Sat, 04 Apr 2009 by Marcel Van Duyn
After ending the terror in Hyrule, Link sets out to find another quest to complete, but on his way he stumbles into the wait of another evil force.
Ocarina of Time proved that the Zelda series was even more captivating in 3D than it was in 2D. It is still regarded as one of the greatest games ever made, but despite this, at the very end of the N64's life, it got a sequel that quite a few people missed out on – Majora's Mask. Not counting the poorly emulated re-release on the GameCube (On The Legend of Zelda: Collectors' Edition), this is the first time since the original release in 2000 that you have the chance of owning a non-buggy version of this game.
Majora's Mask follows on directly from the ending of Ocarina of Time – Link has restored peace to Hyrule and returned to his past as a child. Seeing as he's quite the adventurous type, he decides to set off in search of other lands that may be in need of help, and while wandering through a forest, he is suddenly attacked by a strange Skull Kid wearing a mask, who steals the Ocarina of Time and Epona from him, and then turns him into a Deku Scrub.
Following the Skull Kid though a strange twisting tunnel, Link suddenly discovers himself in Clock Town, which is located in the land of Termina. Not too long afterwards, he finds out that this place won't exist much longer; a gigantic moon with a creepy face is hanging directly above the town, and in a little over three days, right in the middle of an annual festival the town holds, it will crash into the Earth – wiping out the town and everything around it. Link also meets the Happy Mask Salesman from Ocarina of Time, who is travelling. He promises to help Link if he can get back both the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, which was stolen from him by Skull Kid.
Right before the moon crashes, Link recovers his Ocarina of Time and plays the Song of Time that Zelda taught him, causing him to warp three days back in time. The Happy Mask Salesman turns Link back into his human form, but he didn't get back Majora's Mask - So his quest is long from over! On top of that, the moon is still there and will once again crash in three days!
You'll notice that this Zelda game has far more character development than any other game in the series; each character in the game follows a certain cycle across the three days, and almost all of these cycles can be affected in specific ways. Through helping a gang of little thugs called the Bombers, you will receive the Bombers' Notebook, in which you can keep track of all people you can help and the exact times at which they have "events".
As you can imagine this leads to a ton of sidequests – not only do you receive pieces of Heart from these, but you'll also get some special items (Such as extra bottles), and most importantly, masks. The most involving sidequest in the game is that of Anju and Kafei; the pair are in love, but Kafei has been turned into a kid by Skull Kid and has since gone into hiding – you have to help them get back together and profess their love to each other before it's too late.
A lot of the characters in the game seem to be directly taken from Ocarina of Time – many having the exact same models – but when you actually talk to them, you'll find out their names and personalities are completely different. Ingo, the farmhand from Lon Lon Ranch, for example, now exists thrice as the three Gorman brothers – two of them manage a horse ranch, but the third has gone to Clock Town to pursue a circus career. This game also sees the introduction of Tingle, the 35-year-old man wearing green spandex, who makes a living by selling maps. Some people absolutely despise him, while others love him – he's definitely one of the crazier characters in the series.
While helping all of the game's characters makes up an enormous part of the game, it's all completely optional. On Link's main quest, he has to go to the four regions of Termina to awaken the four giants that can stop the moon – these are in: Woodfall, a swamp which is now poisonous, Snowhead, a mountain that has been completely snowed over (it is normally snow free), Great Bay, where it's no longer safe to swim, and Ikana Canyon, which has turned into a land of the living dead. Each of these regions is inhabited by different creatures: Dekus in Woodfall, Gorons in Snowhead, Zoras in Great Bay, and the undead in Ikana Canyon.
After helping out a certain person in each region, you will discover the dungeon. This means that there's only four dungeons in the game, but what the game lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality; all of the dungeons are well designed, and the fourth is generally considered to be one of the greatest Zelda dungeons ever. It is worthwhile pointing out that there are a handful of smaller dungeons as well, although these don't have any bosses or mini-bosses to speak of and, instead, focus on more unusual things.
All four main dungeons require heavy use of transformations – this is where masks are important. After first going back in time, you will receive the Deku mask, with which you can transform into a Deku anytime you want – proving invaluable in Woodfall. Helping out the Gorons and Zoras will earn you the Goron Mask and Zora Mask, which let you roll around at high speeds and become a pro at swimming, respectively. These masks are a great help in Snowhead and Great Bay. Ikana Canyon, however, will not offer you any new transformations, instead the focus is on using all of the previous three masks. While going through the main dungeons you can partake in their sidequests, in which you must collect 15 fairies and bring them to a Great Fairy nearby, who will reward you with things such as a larger magic meter.
As previously mentioned, you can gather quite an impressive variety of other masks – these can be found in dungeons or caves, and are sometimes given as rewards when helping other people out. None of the masks let you transform, but they will provide other uses: some are only used to obtain one or two Heart Pieces, while others will prove invaluable – such as the Blast Mask, which lets you explode any time you want, eliminating the need for bombs.
Time is of course a major feature of Majora's Mask – you only have a little over three days before the moon crashes, but there is the option to go back in time whenever you want to prevent this from happening. Through changing the notes of the Song of Time slightly you can also discover the Song of Inverted Time and Song of Double Time. Respectively, these will allow you to slow down time (effectively doubling the time 'till the moon's impact) and go forward in time by 12 hours. Some really dedicated fans have actually managed to beat the main quest in just one three-day cycle by playing the Song of Inverted Time – see if you can perform this feat!
