The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Ah...Usually I'd write this like a conversation between me and console but I'm not feeling it this time. Ah well...

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask​

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is considered one of the best games ever made.

Except that it isn't. It's pretty good but it's age has resulted in it's actual flaws becoming increasingly apparent. People with a little more clout than me have tackled that, like a certain internet animator, let's player and thing shouter.

But, my issues with the Ocarina of Time are mainly around the disconnect between exploration and combat, puzzles and some obstacles are often infuriating because they're often placed out of the immediate field of view but is very rarely built around the required freedom of viewpoint needed, some enemies spend way too long waiting around while impregnable to attack, the time travel mechanic that allows the player to travel between one time and seven years in the future is relatively shallow in it's use so feels mainly like a low rent Dark World only there to push the plot along and the plot itself is now kind of basic. Lastly, there's a lot of Lore but it doesn't impact the world so much that you need to know it.

So, there. Otherwise, pretty good.

Some rants on this have been catchier than others.​

Majora's Mask is better in almost every single respect, as far as I can figure out. But I have to stress, not all of them.

The reason for this is that Majora's Mask was a game that was rather obviously cobbled together from assets from Ocarina of Time, something that has been recreated in this new 3DS update after Ocarina of Time 3D came to the console too. Likely borrowing bits and pieces from that recent Remake.

And yet, even though it's kind of cobbled together Ocarina Loaf, it's just a better game and experience than any of the 3D Zeldas I have played. Better than Ocarina, better than Wind Waker and much better than Twilight Princess.

Although, I have no idea about Link Between Worlds as I'm pretty sure that's a 2.5D Zelda. Right? It's my favourite over all but it's a little awkward in that respect. I'll stick with 2.5D.

Anyhoo, Majora's Mask holds up because it's just that much better at both it's identity and it's gameplay for the most part. Sure, it's reconstituted Ocarina at it's core but it refines and alters itself, adding more spice while even cutting some of the fat. It's far more tasty than Ocarina of Time which was probably stunted a little from some of the wilder ideas they had just to ensure they could actually build a Zelda on that scope on the new shiny hardware.

According to what I've heard concerning the CD attachment and worries over whether the N64 could even run a game that big, it's quite possible there was plenty of compromise just to create a little breathing room.

"We spent months making a console look as presentable as possible, designing it to look great on a shelf. Now we're going to ruin the form factors and simplicity of our designs in order to add on CD support, even though our current console is dying and it'll ruin the look of a well known device." - Every Game Company In The 90's​

So, what plot was created to justify such hand-me-downs?

Well, all we know is that the Land of Termina is doomed. However, only Link and his new...acquaintance seem to realise it. After being mugged by The Skull Kid wearing a powerful and strange mask called 'The Majora's Mask', Link is dropped into Termina as a Deku Scrub. He's transformed back by The Happy Mask Salesman but only if he can return The Majora's Mask to him before he leaves.

He leaves in 3 days. Funny thing is, you have that long until Termina is destroyed. In fact, you kinda have that long to do anything. Luckily, by using the Ocarina of Time, you can rewind those three days and re-spend your time doing what you need to do. So, you must use all you can to save Termina from the vengeful but childish Skull Kid, else the power he selfishly wields destroys you.

So, that's interesting. No Ganondorf, no Zelda. Just Link, young Link I should add, wondering around a new world. This is a unique story. I like that. Primarily because this one has a big thing it's interested in here. One of the extra spices that was added to Majora's Mask was meloncoly. Termina is a seriously weird place. Despite everyone about to die because of the Moon that is always right, bloody there and is now, somehow, even more unsettling to look at! Ahem, not a single soul seems to be all that bothered by the imminent crash landing of a gigantic, scowling celestial object.

To be fair, almost all of them are embroiled in some issue that, to them, is far more important. Deku Scrubs can't find their Princess and are executing an innocent monkey because he was around. The Gorons are caught in a miserable blizzard that threatens their way of life. There's a Zora band that have a Vocalist who's lost her voice after having her eggs stolen by pirates. And then there's a curse of darkness over the once thriving Ikana Canyon, making a miserable and desolate place to be. Then, slap bang in the middle of these places is clock down, where everyone is determined to be normal even through, as said previously, there a god-damn Moon the size of a city scowling down on them like it's escaped from Soul Eater! However, not a single person is concerned. Life as normal.

