was more frustrating to repeat than hard, because they are so long. You had to be careful but you also had to be fast, and the first time through you didn't even knew the layout, so you could spend a few cycles just getting to know the environment. I think it all comes down to the timer, which was unnecessary. I hope if the game is re-released, they just remove the timer and it should be fine, if these sections just focus on stealth and exploration.
@BulkSlash well umm... that’s the logic of time travel.... following your ideas then why put the time travelling mechanic at all?
You would just get another Twilight Princess
Very Nice Read 💯
It's not my favorite in the series, but definitely Top 5.
I love the sense of urgency that Majora's Mask brings to it's quest. It can be challenging, but it delivers a real sense of accomplishment after completion.
The best Zelda game, with the best boss fight (Goht) and the best dungeon (Stone Tower Temple). The 3DS remake was a massive disappointment. They fouled up the boss battles and nerfed the Zora mask.
Ocarina of Time is my favorite game ever. I was pumped for this one. I played it, got about a quarter of the way through and didn't like it. I hated the time mechanic. I wanted to be able to explore the world at my own leisure, not having this countdown bearing down on me all the time.
Years later, I went back to it and beat it. I thought it was fine, but in the bottom tier of Zelda games. Last year, I played it on 3DS. It was much better than I remembered and I now realize that the time mechanic is important to the game and part of what makes it special. Still not my favorite Zelda and probably middle of the road for me personally, but a great game nonetheless.
I've said it before, I'll say it again: the best way to experience Majora's Mask in this day and age is on the 3DS, but with the Project Restoration mod. You can save at owl statues like in the remake, but can also save when you play the Song of Time, slowed time is more like it was in the original, where the remake speeds it up a little bit, the Bomber's Notebook is... SO much less intrusive, not to the point of being completely eliminated, but enough to the point where I didn't feel the need to gripe about it, and you can quickly change between arrows like in Wind Waker. That's just a few things the mod changes, there's a lot more, but my lunch break is almost over.
It's not Nintendo's strangest game by a long way. Remember they decided to sell 1-2-Switch, a game where simulating milking a cow scored points.
Make a BotW game with a MM twist to it and I'd be sold in heartbeat. Collecting masks, saving people, and collecting fairies, etc.
Still remember playing it in 5th grade for the first time. I play this game almost yearly ever since
Think about Mario. Mario will run along in a Mushroom world until he hits a Goomba, or a Spike, or falls in a pit and dies.
Mario then finds himself back at the beginning of the level to repeat himself, except hopefully With a little knowledge avoiding the pitfall to make it a little further.
The only way Mario can break this cycle is to beat the final boss and win the game.
Now realise that’s the same for 99% of narrative video game characters.
The only difference with Majora’s Mask is the game openly acknowledges Link’s reincarnation and continuity repetition he is in.
I played Majora's Mask (3DS remake) for the first time several months ago. It's definitely an odd duck, and a dark one at that. I think the reasons that it's so different and explores deep themes such as life, happiness, forgiveness, acceptance, etc. are why it's now one of my favorite Zelda games. You grow to care about the lives of Termina's residents. Each has a set schedule. Looming over all that is the fact that you CANNOT help and save everyone in one three day cycle before the clock resets. It's virtually impossible.
It should also be mentioned that manipulating time, at least in the 3DS game, makes the time limit easier to handle in my opinion.
COULDT get the last mask in the 64 version, could barely clear the second temple in the 3DS version. still dont like it. never beat it
@Laxus we’d need meaningful settlements for that.
Re-release all Zelda games for Switch, you cowards.
I get the same vibe from Breath of the Wild's sequel from that little trailer we saw. It could end up being the Majora to BOTW's Ocarina. A darker, more creepier game. Although I don't see anything like the 3 day limit being used again.
I would welcome Nintendo to set more Zelda games outside of Hyrule such as this, and escape the constant "save Zelda, defeat Ganon" storyline. It'll give them more creative freedom. This game, and Link's Awakening (and add the Oracle games to that) are perfect examples of how a very different type of story can be told when they ditch the usual setting.
Also anyone wishing to give this a go, stick to the 3DS version. It's so much easier to keep track of where you are and what needs doing. I only ever cleared the first dungeon on N64 before giving up as I found it hard to keep track.
I got the original for xmas when I was 10. I expected a relaxed, whimsical adventure like ocarina of time. I got to great bay temple an gave up because I found the time system too harsh.
Years later I finally finished it on an emulator and began to appreciate that the anxiety inducing time system is part of what makes it so great. The way you interact with npcs and the rich lives they lead is so adhead of it's time.
I also played and finished it on wii and it plays so well with a gamecube controller. The 3d version is also great. I think the quality of life additions make it an even better, more accessible game. I've got the limited edition which should be worth a bit in a few years.
C'mon Nintendo now all we need is for you to release the original ocarina of time and majoras mask on the switch eshop.
@Tyranexx I agree. There is something meaningful around every corner. It also explores sadness and grieve.
One of my favorite games of all time- the music, the looming sense of dread, the incredible themes and the endearing characters and their interwoven lives make for one of the finest games of its kind.
