Majora's Mask is a game of great quality. There's a few that think otherwise, but with all great art, it often does cause quite a bit of polarity. Majora's Mask has the great distinction, or unfortunate fate, of being a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, which many consider the greatest Zelda game of all time. While I won't argue Ocarina of Time's importance, I do wish to argue why Majora's Mask is better. Or more specificity, why Majora's Mask is the greatest Zelda game ever created.What I would like to do, though, is go a bit more than skin-deep with this. There's many surface reasons why this game is fantastic, ranging from the difficulty to the side-quests, but there is just more to it; something else lurking just below the surface that peers out at the consumer giving them the feeling that they are playing something that is just of a higher quality than others. Even now, I can go back and play this game and appreciate every second of it. For your convenience, the article will be presented in list form.
1. The Art Direction
Well, this one might be a bit more obvious but I just had to mention it. This game would be nothing if it wasn't for the intricate detail in ever facet of this game. Obviously, the main piece of art that sticks out is Majora's Mask itself. It is a haunting, eerie... thing that seems to stare into my soul. The bright colors and sharp edges counteracting the smooth corners. It also had distinct symbolism of being a heart shape with spikes sticking out of it, representing the mask's power to control the hearts of morals. It is patently evil and absolutely gorgeous and recognizable.
Another fantastic piece of art direction is the clock tower in the center of town which serves as the pivotal and central centerpiece of the game. Day one always starts there and the world will end there too, if Link does not save it. It's one of the few early instances in Zelda of mechanics being distinctly evident to the viewer, except the windmill in Ocarina of Time, but it lets every player in the game know that time is important in this game. In fact, Time is more important in Majora's Mask than it is in Ocarina of Time. The world of Termina is completely dependent on time and if Link had not entered with his Ocarina, it surely would've been destroyed.
The last piece of art direction I want to mention is the interior of the moon. I've had many conversations about this, but, to me, entering the interior of the moon is probably the most gorgeous and shocking experiences I've ever had playing a game. I did not expect it at all. As with most games, the realms of the "bad guys" are either ugly or menacing in some way. This is not so in Majora's Mask, the interior of the moon is a beautiful field with a single tree on top of a hill on a clear day. While it is absolutely resplendent, it does have a sort of uncanny feel too it, as if something is just not quite right. This feeling is reinforced with the mask kids playing around the tree. It's a beautiful and eerie scene that perfectly sums up what games should do, shock the viewer. And not "scary movie" shock, just surprise us with something unexpected.
2. The Zora Mask
Yes, I am picking just one mask here and for a single reason: I like being able to swim. This doesn't exactly have the depth of number one, but this mask, single-handedly, made me hate every game after it because of their swimming mechanics. Swimming as the Zora just felt so natural, it was glorious diving in and out of water like a dolphin and spinning underwater, leaving white trails as I moved faster than I could usually run. Next to magic, this is the second thing I want to return to the Zelda series. The "I'm drowning!" circle of The Wind Waker was amazingly lame, especially when 4/5ths of the game took place in water, and Twilight Princess' swimming was just way to slow and boring.
3. The Feeling of Menace
This game has serious tone to it; a sometimes overwhelming feel of dread that would constantly creep up and attack unsuspecting players from behind. Even for me, when I was a kid, I would look up at the moon and it would freak me out, especially when it would get closer each time 12 hours passed. Just walking through Clock Town and seeing all the people going about their business, not oblivious but weary of the looming moon overhead felt just transcendental. It was like being in another world, and really it was like each person was in their own world hoping for the best, while the their obvious doom crept closer and closer from overhead. It isn't finally until the final day that some people decide to pack up and leave.
I'm not sure why, but one of the stories that impacted me most was the Postman's, a man so dedicated to his work that he will not leave unless he is given explicit permission to. He's so dedicated that if Link did not give him a letter to deliver to Madame Aroma, he would most likely have stayed to his doom. What struck me was his utmost despair at being tied down to his job despite his desire to leave. I really just wanted to reach in and pat the man on the back and tell him that his job is done for now and that his life is more important, although I am sure he would've disagreed.