Whenever you go back in time, you will lose all your "stacked" items, such as arrows and bombs, but rupees can be saved; the game has a bank, and anything you throw on it will remain there, even if you go back in time – just don't forget to store your rupees before you play the Song of Time!
Majora's Mask is definitely the oddball in the series when it comes to the overall atmosphere; the characters in this game actually have personality – unlike many of the other games – so it's not unlikely that you'll actually come to care about what happens to them. The Ikana Canyon region also stands out from the norm as it is quite creepy for a Zelda game, with almost everything that happens there revolving around death.
Musically the game is fantastic. There's a ton of variety, with each area having its own fitting music – the theme that plays during the final 6 hours is particularly amazing. Of course, some songs from Ocarina of Time are reused as well. Graphically, it's easily one of the best-looking N64 games about - it needed the Expansion Pak for a reason!
Although the game doesn't have anywhere near the amount of dungeons that Ocarina of Time had, it makes up for this with everything else. There are far more sidequests than in Ocarina of Time, and doing them all will most likely take longer than it did to get 100% in OoT. The graphics and music are greatly improved, and the core gameplay stays the same while introducing excellent new mechanics on top of it all – such as transforming.
1. Digiki
04 Apr 2009, 01:39 BST
Good stuff.
Oh and I think OoT is better, but this is better in a lot of ways, so they're both really close.
2. Bahamut ZERO
04 Apr 2009, 01:43 BST
Eh? No conclusion section in your article! Shame on you Drake!
Anyway, I think 10 is a bit much. I hated the time limit thing, it ruined an otherwise good game for me. The time made it like I never really had time to go out of the way and explore. Even though I hated MM, it still is a good game, but deserves a 9.
3. Ricardo91
04 Apr 2009, 01:43 BST
Come to US plz.
4. Stuffgamer1
04 Apr 2009, 01:43 BST
WOW! I'm EXTREMELY surprised to see this game receive a perfect score, given that it's one of the two most hated Zelda games (the other being The Adventure of Link, obviously).
I personally agree with the score, because I LOVE this game! It's different, but in a good way (at least if you have the Versus Books player's guide). I don't have time to read the review right now, but I'll definitely try to remember to come back and check it out.
5. StarDust
04 Apr 2009, 01:49 BST
I've never seen Majora's Mask, but I'm just simply not a fan of the Zelda series, so I'll give it a pass. I didn't even enjoy Ocarina of Time - why I don't know - it's still a great game
6. Shin Kazama
04 Apr 2009, 01:50 BST
Looking foward for this one. Especially since it's a non-buggy version
7. Nanaki
04 Apr 2009, 01:52 BST
Fantastic review. I really do need to get this one (even though I have the '64 and GC versions!)
@Bahamut ZERO; there is a conclusion, it's just that the field seems to be missing in the template -- I've logged the bug with the bossman
8. Fuzzy
04 Apr 2009, 02:07 BST
From what I've played so far, as long as you play the Song of Inverted Time, the time limit should not be a problem (only needing to go back in time after finishing a dungeon, or in need of some easy rupees!)
9. Tony
04 Apr 2009, 02:13 BST
Insta-download for me
10. Link79
04 Apr 2009, 02:42 BST
It's soo hard to choose between this and Ocarina as far as which is better. Ocarina has more dungeons and a better story. Not to mention it brought the Zelda series kicking and screaming into 3-D (Quite successfully I might add.) On the other hand Majora is incredibly deep and has an unusually dark storyline for a Zelda game. The transformation masks are fun to play around with too. Zora link was my favorite. It made Link into a speedy fighting fish man. The Fierce Deity mask was pretty awesome also! If you missed it before don't let this awesome game pass you by again.
11. MarkyVigoroth
04 Apr 2009, 02:45 BST
I wonder how "The Magician" will respond to this...
12. MrDziekuje
04 Apr 2009, 02:48 BST
How does this look on an HD widescreen? Because the original N64 version is a total jagfest which makes me very sad (this is my all-time favorite game!)
13. Ferret75
04 Apr 2009, 02:53 BST
10.
Just as I thought.
I freaking love this game.
And it's amazing to know that it's non-buggy. =D
14. Ferret75
04 Apr 2009, 02:54 BST
WOW! I'm EXTREMELY surprised to see this game receive a perfect score, given that it's one of the two most hated Zelda games (the other being The Adventure of Link, obviously).
I personally agree with the score, because I LOVE this game! It's different, but in a good way (at least if you have the Versus Books player's guide). I don't have time to read the review right now, but I'll definitely try to remember to come back and check it out.
It's usually hated because apart from the control scheme, the game is different from other Zelda games.
But that's not at all a bad thing, especially shown in MM.
15. Andrew
04 Apr 2009, 02:58 BST
I think the "time limit" stigma that Majora's Mask received has been blown way out of proportion. Its really not that big of a deal. This game is just as great as Ocarina of Time, in my opinion.
Here's hoping the U.S. gets treated to this gem on Monday. After Majora's Mask is released, I promise never to complain about the Virtual Console again...
16. Objection_Blaster
04 Apr 2009, 03:22 BST
I need to get OoT first. That's right, I don't have it yet. shame But then I will get this.
17. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
04 Apr 2009, 03:29 BST
So, has the freezing bug that's in the Gamecube version been removed?
18. tyrrok
04 Apr 2009, 03:36 BST
this has got to be in the top 5 n64 games! A classic.
19. Ho11oWxxMaN
04 Apr 2009, 03:44 BST
This game was good, but I really can't believe it got a 10/10. OoT is much better, but this is still a good game, and a must download...can't wait for it to come to the States.
