The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
- An ancient evil has doomed the world of Termina. Can you save it in just three days?
- Together, the land of Termina and its citizens form one massive puzzle for Link to solve
- 20 plus powerful masks make this one of the most varied Legend of Zelda games ever
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – 3DS. The player is transported through a suspenseful and apocalyptic journey unlike any other Zelda game. An ancient evil has doomed the world to destruction. Race the clock to solve puzzles and battle bosses. At the end of three days, turn back time – or watch an ominous moon crush Termina beneath it. Become intimately familiar with the comings and goings, the hopes, and the fears of the people of Termina hours before their deaths. Characters have their own lives – lives that will end in three days. Help them fix their problems before they run out of time.
List Price: $ 39.99
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174 of 192 people found the following review helpful
 Dark Side of the Moon, By
Elias (Nowhere In Particular) – See all my reviews
This review is from: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Video Game)
About a year ago, I was talking to my girlfriend when she was in the middle of playing 2011’s excellent "Ocarina of Time 3D" about the possibility of "Majora’s Mask" getting the same treatment. We both agreed that it was next to impossible. It was a smaller Zelda game, that from my understanding didn’t sell particularly well, and its dark, sinister setting seems to not jive with the tone modern incarnations have. And yet, here we are, four years later, give or take a few months, holding what may very well be the definitive version of the game in our hands. Was it worth the wait? Most definitely. "The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D" is a loving restoration of the dark horse favorite in Nintendo’s flagship adventure franchise. Every detail is lavishly restored with eye-popping visuals that run at a crisp framerate. New mechanics are added to make the game more accessible, while still retaining the core difficulty fans expect. And it’s a large, intricate game packed with content that can be put in your pocket and played anywhere at any time. A game that, at one point, was thought to only be possible on consoles, yet somehow is a vast improvement over the past incarnation. Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve seriously played through the game, having only dabbled in it in the past. For the first time, I can truly appreciate the darkness inherent in the world and in the narrative. Nothing in "Majora’s Mask" feels heroic or grand. Everything is grimy, sinister, creepy. Even when Link is technically saving the world from the machinations of the Skull Kid, who plans to destroy the planet with the aid of a grinning moon, the player doesn’t feel like a savior. They’re accomplishing things by harnessing the souls of dead characters through putting on masks. The way to Termina’s salvation is paved with the bodies of fallen heroes, and as the last one standing, all of their hopes and desires rest on your shoulders. Kind of intense, right? That’s why I’d have to say that "Majora’s Mask" may be my new favorite Zelda game. Never before has the idea of being a "hero" and "saving the world" been undercut so dramatically by the narrative itself, at least in this franchise. It challenges the very structure of the traditional hero’s journey narrative. True, it adheres to the basic highlights, but does so much different from other entries and other fantasy games in general. There’s no princess to save. There’s no significant rise to action. Link is simply thrown in the middle of turmoil and expected to thrive, and he barely does so. In fact, one could argue that he doesn’t, and that his entire journey wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for the benevolent spirits guiding him every step of the way. Not to get too deep here, but I might go so far as to say that "Majora’s Mask" is a cynical critique of the typical Zelda plot, much in the same way that landmark works like "Watchmen" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion" were critiques of their respective mediums. The "lone savior saves the land and gets the girl" type of story is deconstructed and challenged, and that’s what makes "Majora’s Mask" so memorable to me. It’s something different, and something that hasn’t been done since. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of an undercutting if the basic formula wasn’t altered somewhat. It is, though, which is another rarity. There are four main dungeons, not eight or more. You don’t get to the first dungeon until a good deal in. There are an unconventional amount of side-quests. And, of course, there are the masks. Masks which alter Link’s body and give him an arsenal of cool abilities. Skip on water as Deku Link, zip around like Sonic as Goron Link, or effortlessly cut through water as Zora Link. The masks help break up the typical "go around with a sword and some items" format. All of this, combined, make for an entry that looks, feels and plays differently from its brethren, and by consequence, in a time where I’ve grown a little weary of the formula (especially after the multitude of misfires in "Skyward Sword,) feels fresh. Which is ironic, considering it’s well over a decade old. Of course, the fetch quests are a hit or miss for some people. I really enjoy them. Micro-managing people’s schedules, getting little trinkets to get more trinkets in order to get even MORE trinkets… all of that is kind of my jam. It reminds of the old days in the best way possible, where getting new stuff wasn’t simply a matter of progressing the story, where players weren’t spoonfed everything. Basically, it feels archaic, but in a good, nostalgic way, instead of a monotonous, clunky way. I’m aware that not everybody has the same affinity for this style of gameplay, and I respect that. But for me, it’s a fun way to add length to a game, provided the rewards are worth all the back-and-forthing…
71 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Majora’s Mask 3D is an actual remake, not just an enhanced port., By
This review is from: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Video Game)
Majora’s Mask 3D is actually a proper remake of the original game. By this I mean that the game has received several enhancements and changes, and is very clearly an extremely different experience even as early as where I am so far (just finished the first dungeon, exploring more in Clock Town now) while still remaining almost entirely faithful to the gameplay and style of the N64 version.
