The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Reviewed by EBounder620
After the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the obvious
question became: Will there be another Zelda title for the N64 and will
it meet the high standards set by its predecessor? A valid question, to
be sure, because OoT single-handedly revolutionized N64 play with its
smooth graphics, superb control, and incredibly realistic playing fields.
Two years later, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was released,
proving that it is possible to improve upon an original. The title of
this game is a misnomer, since, like Link's Awakening before it,
Majora's Mask has nothing to do with Zelda, Ganondorf, or Hyrule
at all. In this installment of the saga, Link finds himself in the
world of Termina, a world parallel to Hyrule. He must first recover
his Ocarina of Time from the mischievous Skull Kid, who has stolen
it along with the mysterious Majora's Mask, a mask that grants terrifying
power to the one who possesses it. He must then free the four giants
trapped within the four temples of Termina so he can defeat the Skull
Kid and stop the falling moon, which will crash into Termina in three
days. Only by reliving the same three days over and over again will
Link be able to accomplish his mission and rescue Termina from
total destruction.
Graphics: 10 out of 10
The graphics in Majora's Mask are the best I've ever seen in any N64
title. The landscapes are crisp, the detail superb. Majora takes full
advantage of the Expansion Pak (which, by the way, is needed to play
the game), using it to create an environment that looks even better
than OoT's. It also fixes many of OoT's problems. Walls now very rarely
disappear when you get the wrong camera angle and backgrounds no longer
suddenly appear and disappear in Termina Field, as they did in Hyrule Field.
Music and Sound: 9 out of 10
Majora's music is once again leading the way for the entire industry.
New themes have been created for each character and area, such as
the bright, happy Clock Town Theme, and the eerie, ominous Majora
Theme. Termina Field's Theme is an arrangement of the classic Zelda
overworld theme that was so dearly missed in Ocarina of Time. The
only thing I can find fault with is the temple music. Although fresh
and new, these themes (especially the Woodfall Temple Theme) could
take a cue from OoT's dungeon themes, since I feel they lack the quality
that the other music in the game has. As for sound effects, they are just
as good as they were in OoT. The sounds are crisp, clean, and realistic.
No improvement is needed in that area.
Game Challenge: 10 out of 10
If you don't think Majora's Mask is difficult, you must be using a
guidebook. Between four temples, twenty subplots, and four major
areas of exploration, this game packs a lot of challenge. Plus, the
three day time limit means that you have to play the Song of Time
to return to the first day or the moon will crash. And if you go back
in time, you lose all your rupees (which can be saved by depositing
them in the bank), bombs, arrows, keys, Boss Keys, and progress in
the areas leading up to the dungeon. I don't think I could have kept my
sanity without a player's guide, and even then it's hard to juggle
everything that's happening. This game will keep you thinking, no
doubt about it.
Game Play-Fun: 10 out of 10
I can honestly say that this is the first game I've played since Ocarina
of Time in which I enjoyed every minute of it. With so much to do, it
can seem overwhelming at first, but that's the fun of it: you never stop.
In this game, time is not infinite, which makes you push yourself harder
to get it done, which increases the fun of it. It's also fun to observe how
things you do affect the outcome of events in a cycle, while doing things
differently in another cycle may render completely opposite results!
The fun in Majora's Mask lies in trying new things, watching the clock,
and just having a great time interacting with the game's many places
and characters.
Rumble Pak: 9 out of 10
The Rumble Pak is used in this title, but it's basically to let you know
when you've come upon something mysterious or unusual. It works
basically the same as it did in OoT, so don't look forward to much
improvement in that area.
Frustration
Majora's Mask can be the most frustrating game in the world if you
don't pace yourself and set goals for what you want to accomplish in
a three day cycle. For example, say you're about to open the path to the
Stone Tower Temple when you find out you have an hour (game time;
about one minute real time) before the moon hits. You have to use the
Song of Time and start over or you'll lose all the data you've accumulated
in that cycle. However, if you say what you want to accomplish, do it,
and then start over again on Day 1, you'll be much better off than trying
to cram everything in on Day 3.
Replayability: 10 out of 10
I am currently on my third file of Majora's Mask and loving every minute
of it. The game has so much that you can start a new game and still be
surprised by what you find. The challenge is in completing all the
subplots, getting all the masks, and all the heart pieces. If you can do
that, you've truly conquered the game. Majora is a game that you will
never get bored with, no matter how many files you play.
Overall: 98 out of 100
The only reason Majora's Mask doesn't get 100 out of 100 is its lack of
innovation. Ocarina of Time set the standard with Z-targeting, C button
use, and ocarina songs. Majora's Mask just takes the same formula and
doesn't really improve on it in that respect. This is good in the sense
that the controls will be familiar to people who have played OoT, but I
personally felt that Majora should have had something extra to show
that it wasn't just another spin around the block in controls. Gameplay
wise, though, Majora is right up there with OoT. Many of the characters
you'll meet you'll recognize from OoT, although they won't be the same
person. Majora has so much to offer, and is such a high quality game,
that I personally see it as the N64's last great game before its fall
into the shadows of the Game Cube. Hopefully, Zelda for the Game Cube
will live up to the high standards of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.