20. Atlantis1982
04 Apr 2009, 03:46 BST
I personally prefer MM over OoT just due to the thematic elements, that being a very dark, moody, and otherwise apocalyptic feel.
21. Kid_A
04 Apr 2009, 04:32 BST
I agree with the 10. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest games of all time. I also think it's woth mentioning that even if you've never played a Zelda game before, or if you haven't really enjoyed the Zelda games you've played in the past, this is still something you should give a shot. It's so different from the rest of the series that you might be pleasantly surprised. I can't wait for it to hit the U.S!!!
22. Popyman
04 Apr 2009, 04:59 BST
I can't wait to try this. So far, Wind Waker is still my favourite.
23. Edwin
04 Apr 2009, 05:48 BST
10/10 indeed. Not only is this my favorite Zelda game, but my favorite game of all time (I've had this avatar since the site first allowed them). I'll be very surprised (and disappointed) if North America doesn't get this on Monday.
24. Metal Slugger
04 Apr 2009, 06:11 BST
I hope the U.S. gets this soon.
25. Metal Slugger
04 Apr 2009, 06:13 BST
I want to play Minish Cap on the big screen. That would pretty much rule.
26. Adamant
04 Apr 2009, 08:03 BST
Was absolutely expecting a 10/10 here, yeah. One of the absolutely greatest games on the N64, on the VC, in it's genre, in it's series, and indeed, of all time.
And yes, it's better than OoT.
10/10 it is - if any game ever deserved that score, it's this.
27. Smoke39
04 Apr 2009, 08:05 BST
I love Majora's Mask. It just oozes personality. Best Zelda ever.
28. Esposch
04 Apr 2009, 08:50 BST
Wait, so this has no random sound glitches, lag, or crashing if rumble is turned on right!? You seemed to mention glitch-free, but have they fixed that lag. It was more annoying than the sound to me.
Oh, and I might be getting a big TV soon. Do (PAL) VC games look carp on it? If so is there a way to fix it?
Thanks,
~Esposch
29. Falk Sturmfels
04 Apr 2009, 09:15 BST
The big plus of the game is the story. Its some kind of dark, which makes the game very interesting.
30. Luigi La Bouncy
04 Apr 2009, 09:16 BST
I don't think Ocarina or Majoras Mask are the pinnacle of the series, in my eyes Twilight Princess is the pinnacle of the Zelda series and the greatest game ever made, even though Ocarina was more revolutionary for it's time.
I skipped Majoras Mask first time round cos I couldn't get used to the time constraints. For me Zelda is all about living and breathing the experience; allowing yourself the space and time to stop to smell the flowers.
Having said that, based on this review I might give it another try, maybe I was to quick to judge before.
31. Bendover83
04 Apr 2009, 09:30 BST
Truely an epic tale from start to finish. I like Ocarina more but not by much. The time never bothered me at all. The hardest dungeon ever I thought for me on any Zelda game was the Water Temple in Ocarina. This game cannot be missed.
32. Lurch
04 Apr 2009, 09:32 BST
This truly one of the best Zelda games i have ever experienced and it's also superior to Ocarina in my opinion.
As many people said already the game just has tons of personality, a clever story, well thought out characters and of course the undeniable Zelda feel. The graphics improved heavily from OoT and even Link got some "upgrades" like the spinning in the air while he jumps.
The story is eerie and dark, thanks to the apocalyptic moon, which never left your head. Hell, it was at the sky the whole time. you literally could stare death right into the face.
Tons of sidequests and very clever dungeons, perhaps my favorits in the entire series, This my fellow retro fans, is one of the greatest games of all time and an unforgettable classic.
33. Mama Luigi
04 Apr 2009, 09:41 BST
10/10, thats the score i expected.
This is one of my favorite games of all time. Anyway, i can't wait to download this game and play it.
34. Wiiloveit
04 Apr 2009, 09:43 BST
@Stuffgamer1: I thought that the two most hated Zelda games were Zelda II and Wind Waker?
35. Bendover83
04 Apr 2009, 09:48 BST
Those two I agree with.
36. RGVEDA
04 Apr 2009, 09:56 BST
I liked Wind Waker. The Comic look was great!!! Better then Twilight Princess
37. Kafei2006
04 Apr 2009, 10:00 BST
Meet me in this game
.
38. quakster
04 Apr 2009, 10:33 BST
Whoever hates this game because of the time limit is a complete tool, slowing down the time stretches the time limit to 2-3 hours, and the only thing you lose by resetting the time is, like the review mentioned, stacked items.
39. Betagam7
04 Apr 2009, 11:20 BST
Is this the Gamecube or the N64 rom?
40. Nathan
04 Apr 2009, 11:33 BST
This game kicks so much arse! Finally able to get back into it again. For those who haven't played it yet, I won't spoil it by revealing everything that I love about the game, but I will add that there does seem to be a tiny amount of sound and framerate glitches at a couple of spots (they don't last long), so far only really been while loading an area... not all areas, so don't be too worried. Other than that, MM is a real treat. Best game on the VC so far. Enjoy!
41. Neoprenanzug
04 Apr 2009, 12:08 BST
>Not counting the poorly emulated re-release on the GameCube
Why is the GC version "poorly emulated"?
42. Cally
04 Apr 2009, 12:12 BST
Whoa, this actually came out! O.O
Okay, okay . . . but WHAT ABOUT THE FRAMERATE? Please tell me it's better than the emulation of OoT.
