''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' is a 2000
action-adventure game
The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a story ...
developed and published by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
home console
A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. Home consoles are generally less powerful and customizable than ...
. It was released worldwide in 2000 as a main installment in
''The Legend of Zelda'' series and was the second to use
3D graphics
3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for the ...
, following 1998's ''
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'', to which it is a direct
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
. Designed by a creative team led by
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He works for Nintendo as the project manager of their ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Aonuma is also one of the deputy general managers of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development ...
,
Yoshiaki Koizumi
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, and business executive. He is a senior executive officer at Nintendo, where he is known for his work within their ''Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series.
Since 2013, Koizumi is a ...
, and
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
, ''Majora's Mask'' was completed in less than two years. It featured enhanced graphics and several gameplay changes from its predecessor, though it reused a number of elements and character models, which the game's creators called a creative decision made necessary by time constraints.
The story of ''Majora's Mask'' takes place two months after the events of ''Ocarina of Time''. It follows
Link, who on a personal quest, ends up in Termina, a world parallel to Hyrule. Upon reaching Termina, Link learns that the world is endangered as the moon will fall into the world in three days and becomes embroiled into a quest to prevent the end of the world.
The game introduced several novel concepts, revolving around the perpetually repeating three-day cycle and the use of various masks that can transform Link into different beings. As the player progresses through the game, Link also learns to play numerous melodies on his Ocarina, which allow him to control the flow of time or open passages to four temple dungeons. Characteristic of the ''Zelda'' series, completion of the game involves successfully traversing through several dungeons, each of which contain a number of complex puzzles and enemies. On the Nintendo 64, ''Majora's Mask''—unlike ''Ocarina of Time''—required the
Expansion Pak
Nintendo 64 accessories are first-party Nintendo hardwareand third-party hardware, licensed and unlicensed. Nintendo's first-party accessories are mainly transformative system expansions: the 64DD Internet multimedia platform, with a floppy drive ...
, which provided additional memory for more refined graphics and greater flexibility in generating on-screen characters.
''Majora's Mask'' earned widespread acclaim from critics and is widely considered one of the
best video games ever made. It received praise for the gameplay, graphics, story and has been noted for its darker tone and themes compared to the other titles in the franchise as well for its distinct art style and level design. While the game only sold about half as many copies as its predecessor, it generated a substantial
cult following
A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
.
The game was rereleased as part of ''
The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition'' for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
in 2003, for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
's
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
service in 2009, for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
's Virtual Console service in 2016, and for the
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack in 2022. An enhanced
remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
for the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
, ''
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D'', was released in 2015.
Gameplay
The gameplay of ''Majora's Mask'' expands on that of ''Ocarina of Time''. It retains the concept of dungeon puzzles and ocarina songs and introduces new elements including character transformations and a three-day cycle. As in previous installments, Link can perform basic actions such as walking, running and limited jumping (although sometimes Link performs flips), and must use items to battle enemies and solve puzzles. Link's main weapon is a sword, and other weapons and items are available—Link can block or reflect attacks with a shield, stun enemies by throwing Deku Nuts, attack from a distance with a bow and arrow, and use bombs to destroy obstacles and damage enemies. He can also latch onto objects or paralyze enemies with the Hookshot. Magic power allows attacks such as magical arrows or spin attacks and the use of special items such as the Lens of Truth, which allows the player to see invisible objects and disappears fake objects.
Similar to the other games, the player has to progress through a variety of dungeons. These dungeons include numerous puzzles that the player needs to solve with the equipment and/or mechanics set in the dungeon depending on its theme. Similar to ''
A Link to the Past'' and its predecessor, which is now a tradition into the series, the player can obtain a map and a compass for assistance, although they are optional. The player also has to find a key to unlock the boss' room. New to ''Majora's Mask'' are little fairies, which are collectibles. Fifteen are set through a dungeon and the player has to find them all and put them back in their respective fountain to gain a new ability, such as a greater defense or an upgraded "Spin Attack".
