Majora's Mask is the Best Zelda Ever

Majora's Mask is a game of great quality. There's a few that think otherwise, but with all great art, it often does cause quite a bit of polarity. Majora's Mask has the great distinction, or unfortunate fate, of being a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, which many consider the greatest Zelda game of all time. While Phil Stetson won't argue Ocarina of Time's importance, he does wish to argue why Majora's Mask is better. Or more specificity, why Majora's Mask is the greatest Zelda game ever created.

[RedPawn]

Personally my favorite Zelda's tied for 1st are the original & A link to the Past.

[Marceles]

LttP definitely

[iamtehpwn]

The deepness and back story each one of the masks had, Like anyone remember those two lovers in Clock town? Those Side stories, added up to a game that has never touch me quite like Majora's Mask did.

[The Great Melon]

I absolutely loved Majora's Mask and place it as the best in the series. There was so much life in that game. So many side stories only occur if you do something by x time or after x time. I also liked the fact that they broke up the formula greatly for that game.

I remember when I first started the game and felt slightly panicked by the timer, but I now have come to love that addition. That enabled the game to do far more than one where the world is always constant.

@Arnon

I second the idea to remake Majora's Mask. Just think about how alive the world would look now. Bubbles for your thoughts.

[Arnon]

Majora's Mask was by far my favorite experience of the Zelda franchise. The dark and trippy artstyle brought a mood to the game that I've only experienced in that game. Each mask had a history and lore to them. Side objectives were more than just quests. You took part in many different stories and events. Dungeons were great and used the 5 transformation masks perfectly, and the Ocarina of Time was by far the most innovative item of any game of that time. Slowing down, reversing, speeding up and just going back in time were ingenious.

Not to mention the 3 day goal that you had to go through (I was about 10 at the time) freaked me out, and I actually died the first time just because I had no idea what to do.

Quite a challenging and rewarding game. Not to mention the entire game felt like you weren't focusing on Link, but instead were focusing on the citizens of Clock Town and their personal affairs (and of course trying to save the world from the Skull Kid and Majora's Mask from OoT).

I've been saying it to this day. They need to remake Majora's Mask. Not just enhance it like the God of War collection, but fully remake it.

[Millah]

This guys number 6 reasoning I would actually consider a flaw. How in the hell are plot holes a positive thing to argue this being the greatest Zelda game ever?

Link to the Past owns that title.

[Leminnes]

"A plot hole, or plothole, is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot, or constitutes a blatant omission of relevant information regarding the plot."

There is a difference between a plot hole and a mystery. The logic of MM is mostly nonexistent so having these time-based inconsistencies are grounds for intrigue, not confusion. Feel what you want, but the mysteries in MM made it more interesting for me. And, as far as I know, the game never contradicts itself.

[ReservoirDog316]

I'd say a LttP is the best 2D Zelda game. Everything was just about perfected by that point. I didn't like how little screen time Ganon got but other than that, perfect.

But MM really was something else. It's true that few games give you that unique feeling of unstoppable impending doom. Everything just felt kinda depressing. And I love the Song of Healing in it. It's so perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[imec]

1.) Wind Waker
2.) Majora's Mask
3.) A Link to the Past
4.) Ocarina of Time

[Bodyboarder_VGamer]

I still remember when I was an avid Zelda fan and bought Majora's Mask on day one. I put the game on my N64, turned it on, played the game for like 5 minutes got bored of it and never played it again. LoL

My favorite Zelda games include the original and sequel, Adventure of Link(yes I loved this one! more than Majora's Mask), A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker. After that, TP was crap, the other on Ds is more crap for the kids and I never got into the ones on the GameBoy. I've been a handhelds hater since I was a kid but bought a GameBoy Advance for Metroid Zero Mission. <--- BTW awesome game.

The Many Looks of Link:
http://stars.ign.com/articl...

[slave2Dcontroller]

Totally Agree. Sad to say but the N64 Zeldas' sucked balls IMO. I didnt even enjoy Zelda:OOC.

[RockmanII7]

I hate handheld games too, but the Minish Cap is an exception. That game is the definition of a great game.

