The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
A dark, time-loop adventure set in a parallel world.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, an action-adventure title from Nintendo, launched for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. It stands as the second game in the Zelda franchise to employ 3D graphics, arriving after 1998's Ocarina of Time. Eiji Aonuma, Yoshiaki Koizumi, and Shigeru Miyamoto led the design team, which finished the project in under two years. While the game boasts improved visuals and altered gameplay, it repurposes assets and character models from Ocarina of Time—a choice forced by the tight development schedule.
The story picks up a few months after Ocarina of Time. Link finds himself in Termina, a parallel world, where he must stop the moon from crashing down within three days. Central to the experience is a repeating three-day cycle, alongside a system of masks that let Link change into different forms. Players also learn ocarina melodies that control time, reveal hidden routes, or alter the surroundings. As in other Zelda games, the player works through dungeons filled with puzzles and enemies. The Nintendo 64's Expansion Pak is required, mainly to handle the complex three-day cycle and mask system, but it also enables better graphics and more characters on screen.
The game was both a critical and commercial hit, often ranked among the greatest ever made. Some reviewers found it equal to or better than Ocarina of Time in certain areas, praising its inventive gameplay, detailed design, responsive controls, and atmospheric music. Minor complaints focused on graphical limits and a sense that it was less revolutionary than its predecessor. Over time, it built a cult following, with later analyses highlighting its dark story and emotional weight. Re-releases include The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition for GameCube in 2003, the Virtual Console on Wii and Wii U, and the Nintendo Classics service. An enhanced remake, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, came from Grezzo for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015.
**Gameplay**
Majora's Mask is an action-adventure game set in a 3D world. Players control Link from a third-person view, exploring dungeons, solving puzzles, and fighting monsters. The analog stick handles walking, running, and context-sensitive jumping, while items help navigate the environment. Link uses a sword, blocks or deflects with a shield, stuns enemies with Deku Nuts, attacks from afar with a bow and arrow, and destroys obstacles with bombs.
- Release Year
- 2000
- Platform
- Nintendo 64
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Requires
- Expansion Pak
- Lead Designers
- Eiji Aonuma, Yoshiaki Koizumi, Shigeru Miyamoto
Lore & Background
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is set in Termina, an alternate version of Hyrule depicted as darker and more unsettling. A few months after Ocarina of Time, the character Link arrives in Termina and becomes embroiled in a quest to prevent the moon from crashing in three days' time. The game introduces a perpetually repeating three-day cycle and the use of various masks that transform Link into different forms, including a Deku Scrub, a Goron, and a Zora. Link learns melodies on his ocarina to control time, open passages, or manipulate the environment.
Reader's Guide
Majora's Mask was a critical and commercial success and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time. Some critics deemed it on par or superior to Ocarina of Time in certain aspects, praising its innovative gameplay, intricate design, robust control scheme, and atmospheric soundtrack, though it received minor criticisms for graphical limitations and was considered less groundbreaking than its predecessor. It generated a cult following, with retrospective analyses highlighting its dark narrative tone and emotional depth. The game was re-released as part of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition for the GameCube in 2003, on the Virtual Console for Wii and Wii U, and on the Nintendo Classics service. An enhanced remake for the Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, was released in 2015.
Did You Know?
- Majora's Mask was completed in less than two years.
- The game requires the Expansion Pak add-on for the Nintendo 64.
- It features 24 masks in total, including three primary masks that transform Link.
- The three-day cycle lasts about 54 minutes in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask?
It is a 2000 action-adventure game made by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64, serving as the franchise's second 3D title after 1998's Ocarina of Time. The story follows Link as he battles a three-day time loop in a parallel world called Termina to prevent a cursed moon from crashing down.
What are Majora's Mask's core gameplay mechanics?
The defining mechanic is a repeating 72-hour cycle that resets whenever the player runs out of time, creating urgency around completing side-quests and advancing the main plot. Players also collect and equip various masks that grant Link new abilities and let him explore areas otherwise unreachable.
How does Majora's Mask's story end?
After gathering the four Fierce Deity masks and confronting the true source behind the moon's descent, Link defeats Majora in a final battle. The game closes on a somber note as Link departs Termina, leaving the town behind in its reset, quiet state.
Why is Majora's Mask considered important in the Zelda series?
It established a darker, more melancholic tone and the time-loop structure that set it apart from other entries. The project was completed in under two years under lead designers Eiji Aonuma, Yoshiaki Koizumi, and Shigeru Miyamoto, who repurposed Ocarina of Time assets to meet the tight schedule while still delivering a distinct narrative.
What hardware do I need to play Majora's Mask on the Nintendo 64?
You need a Nintendo 64 console plus the 4 MB Expansion Pak, without which the game will not boot. A standard N64 controller is otherwise all that is required to play.
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