Masks and transformations
While the masks in ''Ocarina of Time'' are limited to an optional side-quest, they play a central role in ''Majora's Mask'', which has twenty-four masks in total.
Link can transform himself at will into different creatures: the Deku Mask transforms Link into a
Deku Scrub
''The Legend of Zelda'' is a List of video game franchises, video game franchise created by Japanese Video game design, video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The universe of th ...
, the Goron Mask into a
Goron, and the Zora Mask into a
Zora. Each form features unique abilities: Deku Link can perform a spin attack, shoot bubbles, skip on water, and fly for a short time by launching from Deku Flowers; Goron Link can roll at high speeds (and grow spikes at higher speeds), punch with deadly force, pound the ground with his massive, rock-like body, walk in lava without taking damage, and weigh down heavy switches; Zora Link can swim faster than normal Link, throw boomerang-like fins from his arms, generate a force field, and walk on the bottoms of bodies of water. Many areas can be accessed only by use of these abilities.
Link and his three transformations receive different reactions from
non-player character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
s (NPCs). For instance, Goron and Zora Link can exit Clock Town at will, but Deku Link is not permitted to leave due to his childlike appearance. Animals also interact differently to Link's four forms. They are indifferent to Link's normal form, attack Deku Link, are frightened by Goron Link, and chase Zora Link.
The final obtainable mask is the Fierce Deity's Mask. Even though the use of this mask is strictly limited to boss battles, it is possible to wear it anywhere using a glitch. Upon donning this mask, Link grows to nearly two-and-a-half times his normal height and gains white clothes and war paint on his face. Fierce Deity Link's sword is helix-shaped and shoots beams at enemies.
Other masks provide situational benefits. For example, the Great Fairy's Mask helps retrieve
stray fairies in the four temples, the Bunny Hood increases Link's movement speed, and the Stone Mask renders Link invisible to most NPCs and enemies. Less valuable masks are usually involved only in optional side-quests or specialized situations. Examples include the Postman's Hat, which grants Link access to items in mailboxes, and Kafei's Mask, which initiates a long side-quest to receive the Couple's Mask.
Three-day cycle
''Majora's Mask'' imposes a time limit of three days (72 hours) in-game time,
[''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' instruction booklet, p. 10.] which is about 54 minutes in real time.
An on-screen clock tracks the day and time. Link can return to 6:00 am of the first day by playing the Song of Time on the Ocarina of Time. If he does not before the 72 hours expire, then the moon will destroy Termina and Link will lose everything he accomplished during these three days. A real-time countdown will begin when only 6 hours remain.
However, returning to the first day saves the player's progress and major accomplishments permanently, such as the collection of maps, masks, music, and weapons.
[''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' instruction booklet, p. 11.] Cleared puzzles, keys, and minor items will be lost, as well as any rupees not in the bank, and almost all characters will have no recollection of meeting Link.
[''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' instruction booklet, pp. 10–11.] Link can slow down time or warp to the next morning or evening by playing the Inverted Song of Time and the Song of Double Time. Owl statues scattered across certain major areas of the world allow the player to temporarily save their progress after activation and also provide warp points to quickly navigate the world.
Other uses for music include manipulating the weather, teleporting between owl statues spread throughout Termina, and unlocking the four temples. Each transformation mask uses a different instrument: Deku Link plays a multi-horn instrument called the "Deku Pipes", Goron Link plays a set of bongo drums tied around his waist, and Zora Link plays a guitar made from a large fish skeleton.
Jackson Guitars
Jackson is a manufacturer of electric guitars and electric bass guitars that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson. The company was acquired by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in 2002, which manufactures Jackson-branded guitar ...
created a limited edition 7-string replica of this guitar that was the grand prize in a contest in ''
Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
'', known as the "Jackson Zoraxe".
During the three-day cycle, many non-player characters follow fixed schedules that Link can track using the Bombers' Notebook.
