Zelda:
Majora's Mask (Mask of Mujula as named in Japan) is the sequel
to the previous and most successful Zelda game ever: Ocarina
of Time. It was released on April 27 in Japan, and will be released
in America and the rest of the world sometime in October - November
(Probably October 26). Legendary hero; Link, ventures this time
in one of the darkest, most original and interesting adventures
of his life.
Overview
Link embarks on a new adventure
to save the world from destruction and to find his way back to
Hyrule. In this new world known as "Talmina" everything
is different. You will find many of the characters that appeared
in Ocarina of Time, (Malon, Talon, Ingo, the Twinrova sisters
and many more) but this time they will just have a different
role in the game. Get ready to play one of the best games of
the Zelda series. Interact with more, and better developed characters,
face the most difficult puzzles, play the never ending number
of mini-games, meet the greatest enemies ever seen in a Zelda
game, travel to the most amazing lands and dungeons this magnificent
game has to offer, and everything while fighting one of your
worst enemies: Time.
Story
The story in Majora's Mask unfolds
little by little, creating an amazing suspense atmosphere. This
doesn't mean there's no action, by the contrary, Majora's Mask
is a fast paced game where exploration, interaction and fighting
are combined in balanced doses. The intro shows Link riding Epona
through a dense and misty forest. Suddenly a black fairy (Mondo,
or Trail in Japanese) appears from nowhere causing Link to fall
off the horse. For a moment our hero lies unconscious on the
dusty floor while a mysterious masked character (Stalkid) enters
the scene with clearly bad intentions. This somewhat childish
but creepy character takes advantage of Link's unfortunate situation
to look into his possessions. For a moment he seems to be especially
attracted to the Ocarina of Time; a musical instrument that we
all know from the previous game. He starts playing with it. The
enjoyable moment Stalkid is having is interrupted by a warning
message of Mondo (or Trail in Japanese) and Bell (Chat in Japanese),
his two fairies. Stalkid turns back to realize that Link has
awakened!
Link surprised by the presence of Stalkid, slowly tries to recover
the Ocarina, but Stalkid showing no intentions of giving it back,
jumps on Epona to escape! In the chase, Link falls into a deep
hole and is transported to a new world filled with mystery, magic,
fantasy and incredible creatures. During the process, Link is
cursed and transformed into a deku scrub by Stalkid, who slowly
walks away, satisfied of his dirty job. Bell (Chat) is left behind
by the Stalkid and Mondo. Aware of the difficulties of being
alone, Bell (Chat) teams up with Link. This time things will
be different, Link will have to save Epona, find the Ocarina
and recover his real shape before the world is destroyed by the
moon itself, everything in 3 days. Link will eventually
find the Mask-seller man a character we know from the previous
game. This time, this character is one of the most important
and his advice will be particularly useful. He will clarify most
of your doubts and leave you with many others. You will have
to consult him many times.
After you first meet this man, you will enter to Talmina, one
of the most impressive towns ever seen in the series. The town
is rendered in real time, which means it's all in real 3D. Expect
to meet many new and old characters.
Time
The moon is falling
and will collide with the world in only 72 hours!!! In real game
time we are talking of 72 minutes, more or less (24 real minutes
are 24 hours in the game). This doesn't mean you will have to
finish the game in 72 minutes. With the Ocarina of Time in your
hands, you will be able to travel back and forth through time,
so as to solve puzzles, complete tasks, finding people and getting
clues in your quest for saving the world. After you recover the
Ocarina you will see Link remembering a song he learned from
Zelda that will allow him to go back in time to the beginning
of his adventure. So, you
will have 3 days again, but every time you travel back in time,
you will miss some of the items you have collected, such as rupees,
bombs and other stuff. In this game, time does have real importance.
You'd better keep an eye on your watch or you'll miss your life!!!
Some objectives can only be accomplished at certain periods of
the day. Everything and everyone in the game is dynamic. Forget
the idea of time from the previous game. Characters are more
realistic in their behavior and personality. People are in constant
movement.
The Masks
It's not necessary
to say that the masks are the most important items of the game,
and gives Link not only the appearance, but also the abilities
of the creatures represented in each mask:
Goron Mask: The somewhat violent transformation Link suffers
while wearing this mask allows him to get the shape of a rock-eating
Goron. This helpful transformation helps Link getting into new
areas by opening your way through some walls or obstacles. Link
can also roll into a ball and travel at high speeds. Goron Link
can also use a Megaton Bomb to blow up even the biggest boulders
and enemies. Deku Scrub Mask: With this mask Link has the chance
to turn himself into a Deku Scrub, one of those talking plants
from "Ocarina of Time" Link can now hop through the
dungeons, shoot bubbles out his snout as a special attack, walk
on water and even glide through the air using flowers. Zora Mask:
The Zora Mask turns Link into a fish-like Zora, allowing him
to "swim?" at amazing speeds and ability. He can twirl
and spin through underwater landscapes with great "talent".
