9.9 out of 10

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Shortly after Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time was released and subsequently conquered by gamers around the world, many began to wonder if they would see another Zelda game within the next five years. Historically, Nintendo has taken anywhere from three to six years to deliver sequels to its hit Zelda franchise. The six year wait from A Link to the Past (1992) to The Ocarina of Time (1998) was almost unbearable. In the end, though, Nintendo immaculately transformed the 2D world of Hyrule into the defining 3D utopia it proved to be. Everything about The Ocarina of Time was something in which all future games could learn from.

Nintendo sold millions upon millions of those precious gold carts regardless of the N64's inadequate user-base. The question was would Nintendo deliver N64 owners one more blissful Zelda experience before the console faded away? There was the secretive Ura-Zelda title for the 64DD, but it didn't look like that would find its way to America and on top of that it was merely just an expansion of The Ocarina of Time's world. In May of 1999 IGN64 brought you the news that Nintendo was underway with a sequel that would hit the N64 in a big way with a whole new world and set of temples to explore. The follow-up title was promised to run on the acclaimed Ocarina of Time game engine, and would even be enhanced by use of the 4MB expansion pak. That game turned out to be what was temporarily called Zelda: Gaiden, which was then briefly named Zelda: Mask of Majora, and finally the title Zelda: Majora's Mask was set in stone. And so the legend continues as Link sets out on another quest to defend all that is good from the evil that lurks.

Features


•Brand-new expansive 3D world outside of Hyrule called Termina
•Real-time night/day sequences
•Three different days
•Play as young Link
•Gain new swords, weapons, and spells
•Gain masks to change form and get different character interaction
•Capitalizes on the acclaimed Ocarina of Time engine
•Utilizes the 4MB expansion pak for bigger worlds and better graphics

[INFO PROVIDED BY IGN64.COM]

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If there's one thing that Nintendo's new Zelda proves, it's that great gameplay overshadows any minor graphical or even aural flaws that find their way into most games of this generation. As soon as you pick up Zelda you'll be hard-pressed to find the strength to put your controller down. There's not a doubt in my mind that this is not only one of the best pieces of software ever created on the N64, but even in the midst of all the software that's even been released it seems just as brilliant. There's just so many subtle touches and intricacies that it boggles the mind. The way that time flows and is interleaved with the masks is what's most impressive. To get some masks you have to solve some pretty tough puzzles. Whether it's being in an area at the right time, or using a certain mask to trigger a conversation there's a lot of depth to be found. You're going to want to get all 24 of the masks, because not only is it entertaining to do, but it's also very rewarding. We won't give away too much, but to deny yourself all 24 masks would be to deny yourself of some of the most impressive parts of the game. For one you'll get slightly different endings depending on the masks you have when you beat the game and the "best possible" ending if you have all the masks.
I only have a few small complaints about Majora's Mask and that is the occasional framerate drop and the fact that (small spoiler ahead) you don't really get to play as adult Link. There's a secret in the game that slightly remedies this problem, but essentially you never grow up. Fortunately the ability to transform into many different characters with your masks more than makes up for it.

If you enjoy action/adventure (with a dash of RPG) this is a videogame you can't afford to miss playing. It is in my opinion one of the most impressive games in its genre. Even after completing this Legend of Zelda I'm going to go right back in and beat it all over again. And, chances are that after that I'll be drawn back to The Ocarina of Time. Surprisingly Majora's Mask has a good amount of replay value because of all the masks you can collect, and the side-quests are so detailed it's worth it. The end verdict? Buy Majora's Mask, and don't let the expansion pak requirement turn you off. This title would have received a perfect score had it not been for the fact that Zelda: The Ocarina of Time already introduced so much to the 3D world of software. Majora's Mask is that good, and better on some levels. It has a storyline that adults can finally get into, and there aren't tutorials around every corner insulting your intelligence. Of course, it's a shame because someone like Matt Casamassina clings to them so dearly for guidance. In any case, you'll get so many hours of gameplay out of this title, and you'll regret missing out otherwise. Any self-respecting videogame player would have pre-ordered their copy by now. If you weren't so fortunate, we suggest you get out to the store soon and you may even land yourself a gold-colored Collector's Edition cartridge.

It should be said that much of the game design was done by Eiji Aonuma and his team at Nintendo. The Zelda creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, actually only supervised this title offering a lending hand at critical junctures. Bearing that in mind we can see Nintendo is starting to develop the talents of other staff. Clearly we'll be seeing more brilliant games on top of Miyamoto-san's own in the near future. We couldn't be happier with how Majora's Mask turned out. I feel honored to have been able to review it.
~IGN64.COM





from Matt Casamassina
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is, as far as I am concerned, The Empire Strikes Back of Nintendo 64. It's the same franchise, but it's more intelligent, darker, and tells a much better storyline.
Director Eiji Aonuma and his team have executed an amazing follow-up to Ocarina of Time that runs on the same Zelda backbone, but differs in overall design, style and atmosphere and delivers a fresh twist on Miyamoto's original. This time around Link not only has to deal with the puzzling temples and big, bad boss fights of Ocarina, he has to race against the clock too, manage resources, and use a wide selection of magical masks to solve quests. While some might argue that with only four dungeons Majora's Mask cannot possibly be as long or satisfying as its predecessor, the truth is that thanks to the aforementioned side-quests and mask system, it's every bit as grueling for different reasons. It's possible to beat Majora's Mask without actually solving all of the townspeople's problems, remember, but to do so you really haven't completed the full adventure.

Though it utilizes the 4MB Expansion Pak, Majora's Mask doesn't deliver a grand improvement over Ocarina of Time in terms of visuals. But it's still gorgeous. Generally great, detailed texture quality mixed with a huge depth of visibility set it apart as one of the prettiest N64 games available. At the end of the day, though, it's very reminiscent of Ocarina of Time and, in fact, suffers from the same visual shortcomings -- namely a sometimes-sluggish framerate and occasionally blurry textures. The added RAM seems to have been used primarily for more polygonal characters on-screen.

You might be wondering why we've decided to score the game a 9.9 when we clearly enjoy it just as much Ocarina of Time, a game we rated perfectly. The answer lies in innovation. Whereas Ocarina of Time pioneered everything from the z-targeting lock-on system to the usage of the Ocarina system for time travel purposes, Majora's Mask merely re-features them. Truly not a bad thing as the gameplay mechanics in Miyamoto's Zelda were top, but a little less jaw-dropping the second time around.

All things said and done, though, a remarkable sequel that's just as enjoyable as the original -- a feat in of itself. Recommended above all other titles this year as the Nintendo 64 game to own.

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