[''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' instruction booklet, p. 35.] The notebook tracks the twenty characters in need of help,
such as a soldier to whom Link delivers medicine and a couple whom Link reunites. Blue bars on the notebook's timeline indicate when characters are available for interaction, and icons indicate that Link has received items, such as masks, from the characters.
Plot
Setting and characters
''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' is set in Termina, a land parallel to
Hyrule
''The Legend of Zelda'' is a video game franchise created by Japanese video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The universe of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series consists of a variet ...
, the main setting of most ''Zelda'' games. Termina is a world that is trapped within a perpetual three day
limbo
In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin '' limbus'', edge or boundary, referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Medieval theologians of Western Euro ...
, between the time when Link first enters Termina at the beginning of ''Majora's Mask'', and when a large falling moon crashes into the land causing its apocalyptic destruction and killing its inhabitants 72 hours later. The Skull Kid, a former inhabitant of Hyrule, obtains Majora's Mask and wills Termina into existence, due to the evil power of the mask combined with Skull Kid's heavy heart. The residents of Termina, who are created from the Skull Kid's memories, resemble the residents of Hyrule featured in ''Ocarina of Time'', and possess their own unique culture and myths. One of these myths tells of how Termina was divided into four quadrants by four magic giants that live in each of the land's regions and how harmony was restored to the land. The giants were friends of an imp, who repeatedly wronged the people out of anger caused by feelings of neglect. The giants, who were worshipped like gods, urged the imp to return to the heavens and restore peace to the world. This myth emphasises that Hyrule is Termina's
heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
and that the imp is the Skull Kid. Termina is depicted as a darker, more unsettling version of Hyrule, in which landmarks are familiar and side characters who previously appeared in ''Ocarina of Time'' are presented with individual stories of misfortune.
At the center of Termina lies Clock Town, which features a large clock tower that counts down the days before the Carnival of Time—a festival where the people of Termina pray for good luck and harvests. Termina Field surrounds Clock Town; beyond lie a swamp, mountain range, bay, and canyon in each of the four
cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are at ...
s. Each of the areas contains a temple and is home to a unique race of creatures who have in some way been impacted by the misdeeds of the Skull Kid.
The Southern Swamp contains the Deku Palace and the Woodfall Temple, an ancient shrine that contains monsters and a giant masked jungle warrior, Odolwa, who has been poisoning the swamp. The Snowhead mountain range, north of Clock Town, is the site of the Goron village. Normally a lush pine forest region most of the year, the area has been experiencing an unusually long winter caused by the mechanical monster Goht in Snowhead Temple. The western area of Termina, the Great Bay, is home to the Zora and
Gerudo
''The Legend of Zelda'' is a video game franchise created by Japanese video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The universe of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series consists of a vari ...
civilizations. A giant masked fish, Gyorg, is generating storms and contaminating the water surrounding the Great Bay Temple. The desolate Ikana Canyon, to the east of Clock Town, is the site of a former kingdom. It is inhabited mainly by the undead, except for a ghost researcher and his daughter Pamela, as well as a thief named Sakon. Two giant masked insectoid serpents known as Twinmold are casting a dark aura from their nest in Stone Tower Temple, causing the corpses of former citizens and soldiers to be revived as undead monsters.
Romani Ranch, southwest of Clock Town, is the site of a ranch which houses Romani, her older sister, Cremia, Grog, and Mamamu Yan. In a sidequest, Link can help Romani protect the ranch's cows from being abducted by alien-like creatures of unknown origin colloquially dubbed "Ghosts", "Them", and "They".
After the final confrontation with Skull Kid, Link is transported to the inside of the moon, which is portrayed as a green field with a single, large tree in the center with five children donning the masks of the game's four preceding bosses playing underneath it and a fifth donning Majora's mask, who triggers the game's final battle, sitting against it. The children are never named nor otherwise referenced in the game, though they resemble the Traveling Mask Salesman.