Wonderful game. The time-travel mechanic is totally logic-be-damned about what you can and can't expect to reverse with time travel and therefore just isn't as fun as it could have been (could have been a legitimate puzzle. It's only a pain in the ass that you'd just as soon wasn't even there). I still collected everything in this anything-goes Zelda game. FANTASTIC dungeons.
I beseech you, unless you want to spend four times the normal playtime for figuring out which days and times some things happen, use a guide!
8.5/10
43. chunky_droid
04 Apr 2009, 12:14 BST
So this is truly "un-buggy"? If so then bring it on!!!
44. Drake
04 Apr 2009, 12:22 BST
@ Neoprenanzug: Sound issues (Skipping, starting too late), random lag, occassionally buggy graphics, and the game sometimes freezes.
As for the most hated Zelda argument, I personally never enjoyed the original. Too much trial and error. Phantom Hourglass was also incredibly disappointing.
45. rikru
04 Apr 2009, 12:24 BST
@chunky_droid: The sound does clitch a little when you move to another area, otherwise I haven't encountered any problems
46. VGP
04 Apr 2009, 13:09 BST
10/10 woot hopefully we'll get this masterpiece this Monday.(:
47. siavm
04 Apr 2009, 13:36 BST
Great review. I loved this game. I hope it comes out Monday.
48. Luigi La Bouncy
04 Apr 2009, 14:03 BST
I agree that Phantom Hourglass was a major dissapointment and I was really gutted when they announced Spirit Tracks! I was hoping that the Zelda team were working on a sequel to Twillight Princess not more toon Link. To be honest, I really don't see why people like the toon style...
49. Neoprenanzug
04 Apr 2009, 14:21 BST
Thanks Drake. To be honest, I don's remember any of those issues. Anyway, since they are not mentioned in the VC review, I assume that they are fixed now?
Too bad N64 games don't support the suspend feature. It would have been a useful addition to MM.
50. LinkGalaxy
04 Apr 2009, 14:24 BST
OOT = MM ,OOT >< MM,
Ok, these are two LEGENDARY games,
And to think that I played them after I played the Wind Waker
(which is also legendary, but in a toon way)! -
51. quakster
04 Apr 2009, 14:30 BST
The Owl statues kinda work the same way as suspending would, so it's not that big of a deal.
52. VGP
04 Apr 2009, 14:36 BST
I kinda knew this would get a 10 because Drake said that majoras mask was his favorite 3-D zelda game.
53. Aenaida
04 Apr 2009, 15:36 BST
Awesome review, Drake.
I'm glad to hear that most of the emulation issues of the GC version have been taken care of. My N64 gold-cartridge still works perfectly, but when it finally dies I'll purchase this.
54. tatemon555
04 Apr 2009, 16:18 BST
Freekin Europe. Always getting the best games first. First Super Punch-Out, and then this? They even got Onslaught on their shop channel before us. And we get all the crappy games first. Poopy.
55. Bass X0
04 Apr 2009, 16:27 BST
We also got Super Mario RPG first too.
56. Neomega
04 Apr 2009, 16:29 BST
All you gotta do is tell people of fierce deity link and they will be all over this!
57. Outrunner
04 Apr 2009, 16:54 BST
A lot of people are asking if this is the N64 rom or the GCN one and no one seems to be answering them. I'd like to know myself because I never noticed anything wrong with the GCN one apart from the music skipping in between areas when it was loading from the disc. I did notice a little skip when goin from the centre of Clock Town to North Clock Town while playing the VC version though so could someone clear this up?
58. Kevin
04 Apr 2009, 16:55 BST
A 10? Wow. wasn't expecting that. Its a great game and I hope we get this soon.
59. Rockbandmonkey
04 Apr 2009, 17:52 BST
As one of the few to play at the end of the N64's life I highly reccomend this game to any Zelda fan who even slightly liked any game in the series. If you're not playing this when it comes to your region then you're missing out.
60. Nintendo-Naut
04 Apr 2009, 18:11 BST
I need to get back to OoT. I got stuck and left it.
61. Mama Luigi
04 Apr 2009, 18:40 BST
Wow, it was a long time since VC-reviews/NintendoLife had a 10/10 score, last time, a 10/10 rating was on Super Mario RPG!
62. Goompapa
04 Apr 2009, 19:18 BST
I never got to play this one ll the way through. I will definitely be picking this one up when it comes to the VC here in the states.
63. Tides of Chaos
04 Apr 2009, 19:45 BST
A perfect 10, eh? Well, maybe it's about time to drag out the old N64 cart of this game and finally beat it. Thanks to the time limit, and the scary looking moon, I didn't like this game as a kid and couldn't even beat the first dungeon. Maybe now that I'm older, I'll have a better time with it.
64. sukTHEfac
04 Apr 2009, 20:36 BST
vc-reviews has ALWAYS had good taste in games and I have agreed with every review pretty much. I was afraid that this would get a 9, as opposed to OoT getting a 10. IMO MM was as much (probably more) fun as OoT.
I am picking this one up NOW. Ah the memories
65. Smoke39
05 Apr 2009, 02:13 BST
@Tides: Definitely give it another go. I never really got into it back when it first came out like I got into OoT, but when I replayed it a few years ago I completely fell in love.
66. Tony
05 Apr 2009, 02:30 BST
"I thought that the two most hated Zelda games were Zelda II and Wind Waker?"
Hated is kinda a strong word. And Windwaker's reputation has made a comeback. I adore the game personally.
67. Curt
05 Apr 2009, 02:38 BST
Glad to see this game getting the same perfect rating as OoT.