Finally, there is the fact that the feeling of despair does not leave the game even after it is over. Right after the credits finish, we see the Deku Buttler crying in front of the odd little tree Link saw as he was chasing Majora's Mask into Termina. It is implied that this is his son that had disappeared and that his son had the unfortunate fate of running into the Skull Kid at some point and having his soul taken away from him.
4. The Uplifting Themes
That's not to say Majora's Mask is a depressing game, while it is very menacing there is many stories in the game that have happy endings and messages to pass along that can be very heart-lifting. The obvious one is Anju and Kafei, two lovers who are separated by Majora's Mask and Kafei's pride being destroyed. Their story is one of unrequited love and self-discovery that is rare within video games and in the end when the two decide to ride out their fate, whether it is life or death, together is very comforting, even if the "death" prospect is a little grim.
The Skull Kid himself is a victim of his own assumptions, believing that the Giants had abandoned him because he had caused too much chaos. He believed he had lost his only friends, most likely causing him to become easy prey to the evil that was within Majora's Mask. It wasn't until Link called back the giants and destroyed Majora's Mask (or so we hope) that he realizes that they never stopped thinking of him as a friend. It's a general theme in Majora's Mask that friends must be forgiven for their failure because they are just that, friends. It is mentioned many times in the game from King Ikana ("Believing in your friends and embracing that belief by forgiving failure.") to the giants themselves ("Forgive your friend...")
The ending in general, depending on what you've done throughout the adventure, is varying degrees of cheerfulness. And the Happy Mask Salesman gives one of my favorite lines before he leaves: "Since I am in the midst of my travels... I must bid you farewell. Shouldn't you be returning home? Whenever there's a meeting a parting is sure to follow. However, the parting need not last forever..."
5. The Happy Mask Salesman
And that brings us to Number Five, the Happy Mask Salesman, my single favorite character in any game I have ever played. The first time Link meets the Happy Mask Salesman it is obvious that he knows more than he is willing to admit, uttering one of the most memorable lines in the whole game: "You've met a terrible fate, haven't you?" A line that basically outlines the whole story of Majora's Mask, as the whole world and the denizens of it have certainly met a terrible fate.
Still, this man is just plain mysterious, and this is what I love about him. He was in Ocarina of Time, although barely. But in Majora's Mask he just has an otherworldly feel to him. He moves in jerky, split-second motions, and seems to be bi-polar to some degree, switching from super (creepy) happy to super (creepy) angry in no more than a second. This isn't even mentioning the fact that he fades out into nothing at the end of the game, implying that he is some sort of otherworldly being of some sort.
And really, he's just a bastion of fantastic, quotable lines. It's quite obvious that the game designers enjoyed the character as much as I did, as he's just a fantastic mix of humor, wisdom, and mystery.
6. The Mystery
Finally, I believe one of the most important aspects of Majora's Mask, is the complete mystery that surrounds the game. The ending, while fulfilling, answers almost zero answers to questions such as:
How exactly did Link get to Termina?
What and where is Termina?
Where did Majora's Mask come from?
Who or what is the Happy Mask Salesman?
What are the giants? Gods? Large, Powerful Beings? Do they relate to the Goddesses of Hyrule?
How did the banker guy always know who you were?
And so many more. I do not believe any other game has ever evoked such a feeling of curiosity and mystery to me. And really, it can lend it to the fact that the world of Hyrule already existed as a concrete place, so this world of Termina that Link just seemed to fall into because of fate seemed all the more cryptic. There were many parallels between Termina and Hyrule, including the races and many of the characters being clones (or mirrors) to characters in Hyrule. Characters that were insignificant in Hyrule became important and central characters in Termina. This all lends Termina to being a world filled of mystery and life that just made Termina infinitely more interesting than Hyrule.
Majora's Mask will always be centerpiece of fantastic storytelling and a fantastic example of what Zelda could be when artists are given the freedom to make what they want by stepping slightly out of the regular Zelda formula. While it will likely never be the top Zelda game of all time according to some people because of various reasons, most of which generally relate to the three day system, it will always be the best in my heart. I have never been more intrigued and interested by a game like I have for Majora's Mask. My only hope is that people can perhaps get by their hang-ups over the gameplay and the difficultly and see the deep and wonderful game that is concealed below.