Go on! Tell me I'm wrong!​

And yet, there is a theme that permeates everything. That extra spice that makes this black sheep of the Zelda games that much darker. Those who've finished this already know but for those who don't; the game is mainly about

DEATH​

I'm not kidding. The ideas surrounding grief, dealing with loss, passing on knowledge to the next generation, leaving a legacy, the concerns of the deceased concerning the living they love, even manipulating the memories of the dead or even using altered perceptions to solve issues.

I'm not kidding, there are tons of puzzles that require you to pose as another person to proceed. It's both strangely intriguing as a mechanic and oddly melancholy that they'll fall for the powers of a simple mask to readily.

Now, level design is excellent. Sure, they're kind of the same locations of Ocarina, as there's a 'Forest-Like' area, a 'Water-Type' area, a 'Mountain' and a 'Desert-Like' area to explore but Majora's Mask remixes them to be not only distinct from Ocarina but from each other. You never get lost because you always know exactly which part of Termina your in just from the music and feel of the place. Zora Bay is bright and on the beach while Ikana Canyon is filled with Gibdos, Ghosts and is pretty much desolate rock as far as the eye can see.

Even better, each new temple and dungeon is distinctive. Woodfall Temple is dark and overgrown, trees have punched through the place and seem somewhat integral now. The Great Bay Temple seems more like a water treatment plant than a 'Temple' in how it's pumps and pipes snake through the whole place. The best part is how challenging these places are. There's barely any handholding. You either do it within the three day limit or you try again.

You know what? I like this. It's been ages before a game actually challenged me. It's part of the reason I loved Puzzle Agent so much. Sure, it was mainly just an excuse for a really weird plot and puzzles but I genuinely love that game for both elements. The puzzles are taxing and while hints are plentiful if you seriously want them, they're optional. No serious moon logic, everything is laid out in front of you.

You don't know weird before you play this to the end.​

Majora's Mask is mostly the same.

While puzzles are usually a matter of having the right thing at the right time, there's plenty of instances where Majora's Mask straight up doesn't tell you anything. Y'see Puzzle Agent gave you all the information you could need to solve a puzzle. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are in three dimensions so solutions are often hidden from you and need you to look around. Often, its a little annoying if you miss something just because it was on the ceiling without a telegraph of any kind. Majora's Mask isn't as bad as Ocarina in this respect but there are a few places where this horribly annoyed me.

The one being when you're expected to hit an icicle with an arrow to make it fall in order to smash big blocks of ice. Not intuitive but it makes some sort of sense. Providing that you notice it's there then think to try to hit it with the bow and arrow over the Deku Scrub's bubble attack.

The inexcusable 'puzzle' is trying to get into the Pirate's fortress in the Great Bay.

You see, there's three forms Link can take from the use of his masks: the Deku Scrub, the Goron and the Zora. The Zora is the only one who can swim underwater for as long as you like. The Zora is the only one that can smash through a wooden barrier that blocks your way. The thing is that no one mentions how to get through. Punches and kicks do nothing. The Zora's barrier form does nothing. Swimming at it does nothing. The Lens of Truth does nothing. There's no point to using any items as most are disabled in Zora form, so no bombs. Plus they don't work underwater. There's no type of underwater bomb either.

How to you get in? You roll into it.

The one time I can't have Iron Boots, I want them. At least then I could kick the barrier down!​

What?! Are you kidding me? This is the thing: no one ever tells you that rolling into wooden things can break them open in the Zora Form. No one suggests you use the move in order to save someone as practice or even draws attention to it. While underwater, you have to be L-Targeting and need to have a small run up to smash into something. It's not obvious. It's not even something you could guess at unless you spent days playing with it.

It was something noticed though. It's a problem and it was addressed. My issue is that rather than adding anything from a small tutorial to a line of dialogue, they added a built-in walkthrough.

