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Any gamers around here?

Started by Agramon, June 21, 2013, 02:55:17 AM

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Blackleaf

#4230
I started replaying The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask recently, which remains one of my favorite games of all time. Despite its tone and subject matter, it is one of my comfort games. Easy to pick up, infinitely replayable. Unfortunately, I don't have an N64 to play it on, so I've been playing it on Switch. There's a little bit of input delay, but I got used to it pretty quick. I also own the 3DS remake, but while it makes some valuable changes, such as adding gyro aiming, it also messes with some things it really shouldn't have changed. So I'd rather play the original.



For those unfamiliar, Majora's Mask is the direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, one of the most celebrated and influential games of its era. Majora's Mask reuses the same engine and many assets from OoT, but the game sets itself apart from its predecessor in two big ways: Its greater emphasis on NPCs and its time limit. Depending on what in-game day and time it is, you can find NPCs in different locations, and your actions can influence their schedule. After three in-game days, the moon crashes into the land of Termina, killing everyone. But it's okay, because you (Link) are a time traveler. At any time, you can reset time back to the first day, but any progress made, outside of most key items collected, is reset.

The game has been interpreted in many ways, but I see it as a game about healing. Many of Termina's residents are dealing with serious issues. Anju, the inn keeper, is visibly upset, because her fiancé has disappeared, and she doesn't know why. A Goron hero dies on his way to investigate a curse that keeps his people trapped in an endless Winter, and his spirit lingers. A girl on a ranch loses her mind after something mysterious happens on the first night. Link has the power to help these people, equipped with a variety of tools, magical masks, and a magic ocarina. One of the songs he can play on his ocarina is the Song of Healing, which has the power to soothe hurting souls. While there are a few dungeons, the main bulk of the game is getting to know the people of Termina and their schedules, and figuring out how to solve their problems.

Link's masks, often rewards for helping the people of Termina, have a variety of effects. Some are more useful than others, and some only have a single use. But there are three masks which allow Link to transform into another race, each with their combat and movement abilities. As a Deku Scrub, Link can hop on the water, dive into flowers and pop out of them to hover for a bit. As a Goron, Link can break rocks, resist lava damage, and roll in a ball like Sonic the Hedgehog. Zora Link is a fan favorite, able to swim at high speeds, breathe under water, and fire blades from his arms like a couple of boomerangs. These masks also give Link the likeness of those who have passed on, and people who knew those dead people will recognize Link as those people. For instance, the Goron mask has Link resemble the hero Darmani, and his actions to help the Gorons are done as if fulfilling Darmani's unfulfilled wishes.

As I mentioned, at the end of the third in-game day, the moon drops out of the sky. The threat of the moon is ever present, getting closer over time. Occasionally, the ground shakes as a result of the celestial body's approach. Why is the moon falling, though? Well, it's because of this game's main villain. A child, known as the Skull Kid, with the ancient and powerful Majora's Mask. The fact that the mask is shaped like a heart covered in spikes is likely not a coincidence. The Skull Kid, feeling abandoned by his friends, uses his newfound power to spread misery around the land, including by pulling the moon towards Termina. He's such an interesting villain to me. Ganondorf will always be the series' main villain, and while he has had some depth added to him in some games, he's generally portrayed as a generic evil villain. He craves power, doing evil for evil's sake. But Skull Kid is just a child, lacking in emotional intelligence, who has found ultimate power. He has no ultimate goal except for having fun. He curses people because he thinks it is funny. He's hurt, so he wants to hurt others. He isn't a villain to be destroyed, but a villain to be redeemed. A victim of his own actions.

"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--