[execution17]

i enjoyed majoras mask, its probably my favorite zelda game, since OoT is just a rehash of LttP (same game just in 3d if you think about it)

[Nac]

Except it has emotion

[George Sears]

Man back in the day for me Majora's Mask was hard as hell. I mean, passing the game in it's 3 day goal wasn't an easy task. I always felt scared like I wasn't going to be able to pass it. Eventually, I got the hang of it.

I still prefer Ocarina of Time simply because I didn't felt this overwhelming pressure of passing the game as quickly as I could. (Also didn't lose a % of my rubies!)

[WildArmed]

yeah loved Ocarina of time.. spent over 1000 hours into it...
Played it atleast 4 times.. and went heart hunting and bottle hunting and all that good stuff..
the game was VERRY fun.. To me.. that game cannot be surpassed
that was the ONLY reason why I picked up N64.. for the next couple of months I never plugged my psx back in lol.
But when all was over, had to go back to Psx. N64 games werent that good once i think about it.

That piece of Zelda has earned the no. 1 spot in my heart forever :)

[The Great Melon]

The 3 day goal freaked me out a little, but that countdown was one of the best things about Majora's Mask. The pressure made me care a lot more about the game, and for that reason it is my favorite of the series.

[blazed13]

the best zelda game is the first one and Oot. wind waker was good too.

[MasterBlaster]

What.. no love for A Link to the Past?

That's my favorite by far. Though I do like them all.

[EvilTwin]

Majora's Mask faced the same problem all GTA's have now faced since GTA3 -- it's hard to follow up the game that jumped the series into 3D.

[Nihilism]

Living up to a great prior game is always hard, but where the two examples are different in that majoras mask evolved the gameplay and story. GTAIV was a downgrade in a lot of ways. The rpg elements being taken away ( improving skills through use ) was a major gameplay downgrade for me.

I personally liked majoras mask a lot, maybe even more than ocarina, god damn i wish i still had my n64. That's the unfortunate thing about console gaming, over time the games become un-usable for lack of BC as well as the consoles dying and becoming obsolete

[The Great Melon]

@dchalfont

Definitely agree with you there. Although I love the Legend of Zelda series, the story never changes much. Majora's Mask took a risk that made many dislike it, but captured people like me.

I still love how the moon slowly creeps towards you throughout the entire 3 day period and the world turns redder over time. Really would like to pull that game out and play it again.

[Nihilism]

I know what you mean, the time cycle made the world seem so like so much more of a fantasy world, almost fairy tale like, it's a shame they don't make games that memorable anymore. Even the greatest game stories of this gen can't stack up to the old ones, Dragon Age was an amazing rpg....but games like that can't hold a candle to the epic zelda stories.

[EvilTwin]

dchalfont -- I agree with you that GTA IV was in some ways a step back from the previous games, but that's also not the one I was comparing Majora's Mask to. MM was basically an expansion pack of OoT: the same game engine, but improved graphics and a different story. In that respect, Vice City and San Andreas would be the GTA games that would be in direct comparison.

And as great as both of those games are (they're both better than GTA3, IMO), in "best of" lists, you'll probably see the third installment come first, because it was the first game that jumped the series into 3D.

[slave2Dcontroller]

Only Gamers(most) who are post SNES era would buy this Bullchit. Zelda; A Link To The Past is teh PWN. Hell, I like Wind Waker better than Majora.

[Leminnes]

I did grow up in the SNES era. Just sayin'.

[Anorexorcist]

Mainly because that was the game that distracted me and helped me get through plenty a day in Elementary school when I used to play my Game Boy at the back of the class when the teacher was showing some B.S. video about rainforests or when the class was reading some Chronicles of Narnia book.

[The Great Melon]

I loved that game also. It was my first Zelda game that I played. The ending really troubled me knowing that everything was a dream.

[bjornbear]

the name kind of gave it away tho =P i was under the impression at the start it was a dream bt i forgot throughout the game =P

[Nac]

What about in terms of actual console entries?

[Xi]

I thought that it was the darkest and most mature. It also had the greatest subplots. It felt like it was more a story of the world through the eyes of link rather then the story of link.

It's also myamoto's favorite I believe.