Categories: Articles
I agree, majora's mask is my zelda fav game. thanks to MM i back to zelda series, i leave videogames after ALTTP, but when i played MM i fell in love with zelda series again.
Now, I agree with almost everything here but I must say that the whole game pretty much got ruined for me with the zora egg quest which felt extremely tedious and is pretty much what holds me back from playing that game again. I will do it at one point though...
This game has wonderful music, side quests that make you feel as if you are truly connected to the participating NPC's life, and a wide array of emotions. These emotions are highly inspirational and make one truly question life.
I agree with your article and I like that it is very concise and aims for persuasion. Unfortunately, I'd have to say that the best Zelda game is Wand of Gamelon because no other Zelda game made me laugh that much. Just kidding.
I agree pretty completely with this article.
I'd like to point out that this game should really have been called Ocarina of Time: I feel that the central element of this game was the Clock Tower, not Majora's Mask. I don't think that time was a huge element in Ocarina of Time (though that's arguable).
In the Ocarina of Time, the Ocarina is used to control time. (more extensively than Majora's Mask due to the child-adult transformations and resulting in creating the Hero of Time) Majora's Mask is the main antagonist and is going to destroy Termina in 3 days, the whole point of the game is to stop this while you voluntarily help others and give them hope. In return you receive masks, which is meant to be the central element. After collecting all of these masks, it is the final mask you receive that saves the world. It is true that the Ocarina brings Link into the battle and indirectly involves him in the situations, but it is his actions through the mask that seals away Majora's Mask.
I love that after all this time, there is still talk and appreciation for Majora's Mask.
I remember being excited for Ocarina of Time because of my friend. But I bought Majora's Mask because the cover intrigued me, a bit like Link falling into Termina? haha
Please do not stop writing about MM. I always look forward to these articles!
Fantastic piece Phil, you really outdid yourself.
Gamma: You transformed back and forth from child to adult in OOT via the Mast Sword, not the Ocarina. The Ocarina had a much bigger role in terms of controlling time in MM then it ever did in OoT. As I said, the 7 year thing was a product of the Master Sword.
Nathan: ... that was terrible, I apologize for that. I just noticed it after I posted it.
I meant to say the Ocarina indirectly gave you the Master Sword through the Song of Time which only proves that it actually didn't play as much of a role.
I am going to get some sleep now to keep myself from burning all of my Zelda games.
Actually, if I recall correctly, the Ocarina of Time never had any explicit powers over the flow of time.
The fact that the Song of Sun works on the Fairy Ocarina likely means that it has another source for it's magic, and the Song of Time-related powers in Majora's Mask are implied to be from the Goddess of Time instead of the Ocarina itself.
On the other hand, maybe the name "Ocarina of Time" implies not that it has power over time, but rather serves as a means of prayer to the Goddess of Time in case of a dire emergency (such as the Moon crashing into Termina).
Miff : As if the Goddess of Time hears the song played on the Ocarina and produces the result that Link requests through his "prayer." I do not believe that the Ocarina directly changes time either.
I love Majora's Mask and this article, just one nitpick... The bank guy remembered you because he put a magic stamp on your hand when you met him, remember? He checks for it every time you go back to the first day!
I believe that the Ocarina of Time has some sort of magical power, even if it's not directly from it. As with any magical item, generally the magic has to come from somewhere and I believe, in this case, it comes from it's power to somehow call directly to the goddesses or gods (whatever the case may be) and have them carry out your wish in a time of peril.
The fact that the Ocarina of Time is able to do this, and not the Ocarina Saria gives him, does make it special in some way.
Either way, I believe time is a more important element in Majora's Mask. This can be argued either way, but there seems to be a lot more hanging in the balance in MM than OoT (primarily the destruction of an entire country and/or planet.) But that's just my opinion, just like this article. :P
Very nice article. I've noticed a lot of players really connect to the characters while playing Zelda games. I didn't really do that all that much. I'll have to try that especially when I play Zelda Wii. In response to the "I'm Drowning" circle in Wind Waker. If they hadn't put it there, some players (probably me) would have abandoned the boat and swim from island to island, probably getting killed by sharks along the way. lol.
