Majora's Mask added to VC today

By Oli Welsh Published 3 April, 2009

Weird and wonderful N64 Zelda.

A genuine classic comes to the Wii Virtual Console today. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask has been added at the cost of 1000 Wii Points (GBP 8.50 / EUR 12.00).

Majora's Mask is the N64 sequel to the oft-cited best game ever, Ocarina of Time. However, arriving late in the N64's lifetime and baffling many with its arcane mechanics, it never achieved the same success.

Nonetheless, it is a masterpiece of the surreal, and features some of the most sophisticated and touching storytelling ever seen in the videogame form. Fact.

In the game, young Link is trapped in an apocalyptic videogame Groundhog Day, going through the same 72 hours over and over again as he tries to stop the moon crashing into the earth (and to bring a young couple together for their wedding).

The game's NPCs have stories of their own that unfold over the course of the three days, altering subtly as Link's adventures change the flow of time.

The other novelty in Majora's Mask is the sinister mask seller and his collection of magical masks that allow Link to influence conversations, or change his form.

As our friends at Offworld said: "It's a blueprint of brilliance, an object lesson in how innovative game design and non-linear story telling can combine to create that holy grail of emotionally resonant interaction. Ten years on we're still asking if such things are possible..."

It's the best Zelda game you've never played. Get it.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    I freely admit I never really "got" Ocarina of Time (I've tried many times), but I liked Majora's Mask a little bit more. Shame it wasn't as successful is it could've been, but given how the one before it was regarded it was always going to have a tough time.

  • kiroquai #2 3 years ago

    Woo hoo, best Zelda game eeeever.

    Well, for me at least.

  • Fernando #3 3 years ago

    :)

  • insincere_dave #4 3 years ago

    MM > OoT

  • Buenos_Estente #5 3 years ago

    Yay, Could never afford this when it was out on the N64, I was poor and it never got cheaper.. have been waiting for it to appear on the VC :)

  • Spectral #6 3 years ago

    Are these any different to the versions that came on the GC collectors disc?

  • ZuluHero #7 3 years ago

    yep, Majora's Mask was certainly the better game. The whole "over 3 days" thing was excellent :)

  • Cid #8 3 years ago

    Yes! Instant buy!

    The GC version had a slightly dodgy emulation which caused sound glitches and occasional freezing. Hopefully that won't be the case here.

  • Pac #9 3 years ago

    Found Majora's mask very hard to get into at first but then realised it was one of the most rewarding games ever made.

    Pure class. Snap it up if you have never played it.

  • InsoFox #10 3 years ago

    I have this game and it's on my long list of Zelda games that I own that I need to play and/or finish. Working through OOT at the moment.

  • smernicki #11 3 years ago

    "it's the best Zelda game you've never played"


    ...except I have played it because i bought it on the N64 you plank

  • scouserfuller9 #12 3 years ago

    It's a shame MM's didn't play a part in the Ganon and Zelda storyline as I find it's time system over three days would have made this a much better game. Possibly the best Zelda game!? The fact it just involves Link exploring a new world though does make it slightly less exciting to play compared to ALTTP, OOT, WW AND TP. Proably where I've played every title and am so keen to track the storyline related to the Trifoce more?
    We all have our opinions though and this still happens to be a great game. I love the amount of overworld work there is to get done and the fact it's to be done at certain times of day. The masks can me a little annoying though.
    The one memory of this game for me is I was so ediicted to Zelda after playing OOT I was on MM for so long the first three days of playing I temporary damaged the muscles in my chest/left shoulder for a few days due to the N64 pad. Boy did it hurt!

  • soarous #13 3 years ago

    Amazing news, I've been waiting to play this again for years.

  • Ceatlan #14 3 years ago

    With this and OOT I was just never ever able to get over the fact that it looked like you were playing through a world of swirly blurred mud. Theres not many games that I've struggled with because of there looks, but both the N64 Zelda games definitely were, and I've tried them both more than once. I think it must have been partly because the gameplay and stories didn't grab me enough to get over my dislike of the appearance.

  • MORZTAN #15 3 years ago

    I entered this comment section to hype the game, but nice to see how well the article does it.

    Oh well! But it everyone. It's the best game for the Wii in ages.

  • Plewt #16 3 years ago

    OoT is less than stellar to say the least now if it's the first time you play it, especially after TP.

    This game sounds interesting but I suffer a Zelda burnout, can't stand another long-winded dungeon at the moment.

  • Tomo #17 3 years ago

    About time this was out. I bought MM a while after release but only put a couple of hours into it. I just need my Wii back from mother... :(

  • MORZTAN #18 3 years ago

    Plewt!

    You go buy!

    You go Buy, now!

  • WJF #19 3 years ago

    That's one thing about MM though - the dungeons were not long-winded as you were always against a time limit.

    The only disappointing thing about the game for me was the length. It was very short compared to pretty much every other Zelda game I'd played (only 4 dungeons, although that's playing down the excellent side missions.)

  • Luckyjim #20 3 years ago

    Reads like a 10.

  • Plewt #21 3 years ago

    Hm cool, will probably get it then.

  • mkreku #22 3 years ago

    I can't believe they want €12 for it..

  • dr_faulk #23 3 years ago

    Oooooh..... Oblivion half-price DLC or this, for the weekend?

    HELP!

  • Toothball #24 3 years ago

    Majora's Mask was really good. It'd be nice if there were a few more Zelda games that weren't the usual Save the Princess story. Really enjoyed the time mechanic too. Never quite got round to finishing it on the N64 though, but I had a lot of fun filling out the notebook.

