Editorial: Majora’s Mask 3D will return you to a Nintendo world you don’t see anymore

So by now, reviews of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D should be hitting the internet. Unfortunately we can’t bring a review of the game, we can’t tell you how the upgraded graphics are, how the presentation is enhanced by the 3D effect or even how the New 3DS allows for full 3D camera support. We can’t detail the changes to the game’s controls or the actual changes to the game.

However, Majora’s Mask 3D is more than just those things, those things make up how the game looks and plays but it isn’t the soul of the game, the heart of Majora’s Mask is something that shouldn’t be overlooked, not again some nearly 15 years later. On paper, the game seems like the ultimate rushed sequel, but it’s not.

There are no story spoilers in this article.

Majora’s Mask did something with the The Legend of Zelda series that was never done before and has never been done again – in fact no other game has even tried to copy it. Upon reaching Termina with a terrible fate, Link finds out the there’s three days left in this world – the moon is coming down and there’s nothing no one can do to stop it. At least until you come along.

Link alongside yourself will soon learn that the world you’ve stumbled (fallen) into is familiar, but not the same. These faces you have seen before but like any alternate reality, things just aren’t right and you’re going to have to relearn everything about these people. Link also has to fight with his own problems at the same time; he’s had his horse stolen while on a quest to search for a missing friend, he’s had all his items taken and even his identity.

As you fight to save the residents of Termina over the three day period you’ll learn to know more about them, more than any other NPC in a Zelda game previously. These aren’t just people you talk to and learn things from, you get to know them. Their stories will intertwine and link up along the way. These people know the world is ending, they’re watching it crawl inch by inch to them but they have their own problems to wrap up before that.

You’re going to share in their fate, you might as well get to know them. You will care for these people more than you ever would Princess Zelda, after all the princess always gets saved – just the name means you know she’s never in any real danger.

These days, games are released all the time that preach to you a story or ideal, that make you feel and pause for thought. In 2000, games really didn’t do that,  games were less serious than they are now, deep and dark themes weren’t tackled so readily – those kinds of games had to hide it. Majora’s Mask was one of those games, a game with layers.

We’ll get technical in our full review of Majora’s Mask 3D as soon as we can. However, before the rush of reviews hit the internet that focus solely on the ‘new’ parts of the game only, I thought the actual heart of the game was worth discussing. Before it is overlooked once again.

If only Nintendo could let their teams take the big franchises off on a tangent like this again, that would be amazing to see.