Plot
''Majora's Mask'' is set two months after ''
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' with Link on a personal quest: searching for his departed fairy,
Navi. The game begins as Link, during his search, is ambushed by Skull kid wearing a mysterious mask and his two fairy companions, siblings Tatl and Tael. They steal both
Epona
In Gallo-Roman religion, Epona was a protector of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. She was particularly a goddess of fertility, as shown by her attributes of a patera, cornucopia, ears of grain and the presence of foals in some sculptures. S ...
and the Ocarina of Time. Link pursues them and falls into a trap; Skull Kid curses Link as a Deku Scrub, anf Tatl is left behind. Having no other choice to find Tael, Tatl guides Link to Clock Town. On their way, they meet the Happy Mask Salesman, who owns Skull Kid's mask and can break Link's curse if the mask is returned. Link agrees, and in a deadline of three days, finds Skull Kid. Link finds the Ocarina of Time but fails to get the mask. As the moon dangerously approaches, Link returns in time. Tael instructs them to reach the four locations.
The Happy Mask Salesman breaks Link's curse and explains Skull's Kid mask is Majora's Mask, a mask containing a powerful unknow evil bringing the end of days. Link then begins his quest to save the world and reaches the four locations: Woodfall, Snowhead, the Great Bay, and the Ikana Canyon. As Link progresses, he learns that the four locations are cursed by Skull Kid's use of the mask as a revenge for being abandonned by his Giant friends. Tatl and Tael would then accompany him in his games that would lead to the eventual Majora's Mask's theft and would use it to fall the moon at the beginning of the Carnival of Time. In Woodfall, the water is poisoned and its princess is captured. Snowhead's winter is eteral and leaves the Gorons to starvation and awful weather. Great Bay's ocean is endangered and could kill Zora eggs. In Ikana, inhabitants are terrorized of a curse that brings undead back to life.
Link lifts the four curses, liberating Skull Kid's former Giant friends. They all together stop both the moon's crash and Skull Kid. Majora's Mask leaves Skull Kid and goes inside the moon. Link follows it and confronts Majora, regaining his physical form. Majora is defeated, destructing the moon in the way. The Happy Mask Salesman regains the powerless Majora's Mask, and leaves alongsides the Giants. Link, Skull Kid, and the fairies make amends before Link leaves back to his search. The Carnival of Time begins with its attendants celebrating Link's actions that came to fruition. In a nearby forest, Skull Kid draws himself and his new friends.
Development
Following the release of ''
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening'' in 1993, fans waited five years for ''
Ocarina of Time
''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in November 1998, and in PAL regions the following month. ''Ocarina of Tim ...
'', the active development of which took four years. By reusing the
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
and graphics from ''Ocarina of Time'', a smaller team required only one year to finish ''Majora's Mask'', with development having started in January 1999.
The game was developed by a team led by
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He works for Nintendo as the project manager of their ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Aonuma is also one of the deputy general managers of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development ...
,
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
, and
Yoshiaki Koizumi
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, and business executive. He is a senior executive officer at Nintendo, where he is known for his work within their ''Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series.
Since 2013, Koizumi is a ...
. According to Aonuma, they were "faced with the very difficult question of just what kind of game could follow ''Ocarina of Time'' and its worldwide sales of seven million units", and as a solution, came up with the three-day system to "make the game data more compact while still providing deep gameplay". According to Aonuma, the concept of time repeatedly looping was inspired by the 1998 film ''
Run Lola Run
''Run Lola Run'' (german: Lola rennt}, lit. "Lola Runs") is a 1998 German experimental thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer. The story follows a woman named Lola (Franka Potente) who needs to obtain 100,000 Deutschmarks in twenty min ...
''. Miyamoto and Koizumi came up with the story that served as the basis for the script written by Mitsuhiro Takano.
The idea of the "three-day system" came from Miyamoto and Koizumi. The development team's main goal was to make a refined, compact successor to ''Ocarina of Time'' that would allow players to have a different experience each time they played it.
