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General Info
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Developer
Nintendo
Publisher
Nintendo
Genre
Adventure/RPG
Default Players
1
Net Players
N/A
US Release Date
October 26, 2000
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Specific Details
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Specific Game Type
Action-Adventure RPG
Origin
Japan
Lead Designer
Eiji Aonuma
Network Server
N/A
Size
32MB N64 Cartridge
Peripherals
Expansion Pak (Required), Rumble Pak
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| The Legend
of Zelda: Majora's Mask |
| Another RPG Special Review, and the most original
one of the lot, and the best. |
When Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches in late '98, many were asking: 'Will
we see another Zelda game in the life of the Nintendo 64? The fact is,
Zelda games take years of Nintendo's development, and is one of the things
Nintendo leaves out a long time, then a sequel, etc. Zelda fans had to
wait 6 years for Ocarina of Time, the installment after Zelda: A Link to
the Past. That's 6 years, the length of time longer than a system's
life cycle. Amazingly, Nintendo announced the next Zelda title for N64,
and after 23 months after TOoT's release, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's
Mask hit the US shores. However, it wouldn't surprise anyone that this
is more of a 'side-quest' similar to Zelda: Link's Awakening on GameBoy,
and isn't as serious or deep as the normal Zelda installments. The fact
is, this game wasn't as hyped as a Zelda title, because we all knew this
was a side-quest that's not as deep or compelling as TOoT.
A Secret And Personal Journey...
The surprise here is that the game's story is actually a follow-up
to Ocarina of Time. However, don't get your hopes up, because the game
pulls in nothng from Ocarina of Time, but rather just uses it as a background.
It's a side-quest. It's as simple as that, and doen't intend to be as serious
or deep as its prequel.
Shortly after saving Hyrule, Link decides to go on a journey for himself
to find a long parted friend. While he is riding through the woods in Epona,
two mysterious faries intendedly frighten the horse, which causes Link
to get thrown off at become unconscious. When Link awakes, he finds a masked
Skull Kid toying with his Ocarina. It turns out that these two faries work
as this Skull Kid's mischief doings. The Skull Kid runs off on Epona, and
when Link follows him, he is cursed into a Deku Scrub. When he follows
into an entrance, Link is lead to a mysterious world named Termina. Rumour
has it that in 3 days, the merciless moon is falling inti this world. Where
does the Skull Kid wearing Majora's Mask fit into this? It doesn't matter,
but the world of Termina and its people are at vanish if you, Link, doesn't
bow to help.
The Aging Visuals
Let's face it, N64's visuals look old compared to Dreamcast and the
hype of the PS2. Even the Zelda Gamecube demo spoils Majora's Mask's graphics.
One thing I don't like is the fact that the required RAM Pak doesn't make
any visual improvemnets, and in many areas doesn't even look as good as
Ocarina of Time. Tale the Fairy Fountain for example, it looks more blurry
and less-resolution that TOoT. The textures look 'dirty', and obviously
blurry... but there's nothing terrible about MM's graphics, it's just dated
that's all.
A Challenging Personal Journey
The game is so much more complicated than TOoT. You basically have
to work out your time schedule and figure out what to do when you finish
a certain task. Say you finish a dungeon, do you just go to the next dungeon?
No sir, you have to figure out where to use the remaining time, where to
get the mask you might want, what day you must go to the required spot,
or how to exactly use the time left after a certain task so that you can
do multiple time-sensitive tasks in the right order. It can be plain coincidence
to work out some things -- or after finding out something terrible happens
to someone on the second day's night, you must work out how to get into
this place before the second night, of which the location's entrance is
blocked until the third day. This is Zelda gaming though, but with a bizarre
sprinkle to it.
Comment
I personally didn't like the bizzare root of the game, and hope
that Zelda on Gamecube will go back to its deeper, more 'realistic' roots
with Miyamoto in charge. What the problem is, is that sometimes dungeons
feel just like a platformer because of the weirdness. For example, Great
Bay Temple looks like a Quake 2 level with a Banjo-Kazooie feel to it.
The gameplay is quite complicated and more detailed, but frankly, it might
put many people off. The game is highly original (this is Nintendo), and
people who may see this game might say 'This is just like Ocarina of Time!
Look at the graphics, music, items and characters!" Well, these people
obviously have no idea what they are talking about, the gameplay and progression
is pretty much the very different from Zelda, or any other game. It's a
very original product. Period.
I can't wait for Zelda on Gamecube, I just hope it is brought back
to its old roots to its deep, serious, moving and compelling feel.
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Presentation
The whole game's quite bizzare, from its special cinematic
presentations to the creatures and gameplay mechanics and the whole idea. |
85
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Visuals
The RAM Pak is required, but I couldn't see any improvements
over TOoT. Often the visuals don't even live up to TOoT, even in similar/same
areas. |
88
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Sound
Most of the same music is used, but adds a few of its
own, and most of them are great. Every character has voice samples, but...
it's N64 sound. |
86
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Gameplay
So much more less straight-foward and more challenging
than TOoT. The complicated gameplay may put many people off, but
it's Zelda! |
92
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Lastability
The game is chock-full of extra mini-quests, and it will
take you a while to figure out how to get all the masks. However, it has
an end, like all the Z's. |
82
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Soul
Tatl, your fairy alone, adds more attitude to the game.
Llittle details make it feel like characters have their own lives and characteristics. |
88
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Overall
One of the best offerings of any kind on N64.
The score should be higher, but is spoiled by the aging console, and the
fact that this is a side-quest, and the challenge of new consoles. A highly
original Zelda game. |
90
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| Greatness Rating |
80
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