Fans of the Legend of Zelda series spent a few years after the launch of the Nintendo 3DS and Ocarina of Time 3D demanding a similar 3D re-make of Majora’s Mask.
There was even a dedicated name for the community and “movement” pulling for the 3DS game – Operation Moonfall.
For a while, it seemed like this was the most-desired video game that Nintendo could possibly reveal, 3DS or otherwise. In fact, it was one of the most popular choices mentioned among countless ideas when Shigeru Miyamoto flat-out asked the viewers of Kotaku what they’d like to see the most from the company.
New F-Zero? Nah. New Metroid? Nope. The people just wanted a portable version of Majora’s Mask – with glorious, glasses-free 3D visuals.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the news finally came during Nintendo Direct presentation in November: the publisher finally revealed Majora’s Mask 3D was in development, and coming out sooner than most expected. No specific release date was set, but the launch window was confirmed as “Q1/Q2 2015.”
It was also discovered that Grezzo, the very same team that re-built Ocarina of Time, is in charge of remastering Majora’s Mask.
For the most part, the upcoming 3DS release appears to be the same dark & twisted Legend of Zelda sequel that stood out so much from its predecessors when it originally launched on the N64 in 2000.
It still features the three-day cycle with the moon threatening to crash down upon the land of Termina below. It still focuses on the eerie Skull Kid character and his titular mask that is bound to him by a dark and terrible magic. It still incorporates all the different masks and their various features within the game.
Like Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D will boast completely remastered visuals and stereoscopic 3D effects. Few concrete details about the 3DS re-make have been discussed, but we do know a couple features from Ocarina 3D will return: the menu interface will be set to the touch screen, and the internal gyroscope can be used to aim or look around the environment.
Some scattered tidbits about Majora’s Mask 3D; the fishing mini-game is making an appearance, unlike the original game. In fact, you can apparently fish in two different locations throughout Termina. There will apparently be tweaks to at least one of the game’s boss fights, possibly more – no further details were discussed about this.
Also mentioned was a “hint system” that will be integrated in order to make the game “easier to understand for newcomers.” According to Nintendo President Satoru Iwata:
“As we worked on the remake version, we set out to maintain the original level of challenge, while keeping the game accessible for anyone. So we also focused on making sure the gameplay experience was as smooth as possible.”
Nintendo has also hinted that Majora’s Mask 3D may differ slightly when played on the New Nintendo 3DS hardware. The enhanced 3D effects and additional control options seem like they would make a pretty obvious impact on both the presentation and mechanics, respectively. Although the gyroscope controls were actually quite good in Ocarina 3D (and I anticipate the same from Majora’s Mask) I would argue that the extra buttons and second stick of the New 3DS would ultimately provide the “smoothest possible” experience.
Unfortunately, that’s about all of the information currently known about Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D. Specific changes to dungeons, puzzles, weapons, and other in-game features have been kept quiet. Details about integration of added 3DS functionality – StreetPass, Play Coins, etc. – have not been mentioned at all.
Although it has not been mentioned whatsoever at the time of publishing this preview, I would not be shocked at all to see something like Boss Rush returning from Ocarina of Time 3D, and I would also be grateful for something like that: Majora’s Mask had some excellent boss fights, after all.
Nonetheless if I had one request it would be an additional Master Quest-style adventure contained in Majora’s Mask 3D. Perhaps it could be unlocked after completing the original storyline. Adding something like the super-difficult Master Quest mode, with new puzzles and tougher dungeon layouts, would be a tremendous surprise and challenge for dedicated Legend of Zelda fans. It would also be something “new” for Majora’s Mask.
Also, if the 3DS game does have any exclusive functionality on the New Nintendo 3DS, I hope it’s support for Amiibo figures such as Link, Toon Link, Zelda and Shiek. I might be as crazy as the Windmill Guy for caring about Amiibos on the handheld platform, but giving them some kind of function would be really cool.
Check back for more about Majora’s Mask 3D leading up to its release. The reveal trailer can be found below, in case you missed it. Tell us what you think about the N64’s classic, twisted sequel being re-made by leaving some feedback.