68. Hardy83
05 Apr 2009, 05:22 BST
Deserves a 10.
People don't give this game enough credit due to the time limit thing, including me. But I played it and loved it WAYYY more the OoT.
I will strongly suggest going on the net and looking up the song that makes the time go by slower. It makes the game easier yet, but it lets you enjoy the world so much more.
69. Party On Dude
05 Apr 2009, 05:44 BST
Its quite OBVIOUS it would've gotten a 10!
Anything first party that's good, nay awesome deserves a 10!
Also I could bet that since EU got it Friday April 3rd; & if Japan might get it on April 7th... then there's ALWAYSHOPING we could see it next Monday on April 6th, (or if not, WAY LATER like #300 game or instead of SSB64 on April 27th?!) Or if we'd be waiting even longer it be in May for as we may know it... you can't have 2 N64 games in 1 month you know!
70. sukTHEfac
05 Apr 2009, 05:57 BST
WTF where's the US release>!>!>!>!!??!?!?!?!?!
71. chunky_droid
05 Apr 2009, 06:16 BST
@rikru: thanks for that
I figured this is for the most part an unedited ROM image, as opposed to the Gamecube release which was edited to make it appear with Gamecube buttons instead of the N64 buttons, I'm guessing playing around with it caused the issues. I have both the original and the Collector's Edition, but I'll get this as soon as it hits my American Console
72. Maniac
05 Apr 2009, 08:03 BST
I'm crossing my fingers hoping this comes out for us on Monday. I only played about 5 min of this game when it was released so this will be my first playthrough of the whole thing.
PS: The Adventure of Link is one of, if not my favourite Zelda games. Don't listen to the hate!
73. Outrunner
05 Apr 2009, 13:38 BST
@chunky_droid:
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't notice that.
@maniac:
Zelda II is great! I think it's a lot better than the original one. I still haven't finished either though... Stuck in Zelda II at the bit where ye go down the hole near the kings tomb.
74. leon x
05 Apr 2009, 16:24 BST
Ocarina of Time is superior in almost way. But, MM is also a amazing game.
75. WhoKnew
05 Apr 2009, 17:41 BST
@ #4 Stuffgamer1: Since when? The CD-i games were much worse.
76. Lurch
05 Apr 2009, 18:54 BST
heh, people exaggerate with the hate imo, i mean any zelda game except the CDi ones are good or at least better than quite a number of different games out there. People also tend to dislike stuff that doesn't follow the straight concept of their prequels, examples are Zelda II for being a sidescroller instead of an adventure game with an isometric perspective, Wind Waker for having the Cel-shading look, Phantom hourglass for continuing the cel shaded look and the entire wind waker stuff in particular. other game series like mario had the same thing, calling the Doki Doki panic controversy.
I say just enjoy the game when you like it and avoid it when not.
Different tastes shape the world
77. Mama Luigi
05 Apr 2009, 20:30 BST
Since many people are saying that the music skips a little, can anyone make a gameplay video so i can see how much it skips and all that? Just asking.
78. Drake
05 Apr 2009, 21:22 BST
Here's some videos of the VC version: http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=212445
It only skips for a fraction of a second and it only happens in Clock Town, so it's pretty negligible.
79. DjinnFighter
05 Apr 2009, 21:35 BST
Really good game, but it's weird how this review talk about this game like if it was better than OoT. OoT is clearly better.
Plus, the GameCube Version wasn't buggy like the review said.
80. Mama Luigi
05 Apr 2009, 22:20 BST
Thank you for those videos, Drake.
It only skips a little i see, but it's not that big of a deal, and if it only happends in Clock Town then it dosnt bother me at all.
Edit: How much blocks does this game take? I have about 400 blocks left.
81. Link79
05 Apr 2009, 22:46 BST
The problems of the Gamecube collection version aren't nearly as bad as people make it out to be. The sound skipping really only seems to happen in clock town and the frame rate drops a little but not constantly.
I've played through it at least 5 times and only once did it freeze up and have to be reset. I'm glad they made it better before releasing it on VC.
82. Drake
05 Apr 2009, 23:08 BST
I have heard that the GameCube version was less likely to freeze if you turned rumble off, perhaps you did so? For me the GC version froze twice in one playthrough, I haven't touched it since. Both times I lost hours of progress.
83. Link79
06 Apr 2009, 01:04 BST
Hmm that could be why mine didn't freeze as much. I always use a wireless wavebird controller which has no rumble ability. I sorta murdered my original Gamecube once when I tripped over the controller cord. pulled it right down on the floor. It hit pretty hard and never worked again after that. Since then I vowed to never again use a controller with a cord attached to the console.
84. Pocketim
06 Apr 2009, 02:10 BST
The first Zelda game I can consider "godly". This is an amazing game, and I was suprised that I enjoyed it so much because (In my opinion, please don't go all Zelda fanboy on me) all the other 3D Zelda games seemed average at best. This one is fantastic though.
85. Lwaad
06 Apr 2009, 05:05 BST
Personally, I thought this game was very frustrating at points. I played it recently on the N64 and I was surprised at how many times I just didn't know what to do next. I found myself wandering around, working my way halfway through quests to find that I needed some item to complete the quest. In spite of the frustrations, it was a good zelda game and had some fantastic storytelling. I just don't think it was quite a 10/10 game.
86. Bendover83
06 Apr 2009, 06:30 BST
It doesn't really matter now, (SD update) but I would like to know how many blocks this is to.
87. Kenji510
06 Apr 2009, 07:19 BST
I wonder if we will get this game tomorrow since the other regions got it already as well.