I adore this game, revisit it often and find it as fresh and endearing as it was twenty years ago, (fifteen if you count the fantastic remake)
I just might boot it up right now for the hell of it!
-flips open New 3DS XL- ahhhh yisss.
It's one of my all-time faves, for sure. Narratively, for reasons probably obvious to those who've played both, it shares a lot of affinities with Link's Awakening. They're deeply melancholy games, in many ways. I think the best Zelda, in terms of overall refinement and precision, is A Link to the Past. But I do think Majora's Mask may be a tad more interesting, as the reviewer points out. Some of the ideas it suggests, the more you think about them, the deeper they burrow.
@BlueOcean Most definitely. The five stages of grief theory passed through my mind when I posted that earlier. Then of course there's the awesome as heck soundtrack lol. Oath To Order/the theme of the four Giants is probably my favorite, but others like the Pirate's Fortress, both Stone Tower Temple themes, and Ikana Canyon are also pretty awesome IMO.
I played this game in 2006 or 7 on the gamecube immediately following OoT with my sister. I remember how shook we were at the ending, and realizing that he hadn't found Navi and everything was most likely a dream. We didn't have internet so we couldn't search up theories. Instead we would spend hours debating the plot points while replaying. Just for that it's one of my favorite games ever.
@Kirbyfan "He never did find Navi, right?"
"Kinda sad he didn’t even accomplish what he originally intended to do..."
There's a life lesson in that.
@nessisonett I'm the same. Every time I've started Majora's Mask, I get some way into it, and I'm enjoying it well enough, but then my eye always wanders on over to my Big Ol' Shelf o' Games, I see something else that catches my interest, then I just end up dropping Majora. I don't know what it is, but it just never really holds my attention long enough to actually stick with it, and to this day it remains the only mainline Zelda game I haven't beaten.
I have got a few problems with Majoras Mask. There are much less dungeons than in Ocarina of Time, half of the dungeons is really weak and short and masks have only one use which is shame
The best Zelda. More Sidequests, some actual difficulty, devilish dungeons, epic bosses and different characters to play as. Some proper emotional moments too, like discovering Epona on the 3rd day for the first time but being unable to take her anywhere or reuniting Anju and Kafei.
The addition of playable races offers some nice diversions and elevates the game in the same way that SHOCK Super Mario 64 DS is better than the original because of the additional characters adding a little Metroidvania to the gameplay. And you know the biggest secret? It’s perfectly playable with the D-pad!
And this was made on a bet, which makes it more unique and special.
Love the original, and have played the 3DS remake a couple of times. The improvements they made certainly make it easier for new players to understand how this game works. The ability of using masks to be able to open new areas or complete side quests was a good experience. Loved this game, it's certainly in my top 10 of all time.
I only completed this when I had the 3ds version. It seemed tedious and annoying when I was younger. I even used a guide on the 3ds with my first play through, which I never usually do. The time limit is annoying. Yes, you can reset it but you'll have to do tasks over again and get back to your place. It can all be done with ease if you know EXACTLY what you're doing. Then you'll only be doing minimal resets. However, you'll still have to skip to boss rooms and beat them again to access other side bits and heart pieces you can collect with new items and such. It was repetitive killing the first boss like 4 times tbh. I still found the game fun, like another Ocarina of Time, but it doesn't stand up to it's predecessor and I doubt I'll play through more than one more time in my life.
A LoZ game that I did not play much of. I was so dissapointed at Ocarina of time as a teenager I never bothered buying Majora's Mask. I finally got it in 2002, tried to get into it, finished a dungeon and never bothered with it again. Perhaps I should give it another go now I am older and wiser.
An excellent game, but similarly to others above, I've never got round to finishing it. The time limits and repetition just make the game feel exhausting to play and I'm never motivated to get back to it. Yet there was a time, when I first played it in about 2007, when I preferred it over Ocarina of Time. The atmosphere is amazing and the characters' mundane problems in the face of impending doom make the world feel more real than other Zelda titles.
This game more than any other makes me feel conflicting emotions; the depth of the story and the complexity of the world are so satisfying, yet the thought of going back to another of those lengthy dungeons or getting a guide out to complete some side-quests just puts me off. A flawed masterpiece.
@BulkSlash I'm pretty sure that's thematic, and if you wanted to you could just beat each boss and restore each area before fighting the final one if you were so irked by the temporal victories.
The art in this game is brilliant, love it
Best “All time all platforms videogame” so far, word of Kishin Link
I never quite understood the problems people have with this game. Dungeons, as far as I remember, are built around the time constraints. There's always a point, halfway through, where you get a quest item and can open up the rest of the dungeon, so you don't have to redo everything later. I would sometimes restart the cycle at that point, so I wouldn't need to race to the boss room. Also, if you slow things down with the inverted Song of Time, which I always did, you shouldn't really be in such a hurry at all. I think you do have to manage your time, though. I've read some players who walk straight into a dungeon after finishing the (often lengthy) side-quest to open the entrance. That's bad time management, because it's already the second or even third day by then. Since that's not how other Zeldas work, I suppose it's where the frustration sets in. Also, admittedly, it's a difficult game that pretty much assumes you've recently gone through Ocarina of Time. I mean, the prologue is one of the most intense in the franchise, and skips gentle tutorials and scaffolding in favor of an impending apocalypse you have to prevent, somehow, in about an hour. I love it, but it's not Kokiri Forest.