I beleave this is my Favorite Zelda too, When I first played it, it was so magical, mystical.. and some other things..
I loved the three day system, it was marvelous, you could see things you couldnt whatch the first time you went trough the 3 days.
But above all, my favorite thing is the Deepness on everyone of the characters on the entire game, all of them so special, misterious and... I dont know what it is.. but theres something more hidden.. I know everyone who played it feelt it like I do, but we all dont know what it is.
I agree with what your saying and Majoras Mask wouild be not only my favourite Zelda game but probably favourite of all time, if it wasn't for two issues i have with the game.
1: The bosses are not very good at all, (imo) not just how easy they are but they for me (apart from Majora who is awesome!) are really lame designs and rather tedious to fight, I know there are easier Zelda bosses but there design looks good, or I like the idea of them I didnt like any of Majoras masks 4 bosses, which brings me onto my 2nd point.
2: 4 temples?....enough said really if there was just ONE more it would of made MM so much better a sort of FINAL challenge set by Majora inside the moon.
P.S. Oh and with the fierce diety mask, Majora is a joke for a final boss, even without hes not that hard. Other than that Majoras mask is a truly fantastic game and deserves far more credit than it gets far more.
LuX, I'm not going to argue against any of what you said, but I will say that there is far more to Majora's Mask than the bosses and dungeons.
fun fact: I never noticed Majora's Mask was shaped like a heart until now. =D
Ummm...
...If i remember correctly, the Banker guy put an sticker on you when you first opened an account in the bank, so If the dungeon items stay when turning back time, I suppose the sticker does too.
That's one question less :3
I also feel that MM was great, but I just can't choose between MM or OoT. WW was great too, but I just can't see it as the greatest zelda ever made...
The thing about the banker, each time you went back it seemed as though he recognized you.
"Ah, yes...Link. If I remember, you're the little guy who deposited (amount here)."
Of course he had to check the stamp every time, but I always found it odd that even going back in time he knew who you are and how much of your money he had. The thing is, if he was getting how much we owed by some amount stamped on Link's hand, then each time we withdrew we were actually stealing from him. Otherwise, somehow he was keeping the money you deposited even through time travel. That is, as far as I know, not explained.
Hmm. Nice write-up. Haven't played this one yet except for the first 5 minutes. To tell you the truth I didn't even know that there was another N64 Zelda at the time. Didn't find out until almost 10 years later.
Needless to say, I agree. Majora's Mask is the best game ever made. The end.
Regarding the discussion about the titles:
I say they're perfectly appropriate as they are. Ocarina of Time dwells on the pain and growth caused by the passage of time, so it's worth including the word time in the title. Time has more of a presence in Majora's Mask, but this game deals with the darkness that exists inside people, the part of a person that wants to give up all hope. Majora's Mask is a symbol that represents this.
Well I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks that Majora's Mask is Frakking Awesome. (Yes, it's meant to be capitalized.) Just a few comments here:
Something that has soured me to the more recent Zelda titles which both OoT and MM succeeded at so well was that I actually felt like I was accomplishing something worthwhile within the game's narrative. In Ocarina, for example, you could see even just little scenes of things getting better in the wake of Ganon's reign of terror. In Majora, things could be seen even more so. (The jungle lake was no longer poisonous, Snowhead thawed, Ikana Canyon's spirits were finally put to rest, etc.) From Wind Waker onward, it doesn't seem at all like Link's fight against Ganon really means anything. Sure you rescue a few girls and help some townspeople lost in a Silent Hill-esque fog, but no one gets hurt and nothing really changed. (At least to my knowledge.)
Also, Majora was a far more interesting antagonist than Ganon is. Ganon is essentially the stereotype of the power hungry tyrant and by now (with Twilight Princess especially) he's lamer than ever. Majora was dark and mysterious, something you could tell was very powerful in a Cthulu 'ancient ones' sort of way that fed off suffering and blood. I imagine that having the Fierce Deity mask is Canon, as I would think that it takes a god to defeat one.
I have a feeling that the banker's comments were more a development than story issue. I imagine that the developers didn't want to write two separate messages (once for the banker first meeting Link and one for after), and also I don't think that they wanted the player to have to go through the bank tutorial every single time they went back in time. Just saying I don't think it's consciously a story issue.
