- Publisher:
Nintendo - Developer:
Nintendo EAD - Genre:
Adventure - Players:
1
2000
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
"Releasing another same-platform entry following up the greatest game the N64 had seen was bold by Nintendo. Its two new gameplay mechanics, time travel and the use of masks, were simple at heart yet utterly integral in creating a sublime, more interesting, and darker world than Hyrule. It retained everything exquisite about OoT but gave us much more to sink our gaming teeth into."
10/10 - Steven Smith 64
User Reviews (24)
"Hey listen! While Ocarina of Time is considered the greatest game of all time, Majora's Mask is one of those rare gems that outshine OoT in many ways. Compared to other LoZ games, Majora's Mask has a deeper, emotional feel. You're not just watching link on another quest. You're watching link accept his death and his lose of Navi. That's whatmake's this game special."
10/10 - yannah21 64
"There single entries in certain series that not everyone likes. Majora's Mask seems to be one of them. Featuring less dungeons than usual, it has a lot more sidequests than other games in the series. Three day mechanic makes playing intense, you have to plan your use of time before you return to the first day by using Song of time. 3DS remake now!"
10/10 - Luffymcduck 64
"Initially playing Majora's Mask, people thought the development team went completely off the reservation. Once played through and then taking a step back to look at it, however, this game stands above its predecessor in many ways. The three-day countdown actually works very well for this game and there is enjoyment in meeting various characters and unfolding stories presented. Do not miss this one!"
10/10 - GloryQuestor 64
"In a Zelda world unlike any other, Majora's Mask stands out as the pinnacle of "if you want to be different, do it like this." With an incredibly moody atmosphere that draws you in, a detailed story, wonderful music, and likable characters, and despite it being relatively short compared to other Zelda games, this makes for possibly the greatest Zelda game of all time."
10/10 - MasterGraveheart 64
"Not as good as Oot, but still pretty interesting. Its the darkest Zelda, with the strangest cast of characters. The interactions with them are what makes the game interesting, the dungeons are more of a side-dish. Its great to help them out, they have all their own schedule. They won't stand on one place the whole day. Also a very interesting mask and time-system."
8/10 - Henmii 64
"Majora's Mask is dark game dealing with the themes of death. Each area of the journey takes Link down the path of the Kubler-Ross model (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) that is reflected in the NPC's of the area. It is a game I have a new found appreciation for this game after having a close friend pass away. Very mature for it's time."
9/10 - Darknyht 64
"One of the most unique Zelda titles. It's three day cycle made the world really feel alive, as NPC would go about their day as time went on. The side quests went further into understanding each character, and made you feel for their plights, spurring you to save them. Along with it's darker atmosphere, and engaging story, this made for one special Zelda title."
10/10 - TradeMark 64
"An incredibly original twist on the Zelda franchise. Powerful motifs and mutations come to the fore as a doomsday scenario plays out and multiple masks produce wonderfully subversive scenarios. Negotiating time as an oppressive force puts Link in a darker place than he has ever been. This is the Zelda series at its most clever, most unexpected and most daring. Sublime to its core."
10/10 - YoshiTails 64
"The time mechanic and that creepy moon remind you of how important your quest is. The people of Termina feel alive, and connect with you on a real emotional level. The masks and dungeons are fun to play. This game is somber and disturbing, but contains glimpses of hope and is crazy all around. This is the most connected I've felt with any Zelda."
10/10 - Zalbet 64
"Simply put, Majora's Mask is a game--no, an experience--that you're either going to love or dislike. Never before, or since, has a game had such a deep, satisfying storyline and atmosphere... uniquely human in a way that is its very own, while retaining that timeless Zelda aesthetic. Ocarina's strange little brother goes places its more well-known sibling, nor indeed any other game, ever went."
10/10 - Solid_Stannis 64
"I always have trouble explaining to people why "Majora's Mask" is much more than just an udpate of Ocarina. How do you transmit the feeling of impeding doom that is always lurking in your shoulder in a "happy game" like Zelda? Or the mask mechanics used brilliantly to tackle challenges? Dare I mention "time travel"? Majora's can't be explained, it has to be experienced."
10/10 - Shiryu 64
"To describe how I feel about this game in 64 words is impossible, so I'm not even going to attempt to. To describe how I feel about this game in 64 words is impossible, so I'm not even going to attempt to. To describe how I feel about this game in 64 words is impossible, so I'm not even going to attempt to. Best."
10/10 - Oragami 64
"+a melancholy subtlety that makes Majora's Mask more artistic than most +mask transformations +music that resonates with its emotional themes +meaningful sidequests with characters that are affected by time's march -time limit can be annoying -no "mirror world" mechanic -only four dungeons -perhaps the artistic experimentation could have showed its true potential as a new IP, free from the restraints of the Zelda formula"
9/10 - VGScrapbook 64
"Majora's Mask is unlike any other game I have ever played. From its darker themes of death and grief, to its unique implementation of a three-day, doomsday clock, the game isn't afraid to show players how different it is from its predecessor. And that is a good thing. With an engaging story and even more fun mask transformations, MM is an excellent Zelda game."