''Majora's Mask'' first appeared in the media in May 1999, when ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' stated that a long-planned ''Zelda'' expansion for the
64DD
The is a magnetic floppy disk drive peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console developed by Nintendo. It was announced in 1995, prior to the Nintendo 64's 1996 launch, and after numerous delays was released in Japan on December 13, 1999. The "6 ...
was under development in Japan. This project was tentatively titled "''Ura Zelda''" ("ura" translates roughly to "hidden" or "behind"). This expansion would take ''Ocarina of Time'' and alter the level designs, similar to how the "master quest" expanded upon the original ''
Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-release ...
''. In June, Nintendo announced that "''Zelda: Gaiden''", which roughly translates to "''Zelda: Side Story''", would appear as a playable demo at the
Nintendo Space World
formerly named and was an annual video game trade show hosted by Nintendo from 1989 to 2001. Its three days of high-energy party atmosphere was the primary venue for Nintendo and its licensees to announce and demonstrate new consoles and game ...
exhibition on August 27, 1999.
The media assumed that ''Zelda: Gaiden'' was the new working title for ''Ura Zelda''.
Screenshots of ''Zelda: Gaiden'' released in August 1999 show unmistakable elements of the final version of ''Majora's Mask'', such as the large clock that dominates the center of Clock Town, the timer at the bottom of the screen, and the Goron Mask.
Story and gameplay details revealed later that month show that the story concept as well as the use of transformation masks were already in place.
That same month, Miyamoto confirmed that ''Ura Zelda'' and ''Zelda: Gaiden'' were separate projects.
It was unclear if ''Zelda: Gaiden'' was an offshoot of ''Ura Zelda'' or if the two were always separate. ''Ura Zelda'' might have become ''
Ocarina of Time Master Quest'' outside Japan, and was released on a bonus disc for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
given to those who pre-ordered ''
The Wind Waker
''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' is a 2002 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. An installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, it was released in Japan in December 2002, in North America in Marc ...
'' in the US and bundled with the GameCube game in Europe.
In November, Nintendo announced a "Holiday 2000" release date for ''Zelda: Gaiden''. By March 2000, what ultimately became the final titles were announced: ''Zelda no Densetsu Mujura no Kamen'' in Japan and ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' elsewhere.
Technical differences from ''Ocarina of Time''
![Nintendo-64-Memory-Expansion-Pak](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Nintendo-64-Memory-Expansion-Pak.jpg)
''Majora's Mask'' runs on an upgraded version of the engine used in ''Ocarina of Time'' and requires the use of the Nintendo 64's 4 MB Expansion Pak, making it one of the two games that require said peripheral; the other being ''
Donkey Kong 64
''Donkey Kong 64'' is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare (company), Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the first 3D game in the ''Donkey Kong'' series. As the gorilla Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong, the player e ...
''.
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' theorized this requirement is due to ''Majora's Mask''s possible origin as a
Nintendo 64DD
The is a magnetic floppy disk drive peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console developed by Nintendo. It was announced in 1995, prior to the Nintendo 64's 1996 launch, and after numerous delays was released in Japan on December 13, 1999. The "6 ...
game, which would necessitate an extra 4 MB of
RAM
Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to:
Animals
* A male sheep
* Ram cichlid, a freshwater tropical fish
People
* Ram (given name)
* Ram (surname)
* Ram (director) (Ramsubramaniam), an Indian Tamil film director
* RAM (musician) (born 1974), Dutch
* Ra ...
.
The use of the Expansion Pak allows for greater
draw distance
In computer graphics, draw distance (render distance or view distance) is the maximum distance of objects in a three-dimensional scene that are drawn by the rendering engine. Polygons that lie beyond the draw distance will not be drawn to the ...
s, more accurate
dynamic lighting
Computer graphics lighting is the collection of techniques used to simulate light in computer graphics scenes. While lighting techniques offer flexibility in the level of detail and functionality available, they also operate at different levels of ...