Below is a list of the more significant changes I’ve seen so far: * The Bomber Notebook has been completely revamped. It still has all of its old functions, but now also acts as a WRPG-style “Quest Tracker” that monitors your progress on all side quests in the game (including the ones outside of Clock Town) and keeps important info handy. * The time is now properly displayed to the minute, complete with marked AM/PM separations, rather than the previous sundial form. * Tatl can be used in conjunction with the Bomber Notebook to set alarms at specific times throughout the day, alerting you when important quest events are about to go down. * The Song of Double Time and Inverted Song of Time are now marked down on the song list after the first time you play them. * The Song of Double Time now allows you to choose a specific time to skip to, rather than simply advancing. * The map now marks all of the treasure that Link has spotted in the field / towns, as well as the locations of all of the received Stray Fairies in the dungeons. * The Clock Town Bank has been moved to the central area of Clock Town, directly across from the town’s owl statue, making storing your money easier as well as more obvious for new players. * The owl statue has been redesigned, now with a blue light effect that also becomes brighter when the statue has been activated, making it much harder to miss them (wasn’t a huge problem in the original but the effect is very visually pleasing and it’s comforting to know where they are.) * Owl saves are no longer temporary, allowing you to reload earlier saves multiple times without having to reset the clock. * Additional save points, statues shaped like a quill pen and journal, have been added very generously to the game’s areas. * The mask, map, item, and Bomber Notebook menus are all separately accessible, rather than being part of the same pause screen. The mask and item menus can be organized at will. * The biggest (and probably most controversial) change: The Odolwa fight has been completely modified. He now has a slightly more monstrous design, featuring an obvious weak point, and requires an entirely different method to defeat. The fight is much easier, and much more of a traditional Zelda boss fight. I imagine that whether you like this change or not will depend on how much you liked the original fight, so despite the new fight being disappointingly easy I welcome the change with open arms. The new one is certainly more intuitive, at least, and also keeps closer to the game’s trend of bosses that use the most recent “mask form” obtained rather than the dungeon’s special item. From what I hear, the Gyorg fight has been similarly modified. MM3D is a true remake, and an excellent one at that. I’m sure some purists out there are disappointed, especially by the modified boss fights. If you are a Zelda fan who was on the fence about getting this game because you didn’t particularly care for the original then I would like to assure you that it’s definitely worth investing in playing the game if you’re willing to give it another go 🙂 This is a fantastic 3DS Zelda game, By
Sarah (Illinois) – See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Video Game)
This is a fantastic 3DS Zelda game. My daughter and boyfriend enjoy it very much. Great for anyone who enjoyed Ocarina of Time.
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Dark Side of the Moon,
About a year ago, I was talking to my girlfriend when she was in the middle of playing 2011’s excellent “Ocarina of Time 3D” about the possibility of “Majora’s Mask” getting the same treatment. We both agreed that it was next to impossible. It was a smaller Zelda game, that from my understanding didn’t sell particularly well, and its dark, sinister setting seems to not jive with the tone modern incarnations have. And yet, here we are, four years later, give or take a few months, holding what may very well be the definitive version of the game in our hands. Was it worth the wait?
Most definitely. “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D” is a loving restoration of the dark horse favorite in Nintendo’s flagship adventure franchise. Every detail is lavishly restored with eye-popping visuals that run at a crisp framerate. New mechanics are added to make the game more accessible, while still retaining the core difficulty fans expect. And it’s a large, intricate game packed with content that can be put in your pocket and played anywhere at any time. A game that, at one point, was thought to only be possible on consoles, yet somehow is a vast improvement over the past incarnation.
Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve seriously played through the game, having only dabbled in it in the past. For the first time, I can truly appreciate the darkness inherent in the world and in the narrative. Nothing in “Majora’s Mask” feels heroic or grand. Everything is grimy, sinister, creepy. Even when Link is technically saving the world from the machinations of the Skull Kid, who plans to destroy the planet with the aid of a grinning moon, the player doesn’t feel like a savior. They’re accomplishing things by harnessing the souls of dead characters through putting on masks. The way to Termina’s salvation is paved with the bodies of fallen heroes, and as the last one standing, all of their hopes and desires rest on your shoulders. Kind of intense, right?