Each one of Link's forms can play magical tunes in different
musical instruments.
The Deku Link plays horns, the Goron Link plays a set of bongo
drums and Zora-Link pulls out a lute made from fish bones. Cool
enough, ah? Of course there are many more masks Link can wear,
but the others don't transform him, instead, they just provide
special powers. The pig mask for example enables you to "see"
smells and find mushrooms.
The happy mask man
The happy mask man is continuously getting involved in the game.
He will give you your hylian shape back and a Deku mask to return
to the Deku-shape anytime you want. You will also get masks from
other characters like the great fairies.
The great fairies
Once again you have the help
of the great fairies, but in order to see the first one, you'll
need to collect those shining flying beings, and you will be
able to obtain your magic meter so you can perform spells given
by the great fairies.
The Scarecrow returns
Our old friend the
scarecrow returns again with a more important role. He can forward
you 12 hours ahead.
Weapons
Contrary to Ocarina of Time and other games of the series, Link
begins his quest with the sword and shield equipped. In weapons
Majora's Mask is largely the same as Ocarina of Time. Since you
only play as Young Link in this game, you use the Kokiri Sword,
Deku sticks and nuts, Bombs, Bombchus, the Hookshot and many
others. In addition, young Link can now also use bow and arrow
- as well as the three different types of magical arrows- as
a kid, and even get an upgrade that turns his dagger into a double-bladed
sword. As we mentioned before Goron Link can also use a Megaton
Bomb to blow up boulders and enemies.
Rupees, money, cash...
Rupees are also
the regular currency of this world. As always rupees have different
colours for different values. There is a sort of Bank where you
can save your money or ask for loans. Saving money can help you
increase the amount of rupees you can carry.
Mini-games
The game is filled with mini-games
and/or bonus. But of course you can't enjoy some of them until
you have certain weapons (arrows and bow). For instance; in the
first town you visit, there is a game where you have to reach
a treasure chest at the other side of a room. The walls of a
maze will rise from the ground as you walk. Another great game
is a dog's race in where you can bet your rupees for the fastes
puppy.
Origin of Stalkid
A cinema sequence shows Stalkid's origin and how he put his hands
on the Mask of Majora from the Happy mask man:
Unmasked Stalkid
Stalkid playing with Mondo and Bell
The drawing foresees the future
Stalkid steals the Mask from the Mask seller
Graphics:
Zelda: Majora's Mask requires the 4MB Expansion to run. It not
only provides a better definition at the distance; it also allows
the game to show more enemies and background details on screen
than in "Ocarina of Time". Majora's Mask offers detailed
and colourful textures. There are also some cool special effects
like moving textures, reflections and light sources. In general
the graphics are much better than in Ocarina of Time. The worlds
are considerably bigger and graphically enhanced thanks to the
power of the (necessary) expansion Pak.
Sound:
One of the things we noticed (and for the pleasure of many of
the Zelda gamers) is that the fairy no longer says "Listen"
all the time like in the previous game.Aaaahhhhh....! The surround
sound enhances the experience and works great when searching
for secret items. And now, some good news for the ones who thought
that something was missing in the music department of "Ocarina
of Time"; The new Zelda for Nintendo 64 has an incredible
soundtrack ... and the traditional Zelda Theme is BACK!!!
In fact...
Detailed dungeons, swamps, woods, lakes,
villages and towns, everything plenty of colour and detail. Add
more complex characters, more twisted puzzles, a better and interesting
plot, enhanced sound and graphics in the mix and you get "Zelda:
Majora's Mask": the new (and clearly superior) Zelda game
for the Nintendo 64.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is another great action-adventure
game for Nintendo 64. Gamers can be sure that once they insert
their cart of Majora's Mask in their console they will be immersed
into a totally different Zelda adventure that offers one of the
most enjoyable storylines we have seen in an adventure game yet.
You must own this game if you liked Zelda: Ocarina of Time or
if you are simply looking for original and really enjoyable experiences.
Simply put: The game is a must. So you MUST have this game. Understood?
Fine.
From England
with love
Htloz has also received the game in England, and Espio is starting
to deliver some of his impressions on the game. "I
ventured back to Hyrule, a land where I had wasted many of my
hours in the past, a land I knew very well. I played the game
for about half an hour, and believe me, the magic is back. It
doesn't matter what the story line is in this game, it's just
as good as Ocarina of Time, but the game is more true to the
Nes classics, it feels darker, and weirder. The lighting effects
have been improved, and the graphics are a bit better. When you
turn on the game, you are greeted with the same 'Nintendo 64'
as in Ocarina of time, then the mask that Stalkid wears, possibly
the Mask Of Mujula (Majora's Mask in the rest of the world),
spins around and approaches the screen, then it floats over to
the mask man from Ocarina Of Time's hands, probably meaning he
finds it. Then the intro plays, and if you press pause during
it, the MoM logo fades into the screen, like Ocarina of Time.