10/10 - bizcuthammer 64
"Though it may never be viewed at the same level as its predecessor, Majora's Mask improves upon it in every way. Dungeons are larger and more meaningful and puzzles are more elaborate, but the biggest difference here is how much each character contributes to the game. Even though it is darker and more serious than other Zelda games, this deserves recognition as a classic."
10/10 - Emilia 64
"Majora's Mask is heralded as one of the greatest Zelda games in the franchise - and for good reason. Centring itself more on side-quests rather than an all out adventure, the game gives you a 3 day, time travelling mechanic and offers a very different take on the usual Zelda conventions. It's dark, mysterious, emotional and it's truly unique amongst its peers. An absolute marvel."
10/10 - GreenGaming 64
"Though it may never be viewed at the same level as its predecessor, Majora's Mask improves upon it in every way. Dungeons are larger and more meaningful and puzzles are more elaborate, but the biggest difference here is how much each character contributes to the game. Even though it is darker and more serious than other Zelda games, this deserves recognition as a classic."
10/10 - Nintenbomba64 64
"I find this game to be really overrated. This game is like 40% main story, 60% side quests. Don't get me wrong, I love optional side quests, but there is just too much here. Most of the dungeons are boring, and most of the boss fights I forget about. Is this a bad game? No, I just don' think it deserves constant 10/10s everywhere."
7/10 - NintendoDork 64
"You either love it or hate it. No game in the history of gameing can I rmember causing a fanbase of a series to be divided. This game was darker then OoT and for some was to similar game play wise to OoT. While OoT made big strides to the Zelda Franchise, This game not so much. It was darker but offered nothing new."
5/10 - Tasuki 64
"This game is often overshadowed by it's big briother, being critizised for having a strange gimmicks (masks, time limit). For me, however, these are 2 things out of many that make the game truly shine. Unique gameplay, amazing sidequests, along with beautiful music and a depressing, but great story, something that a Zelda game never acomplished. I recommend this game to every gamer out there."
10/10 - The_Ninja 64
"Without any doubt the most creative Zelda game ever produced, featuring a depth of emotion and a level of artistic freedom the likes of which I doubt we will ever see in a Zelda game again. With some polarizing mechanics and a dark story it's certainly not a game for everyone, but with a little patience one will find a true work of art."
10/10 - DerpSandwich 64
"Majora's Mask takes everything that made Ocarina of Time and shifts it into a very different style. The game doesn't feel as grand as its predecessor, but it makes up for it with the slightly creepy premonition and the numerous gameplay enhancements done. It's definitely safe to say that this is one of the finest you can get on the N64. Time is running!"
10/10 - Truner 64
"Groundhog Day-meets-Zelda in this incredible follow up to Ocarina, remarkable for its short production time. The world of Termina is extremely well realised, telling a personal and hauntingly emotional tale of the last three days before the world ends. A central time mechanic maintains a sense of urgency, but it is the masks that bestow Link with new powers that are the real star."
10/10 - mookysam 64
"First playthrough this game scared me, and the on-driving reward was just to get things a bit more normal. Majora's Mask has a magical feeling all throughout; crazy characters, cryptic locations and painfully touching events. Meddling with people's lives and proceeding through the world through time travel feels novel to this day. A remake with some sanding around the edges would be in order!"
9/10 - Omenapoika 64
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Comments 34
I'm ashamed to admit for whatever reason this is the only console Zelda I've never beaten.
I guess at this stage holding out for a 3ds version is pointless.
I always have trouble with games that give you time restrictions, like Dead Rising or Pikmin, since my favorite part about video games is the option to explore. But even with the three day mechanic, I never felt the same kind of pressure that came with it.
This is one of my favorite Zelda games, right behind A Link to the Past. But that one probably wins just due to nostalgia factors. And I for one would love to see more Zelda games in the vain of Majora's Mask - game with the same art style, but different in execution.
An amazing game,that would be great updated for new consoles!
@Spoony_Tech Not really. If it's not going to be 3DS, it'll certainly be New 3DS.
@Grumblevolcano That would probably make me even more upset if it's New 3ds exclusive because it doesn't need to be.
This game means so much to me. One of my favorite Zeldas of all time. I've watched EnNopp as well as VPP and others play through this game both any% and 100% HUNDREDS of times... and it never gets old. I have the sound track in my car and listen to it frequently. I would die for a remake....
I got the soundtrack on Club Nintendo.
Honestly, I wish it had been so many other games.