"How did the banker guy always know who you were?"
Because he marked you with his 'special ink'.
It was a tongue in cheek way to make us not bother with Bank tutorial over and over!
And Majora's Mask is the greatest (don't even have to specify Zelda!) game ever to me.
So yay for lovin' :)
very good article.
i have another unanswered question
why did the children int he moon all look like happy mask guy lol.
Well, i think that MM is a great game, but the worst zelda ever.
Justo for one reason.
The main thing in Zelda series is the FREEDOM. In MM you dont have any freedom, you just have to do the things quickly in 3 days (And the save game mecanic is awful...)
And well, you say that the world map is wonderful... well is the world map wiht less inspirance ever made! the center and 4 locations...
I would like to express more things about this but my english... arg
And i almost forget XD
You cant give a incredible final fight as the one in OoT, and then give a stupid (as well as easy even without the last mask) final battle in MM ...
If the game had 8 dungeons instead of 4 it would be the best Zelda ever!
Great soundtrack(got mine von Nintendo in exchange for stars),brilliant graphics,great story.
It had one big failing-IT WAS FAR TOO SHORT!
Most other Zelda games are just roaming the (very nice) dungeons, revealing the mysteries (if present), defeating Ganon(dorf) and that's it. Majora's Mask has a more deep feeling to it. As said, there's still many mysteries after finishing the game. And that possibly adds to the replay value. It's intriguing.
Possibly the best of the three Zelda games I've owned.
not short if you go for all the masks
and if you think its easy well try 3 heart running it. dont grab heart containers or heart pieces thats how u set the difficulty in these zelda games. and if you want hardest difficulty do suicidal mode.
3 hearts skip heart containers/pieces, use shield only on dungeon puzzles or when u really need to for it to progress.
dont bottle fairys and go into the fight with out the fairys lol. 1 milk and/or 1 potion is fine :P
thats how u set difficulty lol then we shall see if the game is easy :P
Nice article. I agree that Zelda has lost some of that magic. (Although I loved TWW.) This is a game I really wanted to like for all the reasons mentioned above. I found the save system incredibly frustrating and ended up having to re-play large chunks of the game. After one such experience I gave up on the game completely. Maybe I'll try it again...
I remember when I started Majora's Mask, I was laboring under the asumption that it would suck.
But the second I loaded it on my wii (I downloaded it), it took my breath away. I knew right than and there that it would be better that TP (My second fav, only because of the Wii controls).
Majora's Mask will always be my fav, and I hope that they make a sequal. A sequal worthy of the titles Zelda, and of being a Majora's Mask sequal.
(One more reason I wish to return to Termina, and the Majora's Mask is they use everything else way too much)
There is so much more you could add.
Majora's Mask is probably the most emotional of all the Zelda games to date. For starters you have the relationship of Anju to Kafei... the relationship between the Butler and lost son (very minor but still strongly emotional... the Goron Eldar and his son... the relationship of Darmani and his clan... the relationship between Mikau and his band, and even more so Lulu... the relationship between Captain Keeta and his ever loyal Stalchild followers... the relationship of a King to his kingdom and subjects... the relationship of a daughter with her tragic father... I could go on and on and on.
Relationships are a huge part of Majora's Mask, it's probably the strongest underlying theme. The bonds of parent to child, siblings, family, clans, race, love, organizations,... it's everywhere!!!
Majora's Mask is deeper then even some of the deepest and more elaborate games with apparently strong narratives. I'm replaying through it right now and so it's all fresh in my mind, but it's one of the biggest parts of the game.
To be honest this game is at the top of my in favorites and top of my list for games that deserve to be remade, if only for the reason to further push the game even farther.
Anyone who says there isn't a huge degree of freedom in MM has either never played through the game or didn't pay attention to ANYTHING about it and just rushed the four dungeons as fast as they could.
One of my favorite things about MM is how open everything is. You are never obligated to go anywhere at any time. There are hours of side-quests, many of which with enthralling stories as well. The whole "OMFGATIMELIMIT" argument is so played out. Sure, you have to complete dungeons within the time limit, but you are free to do just about anything else at your leisure (the only exception I can think of is the Anju/Kafei quest, but the time limit was an EXTREMELY important part of that quest).