88. Link79
06 Apr 2009, 07:46 BST
We might get it this monday but I kinda doubt it. Just a few more hours and we'll know for sure. Remember Europe has got alot of games way before us. Clayfighter was released over a month ago and we still don't have it.
89. tank2tank
06 Apr 2009, 13:34 BST
Oh my god.
It crashed.
It actually crashed.
And here's me thinking it was perfectly emulated...
Snowhead Temple. Right near the end as well. I hadn't saved for a couple of hours. DAMN I'm annoyed! Why the hell did it freeze? Why??! WHY?!!!!!!!
90. Bass X0
06 Apr 2009, 16:05 BST
Snowhead Temple froze?
I'm not surprised really.
91. slangman
06 Apr 2009, 16:50 BST
A great score for such a fantastic game. One of the best N64 games. Only reason I don't plan on downloading is because I own the N64 version.
The Gamecube version sucks. Full of sound skipping on clock town. Thats enough for me to switch the game off.
92. Mama Luigi
06 Apr 2009, 17:14 BST
@ 91. Bass x0: LOL.
93. Lurch
06 Apr 2009, 17:16 BST
@ Bass X0: Laughed hard when i read it.
Just beat that one today btw, it didn't freeze for me.
94. RonnyLive19881
06 Apr 2009, 21:31 BST
OMG this better come to America! This is the first game I ever had a lot of hype for, Only game to come close to topping my hype for Zelda MM was BK Nuts and Bolts and that was the biggest disappointment for me lol. BK:N&B sucked!
95. Neoprenanzug
06 Apr 2009, 23:37 BST
A minute ago, my game crashed, too. Clock Town, I was jut on my way to the bank to store up some money and then save the game. I think I lost about quite an hour.
96. Kenji510
06 Apr 2009, 23:44 BST
Well, we didnt get any good games today but hopefully we get some good ones next week on the 13th.. i want to see zelda majoras mask, artstyle decode and a good wiiware game!!
97. Jashin
07 Apr 2009, 01:47 BST
10 out of 10??
That's a little too much for me...
It's not as good as OoT, simply because it lacks dungeons, which - to me - are the most important thing in Zelda...
The rest of the package is indeed impressive and quite creepy (the bosses could be from Lovecraft...) but only four dungeons are simply not enough. I give it 8.5/10...
98. RonnyLive19881
07 Apr 2009, 02:09 BST
I think it deserves a 10/10. I see the Masks as the first form of Achievements, but the masks are better because when you finally get the mask(achievement) you can actually use them to get somewhere. I also Liked Zelda MM a little more than Zelda OOT. Zelda Wind Waker will probably always be the best one unless Nintendo makes the next one Cel-shaded and make it similar to Majoras Mask(take Link out of Hyrule again).
99. PuppetMasterKuruku
07 Apr 2009, 10:11 BST
There's just no touching the N64 Zelda games. Nothing since has been anywhere near as good, but I'll agree that Wind Waker was awesome but definitely not on the same level as those, LttP, LA, or the Oracle games.
Twilight Princess disappointed me, Minish Cap was pretty decent, the Four Swords games are fun but they're really a spinoff, and I'd call Phantom Hourglass a complete insult and possibly the worst Zelda barring the CD-i games, but not only did it have it's moments (the stylus innovations were pretty cool, and there were Like Likes and Pols Voice), I got it because it was a sequel to Wind Waker and Linebeck intrigued me, and finished the game thinking "Linebeck is to the game what 'Human' Vaati was to Minish Cap. I want to see more of this guy! ;_;"
There's a certain something the N64 games have, and it makes it's successors look like jokes. The characters, the graphics, the music, the atmosphere, the world, and all those wonderful memories. The N64 would've been amazing with nothing more than Super Mario 64 and the Zelda games. Absolutely timeless and thoroughly immersive, I've never even come remotely close to enjoying exploring a world more than in those three games.
Sure, I have fun exploring and have fond memories of other games, but there was a magic there that nothing I played before them or since had, where every last minute is total bliss.
100. Nathan
07 Apr 2009, 11:58 BST
@Kuruku,
Spot on. The N64 Zelda games really did have something special... sigh.
101. Rexy
07 Apr 2009, 18:38 BST
@Comments 90 and 96: Game freezes DO exist? Then I suppose this means I need to save more often.
Just out of question, if I save with an owl statue, and then after I load the file up I either get a game freeze or a game over (which neither situation have occurred yet luckily enough, and I've reached Ikara Canyon), does the owl save stay as it was when I last approached it or do I have to start from Day 1 all over again?
Also, I can't agree more. The music in the last 6 hours, "Last End", is one of few tracks that have EVER given me intense bouts of the jibblies (lol Homestar Runner terminology) since my first steps on the world of ruin in Final Fantasy 6. Kudos to that
102. 03bgood
09 Apr 2009, 06:16 BST
Dammit, they better fix the game crash issues for the NTSC version or I'm not purchasing it. I still own the CE version and it crashed on me several times. Why can't they emulate MM properly? Maybe it's crashing because it's the PAL version and as far as I'm concerned PAL VC games can have issues. Maybe it's a good idea to delay the NA release for this game for a late April/early May release so they can fix the "crash bug" within the game.
103. Rexy
09 Apr 2009, 07:02 BST
Seriously, I don't even know the cause. When I played through it (and at this point I can head for the moon at any time), I didn't face ANY technical problems. If there's something more serious that would cause a crash, I'd understand, but as far as I'm concerned it's probably overuse of the hardware.
