by Luke Kirby
This is a game I’ve wanted to play for years; I never got the chance to do so when I was younger but a few years ago I tried to play via an emulator but it was somewhat glitchy with textures disappearing and the like. Then I tried on an N64 but after an hour of playing it gave up on me meaning I was unable to continue my adventure as the young hero clad in green, this was for the best.
This is a game I’ve wanted to play for years; I never got the chance to do so when I was younger but a few years ago I tried to play via an emulator but it was somewhat glitchy with textures disappearing and the like. Then I tried on an N64 but after an hour of playing it gave up on me meaning I was unable to continue my adventure as the young hero clad in green, this was for the best.
Link meets Skull Kid in the Lost Woods whilst searching for Navi, thus beginning the adventure. Leading up to its release I had been reading articles on graphical comparisons, what’s been changed, added and just overall improvements. Getting my hands on this gem seeing what it has to offer has (so far) been an amazing experience.
Let me start off by saying that aesthetically the game has improved so much over its home console predecessor. Texture improvements along with a nice vibrant palette of colours really do service to such a great game, everything just looks smoother and crisper much like the Ocarina of Time remake a few years back. Visual enhancements aside there are also other aspects such as the improved Bombers’ Notebook, having greater precision of manipulating time with the Song of Double Time (which allows speeding up time by intervals of 15 minutes). However my favourite comes in the form of the little nub on the New 3DS XL (yes, I have the gold Majora’s Mask one, be jealous) that gives control of the camera which is just lovely to have. The mechanics in the game are more or less pretty solid. The only thing that I sometimes dislike is having to actually twist around to aim the bow or the hook shot but for a game this good I can overlook such a mechanic.
Let me start off by saying that aesthetically the game has improved so much over its home console predecessor. Texture improvements along with a nice vibrant palette of colours really do service to such a great game, everything just looks smoother and crisper much like the Ocarina of Time remake a few years back. Visual enhancements aside there are also other aspects such as the improved Bombers’ Notebook, having greater precision of manipulating time with the Song of Double Time (which allows speeding up time by intervals of 15 minutes). However my favourite comes in the form of the little nub on the New 3DS XL (yes, I have the gold Majora’s Mask one, be jealous) that gives control of the camera which is just lovely to have. The mechanics in the game are more or less pretty solid. The only thing that I sometimes dislike is having to actually twist around to aim the bow or the hook shot but for a game this good I can overlook such a mechanic.
Link is transformed into other species by wearing masks. Majora’s Mask has certainly been one the more unique iterations of the franchise, firstly the ability to manipulate time to your benefit and the dire need for time management skills is something I haven’t really experienced in many games.
I cannot express how important your time management is and understanding that on one of your many three day cycles you’ll most likely only be able to make small incremental progress. This particularly applies for the completion of temples; on one occasion I thought I’d be able to make it through one starting halfway through the Second Day… Oh how mistaken I was. Much of the game focuses around this aspect of trial and error, with the benefit of failing meaning that when you come back around to a particular section in a different cycle you’ll be just that much more knowledgeable, able to learn from your previous mistakes. I found that a very important aspect of completing events you acquire in your notebook is to have a one track mind in completing just that event. Some events span over the course of the entire three days, so it’s very much a case of you can’t do everything at once. It’s more than likely you’ll overlook many things while playing or discover something new that piques your interest but as I found if you try to complete several events in the three day cycle it’s quite likely you won’t be able to.
These events also do something that I’ve never felt in any other Zelda game, because all of the events revolve around Termina (mostly Clock Town) in order to complete some of the quests you have to take an interest in NPCs and their problems other than their impending doom. The entire setting has a strange fatalistic feel, and the more time you spend around these characters the more personal your commitment to saving them becomes. This makes Majora's Mask a great contrast to other Zelda games, which have almost always contained a limited cast of empathetic characters.
I cannot express how important your time management is and understanding that on one of your many three day cycles you’ll most likely only be able to make small incremental progress. This particularly applies for the completion of temples; on one occasion I thought I’d be able to make it through one starting halfway through the Second Day… Oh how mistaken I was. Much of the game focuses around this aspect of trial and error, with the benefit of failing meaning that when you come back around to a particular section in a different cycle you’ll be just that much more knowledgeable, able to learn from your previous mistakes. I found that a very important aspect of completing events you acquire in your notebook is to have a one track mind in completing just that event. Some events span over the course of the entire three days, so it’s very much a case of you can’t do everything at once. It’s more than likely you’ll overlook many things while playing or discover something new that piques your interest but as I found if you try to complete several events in the three day cycle it’s quite likely you won’t be able to.
These events also do something that I’ve never felt in any other Zelda game, because all of the events revolve around Termina (mostly Clock Town) in order to complete some of the quests you have to take an interest in NPCs and their problems other than their impending doom. The entire setting has a strange fatalistic feel, and the more time you spend around these characters the more personal your commitment to saving them becomes. This makes Majora's Mask a great contrast to other Zelda games, which have almost always contained a limited cast of empathetic characters.
Termina faces a deadly moonfall. One of the more pivotal and interesting parts of the gameplay are the masks, which change the variables in a big bad way. Each has their own unique features and abilities, which is just an awesome mechanic, whether they be the full-on transformation from Hyrulian to Goron (who is then able to traverse through fiery pits and throw a mean punch) or - my most used mask - the bunny hood, which allows Link to traverse the world in a rather hasty manner. The addition of the masks cement Majora’s Mask as one of my all-time favourite Zelda titles. This is certainly an odd one in the Zelda franchise with so many quirks that separate it from the rest. As a bit of a completionist I mean to find every mask I can and solve every quest on my Bombers’ Notebook. It’s one of the few games I’ve played in a while that firmly has me hooked, and I think it may actually just knock off The Wind Waker as my favourite title.
One thing I will say though, if there are those new to the series I wouldn’t recommend Majora’s Mask being your first experience of the series. Ocarina of Time is probably your best bet. This game will test you.
One thing I will say though, if there are those new to the series I wouldn’t recommend Majora’s Mask being your first experience of the series. Ocarina of Time is probably your best bet. This game will test you.
Unite the Four. Save the World.
A remake of Majora's Mask on the 3DS nearly didn't happen, but a public outcry by the Zelda fans after the release of its predecessor, and with a little encouragement from a certain Mr Miyomoto, the project was pushed into production by Nintendo. And everyone is thankful for it!
What do you think of Majora's Mask on the 3DS? Did you play the original? Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter!
What do you think of Majora's Mask on the 3DS? Did you play the original? Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter!
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