"Oh no!!! I lose my bombs and arrows, what ever will I do!?!?!?!?!"
The time limit was meant to add a sense of urgency to everything (the mother-f'in' fate of Termina is at stake here). If you were the only person who could save the world, would you screw around town square? You can control the flow of time FFS, the time limit is completely extraneous.
Do you realize how unbearably long MM would be if there were 8 dungeons? The greatest thing that can be said about a game (or movie, or book, or song, or any piece of art really) is that it's simply too short. A game being too long is NEVER a good thing.
I do agree that the boss battles could have been more challenging, but the level designs were so brilliant that I let that slide. How can you possibly say the final battle was "lame???" First, there is that whole scene outside the moon (intense, riveting and revealing), then the scene inside the moon (which is brilliant, beautiful, and has fairly challenging side quests for the FDM), and finally a climactic battle against three different stages of Majora (all more shocking and strange than the previous one). Yes, it could have been more difficult, but it certainly was not "lame."
And finally, the qualms over the world map are simply unfounded and idiotic. It's nearly the same as EVERY OTHER ZELDA MAP!
"I only has four differing landscapes and a central tower!"
So does Ocarina of Time. So does Twilight Princess. So does ALttP. So does FSA. The number of differing landscapes isn't what's important; it's the way in which it is presented and MM nails that beautifully.
I am also of the opinion that MM is the best Zelda game (and the best game, period). It takes everything OoT accomplished and does it better. Not only that, but it is unique among Zelda as well as unique among all games. No other game has accomplished what MM did, whereas there have been many games that have the same general feeling and accomplish the same things as OoT (Okami comes to mind).
MM stands alone and I do not believe we will ever see a game as thought-provoking, original, beautiful or creative any time soon.
@ Beware: Very nice rant XD I agree on all points.
I wish that a game could take the concept of side quests running through the motions in a set time frame, because it adds something to it rather then the quest continuing when YOU are ready, but remove the time travel. I love MM, fav zelda game, and the time travel works for it, but not all games should have time travel just to have a successful sidequest mechanic.
people seem to think more dungeons is better. Perhaps tougher, longer and more engaging dungeons. Ocarina of time had 3 then 5 dugeons. We had forest, fire and water themed dungeons and then we had another set of forest, fire and water themed dungeons....greeeat.
I personally think that Wind Waker and TP had the best number of dungeons. 5-7.
ya time management during the game shouldnt be a problem u can always slow the flo of time down so the 3 days turns into 6. technicly.
"The main thing in Zelda series is the FREEDOM. In MM you dont have any freedom, you just have to do the things quickly in 3 days (And the save game mecanic is awful...)"
Really? I thought the 3-day idea allowed for MORE freedom in that you had the power to manipulate the lives of the Clock Towners in multiple directions depending on what you did over the three days. That the 3-day limit was a TIME constraint hardly limits you on what you can do- you can always go back in time and do anything you couldn't on the last cycle. It's a way of flushing out the story, and allowing for more diverse gameplay.
So we all agree, This Is The Best Game Of All Times
Why?
Becouse no other game makes us feel the same as this one, its something magical and hard to explain.
But we all cant deny that theres this something hidden..
YO, NINTENDO, IM GONNA LET YOU FINISH, BUT BUNGIE HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST VIDEOGAMES OF ALL TIME...!
I'd like to know what it is that makes so many people think that more dungeons = better Zelda. I have nothing against that opinion, but I truly don't understand it. I know ALTTP had over a dozen and also happened to be one of the best games, but I've never felt they had anything to do with each other.
One of the main reasons MM is my favorite is that there are so many different types of things you must do to progress. There are 4 main dungeons, some mini dungeons, skulltulla houses, and required (as well as optional) sidequests, I might even consider the 4 masked children at the end to count as an optional dungeon. Having a smaller number of dungeons allowed for more complicated and interesting stories to unfold leading up to each one, adding more diverse gameplay and a very forboding presence to the dungeon. This also gave the developers more space to make the dungeons themselves more challenging and unique. Bottom line, the dungeons in Majora's Mask feel more important and climactic than those in many (most) other Zelda games. It's a perpective I thought was missed in this awesome article and wanted to offer, and apparantly something I feel strongly about.
