The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000, in North America on October 26, 2000, and in Europe on November 17, 2000. Approximately 314,000 copies of the game were sold during its first week in Japan, and three million copies were sold worldwide. The game was rereleased for the Nintendo GameCube as part of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition in 2003, and the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2009.An enhanced remake for the Nintendo 3DS, titled The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, was released in February 2015.

Majora's Mask is the sixth main installment in The Legend of Zelda series and the second using 3D graphics, the first being the game's predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Considered by critics to be "darker" among the Zelda games franchise, Majora's Mask is set in Termina, an alternate version of the usual series setting of Hyrule, where the Skull Kid has stolen Majora's Mask, a powerful ancient artifact. Under its influence, the Skull Kid causes the land's moon to slowly fall towards Termina, where it crashes after three days. The protagonist Link repeatedly travels back in time to the beginning of the three days to find a way to stop the moon from destroying the world.

The gameplay is centered on the perpetually repeating three-day cycle and the use of various masks, some of which allow Link to transform into different beings. Link learns to play several melodies on his ocarina, which have a variety of effects like controlling the flow of time or opening passages to four temples, which house challenges Link must overcome. Unlike Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask requires the Expansion Pak, which provides additional memory for enhanced graphics and more on-screen characters. Majora's Mask was acclaimed by critics, who praised the graphics and complex story.

The gameplay of Majora's Mask expands on that of Ocarina of Time; it retains the concept of dungeon puzzles and ocarina songs, and introduces character transformations and a three-day cycle. As in previous installments, Link can perform basic actions such as walking, running and limited jumping, and must use items to battle enemies and solve puzzles. Link's main weapon is the sword, which can be upgraded throughout the game. Other weapons and items are available—Link can block or reflect attacks with a shield, stun enemies by throwing Deku Nuts, attack from a distance with a bow and arrows, destroy obstacles and damage enemies with bombs. He can also latch onto objects or paralyze enemies with the Hookshot. Magic power allows attacks such as magical arrows or spin attacks, and the use of special items.

Masks and transformations

While the masks in Ocarina of Time are limited to an optional side-quest, they play a central role in Majora's Mask, which has twenty-four masks in total.Link can transform at will into different creatures: the Deku Mask transforms Link into a Deku Scrub, the Goron Mask into a Goron, and the Zora Mask into a Zora. Each form features unique abilities: Deku Link can perform a spin attack, shoot bubbles from his mouth, skip on water, and fly for a short time by launching from Deku Flowers; Goron Link can roll at high speeds (and grow spikes at higher speeds), punch with deadly force, stomp the ground with his massive, rock-like body, walk in lava without taking damage, and weigh down heavy switches; Zora Link can swim rapidly, throw boomerang-like fins from his arms, generate a force field, and walk on the bottoms of bodies of water. Many areas can be accessed only by use of these abilities.

Link and his three transformations receive different reactions from non-player characters. For instance, the Goron and Zora are allowed to exit Clock Town at will, whereas the Deku Scrub is not permitted to leave by reason of his childlike resemblance. Animals also interact differently with the four forms of Link. For example, Link's normal form receives an indifferent response from dogs, Deku Link is attacked by them, Goron Link frightens them, and Zora Link makes them chase him happily.

The final mask to be gained in the game is the Fierce Deity's Mask. Although the use of this mask is strictly limited to boss battles only, it is possible to wear it anywhere using a glitch. Upon donning this mask, Link grows to nearly two-and-a-half times his normal height. His clothes turn white and his face appears with a type of war paint on it. The sword that Fierce Deity Link carries is a helix shape that uses magic power to blast fire at enemies.

Other masks provide situational benefits. For example, the Great Fairy's Mask helps retrieve stray fairies scattered throughout the four temples, the Bunny Hood allows Link to run faster, and the Stone Mask renders Link invisible to most non-playable characters and enemies. Less valuable masks are usually involved only in optional side-quests or specialized situations. Examples include the Postman's Hat, which grants Link access to items in mailboxes, and Kafei's Mask, which initiates a long side-quest to receive the Couple's Mask.

Three-day cycle and songs

Majora's Mask imposes a time limit of three days (72 hours) game-time, which is about 54 minutes in real time. An on-screen clock tracks the day and time. Link can return to 6:00 am on the first day by playing the "Song of Time" on the Ocarina of Time. If he does not before the 72 hours expire, then the moon will destroy Clock Town, including all the surrounding regions of Termina and Link will lose everything he accomplished. A real-time countdown will begin when only 6 hours remain. However, returning to the first day saves the player's progress and major accomplishments permanently, such as the acquisition of maps, masks, songs, and weapons. Cleared puzzles, keys, and minor items will be lost, as well as any rupees not in the bank, and almost all characters will have no recollection of meeting Link. Link can slow down time or warp to the next morning or evening by playing two variations of the Song of Time. Owl statues scattered across certain major areas of the world allow the player to temporarily save their progress once they have been activated, and also provide warp points to quickly move around the world.

Other uses for songs include manipulating the weather, teleporting between owl statues spread throughout Termina, and unlocking the four temples. Each transformation mask uses a different instrument: Deku Link plays a multi-horn instrument called the "Deku Pipes", Goron Link plays a set of bongo drums tied around his waist, and Zora Link plays a guitar made from a large fish skeleton. Jackson Guitars created a limited edition 7-string replica of this guitar that was the grand prize in a contest in Nintendo Power, known as the "Jackson Zoraxe". The game reuses three of Ocarina of Time's ocarina songs: the "Song of Time"; the "Song of Storms", for aforementioned weather manipulation; and "Epona's Song", which again summons Link's horse.

During the three-day cycle, many non-player characters follow fixed schedules that Link can track using the Bomber's Notebook. The notebook tracks the twenty characters in need of help, such as a soldier to whom Link delivers medicine, and an engaged couple whom Link reunites. Blue bars on the notebook's timeline indicate when characters are available for interaction, and icons indicate that Link has received items, such as masks, from the characters.