The menu is very similar to Ocarina of Time; it is blue and green.
After all the menu stuff, the intro plays, where Link is riding
Epona in the forest. Two fairies then knock him off Epona and
Stalkid steals Link's Ocarina and rides away on Epona into a
cave where he goes to the new Hyrule. Then loads of people tell
link the moon is going to destroy the world and the 'masked one'
holds the key to saving them. Oh yeah, by that time Stalkid had
turned Link into Deku Link.
A second opinion
I entered the 'Zelda: Mask of
Mujula' cart into my beautiful N64 and so began one of the greatest
games in history. As the game began, I could sense it would be
one of the best of the Zelda series. I started my game and began
to jump around and rememorize the controls. One of the first
things I noticed was that Link did many more tricks while jumping
in the air. He did flips, rolls, dives, and anything else you
could think of. Although one thing bothered me while I started
to play. When first taking control of Link there is no Navi!
Many of you may be thinking this is great, until I met the Stalkid
for the second time. He leaves behind one of his fairies that
wants to get revenge on Stalkid, so he decides to pair up with
Link. Although this time, the fairy is not annoying, but helpful.
I have spent long days on playing this game. I for one believe
this is one, if not, the greatest Zelda games produced! It has
great graphics, great animation, great sound, and beautiful towns,
houses and fields. In Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I used to always
visit Kakariko Village because it was fun to look around and
play with the Cuccos, and in Mask of Mujula there are many places
to visit and have fun! It is fun to be Goron Link and roll around
the field at high speeds running over things in your way. It's
also fun to become a Zora Link and swimming around in the giant
lake they offer. If there was one thing I could change in Zelda:
Ocarina of Time, it would have been to add boats, people, and
overall size to Lake Hylia, and in this game, they made my wish
come true.
The editor
speaks
Well, we said it all. The game
is a must. It's a Role-playing, It's a movie, and It's a magnificent
game. From top to bottom it shows quality and creativity. Enhanced
graphics and sound, (hey the classic overworld theme is back!)
plus the dark, creepy and twisted storyline, presents a really
new immersive gaming experience. The game is clearly an improvement
over Ocarina of Time in most aspects; The world you explore is
fully in 3D. Huge towns, forests, mountains and dungeons will
keep experienced gamers playing all day long. The characters
are more detailed in the animations and behaviour. They really
have a life, a job, an attitude. Boys and girls, if you liked
Ocarina of Time you are going to love this game! For those who
thought it was just a rushed game to keep the hype for Zelda
alive, I tell you: You were wrong dudes! Go order your copy now!!!
Zelda:
Majora's Mask (Mask of Mujula as named in Japan) is the sequel
to the previous and most successful Zelda game ever: Ocarina
of Time. It was released on April 27 in Japan, and will be released
in America and the rest of the world sometime in October - November
(Probably October 26). Legendary hero; Link, ventures this time
in one of the darkest, most original and interesting adventures
of his life.
Link embarks on a new adventure
to save the world from destruction and to find his way back to
Hyrule. In this new world known as "Talmina" everything
is different. You will find many of the characters that appeared
in Ocarina of Time, (Malon, Talon, Ingo, the Twinrova sisters
and many more) but this time they will just have a different
role in the game. Get ready to play one of the best games of
the Zelda series. Interact with more, and better developed characters,
face the most difficult puzzles, play the never ending number
of mini-games, meet the greatest enemies ever seen in a Zelda
game, travel to the most amazing lands and dungeons this magnificent
game has to offer, and everything while fighting one of your
worst enemies: Time.
The story in Majora's Mask unfolds
little by little, creating an amazing suspense atmosphere. This
doesn't mean there's no action, by the contrary, Majora's Mask
is a fast paced game where exploration, interaction and fighting
are combined in balanced doses. The intro shows Link riding Epona
through a dense and misty forest. Suddenly a black fairy (Mondo,
or Trail in Japanese) appears from nowhere causing Link to fall
off the horse. For a moment our hero lies unconscious on the
dusty floor while a mysterious masked character (Stalkid) enters
the scene with clearly bad intentions. This somewhat childish
but creepy character takes advantage of Link's unfortunate situation
to look into his possessions. For a moment he seems to be especially
attracted to the Ocarina of Time; a musical instrument that we
all know from the previous game. He starts playing with it. The
enjoyable moment Stalkid is having is interrupted by a warning
message of Mondo (or Trail in Japanese) and Bell (Chat in Japanese),
his two fairies. Stalkid turns back to realize that Link has
awakened! 