104. Neoprenanzug
09 Apr 2009, 15:28 BST
@102: The moment you start from an owl savepoint, this savepoint is deleted. When the game crashes you are forced to return to the last Day 1 savepoint.
105. 03bgood
11 Apr 2009, 19:58 BST
"this is the first time since the original release in 2000 that you have the chance of owning a non-buggy version of this game."
That must mean you guys were playing the CE version because the reviewer said this is the "non-buggy version of the game." so that must mean you guys were referring to the GCN version.
106. Drizzt
12 Apr 2009, 18:21 BST
Great score for a great game.
107. RockMan9
12 Apr 2009, 19:57 BST
I beat thison the GC it was good
108. WaRyan
12 Apr 2009, 21:18 BST
I hope this comes out tomorrow in North America
109. Nathan
13 Apr 2009, 06:46 BST
@03bgood
The game has not crashed for me (been through it all), and I am in PAL territory.
110. MrPanic
14 Apr 2009, 00:42 BST
Great game. I never had the chance to play it but I'm glad I can now. I must say that this is the strangest Zelda I have played yet but I'm enjoying it very much. I has this vibe that sometimes creep you out and sometimes makes you feel happy, I never had that in the other Zelda games.
OoT used to be my number 3 in my 'best game ever played' list (right behind Okami and TWEWY), but Majora's Mask might overtake it (I'll finish the game first though).
111. Mickeymac
14 Apr 2009, 02:04 BST
Never cared for this game. I love the series, but I just cannot enjoy this one.
112. 03bgood
16 Apr 2009, 03:28 BST
Does this version really crash like the GCN version? If so, they must be delaying it for the NA release or they're going make a patch so it doesn't crash anymore, right?
113. PRP
16 Apr 2009, 15:33 BST
The game doesn't crash. I don't know if I'm just lucky, but I have almost completed the game and there was no crash at all. There's only 1 person here (and in the whole web, after many searches) that's saying it crashes. I'm not saying that he's lying, but I think it's more likely that his wii has some problem.
If the game was buggy there would be tons of complaints all over the net, don't you think?
114. Rexy
16 Apr 2009, 22:15 BST
Similarly, I'm about to clear it a third time (I keep on having this urge to clear it in as few cycles as possible lol) and I STILL haven't faced any crashes. I'm more convinced that those who DO face problems have something wrong with their machine rather than the software :
115. Neoprenanzug
17 Apr 2009, 16:03 BST
Well, I am one of the two people here with a crash. It's not a big deal, though. These things just happen, maybe one time in a million. Or even less, I don't know. Haven't had a crash since then, and I wouldn't overestimate it.
116. Turbo Genesis 64
29 Apr 2009, 12:26 BST
I wasn't a big fan of this or Windwaker. Too much running around doing errands for other people. Also, they should of made the village people looke different from the village people from OoT.
117. Kizzi
30 Apr 2009, 00:29 BST
when is this coming out in North America?
118. Curt
30 Apr 2009, 03:47 BST
@ Turbo Genesis 64
The whole point was that the Majoras Mask world is like an alternate universe to the Ocarina of Time world and that the people are mostly the same.
119. JTCPingas09
02 May 2009, 18:03 BST
Why does NOA have to make us wait for so long to get this game?
120. BrandonCBurns
06 May 2009, 03:56 BST
This is the best video game that was ever created. EVER!!! I'm SO glad it's coming! I'm gonna download it the first day and play and play and play!!!!
121. NESnes
12 May 2009, 22:44 BST
MM is a good game, but was a disappointment to me after OOT. The time-limit could easily have been fine-tuned so that it was a plus and not a minus. I'd like to have saved things like arrows and bombs. Also far too much time ends up being spent on waiting for the clock to rotate to the next timed-event, and if you miss it by just a few seconds, you have to restart. Perhaps you could have been able to choose which hour you wanted the ocarina to take you to...Also on your first play-through, by the time you figure out your next objective, it is too late to do it in that cycle. If the time-system had been fine-tuned this game would go from a 5.5/10 to a 8/10 for me. It IS a good game, just needs tweaking...also much of the music I just find to induce headaches, such as Termina Field...
122. Hyper Luigi
16 May 2009, 00:16 BST
NOA better release Majora's Mask next week,or they will feel my fury!
123. NINTENBOY
16 May 2009, 15:30 BST
I know most people won't but, isn't the gane in north america yet like what's the problem. It's stuff like this tnat make me went to get a 360, because nintendo is very slagish when getting the really good classic on the virtul console esspecaly in north america.
124. Mama Luigi
16 May 2009, 22:01 BST
I just completed this game 100% and i didnt face any crashes or bugs, except that it kinda lagged when i'm in Clock Town the 2nd day and play on the ocarina at the same time.
125. nagareboshi
18 May 2009, 13:45 BST
I found MM terribly frustrating because of that darned moon.
126. Tony
18 May 2009, 14:00 BST
'It's really a shame that so many people never got the chance to play this game when it was first released"
That all changes today
127. J.K.
18 May 2009, 14:18 BST
Pfft 10? You have to be kidding. The weird design setup alone should dock it points, especially if you combine a lot of the annoying sidequests and the stupid time limit and losses you get stepping back in time.
Nes there on 122 sums it up quiet well a fair rating of the game for those not wearing zelda fanboy beer goggles.
128. Juampi
18 May 2009, 15:22 BST
As much as I love this game, it's definitely not better than Ocarina of Time. Still a 10/10.