, more detailed
texture mapping
Texture mapping is a method for mapping a texture on a computer-generated graphic. Texture here can be high frequency detail, surface texture, or color.
History
The original technique was pioneered by Edwin Catmull in 1974.
Texture mapping ...
and
animation
Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
, complex
framebuffer
A framebuffer (frame buffer, or sometimes framestore) is a portion of random-access memory (RAM) containing a bitmap that drives a video display. It is a memory buffer containing data representing all the pixels in a complete video frame. Modern ...
effects such as motion blur, and more characters displayed on-screen.
This expanded draw distance allows the player to see much farther and eliminates the need for the
fog effect and "cardboard panorama" seen in ''Ocarina of Time'', which were used to obscure distant areas.
''IGN'' considered the texture design to be one of the best created for the Nintendo 64, saying that although some textures have a low resolution, they are "colorful and diverse", which gives each area "its own unique look".
Music
The music was written by longtime series composer
Koji Kondo
is a Japanese music composer, pianist, and music director who works for the video game company Nintendo. He is best known for his numerous contributions to the '' Super Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series of video games, among others pr ...
, and
Toru Minegishi
is a Japanese video game composer known for his work on Nintendo games, most notably in ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''Splatoon'' series. He was raised in a musical family and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early ag ...
.
The soundtrack largely consists of reworked music from ''Ocarina of Time'', complemented with other traditional ''Zelda'' music such as the "Overworld Theme" and new material.
Kondo describes the music as having "an exotic Chinese-opera sound". As the three-day cycle progresses, the theme song of Clock Town changes between three variations, one for each day.
''IGN'' relates the shift in music to a shift in the game's atmosphere, saying that the quickened tempo of the Clock Town music on the second day conveys a sense of time passing quickly.
The two-disc soundtrack was released in Japan on June 23, 2000, and features 112 tracks from the game.
[
]
Reception
In Japan, 314,044 copies of ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' were sold during its first week on sale, eventually selling 601,542 copies by the end of 2000. In the United States, it was the fourth best-selling game of 2000 with 1,206,489 copies sold for . In Europe, it was the eighth highest-grossing game of 2000 with €27,000,000 or grossed that year. Ultimately, 3.36 million copies were sold worldwide for the Nintendo 64.
Like its predecessor, ''Majora's Mask'' received critical acclaim. The game holds a score of 95/100 on review aggregator Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, indicating "universal acclaim". Opinions were favorable regarding how the game compared with ''Ocarina of Time'', which is often cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. ''Tampa Bay Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single y ...
'', who previously called ''Ocarina of Time'' "the Gone With the Wind
Gone with the Wind most often refers to:
* Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
* Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel
Gone with the Win ...
of video gaming", claimed ''Majora's Mask'' outdid its predecessor. Reviewers praised its visuals, gameplay, writing, and soundtrack.[ Although IGN places ''Ocarina of Time'' second on this particular list of the greatest games of all time, the description of the game explicitly states that it is " nsidered by many critics to be the greatest game ever made".] Greg Orlando reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game for '' Next Generation'', rating it four stars out of five, calling it "another beautiful Link in the chain".
''Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' called the three-day cycle "one of the most inventive premises in all of gaming", and also stated that " thout question, ''Majora's Mask'' is the finest adventure the Nintendo 64 has to offer". It is often regarded as the darkest and most original game in the ''Legend of Zelda'' series. ''Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'' magazine referred to ''Majora's Mask'' as "the oddest, darkest and saddest of all ''Zelda'' games". ''N64 Magazine
''NGC Magazine'' (''N64 Magazine'' until October 2001 (issue 59)) was a British magazine specialising in Nintendo video game consoles and software. It was first printed in 1997 and ran until 2006. It was the successor to ''Super Play'', a maga ...