That’s why I’d have to say that “Majora’s Mask” may be my new favorite Zelda game. Never before has the idea of being a “hero” and “saving the world” been undercut so dramatically by the narrative itself, at least in this franchise. It challenges the very structure of the traditional hero’s journey narrative. True, it adheres to the basic highlights, but does so much different from other entries and other fantasy games in general. There’s no princess to save. There’s no significant rise to action. Link is simply thrown in the middle of turmoil and expected to thrive, and he barely does so. In fact, one could argue that he doesn’t, and that his entire journey wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for the benevolent spirits guiding him every step of the way. Not to get too deep here, but I might go so far as to say that “Majora’s Mask” is a cynical critique of the typical Zelda plot, much in the same way that landmark works like “Watchmen” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion” were critiques of their respective mediums. The “lone savior saves the land and gets the girl” type of story is deconstructed and challenged, and that’s what makes “Majora’s Mask” so memorable to me. It’s something different, and something that hasn’t been done since.
Of course, it wouldn’t be much of an undercutting if the basic formula wasn’t altered somewhat. It is, though, which is another rarity. There are four main dungeons, not eight or more. You don’t get to the first dungeon until a good deal in. There are an unconventional amount of side-quests. And, of course, there are the masks. Masks which alter Link’s body and give him an arsenal of cool abilities. Skip on water as Deku Link, zip around like Sonic as Goron Link, or effortlessly cut through water as Zora Link. The masks help break up the typical “go around with a sword and some items” format. All of this, combined, make for an entry that looks, feels and plays differently from its brethren, and by consequence, in a time where I’ve grown a little weary of the formula (especially after the multitude of misfires in “Skyward Sword,) feels fresh. Which is ironic, considering it’s well over a decade old.
Of course, the fetch quests are a hit or miss for some people. I really enjoy them. Micro-managing people’s schedules, getting little trinkets to get more trinkets in order to get even MORE trinkets… all of that is kind of my jam. It reminds of the old days in the best way possible, where getting new stuff wasn’t simply a matter of progressing the story, where players weren’t spoonfed everything. Basically, it feels archaic, but in a good, nostalgic way, instead of a monotonous, clunky way. I’m aware that not everybody has the same affinity for this style of gameplay, and I respect that. But for me, it’s a fun way to add length to a game, provided the rewards are worth all the back-and-forthing…
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|Majora’s Mask 3D is an actual remake, not just an enhanced port.,
Below is a list of the more significant changes I’ve seen so far:
* The Bomber Notebook has been completely revamped. It still has all of its old functions, but now also acts as a WRPG-style “Quest Tracker” that monitors your progress on all side quests in the game (including the ones outside of Clock Town) and keeps important info handy.
* The time is now properly displayed to the minute, complete with marked AM/PM separations, rather than the previous sundial form.
* Tatl can be used in conjunction with the Bomber Notebook to set alarms at specific times throughout the day, alerting you when important quest events are about to go down.
* The Song of Double Time and Inverted Song of Time are now marked down on the song list after the first time you play them.
* The Song of Double Time now allows you to choose a specific time to skip to, rather than simply advancing.
* The map now marks all of the treasure that Link has spotted in the field / towns, as well as the locations of all of the received Stray Fairies in the dungeons.
* The Clock Town Bank has been moved to the central area of Clock Town, directly across from the town’s owl statue, making storing your money easier as well as more obvious for new players.
* The owl statue has been redesigned, now with a blue light effect that also becomes brighter when the statue has been activated, making it much harder to miss them (wasn’t a huge problem in the original but the effect is very visually pleasing and it’s comforting to know where they are.)
* Owl saves are no longer temporary, allowing you to reload earlier saves multiple times without having to reset the clock.
* Additional save points, statues shaped like a quill pen and journal, have been added very generously to the game’s areas.
* The mask, map, item, and Bomber Notebook menus are all separately accessible, rather than being part of the same pause screen. The mask and item menus can be organized at will.
* The biggest (and probably most controversial) change: The Odolwa fight has been completely modified. He now has a slightly more monstrous design, featuring an obvious weak point, and requires an entirely different method to defeat. The fight is much easier, and much more of a traditional Zelda boss fight. I imagine that whether you like this change or not will depend on how much you liked the original fight, so despite the new fight being disappointingly easy I welcome the change with open arms. The new one is certainly more intuitive, at least, and also keeps closer to the game’s trend of bosses that use the most recent “mask form” obtained rather than the dungeon’s special item. From what I hear, the Gyorg fight has been similarly modified.
MM3D is a true remake, and an excellent one at that. I’m sure some purists out there are disappointed, especially by the modified boss fights. If you are a Zelda fan who was on the fence about getting this game because you didn’t particularly care for the original then I would like to assure you that it’s definitely worth investing in playing the game if you’re willing to give it another go 🙂
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|This is a fantastic 3DS Zelda game,
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