129. Dwarfer
18 May 2009, 20:54 BST
So, J.K
Anyone who has a different opinion to you is an idiot? You're right because you dislike it, and I'm a 'fanboy wearing Zelda fanboy beer goggles' since I love the game? I'm actually offended by that. Maybe I love the game because I have lots of fun playing it, love the music, am captivated by the story, adore the characters, love the atmosphere, like the game mechanics (time system, makes the game unique) and overall think the game is amazing. But no, I don't really think those things, I'm just a stupid little fanboy who's wearing these beer goggles. Should I take them off? That way I'd be able to accept your opinion, which is of course fact.
Learn that there's no such thing as a right and wrong opinion. Also deflate your ego and realise that those who have different opinions to you aren't incorrect, nor do they have any mental/personality defects.
_Arrogant people like you really annoy me. Grow up and learn to respect other people's opinions. OK?
130. Hoofbites
18 May 2009, 23:03 BST
Is it just me, or are the graphics in the game darker overall than they were on the N64? Some of the colors are different--the Stray Fairies and fires are more colorful than glowy. I'm sure this has something to do with decreasing the risk of epileptic seizures. But there's a part in the first dungeon where you have to light braziers while fighting off Black Boes in the dark, and that room is quite a bit harder than I remember. Majora's Mask is still one of my favorite games, but I hate having to turn my TV's brightness all the way up to see things correctly.
131. Falk Sturmfels
19 May 2009, 08:18 BST
Gentlen, tell me: I have that game still on cartridge. How big is the difference to the VC-grafics-update? Does it look now totally different? Sharpened like hell?
132. koopa85
19 May 2009, 11:06 BST
@Falk Sturmfels: I haven't noticed any major differences between the two versions other than the VC game is optimised for progressive scan and is a bit sharper. I think the game looks better than it did on cartridge. By the way how is the German translation of this game? Is the English version better? My brother has been learning German quite well and wanted to know.
133. Falk Sturmfels
19 May 2009, 12:05 BST
@koopa85: German translation was okay in that game. Many older games like Secret of Mana had the tendency to turn "childish" after translation. For example, in Mystic Quest Legend you getting attacked by "Flying Pyjamas", which was a Ghost in the original.
But Majoras was okay.
134. koopa85
20 May 2009, 19:18 BST
@Falk Sturmfels: Thanks for answering my question. It's too bad we don't have any language choices in the US version of MM. Although, I would think that this game would be in French and English in Canada, but I don't know. I'm also a big Werder Bremen fan! Hope they win the UEFA Cup today!
135. Falk Sturmfels
21 May 2009, 09:28 BST
@koopa85: Well, they sucked.
136. koopa85
21 May 2009, 10:58 BST
Yes, they sucked. They can still win the DFB Cup though!
137. SergeOfArniVillage
21 May 2009, 21:15 BST
I think this is a very underrated game myself: the land of Termina was really, genuinely interesting, and it was a breath of fresh air in the gaming world. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are merely two sides of the same coin: they both complete each other. On their own, they are amazing, but the two N64 games really complement each other. Definitely a 10/10 game.
138. nintendo87
22 May 2009, 21:33 BST
this game is a lot smaller than OOT
139. koopa85
25 May 2009, 14:01 BST
@nintendo87: This game is not that much smaller than Oot, but Termina has more to do in it than Hyrule did. Besides, it's not about how big the world is. It's about how enjoyable the world is to explore and interact with. Quality over quantity my friend!
140. VALERHU
26 May 2009, 05:13 BST
@nintendo87, its smaller but alot better. I'd give it a 96 oot of 100 while out gets a 83 out of 100, oot is extremely glitched (even on the wii version) while mm isn't as glitched.
141. koopa85
26 May 2009, 21:40 BST
@VALERHU: I don't know what you think was glitched about Oot, but if anything I would say that MM has a few minor glitches. MM already had a few minor glitches on N64 also, so I think that has something to do with it originally being developed for the Disc Drive add-on for N64 which was only released in Japan.
142. Mama Luigi
27 May 2009, 13:09 BST
@ VALERHU
What do you mean by EXTREMLY glitched?
I haven't found a SINGLE glitched thing about that game in the virtual console version.
143. pie4prez
03 Jun 2009, 01:44 BST
I will download this when I finish OoT. I'm at the Water Temple right now.
144. TwilightWatcher
03 Jun 2009, 03:03 BST
Hmm... I played Majora on the N64 and never finished it, then I got the GCN one and beat the boss (I did it the easy way...not very fun or fulfilling doing it that way). If I had enough points, I might've gotten it for the VC. However, I have 2 WiiWare titles on my list first, so they get top priority over Majora (sadly). When I do finally get them, I'll make a memo on the Wii to get this one. I have to say, the fourth dungeon...is really difficult. Imo, I would have liked to have seen Earthbound or the Dreamcast "console" get on the VC, but maybe some other time.
145. Tony
04 Jun 2009, 03:15 BST
I'm playing this for the first time on the VC. If I could give this a score higher than 10/10, I would do it. Its a phenomenal adventure game!
146. redflicky
21 Oct 2009, 06:21 BST
Great Zelda Game! 10/10 for sure!
147. davegorack
19 Nov 2009, 13:58 GMT
A non buged verson?
And all for £10?
I am so buying this. I dont need to buy OOT since buy
brother has the colletion (I also have the Windwaker Spical edtion whiht a copy of OOT and Master Quest) but i love this game so much.
You can also replay alot of the best bits( i replayd the frist dungen twice)
I think this is the best Zelda game. OOT is 3rd.
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