'' ended their review by saying that "it was told that ''Majora's Mask'' should cower in the shadow of ''Ocarina of Time''. Instead, it shines just as brightly", awarding the game 96%. IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
described ''Majora's Mask'' as "''The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' of Nintendo 64...it's the same franchise, but it's more intelligent, darker, and tells a much better storyline". ''GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' characterized the story as "surreal and spooky, deep, and intriguing" and the game as living proof that the N64 still has its magic. ''Majora's Mask'' has also placed highly in publication and fan-voted polls.
However, some critics felt that ''Majora's Mask'' was not as accessible as ''Ocarina of Time''. ''Tampa Bay Times'' argued it was the hardest game in the ''Zelda'' series simply because of its 3-day deadline. ''GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'', which awarded ''Ocarina of Time'' 10/10, only gave ''Majora's Mask'' 8.3/10, writing that some might find the focus on minigames and side quests tedious and slightly out of place, and that the game was much more difficult than its predecessor.[ '']GameRevolution
''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
'' wrote that it "takes a little longer to get into this ''Zelda''", but also that "there are moments when the game really hits you with all its intricacies and mysteries, and that makes it all worthwhile".
''Majora's Mask'' was a runner-up for ''GameSpot''s annual "Best Nintendo 64 Game" award, losing to ''Perfect Dark
''Perfect Dark'' is a first-person shooter developed and published by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console in 2000. The first game of the ''Perfect Dark'' series, it follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute research c ...
''. It was also nominated for "Best Adventure Game" among console game
A console game is a type of video game consisting of images and often sounds generated by a video game console, which are displayed on a television or similar audio-video system, and that can be manipulated by a player. This manipulation usually ...
s. The game was ranked 155th in ''Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
s "The Greatest 200 Video Games of Their Time" in 2006.
Legacy
In 2003, Nintendo rereleased ''Majora's Mask'' on the GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
as part of ''The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition'', a special promotional disc which also contained three other ''The Legend of Zelda'' games and a twenty-minute demo of '' The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker''. This disc came bundled with a GameCube console, as part of a subscription offer to ''Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
'' magazine, or through Nintendo's official website. The Collector's Edition was also available through the Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo was a customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program was free to join and provided rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products. Members of Club Nintendo earned c ...
reward program, with a bonus discount offered in 2004 with the purchase of '' The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures'' during the month long .
Similar to other GameCube rereleases, versions of the games featured in the ''Collector's Edition'' are emulations of the originals using GameCube hardware. The only differences are minor adjustments to button icons to resemble the buttons on the GameCube controller. ''Majora's Mask'' also boots with a disclaimer that some of the original sounds from the game may cause problems due to their emulation. Aside from these deliberate changes, GameSpot's Ricardo Torres found that the frame rate "appears choppier" and noted inconsistent audio. The GameCube version also features a slightly higher native resolution than its Nintendo 64 counterpart, as well as progressive scan.
''Majora's Mask'' was released on the Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
's Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
service in Europe and Australia on April 3, 2009, and Japan on April 7. It was later released in North America on May 18 and commemorated as the 300th Virtual Console game available for purchase in the region. During January 2012, Club Nintendo members could download ''Majora's Mask'' onto the Wii Console for 150 coins. A similar deal was offered at the end of Club Nintendo in 2015. The game was released for the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
's Virtual Console service in Europe on June 23, 2016 and in North America on November 24. ''Majora's Mask'' was released through the Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Ninten ...
Expansion Pack service on February 25, 2022.
The game served as the primary inspiration for the popular 2010s web serial Web fiction is written works of literature available primarily or solely on the Internet. A common type of web fiction is the web serial. The term comes from old serial stories that were once published regularly in newspapers and magazines.
Unlike ...
and web series
A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single i ...
''Ben Drowned
''Ben Drowned'' (originally published as ''Haunted Majora's Mask Cartridge'') is a three-part multimedia alternate reality game (ARG) web serial and web series created by Alexander D. "Jadusable" Hall. Originating as a creepypasta based on the 20 ...
