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[alf717]

I love these kind of threads. I read a few things I don't remember clearly while reading each post. The song played during the final hours in Clock Town is amazing. It gives me chills just listening to it. It would be great if Nintendo would make a 3DS remake announcement during E3 this year. I can't believe it has been 12 years since the game released. How time flies.

 

[MoogleWizard]

Another interesting thing about the Deku Butler and his son is the fact that you see him grieving over his dead son during the credits.

In case you don't know, the credits of MM change depending on what masks you've collected/what people you've made happy. If you don't collect any masks, the credits will display a mask in place of a cutscene. Once you collect the mask, you see a cutscene of the person you helped being all happy after the world is saved.

However, amongst all this celebration and happiness, the final scene we cut to is the Deku Butler grieving over his dead son. You see this scene even if you collected 0 masks. Even if you 100% the game, you still can't save everyone.

This game is depressing as hell. I think that's why it resonates with so many people. There aren't a lot of games like this.

It actually wasn't until that scene at the end that I realized that Skullkid had killed the little Deku to transform me into a Deku Scrub, a real downer after all the celebration before.
What I found a little unsettling with the ending as well is that you never see Kafei, meaning Anjou (was that her name?) is possibly marrying a little kid.

 

[Anustart]

I really, really, REALLY need to try and give this game another go. Bought it for VC about 2 years ago, almost got through the first 3 day period but ran out of time, and Nintendo thought it would be a great idea to not let you save until you've played through an ungodly amount of crap. I was set back to beginning with no progress and it broke my spirit

 

[Talwind]

All of Termina was going to be destroyed, right? Not just Clock Town? I feel like that was never made explicit.

I think that was done on purpose. I think even some characters believed they would be safe hiding out at the Ranch.

 

[Qasiel]

Truly one of the greatest games I've ever played.

I've been a huge fan of the Zelda franchise since the original Link's Awakening but I have to say this one is my favourite. Just the setting and atmosphere it creates are a true credit to the genius of this game. The way it makes you sympathise with the NPCs has not yet had any equal.

In fact, I think I'm going to replay it again.

 

[Anth0ny]

I really, really, REALLY need to try and give this game another go. Bought it for VC about 2 years ago, almost got through the first 3 day period but ran out of time, and Nintendo thought it would be a great idea to not let you save until you've played through an ungodly amount of crap. I was set back to beginning with no progress and it broke my spirit

If you ran out of time you obviously had no idea what you were doing and were never going to complete that segment.

When you figure out what to do, it takes all of 10 minutes. Try again, use a guide if you have to. It's not worth dropping the game just because you failed the opening.

I never finished Majora's Mask. I, too, was frustrated by the three-day mechanic. The world was every bit as big and bizarre and interesting - if not more so - than OOT and I hated feeling rushed by that damn clock.

I'm guessing you haven't been using the Song of Inverted Time? If so... you really shouldn't feel rushed. If you're just exploring the overworld, nothing is lost when you reset time. If you're in a dungeon, just activate the owl in front of the entrance, play the song of time, and start it at the beginning of the first day. More than enough time to finish any dungeon, especially on the second or third try.

 

[Crumpet Trumpet]

How does Romani not realize the world's about to end? LOOK IN THE SKY, MISSY.

 

[ChuyMasta]

Ahh, F it. I am replaying this game...again.

 

[bomma_man]

This Edge essay on the game is definitely worth reading if you haven't already, even if it is too short.

 

[GaimeGuy]

iirc the 3 day concept was originally supposed to be 5 or 7 days, but it was just too ambitious for the team to pursue within a reasonable amount of time. So they went with 3 day.

 

[Seda]

I really, really, REALLY need to try and give this game another go. Bought it for VC about 2 years ago, almost got through the first 3 day period but ran out of time, and Nintendo thought it would be a great idea to not let you save until you've played through an ungodly amount of crap. I was set back to beginning with no progress and it broke my spirit

All you have to do in the first 3 days:

Spoiler

-Find one stray fairy in clock town and give it to the fountain to get the bubble. (Tatl tells you to do this)
-Chase the Bomber kids to get access to observatory. (After you get the bubble, you immediately see Red Bomber kid slingshotting the balloon, I think it's a clear hint to shoot a bubble at it)
-Look through telescope, get Moons Tear. (Once you unlock the observatory, getting to this point should require no thinking at all.)
-Give Moons Tear to Deku in South Clock town. (I guess the game never directs you to this in any immediate fashion, but in wondering how to get to the tower in South Clock town, you will have probably ran into this guy at some point)

Edited in in parens how to game directs you to do these.

 

[Dark Schala]

How does Romani not realize the world's about to end? LOOK IN THE SKY, MISSY.

Too busy thinking about those UFOs.