[The Great Melon]

I like the way you summed it up. I definitely was interested in the world far more than I have been in other Zelda games.

[StarScream4Ever]

My favorite Zelda games of all times are Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Ages/Season, and Majora's Mask. Personally I find the cartoon Link games and Twilight Princess overrated. :/

[ChickeyCantor]

I agree and Disagree.
Majora's mask with links awakening and link to the past AAAAND windwaker are all "Best" in the series. But all of them feel different =D.

[The Great Melon]

You have the same tastes as me. I would rank those as my top Zelda games also. The ending of Link's Awakening still remains so bitter sweet in my mind.

[ChickeyCantor]

That ending left me emotionally disturbed at that age.
It was....really sad actually ahahaha.

[FreeWillow15]

I cant decide yet, i picked up majoras mask back on the n64 and was too pressured to play D: but ive got it again on virtual console and heck! its a lot of fun....MIGHT just be better than ocarina of time!

[bjornbear]

Ocarina of time, didn't like Majora's mask at all

[Blaster_Master]

Just bought an N64 for my 3 yr old son, but getting MM again just so I can play. LOL! Oh and WCW vs NWO.

[StarCSR]

To be honest: This is the only non-handheld Zelda I've never played. But I'm planning on buying this for the Virtual Console. But first I'll finishh Ocarina Of Time again.

My favorite is Link To The Past: without ANY doubt. And then it's Ocarina.

[hatchimatchi]

LttP is one of my all time favorites but OoT is probably my favorite videogame ever. I preordered it and had the gold cartridge. I was in 7th grade and good lord playing that game in my bedroom was like entering a different world. OoT was unlike anything ever made. An absolute masterpiece. It kinda sucks for kids that are playing it for the first time on the VC. It's still an outstanding game but it most likely won't have the same awe-inspiring impact that it had back in 1998.

I also wanna mention that TP is incredible and doesn't get the credit it deserves. :)

[EvilTwin]

Wow. I think I may be in complete agreement with you for the first time.
;)
+Bubbles

[hatchimatchi]

ha, i'm not always a complete douche in the wii section. Just most of the time. :P

[FreeWillow15]

you make a good point....kids who play it for the first time will probably have fun with it but they wont appreciate as much as we did back in the day.

[Knightofelemia]

Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princes I liked, but nothing beats the old ones.

[SuperSaiyaJinX]

my favorite zelda game's are the one's i played in order ( a link to the past then zelda oot, majoras mask) and same goes for my favorite soundtrack i mean come on you can't be a zelda fan without knowing the overworld and dark overworld theme which is my favorite song in the whole zelda series.

[LittleBigSackBoy]

I put soooo many hours into MM just to see the worst ending ever. TP ties with OoT for me, both amazing games. A Link To The Past was amazing too, most Zela games are at least great. Although i wish you could kill Navi...

EDIT: WW nearly beats TP and OoT for me, that was the most fun to play. Like FF IX was the most fun but not the best.

[Nac]

If I were to say the best, it would have to be OoT. But my favorite is MM.

[IQUITN4G]

A lot of people just didn't have the patience for this one and really that was their loss

Easily as good the very best of Zelda's

One of the most unique and satisfying game experiences you will ever have quite frankly - i'd say arguably more so in fact than all the Zelda's

It doesn't feel all that easy either like Zelda games have become lately - though clearly it's not as challenging as something like Gaiden

[blazed13]

link to the past was a great game. as a matter of fact i still play it but its not better than Oot and the first zelda game well it started it all so what can i say.

[Whitefox789]

Personally me Link's Awakening holds a special place in my heart because that was first Zelda game I ever played. BTW I still have my lime green gameboy :P

[Quadrix]

FINALLY someone acknowledges Majora's Mask's greatness.

[MonopolyRSV]

Never played Majora's Mask and don't want to either.

[tunaks1]

easily the best Zelda game and one of my favorite of all time. It had an awesome story line.

[lizard81288]

don't have an N64 though, luckily i got LoZ:CE(collectors edition), which has zelda, zelda II, OoT and MM.

they should have kicked zelda II out and threw in, a link to the past.
anyway, both games were really fun.