The Legend of Zelda - Majora's Mask (N64)

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Playing as a Deku Scrub, you will know how Luke, Obi-Wan and Hans Solo felt as they walked into the Mos Eisley bar in Star Wars. Deku Scrubs, it seems, aren't welcomed in the village, and no one pays them any attention. But being a Deku Scrub has its advantages--like being able to shoot nuts out of your wooden nose (not as gross as it sounds), using flower petals to propel yourself into the air, and lots of other neat trickery.

While the landscape looks somewhat familiar, you will notice a gigantic moon that seems to be falling down toward the earth. That's no optical illusion; it really is falling to earth! For that reason, Link is also battling time. Each group of challenges must be executed within a 72-hour window before the moon crashes down, destroying the world of Hyrule (and you thought you had your hands full just duelling with Gannon).

A sophisticated-looking sundial on the base of the screen displays the game's day and the time. The tough part is that a day on the game clock (meaning 24 hours) takes place every 15 minutes in real time. Of course, you are not going to be able to complete the game in under an hour. Link is trapped in a three-day time loop. If the end is near, all Link needs to do is to play the Song of Time and the three-day cycle starts all over again, with Link retaining all of the information and items he's collected. If this is confusing, watch the Harold Ramis movie Groundhog Day and you'll understand.

As you might have guessed, the masks play an essential part in the new gameplay system. Collecting certain masks will give Link special powers and will transform him into a variety of different characters.

Thankfully, the weapon targeting system and battle style is the same as Ocarina of Time (which is to say, perfect). Expert game designer Shigeru Miyamoto has always been fond of creating new gameplay mechanisms in the past, so it's great that the team decided to leave the incredible Z-targeting feature in place.

The new time-based element might seem confusing at first, but it introduces an incredible amount of depth to an already deeply challenging game. It is innovations like this that have kept Nintendo among the world's premier gaming developers for 20 years. Plus, with older innovations (such as the rumble pack) and newer ones (expansion pack galore, baby!) the list of positives just keeps growing.

As one of Nintendo's biggest flagship series', with all the power of the Big-N behind it, the true Zelda fan should have nothing but blue skies to look forward with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. --Todd Mowatt

It starts off with Link travelling through the a forest. He is riding his trusty horse, Epona. I don't want to spoil it, but in the end, a masked skull kid steals his ocarina, and he loses his horse. Then, a ghastly curse is put over him, and he gets transformed into a plantlike creature. He then goes on a quest to get turned back to normal and collect masks with varying power. He travels through dungeons, and defeats evil bosses to unlock magical giants which will help him when he tried to defeat the skull kid.

It is a very good game, with lots of action, some humour, and imaginative creatures. I think that this game is a masterpiece, but just lacks that extra something which made The ocarina of time the best game I have ever played. I still think that it is a great game, though. And if you did like The ocarina of time, or just need a game to play, this is definitely the game for you! VERY GOOD GAME!!!

The 3-day system is both a blessing and a curse, a blessing because it gives the game atmosphere and variation (different events taking place and the weathers bad on day 2 aswell! - a nice touch), it also gives an added sense of urgency, such as when you want to get somewhere in time.

A curse because it lessens the satisfaction gained from exploring, in Ocarina of time you felt like you had all the time in the world, but in Majora's mask you have an agenda to comply to. The biggest problem is that you have to WAIT for things to happen, not good.

Ultimately the 3-day system works very effectively, and as some may moan that it should not have been included, it adds originality, a factor which has kept the series running is that all the editions have been very different, Majoras mask is no exception.

The second innovation is the addition of masks, these are a fantastic as each gives you a different ability, the bunny hood lets you run fast, the giants mask makes you a giant, the zora, gorron and deku masks each transforms link into the respective hylian species, which makes for incredible variation in both the puzzles, sub-games and battles.

I won't spoil anything but it is worth mentioning that the story is brilliant, so different from that of any other game i've played, and the graphical style gives the game a slightly chilling feel.

In terms of scale in comparison with Ocarina of time's Hyrule, Termina - the land in which Majora's mask takes place- is significantly smaller, however its creators have effectvely done more with less, again thanks to the 3-day happenings and the many masks to collect and utilise.

Ultimately, Majoras Mask is an entirely original game that maintains the amazing atmosphere and magic of every other game in the series (excluding the appaling Zelda 2 on the snes).

If you dont have it, buy it now.

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