This game is just disappointing for me.
The masks added gimmicky effects, the time travel was cheap and overused and the murkiness that hung over the entire game was just depressing. Depressing for the fact that Nintendo could have really pushed the system and choose instead to stick with the exact same engine.
Majora's final battle was the best part of the game and even that felt too typical and uninspired to really matter.
I never really cared much for the characters and rank this just ahead of the older NES Zeldas (whose own pop-up enemies, cheap attacks and rigid controls are further mired in rose tinted mediocrity).
6 out of 10 if I'm being generous. 4 out of 10 if I'm being a bit more blunt.
This is my 2nd favorite ZELDA, next to Wind Waker.
Want to be filled with existential dread and see your own inner darkness reflected back at you? Well, brother, this is the game for you. It's an almost impossible recommendation for me to make to someone. But if you get it, you get it. Like, if this game is your thing... it is REALLY YOUR THING.
Oh Jake, you and I couldn't be more different.
Wind Waker, the game that feels 2/3rds complete.
Wind Waker, using cel shaded graphics to hide the glaring rough edges.
Wind Waker, could have started the fully orchestrated soundtrack in Zelda titles, instead going with the same, tired sound options.
Wind Waker, trying so hard to one up OoT (they all have) and failing miserably.
Wind Waker, stretching the game out with boring sailing, a bland and empty map and middling, recycled characters.
Wind Waker, tries to have a story and falls horribly short.
Wind Waker, few surprises and less incentive to explore.
Wind Waker, my second least favorite 3D Zelda (still better than the NES ones though).
The series has been most consistently great on handhelds.
No real low points to speak of.
@SahashraLA
You looked for the wrong things In it. Every scenario is so carefully crafted to represent a real problem. All of the characters are fleshed out, and all of the areas felt like you had something to find. Ocarina of Time had disposable characters and an empty field.
Selling me a near 14 year old game now is kind of pointless.
I played through and finished this game.
That's my review.
That's MY experience.
Like alot of people find the beginning of Twilight Princess incredibly boring, that's a part of the game I play over and over again. It's the middle I can't stand.
Just like Majora's Mask. The meat was fine. The beginning, the end and the tacked on mechanics made it feel disposable.
When this game clicked for me:
After finishing the first temple I decided that while I was over that way that I might as well clear the nearby House Of Skulltula. Without realizing how long it would take, I end up desperately searching for the last few of those golden devils while the entire world is literally about to end around me. Had maybe two minutes of game time left when I got the last one and claimed my reward. Was it worth it for the Mask Of Truth? Probably. Was it worth it for the gut wrenching terror? Absolutely.
@SahashraLA
Wind WAKER and Majora's Mask are BOTH better than Ocarina of Time. They are highly underrated. OoT has nothing to fight the purely amazing atmosphere of WW, and it can't match anything that Majora's underlying stories tell. MM and WW are pieces of art.
I'm glad I can't play MM on my gamepad, buying it on the eShop for € 10; I prefer to wait for a full price 3ds version. Yes. Good job Nintendo! We love the WiiU VC!!!
@JakeOfAllTrades ^ This.
OOT was such a massive game which consumed so much of my time to 100% complete it, that when MM was released I couldn't bare going through all that again. There were other games to play and I was just starting out in the work place and didn't have as much time for games as I used to, and so I skipped it. It wasn't until one year ago when I finally got around to playing it for the first time.
Majora's Mask is a superb game and I enjoyed playing it but not as much as OOT, WW or A Link To The Past or Between Worlds. Whether it was because of a fourteen year gap, or because I've got a massive backlog of games to play and I didn't take the time to appreciate MM I'm note sure. The 3 day cycle was an extremely clearer mechanic, although it's basically an extended version of OTTs night & day. But it was also frustrating as you had to try out doing the same thing in seven different time periods, and certain things you had to wait around for until a certain time of day/night. Zelda games need sub-missions, but the ones in MM were hidden too well. I've never had to resort to walkthrough as much as this game. There are other elements which are also clever and worked well but also became frustrating.
For me it's a solid 8 and a game every Zelda fan should play. It's just not the best.
Another Zelda thread, another bunch of comments saying which ones are underrated or overrated. I don't think there is another franchise so divisive among its own fans, it's kind of interesting.
To me, MM is the third best Zelda game among the ones I played.
(I couldn't shorten this to just 64 words, so I'll just leave it here.)