Link will eventually
find the Mask-seller man a character we know from the previous
game. This time, this character is one of the most important
and his advice will be particularly useful. He will clarify most
of your doubts and leave you with many others. You will have
to consult him many times.
The moon is falling
and will collide with the world in only 72 hours!!! In real game
time we are talking of 72 minutes, more or less (24 real minutes
are 24 hours in the game). This doesn't mean you will have to
finish the game in 72 minutes. With the Ocarina of Time in your
hands, you will be able to travel back and forth through time,
so as to solve puzzles, complete tasks, finding people and getting
clues in your quest for saving the world. After you recover the
Ocarina you will see Link remembering a song he learned from
Zelda that will allow him to go back in time to the beginning
of his adventure. 
So, you
will have 3 days again, but every time you travel back in time,
you will miss some of the items you have collected, such as rupees,
bombs and other stuff. In this game, time does have real importance.
You'd better keep an eye on your watch or you'll miss your life!!!
It's not necessary
to say that the masks are the most important items of the game,
and gives Link not only the appearance, but also the abilities
of the creatures represented in each mask:
Once again you have the help
of the great fairies, but in order to see the first one, you'll
need to collect those shining flying beings, and you will be
able to obtain your magic meter so you can perform spells given
by the great fairies. 
Our old friend the
scarecrow returns again with a more important role. He can forward
you 12 hours ahead. 
Rupees are also
the regular currency of this world. As always rupees have different
colours for different values. There is a sort of Bank where you
can save your money or ask for loans. Saving money can help you
increase the amount of rupees you can carry. 
The game is filled with mini-games
and/or bonus. But of course you can't enjoy some of them until
you have certain weapons (arrows and bow). For instance; in the
first town you visit, there is a game where you have to reach
a treasure chest at the other side of a room. The walls of a
maze will rise from the ground as you walk. Another great game
is a dog's race in where you can bet your rupees for the fastes
puppy. 
"I
ventured back to Hyrule, a land where I had wasted many of my
hours in the past, a land I knew very well. I played the game
for about half an hour, and believe me, the magic is back. It
doesn't matter what the story line is in this game, it's just
as good as Ocarina of Time, but the game is more true to the
Nes classics, it feels darker, and weirder. The lighting effects
have been improved, and the graphics are a bit better. When you
turn on the game, you are greeted with the same 'Nintendo 64'
as in Ocarina of time, then the mask that Stalkid wears, possibly
the Mask Of Mujula (Majora's Mask in the rest of the world),
spins around and approaches the screen, then it floats over to
the mask man from Ocarina Of Time's hands, probably meaning he
finds it. Then the intro plays, and if you press pause during
it, the MoM logo fades into the screen, like Ocarina of Time.
The menu is very similar to Ocarina of Time; it is blue and green.
After all the menu stuff, the intro plays, where Link is riding
Epona in the forest. Two fairies then knock him off Epona and
Stalkid steals Link's Ocarina and rides away on Epona into a
cave where he goes to the new Hyrule. Then loads of people tell
link the moon is going to destroy the world and the 'masked one'
holds the key to saving them. Oh yeah, by that time Stalkid had
turned Link into Deku Link.
I entered the 'Zelda: Mask of
Mujula' cart into my beautiful N64 and so began one of the greatest
games in history. As the game began, I could sense it would be
one of the best of the Zelda series. I started my game and began
to jump around and rememorize the controls. One of the first
things I noticed was that Link did many more tricks while jumping
in the air. He did flips, rolls, dives, and anything else you
could think of. Although one thing bothered me while I started
to play. When first taking control of Link there is no Navi!
Many of you may be thinking this is great, until I met the Stalkid
for the second time. He leaves behind one of his fairies that
wants to get revenge on Stalkid, so he decides to pair up with
Link. Although this time, the fairy is not annoying, but helpful.
Well, we said it all. The game
is a must. It's a Role-playing, It's a movie, and It's a magnificent
game. From top to bottom it shows quality and creativity. Enhanced
graphics and sound, (hey the classic overworld theme is back!)
plus the dark, creepy and twisted storyline, presents a really
new immersive gaming experience. The game is clearly an improvement
over Ocarina of Time in most aspects; The world you explore is
fully in 3D. Huge towns, forests, mountains and dungeons will
keep experienced gamers playing all day long. The characters
are more detailed in the animations and behaviour. They really
have a life, a job, an attitude. Boys and girls, if you liked
Ocarina of Time you are going to love this game! For those who
thought it was just a rushed game to keep the hype for Zelda
alive, I tell you: You were wrong dudes! Go order your copy now!!!