I had just replayed this game for the GAF Plays: The Legend of Zelda Series thread last year... getting the impulse to play it again. :lol

I really love this game, though. The way it conveys its narrative, not really via the main storyline, but rather through the people in the town and the lands surrounding it, and also the mood/atmosphere of the game truly makes it stand out for me the most. I think it's interesting that you're given the Bomber's Notebook at the beginning, and the game never really forces you to do much with it outside of the beginning; and yet, as a player I felt compelled to fill out all the entries to get the whole picture and the bulk of the narrative and atmosphere of Clock Town.

 

[GaimeGuy]

All you have to do in the first 3 days:

Spoiler

-Find one stray fairy in clock town and give it the the fountain to get the bubble.
-Chase the Bomber kids to get access to observatory
-Look through telescope, get Moons Tear.
-Give Moons Tear to Deku in South Clock town.

Seriously.

Wtf @ ungodly amount of crap.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Dat milk bar

 

[MidnightCowboy]

Fixed that!

I actually don't want them to do another Majora's Mask-like game. It's perfect the way it is now.

Well Majora's Mask has pretty weak dungeons in my opinion. I'd want all the quality NPC and sidequest stuff with the underworld design of Skyward Sword.

 

[ronito]

If someone were to ask me to show them a game that I considered art, Majora's Mask would be right at the top of the (very short) list. There's just so much symbolism in it and there's beauty as well. Not to mention the hard lesson that no matter what you do, you can't save everyone. I'm not saying it's a perfect game but it's damned close.

 

[Versipellis]

This and LA are the only Zelda games where I don't care a bit about dungeon quantity/quality (even though I love some of LA's dungeons and I don't dislike those in MM).
I think I prefer the more earthly problems of Termina's inhabitants rather than the epic struggle between Evil and Good you usually see in Zelda games. For me it's easier to care for Clock Town rather than the entire world in, say, Twilight Princess. Even in OoT, within the dark world ruled by G, you can't find the same feeling of despair that slowly grows in the heart of the people of Termina.
And since I'm a fan of time voyages and paradoxes, Majora's Mask was a sure hit for me.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

You know MM is perfect for 3DS: Seeing the menacing moon pop out of the screen.

 

[Anth0ny]

You know MM is perfect for 3DS: Seeing the menacing moon pop out of the screen.

How about the intro where Majora's Mask spins toward the screen? Perfect for 3D.

 

[Cramoss]

How about the intro where Majora's Mask spins toward the screen? Perfect for 3D.

 

[Azure J]

I need to play this fucking game, don't I? I love everything about games that makes me discern elements and themes through subtle hints and hearing the praise heaped on this game for its well realized world and scenario always nudges me to do one real play through of the game sooner rather than later. I think I'll do so now.

Watch, by the end of this play through, it'll probably wind up my favorite Zelda.

 

[Jotamide]

Back in the day, I couldn't afford this game. So I would save money to rent it for 3 days at blockbuster. I must have done this 4 or 5 times. By my last playthrough I was capable of beating the first 2 dungeons and get 2/3 of the masks in 2 full days. I could have probably beaten it but I wanted the all the masks so bad!

I want to buy a 3DS right now hoping that MM will eventually be released for it. If not I will buy a cheap N64 in the future just to beat it and close this unfinished business.

Obligatory: this is the best Zelda I've played. Wind Waker was incredible but the setting is what makes this game so memorable.

 

[the madman]

That wasn't his point, it was why Creamia would let Romania drink alcohol that night.

Sorry, I thought it was, since he bolded it...

 

[Platy]

All I know is that this game is awesome and it has the 2 most frightening concept arts in the story of zelda

"how you doing" alien link zora

and

Creepy link face mask

 

[Solid SOAP]

My favorite game of all time, I absolutely love it. This topic makes me want to replay it again so bad, I own it on every medium it's legally available on, if Nintendo release it for the 3DS I might have to get one just to play it.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

I really need to get another GameCube controller to replay this game. Anyone know the best place to get one for used or new on the cheap?

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

Wow. I know I liked Majora's Mask a lot, but because the last time I played it was when I was a kid, I don't remember a lot of those moments or they went over my head. The Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda, but now I know I definitely need to get around to playing Majora's Mask again. Maybe when the 3DS remake comes out... I just hope Nintendo doesn't take that opportunity to lighten up some of the dialogue and make the overall atmosphere more family-friendly. I could see that happening, unfortunately. :/

 

[SolarKnight]

How about the intro where Majora's Mask spins toward the screen? Perfect for 3D.

Yeah, that o.0

I need to play this fucking game, don't I? I love everything about games that makes me discern elements and themes through subtle hints and hearing the praise heaped on this game for its well realized world and scenario always nudges me to do one real play through of the game sooner rather than later. I think I'll do so now.

Watch, by the end of this play through, it'll probably wind up my favorite Zelda.

DO IT JERI, YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO

All I know is that this game is awesome and it has the 2 most frightening concept arts in the story of zelda

"how you doing" alien link zora

and

Creepy link face mask

I don't see what's so bad about the zora but ohgodthelinkmask.

 

[Doomsayer]

This is the first time I've read the whole "Haunted Majora's Mask" story. It's fantastic. The videos are very well done and pretty believable as well.