'' by Alexander D. Hall, which helped define the creepypasta
Creepypastas are horror-related legends that have been shared around the Internet. Creepypasta has since become a catch-all term for any horror content posted onto the Internet. These Internet entries are often brief, user-generated, paranormal ...
genre of online storytelling. Content based on ''Majora's Mask'' has also appeared in the ''Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series. A stage based on the Great Bay Coast area of the game, titled "Great Bay", appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee
''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 Fictional crossover, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. I ...
'' and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
''. Skull Kid also appears as a computer-controlled Assist Trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' and ''Ultimate'', while the Moon appears as an Assist Trophy in ''Ultimate'' as well. A Skull Kid-themed mask is available as customizable headgear to be worn by Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
characters in ''Nintendo 3DS and Wii U'' and ''Ultimate''.
A fan-made patch
An unofficial patch is a patch for a piece of software, created by a third party such as a user community without the involvement of the original developer. Similar to an ordinary patch, it alleviates bugs or shortcomings. Unofficial patches do no ...
for the Nintendo 64 version entitled ''N64HD''—featuring enhanced graphics, textures, and lighting—was released in 2021. Having been in development for five years, it overhauls over 6000 in-game textures.
Nintendo 3DS remake
After the release of '' The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D'', a remake of ''Ocarina of Time'' for the Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
, director Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He works for Nintendo as the project manager of their ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Aonuma is also one of the deputy general managers of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development ...
suggested that a ''Majora's Mask'' remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
was dependent on interest and demand. Following this news, a fan campaign called "Operation Moonfall" was launched to promote a remake of ''Majora's Mask'' for the 3DS. The campaign name is a reference to a similar fan-based movement, Operation Rainfall
Operation Rainfall, commonly known as oprainfall, was a video game-oriented fan campaign founded to promote the release of games not available in North America. Initially aimed at promoting the North American release of three games on the aging ...
, set up to persuade Nintendo of America
is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade playing cards. ...
to localize a trio of role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
s for the Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
. The petition reached 10,000 signatures within five days. In response to an email sent by a customer, a representative of Nintendo of America revealed that they had no official announcements of ''Majora's Mask'' remake, but they were interested to hear about what fans wanted, acknowledging their campaign. Both ''Zelda'' producer Eiji Aonuma and Miyamoto expressed interest in developing the remake in the future.
A remake of ''Majora's Mask'', titled ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D'', was released worldwide in February 2015. Like ''Ocarina of Time 3D'' before it, the remake features improved character models and stereoscopic 3D
Stereoscopy (also called stereoscopics, or stereo imaging) is a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by means of stereopsis for binocular vision. The word ''stereoscopy'' derives . Any stereoscopic image is ...
graphics, along with altered boss battles, an additional fishing minigame, and support for New Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It is the fourth system in the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld consoles, following the original Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS. The system was released in Japan on October 1 ...
systems. To update the game for modern audiences, Aonuma and the team at Grezzo
is a Japanese video game developer. It was founded in December 2006. Koichi Ishii, known for his work on the ''Mana
According to Melanesian and Polynesian mythology, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyon ...
compiled a list of gameplay moments that stuck out to them as unreasonable for players, colloquially dubbed the "what in the world" list. The game's release coincided with the launch of the New Nintendo 3DS system in North America and Europe. A special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, or collector's edition, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints, r ...
New Nintendo 3DS XL model was launched alongside the game, with the European release featuring a pin badge, double-sided poster, and steelbook
Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage.
Jewel case
A ...
case. The UK retailer Game
A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
offered a ''Majora's Mask''-themed paperweight
A paperweight is a small solid object heavy enough, when placed on top of papers, to keep them from blowing away in a breeze or from moving under the strokes of a painting brush (as with Chinese calligraphy). While any object, such as a stone, ...
as a pre-order bonus for the standard edition of the game.
Notes
References
*
*
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The
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Majora's Mask
''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' is a 2000 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 home console. It was released worldwide in 2000 as a main installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series and was the ...
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