Inside the Clock Town Tower, there is a giant Gossip Stone you can crawl into in order to gain hints and such. Well, by 'hint', I mean it will show you exactly what you need to do in order to enact the next step. I understand it. After all, some people will want a little help. The game is very old and isn't built with modern ideals in mind so there's a few archaic puzzle ideas in there that some players might get stuck on. However, I'm of the persuasion that this is a little bit lazy.

Like, why not just fix the issue within the original game? For the example I cite, why not add in a small situation where someone is caught behind a wooden plank or under a box. That way, the move gets introduced to the player as, unlike anything else the Zora can do, it's way too cryptic to figure out without prompt. Even I had someone flat out explain how it's done just to get it to work.

One mechanic I think is awesome is the aforementioned masks, on the other hand.

That's the thing! It's like a point and click adventure with more swords. You bring a thing to person or another thing. In this case, you're expected to use not only items but your masks. These have weird effects where the usually total blank slate that is Link, is now able to assume the role of many different people throughout Termina. In some cases, the masks themselves will impart new abilities onto him. The Mask of Smells makes him smell things like a pig. Some will allow him to lead small animals, some imprint a dance on him that he can perform at a moment's notice. Some don't do anything but mostly, they have some use somewhere. The trick is figuring out where and when.

Heck! Part of the puzzle is figuring out where and when each mask can be obtained in the first place.

This doesn't even touch on the three transformation masks you get that literally transform Link when he wears them. In an effort to make this one of the most startling games I've ever played while still managing an E rating over here, each transformation looks horribly painful as they morph Link into their respective forms. And what varied abilities too. On top of their ability to fool certain people into believing you're actually the person the mask represents, they grant special powers of that form.

What's wrong with scarring the crap out of kids? They've had it too easy for too long. Doctor Who has been slacking in this regard for almost a decade now. Zelda can help.​

Deku Scrubs can use flowers to fire themselves into the air and gain height as well as bounce across water.

Zoras as mention, can swim and breathe underwater. For reasons forever unknown to me, Link can also fire two of his fins like boomerangs that are also able to travel through walls. Uuuhhh...Kay.

The Goron is able to walk in lava. He is also the most powerful hitter. In a straight line, he's also the fastest as he can roll into a ball and speed away like a cross between Sonic the Hedgehog and a bolder.

With their powers combined, these forms are used for each of the game's five dungeons. Each one doesn't take too long if you figure it out. They do follow the usual formula where you travel through a dungeon, pick up the doodad then use that to access the rest, like in Ocarina. While it did start to drag in that game, I didn't mind it much in Majora's Mask. Mainly because each dungeon was over quite quickly. They're short but it means they don't outstay their welcome with pointless and annoying over-designs or irritating fetching. They're very straightforward in comparison, making them just a little bit more enjoyable. There's no need to cram stuff in, just work on good design or decent puzzles. A little bit goes a long way.

And really, I can't say too much without ruining it. It's a good game. It's inventive, decently flowing and very morbidly entertaining. Your the hero, yes, but you're not the saviour of this place. You're the guy looking for a way to give it a little more time. That strikes a chord that no other Zelda game has managed yet. Other games had their dark moments but they were countered with joy and the thrill of exploration. Termina is far more miserable despite it's happier tones. It stands apart from the others and I had a greater attachment to Termina than Hyrule. In any of it's forms. Termina felt more flawed and more real. There were people unhappy everywhere because of their own little problems. It felt like a few days in the life of some bigger story, my part being so insignificant that no one ever noticed me passing through it. And yet, I am pivotal to it's survival.

It's charming and haunting. It's so engrossing because it tries to encapture the soul of a real facet of life, blowing it up into a land for you to explore. I've gone through this land myself, or some form of it whenever people in my life have died. Termina has a grounding that speaks to me.

So much so, that I feel more heroic and accomplished helping a ranch hand fend off ghosts than defeating the Lord of Evil. And I felt three times as guilty whenever I failed.

Seriously, watching little Romani get carried off into the night sky frightened me to my core, even though we'd had one conversation. She's not real and I freaked out when I saw her get beamed up.

It's got it's hooks in me. And I wish Nintendo would try something like this again.

I'M SO SORRY I SCREWED UP SO MANY TIMES! THIS TIME I'LL SAVE YOU!​