The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
by Nintendo
Finished: ✓Majora's Mask is a game that I've known about for a long time. I've seen many let's plays and videos talking about the game, but I've never fully played through it.
I finally ended up playing and finishing the original version for myself. I played the 3DS version when it came out, but I was in the middle of the Great Bay Temple before I stopped playing it.
I had a bit of background knowledge of the game from the bits and pieces I've seen people play, so it wasn't quite a blind playthrough.
I knew about most of the masks and what they could be used for, the theming of the major dungeons, and the final boss. It was fun to discover the things that I didn't know about, or piece together things with vague knowledge.
I knew about Anju and Kafei's quest, but didn't know all of the steps in detail. So, I still had to puzzle my way through it. Ikana Valley was the section of the game that I knew the least.
Watching somebody play the game and playing it yourself is really a different experience.
As you play, you slowly learn about Termina's people and routines. The three day loop becomes the structure in which you live. As you play, Clock Town becomes your home as much as any other resident's.
I like how sorrowful the game can be under the surface: all of your attempts to help the people of Termina get washed away when you go back in time. Even after reuniting Anju and Kafei, they only have an in-game hour before the moon kills them both or the Song of Time tears them apart once more. I wonder how that must feel for Link, to know that his efforts to help people are continually washed away every loop. Unless he can save Termina, he is cursed to be a stranger to its people forever. It's wonderfully tragic.
I've always heard that Majora's Mask was something special, and I'm glad that I was able to see it for myself.