It's a game that doesn't disappoint in its main dungeon quest, but can only be truly experienced to its fullest with it's side quests. It's one of those games that, since it has its own time system, it is impossible to keep track of real time while playing, and you'll lose hours into it. This game masters the art of balancing gameplay over story: a little bit of background is necessarily given at the beginning, but the rest is hidden among the denizens of Clock Town and other areas, and sometimes hidden within specific times of the three-day cycle. They won't bother you if you don't care about the story. However, if you are curious enough to ask questions like "Where does he/she go noon every day," or "why didn't he show up on the second day," checking the schedule and finding clues makes finally finding this little bit of one person's story infinitely more rewarding. The difference between when a dramatic scene is forced on you and when you sought out that drama makes all the difference in the world. These experiences are littered all throughout the game; you'll never stop finding them. It's a unique kind of exploration element few other games ever try to the extent that Majora's Mask did.
If side-quests are not your thing, you'll unfortunately experience a short game, but time management is key, and you may find that you have to do over several parts of the dungeons. Thankfully, certain check points like the key item obtained in the dungeon never go away, making the repeat a bit easier the second time. The 3 day-cycle is a feature many have found off-putting, but if you're open to a different way to play Zelda, this is one of the most unique ways to play it.
10/10
Zelda for hipsters
Best Zelda game of all, and I've played and beaten them all (even the Game & Watch Zelda) bar the CDi titles.
Yes, it recycles a lot of features and the game engine from Ocarina Of Time, but adds a lot of original gameplay mechanics of it's own and does it in a masterfully dark way, weaving an experience that sticks with you long after you complete it.
Highly recommended.
Please release on NEW 3DS PLEASE! BTW people - the mor people buy NEW 3DS, the more better games we get! so ... simples! Just buy a NEW 3DS!
Thanks to speedrunners, I was able to beat this game without ever going back in time (except for the prologue bit, obviously).
I was also able to 100% the whole thing by doing a 12-day run. It's the way I always play whenever I revisit Majora. Cycle 2 is usually where I achieve 60% of my goals, including finishing 2 dungeons, plus getting the Giant's Wallet and upgrading my sword to gilded.
Best Zelda game ever. One of the top 10 Nintendo games ever.
Unfortunately, you can't possibly appreciate this game until you attempt 100% completion. And most people just rush through the dungeons and miss out on what makes the game such a delight. You have to allow yourself to be immersed in Termina. If you just rush to the moon, you're doing it wrong.
Kafei and Anju quest is awesome =)
Much like Final Fantasy VI, I never fully appreciated this Zelda until I was older and could grasp the very mature (and dark) themes that were discussed in this game. Unlike Final Fantasy VI where Nintendo of America cleaned up the translation, the theme of dealing with loss and death ooze out of this title.
That point when you truly realize that you can't save everyone. I don't think I'd played a game that instilled a sense of helplessness in me as MM. Even looking back now I can't think of a game before or since that made me feel that way.
Also the sound direction was amazing. I still get slightly sick when listening to the opening music when the clock town theme gets overshadowed by the moon theme. The dissonance is wonderfully jarring.
A great game, that makes you feel for the NPCs, as they live out their lives, rather then stand in place all the time. Plus the amazing side quests (do I even have to mention the Kafei and Anju side quest). Not only is it my favorite Zelda game, it is my favorite game of all time!
Can we PLEASE get a 3DS remake?!
Oh god, now I want Majora's Mask 3D. Make it happen, Nintendo, the moment that's announced I'm pre-ordering it.
MM does the best job in the series of taking a theme and running with it. No video game has ever made me feel as much as this game, and I've never been so happy to be depressed. Probably my favorite part of the game is how each major area of the game follows the 5 stages of grief, but really it's just about perfect barring that nasty fetch quest for the giant's mask. A remake would be great, but I'd prefer a Wii U one over a 3DS for sure. This is a game that would really benefit from an HD treatment.
13 games left to go.
My guesses X wishlist:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Super Smash Bros.
3. Donkey Kong 64
4. Jet Force Gemini
5. Banjo-Tooie
6. Tetrisphere
7. The New Tetris
8. Yoshi's Story
9. Resident Evil 2
10. Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage
11. Animal Crossing
12. Wetrix
13. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Hmm... that leaves out Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers, Star Wars Episode I Racer, Shadows of the Empire, Battle for Naboo, WipeOut 64, Mario Party 2 & 3, Dr. Mario 64, Pokémon Stadium 2, Pokémon Puzzle League, Animal Leader (Cubivore), Hexen, Chameleon Twist 2, the other 3 Bomberman games, Nightmare Creatures, anything Turok, Harvest Moon 64, Sim City 64, Operation Winback, Castlevania Legacy of Darkness, Mega Man 64, Mace the Dark Age, anything Mortal Kombat, Rocket Robot on Wheels, Glover, F-1 World Grand Prix II, Fighters Destiny 1&2, Command & Conquer, StarCraft 64, Destruction Derby 64, Ridge Racer 64, the Duke Nukems, Rayman 2, etc. etc.
Oh yeah, Star Wars Episode 1 racer.... that is a tough one to miss out!
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