  • bluem4gic #25 3 years ago

    Remember all N64 titles on wii have no fogging

  • DugBriderider #26 3 years ago

    Love this game, Oot set the bar, but this one proved it wasn't a fluke and you can take good gameplay mechanics and wrap it up in a very different kind of world (darker but not in a Emo way). It's only weakness is the frustrating first character which will put people off I imagine, but have faith it's the best of the series.

    It TP was a spiritual successor to Oot then we should be due a spiritual successor to this (with WW art) .

  • Thornhillboy #27 3 years ago

    This is how the next Zelda should be.

    Not the same old Zelda, but some different like this was. Genuine classic game.

  • kingnothing12 #28 3 years ago

    Why has it taken so long for ninty to put one more N64 title on the VC? The n64 had some amazing classics, wheres lylat wars, pilot wings, goldeneye, no mercy. Im guessing its due to licensing issues but God i wish they would give us some more N64 games. Never played MM myself, still hold Oot to be the greatest game of all time so ill definetely purchase this and i hope nintendo do have a sequel in the works for Wind Waker as that was an awesome game and i did love the visual style.

  • MrNyarlathotep #29 3 years ago

    "wheres lylat wars"

    er... on the Vc.

  • JayScott #30 3 years ago

    @ smernicki

    yes, because that was directed precisely at you. Dolt.

  • Bremenacht #31 3 years ago

    Oh at long last. I'd forgotten that I'd even wanted to play it.

  • Paulie_P #32 3 years ago

    I loved this game more than Orcainia of Time. Its great because it is so different to the usual zelda storylines and I think the reason for that could be that it was a direct sequel to OoT. I wish nintendo did more direct sequels instead of the whole "oh its a different Link/Zelda" each time.

  • jimboton #33 3 years ago

    I liked this even better than Ocarina. Best 3d Zelda in my opinion.

  • Canyarion #34 3 years ago

    @scouserfuller9
    You didn't like the sidequest story of MM? I loved it! Finally it wasn't a cliché story of Zelda being kidnapped by Ganon. Here was a new villain, totally unrelated to Hyrule. And he didn't just want to rule, no, he wanted to destroy the world by dropping the moon on it.
    You were the young boy who got caught up in everything. Because after the 3 day cycle you could see how the moon destroyed everything, it really felt like you were saving the world. For me it felt at least as serious as fighting Ganon.

    Oh and you were just an outsider. There was always this feeling that you could walk out on all the stuff. That you didn't need to save those people you didn't know. But! You bonded so much with them, it was a great motivation to play.

    If only I didn't have this on the N64, I could buy it on the VC...
    Edited by 1 at 03/04/09 @ 13:49

  • IMadeThis #35 3 years ago

    @ Canyarion

    May be an idea to watch what you type & maybe edit your post - there's a fair few spoilerific comments there & the game's too special to have it spoiled. Same goes to you, & you, and yooouuu!

    Loved it personallly & fully intend to DL when I get home.

  • scouserfuller9 #36 3 years ago

    @Canyarion - My point was I'm more excited in finding out what Ganon's up to next. Not what the Skull Kid/Majora's Mask or Vaati's playing up to but we all have our opinions. Read through my previous post again more carefully. Did I really hate the game that much?

  • sneetch #37 3 years ago

    Excellent game! Awesomeness in cart form!

  • Matt_Edwards #38 3 years ago

    A true classic, it just took a while to really get into it.

    Plus, taking down Majora as Fierce Deity Link never gets old ;)

  • Neoprenanzug #39 3 years ago

    @scouserfuller9: So, you wanna find out, what Ganon is up to next? Let me guess: Trying to rule the world, maybe? Or Hyrule, at least...

    (1st post, hooray!)

  • scouserfuller9 #40 3 years ago

    @Neoprenanzug - How many people would have predicted Zelda to have been Tetra in WW (I suppose all those against me are gonna say they did!?) it was such a surprise I didn't wanna stop playing just because of the story at that point! When it involves Link, Zelda and Ganon you have a story on your hands to work out - where does which game fit in. That's why I, yes I enjoy them more as others out there do to. Just like others enjoy the cel-shaded more than the realistic looks. It's about opinions.
    As for the what's Ganon up to next comment what do you want in the next Super Mario game? I can't see it being Mario not saving Peach from Bowser so I suppose that puts Super Mario Bros 2 in your No1 Mario titles does it not?!
    Again MM is one of my favourite games but I prefer Zelda with the main characters in it that's why I prefer OOT. Most people in here are claiming MM to be the best Zelda game ever yet you go to nearly every gaming website and find OOT voted the best game in the World!

  • Burkey123 #41 3 years ago

    Never played this and really tempted to get it.
    Well played Ninty.

  • Nikanoru #42 3 years ago

    bluem4gic: "Remember all N64 titles on wii have no fogging "


    Hahahaha... what? Ok, assuming that you mean what I think you mean, and not something completely different:

    Mario64 and the Zelda games (among others) didn't have "fogging" on the N64 to begin with, so if the lack of it in any of those games made you jump to that conclusion, you're wrong. The N64 was powerful enough to show the entirety of Hyrule field, or whole levels in Mario64 (probably the main reason why games of that sort never took off on the PS1).

    As for some other games like Starfox (Lylat Wars), they do have "fogging" on the Wii. Changing that would require great changes to the very core of the game engine, because unlike some idiots out there seem to believe, "fogging" is not something like framerate drops that automatically happens when the scene is too complex. It has to be coded and specifically integrated into the engine.

    tl;dr: What are you talking about?

  • Neoprenanzug #43 3 years ago

    @scouserfuller9:
    >so I suppose that puts Super Mario Bros 2 in your No1 Mario titles does it not?!

    No it doesn't. Why should it? Actually, I don't really like SMB2, but for other reasons. As well as I prefer OoT for other reasons than the story. But generally, I don't care about "No1" rankings all that much. As you said, it's all about opinions.