This is a very different beast from Ocarina. I remember (and still play) Ocarina of Time as a tale of joy - the boy who got a fairy, lost his infancy and recovered it back at the end.
I remember playing Majora e feeling a very different sensation. If was a fun game but not a joyful one. It was strange. I finished it when I was already an adult and I think this was the very game In which I enjoyed the side quests much more than the game itself.
@BulkSlash That would undermine the entire tone of the game.
@kkslider5552000 If you remember the code and give it to the bomber guarding the door. Then enter into the observatory and return. The bomber:s leader with give you the notebook.
@Beaucine When you know what you need to do you can cram more stuff into a single cycle. On my recent replay, I beat the entire game in 4 cycles. First cycle, the mandatory intro cycle. Second cycle, beating both Southern Swamp and Snowpeak dungeons and finding all their stray fairies. Third cycle, beating the ranch, getting the sword upgrade, finding various masks and bottles, and getting to the Great Bay Temple. And finally, beating the ocean spider house, the Great Bay Temple, Stone Tower Temple, finding their stray fairies, and beating Majora.
Cramming all that stuff into a single made the game more stressful and very satisfying to pull off.
I've also gotten most heart pieces and beaten the Anju-Kafe side quest on a fifth cycle. I need to do a sixth cycle to get the all night mask and beat the two shooting galleries. Then a seventh cycle of completing the Anju-Kafe side quest a second time, getting remaining the heart prices including from the moon children, the Fierce Deity mask and beating Majora a second time; should finish off everything in the game.
Is it the best Zelda over all? Maybe not, but it will always have a special place in my heart and will always be my favorite Nintendo game. The atmosphere in this game is truly one of the very best.
Hate time limits in games, one of the few Zelda games I haven't completed.
This game was -is- amazing. I remember devouring EGM articles about it and it seemed like both this technical marvel as well as this rich, grand experiment. I loved the time mechanic and I sunk an insane amount of time into this game. The music, the new characters with familiar faces, the swimming, the mystery, the somewhat inescapable fate inherent and the eerie beauty left an indelible mark upon me and my teenage years. Also the music reinforced my sensitivity of musical dissonance. I still get nauseous if I listen to the title music for more than a loop or two (the overlay of the clock town theme and the skull kid theme feel “wrong”).
Happy anniversary, I am glad this game is a part of my childhood.
Amazing game, but the original, not the 3DS remake. Majora's Mask 3D dumbs down and lowers the difficulty too much
Still the greatest video game ever made.
One of the best games I ever played.
I enjoyed this game but it wasn't one of my favourites, in fact it's actually one of my least favourites, i did still enjoy it enough to complete it (twice in fact, once on the N64 and another time like some 14 or so years later on the 3DS).
I actually preferred Phantom Hourglass to be honest. Overall though i love my Zelda games so regardless, i rate this above a good 70% of other games i have ever played, despite the fact that it's still one of my least favourite Zelda games.
Skyward Sword is by far my least favourite. First Zelda game i didn't finish because i hated the motion controls.
I love it. I don’t love everything about the gameplay, but I deeply love it
My favorite zelda at this point. Miyamoto-dono says Nintendo doesn’t do grief but MM was certainly them taking on the grief cycle full force.
It really is a good game, extra props for also being like the only Zelda game with any real interesting personality.
Though for its gameplay I still prefer Link to the Past.
Today I was thinking about how much I want Majora's Mask, Chrono Trigger, and FF VI on Switch...
@60frames-please How can Final Fantasy 7 be on Switch but not Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask lol. Blasphemy lol.
This article goes in depth on the how unique Majora's Mask is;
https://gameluster.com/why-majoras-mask-is-the-most-unique-zelda-game/
MM is the 2nd best* Zelda because it doubles down on its series-best sidequests whilst cleverly hiding it's dungeons away in the overworld. The main 4 temples are all fiendish devils, with very clever mechanics (particularly the Snowhead Temple) but levels like Ikana Castle, the Well with the mirror shield and your first foray through woodfall swamp I would consider as dungeons also.
Every great Zelda is based on a fairy tale and Majora's Mask is clearly influenced by Alice in Wonderland. The way it twists and subverts the series mechanics is ingenious even today.
*Minish Cap is clearly the best Zelda.
I think the time mechanic and the feeling of ‘loss’ are the main things which separate Majoras mask from the big games today. Unlike botw’s open world you can miss interactions, and characters go about their lives regardless of what you, the player, does. This gives Termina a very rich, textured feel - and this sense that you miss key events and have to wait for the reset to re-experience them. Botw by contrast, is more expansive but the NPCs are largely static and repeat the same action every day. You don’t lose anything by not talking to that character - in MM you do. And it is this sense of loss that really raises the stakes. It’s a classic
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