The Legend of Zeldahas been going strong for decades, and it feels like everybody has their favorite entry. I’m no exception to this, but I also think that my personal favorite game in the series should be used as the basis for the next bigZeldagame, especially with the style thatBOTWandTOTKhave been using, where you spend more time exploring and completing smaller shrines alongside the main dungeons.It’s time forZeldato have another game with dark vibes and a heavy atmosphere, and we can explore an area that isn’t Hyrule on the new timeline.
Nearly 25 years ago, Nintendo releasedThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, and it remains my favorite game in the series even now. Instead of taking place in Hyrule, Link ends up traveling to Termina, which is like an alternate version of Hyrule, while he’s searching for Navi. He arrives a few days before a festival, but he discovers that Termina is in danger of being wiped out, because the moon is falling. This leads to him collecting a series of masks that give him abilities he’ll need to complete temples and face off against the evil contained in Majora’s Mask.
Majora’s Mask Is A Delightfully Strange Game
We Haven’t Seen Another Game Like It
We see Easter Eggs that reference it, likeMajora’s Mask inTOTK, but the closest the series has had to anotherMajora’s MaskisTwilight Princess. I thought that the atmosphere forTwilight Princesshad some similarities toMajora’s Mask, but it doesn’t capture the same level of despair or the urgency you feel as the moon gets closer with its menacing face.Majora’s Maskis simply an outlier in theZeldaseries, but I’d love to see a new take on that kind of world in the next game. I also think it’s the perfect time for it, as games likeTOTKhave had some dark moments already.
There are even arguments thatMajora’s Maskisn’t the darkestZelda, and thatBOTWis the darkest overall due to Calamity Ganon’s actions. ButBOTWandTOTKboth have some pretty dark themes, which is exactly why channelingMajora’s Maskinto the next game would be a natural evolution. The original version ofMMwas created under extreme crunch time, with the developers being given only a year to create it. I think it’s time to take another look at Termina and what threats it might be facing in thenew timeline that includesBOTWandTOTK, and allow for more time to craft it.
The style of having mostly side quests inMMwith a few primary temples lines up well with what we’ve seen inBOTWandTOTK, so it was almost ahead of its time in that aspect. But each side quest inMMfeels more impactful than side quests we have in otherZeldagames, especially when you consider thatLink cannot help everybody in Termina. Even if he gets the mask for a quest, the events are reset when he turns time back, so he might solve the problem ofMajora’s Mask’s aliens at Romani Ranch, then turn time back and let Romani be abducted in that cycle.
The Mysteries Of Majora’s Mask Can Return
More Theories Can Be Crafted
I love fan theories about games, andZeldais a treasure trove in that aspect thanks to the small details that get added to each game. However,Majora’s Maskhas some of the most well-known fan theories in the series, particularly the theory that the game goes through the five stages of grief. Loss and healing are two big themes inMM, and Link using the Song of Healing so often to get masks reflects that. So, it’s easy to see where that theory came from, and how there’s a fair bit of content that supports it.
Zelda Finally Answers Why Link Doesn’t Talk
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has finally provided an explanation as to why the hero Link cannot talk, and the answer is truly horrific.
Then, we have mysteries that never get a clear answer inMM, and those could be explored or brought back in a new game that takes inspiration fromthis one. I would even love to see a game that acts almost like aprequel toMajora’s Maskthat explores the creation of the maskand features the evil spirit that’s sealed within it. We receive hints that the mask was used by a group in the past for rituals, but not what the rituals were, how they sealed the spirit in the mask, or why the mask was needed at all.
Somehow, there are even more mysteries we haven’t seen explanations for if we look at the smaller questlines in the game. I mentioned the aliens at Romani Ranch, who are called Them, but we never see a reason why they target the ranch or what they want. We also don’t know how Termina and Hyrule are connected, or if Link is able to return to Hyrule after helping Termina. Additionally, I would personally love to knowhow the Happy Mask Salesman got the maskin his position in the first place. There’s so much left to explore.
Bring Back The Power Of Side Quests
They’re Crucial In Majora’s Mask
In the end, I want to see aZeldagame that brings back side quests that feel important. There are a few in bothBOTWandTOTKthat do this, butMajora’s Masktruly showed how powerful side quests can be in creating a storyby including so many that show you how dismal the world is, and how the citizens of Termina are handling what seems like inevitable death in different ways. Having so many stories that focus on plain citizens helps make the world feel alive, and in the setting ofMM, it reinforces how dark their future seems.
Zeldaas a series is full of gems, butMajora’s Maskhas always stood out among the rest of the games due to its unique setting and time-based mechanics. So now, 25 years later, I’m still convinced that the next game in the series needs to take inspiration fromMajora’s Maskand create another unusual world full of mysteries to explore. Link also has unfinished business related to the game, since there’s the matter of how we never found Navi inMajora’s Mask, despite Link setting out solely to search for her.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
A direct sequel to the iconic Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask sets players loose in the parallel world of Hyrule, Termina, as they face a new impending disaster. Set months after Ocarina of Time, Link wakes up in a world similar to his own and discovers that the moon will crash into the planet in three days and bring about the end of days. Players will utilize a unique time travel mechanic that forces them to relive the same three days to try to avert catastrophe. An enhanced Nintendo 3DS version of Majora’s Mask was released in February 2015.