I played this game for the first time about a year ago. It blew my mind. Everyone had a deep story and all the characters were interesting. I loved the contrast at the end of the game when you finally get to the moon. It is so frantic in Clock Town, everyone is going nuts, and when you finally get to where you need to go... it's a tranquil area with luscious grass and a tree. Total mindfuck.

I still need to play Skyward Sword.

 

[The_Endgamer]

Did not realise that last story. I think i need to get this game again on Virtual Console.
So much i seemed to recognise as a kid.

 

[DanielJr82]

I want to play this again, but the N64 looks like ass on an HDTV.

 

[linko9]

I want to play this again, but the N64 looks like ass on an HDTV.

Game looks amazing in Project64. You can even run it in widescreen; all the stuff to the sides is rendered. And the UI isn't stretched, unlike the way Dolphin handles it. There are even some hi-res packs for the UI which look really good.

 

[anonymous12390]

[deleted]

 

[Seda]

.

 

[Svafnir]

Best Zelda Ever. I want a remake badly.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Would be better as 'Mother of Din...'.

 

[I should be doing hw]

.

 

[ChuyMasta]

I finished up reading this thread:


And I am about to replay MM. I'll play with the mindset of "How does the game tell me what to do"

I know the game better than the palm of my hand but I want to see how the game communicates to the player what needs to be done. I will then compare this to say...SS and put a more objective view as to why I consider MM better than the latest Zelda installment. Gameplay wise AND story wise. Wish me luck, GAF

 

[PKrockin]

I love this game. It's so atmospheric, personal, and mature, yet classy. The concept is unique and the writing and characterization are great. I would buy a remake or sequel in a heartbeat.

 

[BigTnaples]

Sad secret; I never beat this. Hoping for a 3DS remake.

 

[Loofy]

.

 

[McArkus]

In every replay i always try to help the majority of the npc, but the one side-quest i never missed was to stop the alien invasion. I couldn't stand that empty look in Romani eyes when you fail. It is a shame that you can help everyone in one run.

 

[Persona7]

Or wait, I am missing a detail.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

I love Ocarina of Time, played it on N64 back in the day and is the first game I got for my 3DS, but I sadly have never played Majora's Mask.

I'm hoping for a Oot 3DS remaster, I will buy it.

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

This game is something special. I still have it too, one of the golden cartridges although they might all of been gold, I'm not sure.

It's really unique I think when the characters and their struggles in a story are more compelling than say a "light vs dark" conflict as someone previously mentioned in the thread.

This game is pretty different from the other Zelda's due to that emphasis on the problems of the people in the town, and how they have their own schedule over the course of the three days. Which usually led to me discovering things by pure chance just passing through areas at specific times.

I do know that I played the Oath to Order and stopped the moon from falling, but I have no idea if I actually defeated Majora or not all those years ago. Maybe I should dig out the old N64 and check.

This thread also reminded me that I need to finish Skyward Sword.

 

[LakeEarth]

I do know that I played the Oath to Order and stopped the moon from falling, but I have no idea if I actually defeated Majora or not all those years ago. Maybe I should dig out the old N64 and check.

If you remember anything about a

Spoiler

white and fuzzy tree on a hill?

, then you beat the game.

 

[BorkBork]

Really would like an OOT style remake with this. Better framerate, better textures and models, 3D moon, updated music, portable.

 

[Anth0ny]

I think it's purposefully written and set up to be a bit open to interpretation.

Pretty much. OOT and MM had a lot of this kind of writing and imagery, and I feel it's been absent in Zelda games since, unfortunately.

Hence why people can come up with crazy theories like this, or the nightmare inducing "Ben" creepy pasta. That Link statue keeps me up at night, seriously.

 

[Mumei]

I was playing without a guide and I had it in my head that if I didn't immediately beat everything from when you first arrive at the beach, through the temple in the three days, I'd have to redo it all. So I probably started the temple around Day 3. Obviously I found out that was wrong after resetting the day and being able to immediately play the song for the Zora girl. That was just generally a problem for me with the game...I was never sure what sequence of events was connected, and which could be triggered by a song, mask, etc after the 3 day reset, so I kept erring on the side of caution.

Oh.

Yes. I did the same thing in a recent playthrough, though not out of a misunderstanding of mechanics; I just tried to bite off more than I could chew in a single cycle.

I thought it was pretty apparent by the third dungeon that once you have unlocked a dungeon by getting the requisite song and doing the pre-dungeon quests that you won't have to redo those things, and you are free to start any dungeon at the very beginning of the first day if you choose to, but running out of time is more understandable if you didn't get that.

 

[Nert]

I really respect this game's atmosphere and the themes it explores, but there are several other Zelda games that I'd rather play again. The dungeons aren't the best, and while the time constraints are simple enough to get around (I know you can slow down time), they still disrupt normal gameplay in a way that isn't always fun. I would definitely like to play through it again if (when, really) it's remade on the 3DS, but for now, it's sort of more fun to just read about it.