[Sneak Peek] Majora’s Mask 3D

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D for Nintendo 3DS is coming out soon. It’s a remake of the 2000 classic Majora’s Mask for Nintendo 64, a darkly enchanting game all about death, failure, friendship, and perseverance.

Let’s take a look at what we know about Majora’s Mask 3D so far.

First off, since this game is a remake, many things about it will be very similar to the original, including the basic plot, characters, and items. This means you can read all about the story before you buy the game. Sweet!

Here’s a quick rundown: The moon is falling to earth. Link, the protagonist of every Zelda game, has only three days to summon four giants who will help him catch the moon and save the world. In order to buy more time, Link has to relive those same 72 hours over and over again, watching the people around him act out the exact same three days in a perpetual loop. Think “Groundhog Day,” but more fantastical.

Also, the moon has a big scary face. (Majora’s Mask for the N64)

Unlike the original, Majora’s Mask 3D is playable only on handheld consoles, so that will make sharing the experience with family members significantly more tricky. On the bright side, the New 3DS—which is coming out on the same day as Majora’s Mask 3D—will have an updated 3D screen, which should make it a little easier to share the experience.

Majora’s Mask 3D will also have significantly better graphics than the original version. If you’ve played Ocarina of Time 3D, which came out a few years ago, you’ll recognize the animation style. You can also expect smoother controls and better loading times than ever.

Because the 3DS has two screens, the maps and the menus will be updated for convenience. One of the great advantages of dual-screen games is that you can have more things displayed at one time while you’re playing. As in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, you will no longer need to pause the game in order to study the map.

A Link Between Worlds has a handy map displayed on the lower screen.

Majora’s Mask for Nintendo 64 was an incredibly strange and powerful game, and you can be sure that this remake will be an excellent conversation starter for your family. If your kid likes collecting, puzzling, and exploring, Majora’s Mask 3D is a great bet. Stay tuned for our full review, coming soon.