YO BUNGIE, IM HAPPY FOR YOU AN' IMMA LET YOU FINISH...BUT NINTENDO HAD *FOUR* OF THE GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME!! OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!! :-P
I loved the character development. Every charcter has it's story and you can see them all. Just like an RPG. Majora was a game I knew in it's time, but hadn't the money for the console and game. When the wii came out i prayed it would release MM and after a long time it did. Even now the game is the best zelda game. I loved it much more than ocarina or link tot he past.
rofl @ kanye
majoras mask is da gayest zelda game
"How did the banker guy always know who you were?"
This question is explained in game, we do get an answer for the banker always knowing who you where and who you are.
The very first time Link goes to the bank and opens his bank account, before he leaves the banker stamps Link (Marking him) Making sure that if he ever comes back he can just check the stamp and just say "Oh cool your back, so will you deposit or withdraw today?" it is explained.
Majora's Mask is a great game, but I never finished it because I didn't like the three-day cycle. But I am thinking about DLing it on the VC and completing it.
I'm so glad someone has put into writing what i have felt for so many years Majora's mask to me is undoubtedly the best Zelda game ever and one of my favorite games of all time, vastly underrated in the invoking emotions department by casual zelda fans and gamers alike i haven't played a game that has combined the sense of looming death and dread and the prospect of undying love on the line and thats not even part of the main quest. absolutely brilliant article and a major epic win. Majora's mask was made by win.
Perfect article! I by no means could have said it better myself. This perfectly outlined every good thing about MM, and I'm sure there are more. It's a shame how this game always lived in the shadow of OoT. BTW i also think the Zora mask was an amazing idea.
I agree completely, Majora's Mask is one of my favourite games of all time (maybe tied with Metroid Prime and Okami in the 1rst place).
I have always loved to read articles about Majora's Mask in my free time. Thank you!
This article made me smile. I have been in numerous discussions about which game was better for the N64, OoT or MM, but in my heart it will always be Majora's Mask. This game had so much depth to it that it's hard to go through OoT without thinking, "Man, I wish there was more to do with the characters in this game." In OoT the only characters that really got pulled into the story were those that had small things to do with the plot. (i.e. Ruto in Zora's Domain, Saria in the Kokiri Forest, etc.) and once you were done talking to them, you were done, period. Even if you forwarded time, there was only a small bit of interaction between you and those characters before they were once again pushed to the wayside.
In Majora's Mask, there were quite a few characters that had multiple storylines or multiple happenings in the three days that you got to play that went above and beyond telling stories about them, including pasts, and present events, too. (I hope that English makes sense. >.<) Then, of course, were their relationships to one another, like Cremia's relationship to Anju, one you only got to hear about if you were able to help out Romani on the first night and accept the ride to town from Cremia on the second night. Events linked to one another and even linked characters relationships and stories to one another, like Madam Aroma, Anju, and the Curiosity Shop man to Kafei. (Not to mention the many awesome side "scenes" you were able to find and see.) You were able to explore this new world much more thoroughly than in OoT, and learn about the inhabitants of not only Clock Town, but the other areas as well. (Before and after restoring the areas to the way they were supposed to be. i.e. Clean waters to the Swamp, and Spring to the Mountains.) With the Bomber's Notebook, you got to help many characters in various ways, and even now, when I play, I try and find hidden "scenes" that I may have missed before. Like when the postman delivers Kafei's letter to Anju, and when Anju's mother tries to convince her that Kafei ran away with Cremia, and that she should give up on him. It's little things like this that keep me coming back to this game, not to mention it's challenging, and yet, enjoyable at the same time.
I just love this game.
Very well written piece. This has inspired me to go back and finally finish MM. I got it on Wiiware, and only got as far as the Deku Temple, because I really couldn't figure out what to do next.
I think the 3-day system put me off finishing it, but I'll certainly go back to it.
However, I agree with your points, but personally for me, Wind Waker is the greatest Zelda game...I loved the Sailing. There, I said it.