In the spring of 2000, less than two years after Nintendo redefined the action-adventure genre with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timereleased the company The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Maska direct sequel. This kind of story and gameplay continuity is unusual for Zelda franchise, which tends towards more experimental or generational leaps like the ones you see between Wind Waker and Twilight Princessor Skyward sword and Breath of the Wild. But don't let this rare sequel status fool you: Majora's mask is anything but a simple follow-up.
Ultimately, Ocarina of times story has little or no significance for the events in Majora's maskwhich represents such a radical shift in tone that it almost feels like part of a completely different series. Really, Majora's mask is still a dyed-in-the-wool Zelda game, but its dark themes, disturbing visuals, and bold experimental ideas give it a kind of otherworldly quality, as if it were made in a parallel universe, where Wario is the face of Nintendo instead of Mario. This may help explain the cultural significance of Majora's maskthat has captured the imagination of gamers and non-gamers alike, in a way like no other Zelda games simply haven't.
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Why The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask still feels so special, all these years later
Zelda: Ocarina of Time is much like a classic fairy tale: a chosen orphan embarks on a grand, magical quest to save the land's princess. Majora's mask removes these familiar tropes, most of which would reappear in the sequel Zelda games and replace them with ideas that are far more cosmic and edgy.
For the record, Ocarina of time Don't be shy about injecting darker images and themes, though Majora's mask taking things up.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Start
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
There are two general parts of Majora's mask which best exemplifies this turn to the “dark side”. First, we have what most would consider the inciting event of the story, when Link transforms into the Deku Scrub after traveling to Termina. This scene, with its droning, rustling sound effects and bizarre visuals, culminates in Link losing his original body, becoming a creature of wood and leaves, much to his dismay. This is not fun, Mario-style transformation, but a terrifying, confusing curse that robs a child of his corporeal form, and it's presented as such.
The second symbol for Majora's masks darker and bolder tone is the iconic moon hanging over Clock Town, moving closer and closer to Termina's surface with each passing day. This grinning, monstrous mass is the epitome of cosmic horror, a perversion of something at once mysterious and familiar. Sure, it's visually unsettling, but the inherent stealthiness of this celestial body is what evokes true fear.
Majora's mask isn't it Zelda's “Halloween special.” It's not a ghostly spin on it Zelda formula for that matter, but rather a move into more evocative territory, and the fact that the original 2000 release was marketed to an audience of children is perhaps at the heart of its enduring legacy. We tend to remember things that scare us as children, like our parents turning into pigs Spirited Awayor any number of moments from the original Alice in Wonderland. But as a video game, Majora's mask offers something that scary books and movies simply cannot: an opportunity to overcome such otherworldly terrors.
Behind the scares, Majora's Mask is still as delightfully bizarre as the best Zelda games
One of the reasons why Majora's masks more troubling elements don't feel superficial is that they're underpinned by meaningful mechanics. Take the worm-based game for example. Using the three main masks, Link can transform into a Deku, Zora, or Goron version of himself at will. Each of these unique forms comes with its own suite of abilities and is viable in several different scenarios, meaning they're always available to offer gameplay variety. This is to say nothing of the 21 other masks, which further recontextualize the once uncomfortable idea of body horror into something practical and fun.
Then there's Termina's three-day cycle, which affects gameplay in a way that was way before the game's time. You can actually trace a line from several of Majora's masks core mechanics, such as schedule-based mission design and a looping time limit, to many of today's modern adventure titles, and even some roguelikes and extraction games. While Zelda game before and after Majora's mask are innovative in their own right, can few claim to be as fearless or ahead of their time as this 2000 release.
And through it all, Majora's mask still feels like a real one Zelda game. It still boasts the IP's unmistakable blend of whimsy and menace, bringing players into an unfamiliar yet endlessly compelling world with surprises around every corner. Perhaps the resounding success of Ocarina of time gave Nintendo's developers the confidence they needed to do something much more experimental and risky, but in any case, the result is an adventure game that truly has no equal, even all these years later.
- Released
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October 26, 2000
- ESRB
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E10+ for all 10+ due to animated blood, fantasy violence, suggestive themes
- Developer
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Nintendo EAD
- Publisher
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Nintendo
- Engine
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Proprietary engine
