The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask for the N64 is my second favorite game of all time. So, when the Big N announced that it was going to re-release it for the 3DS as it did with Ocarina of Time --My favorite game of all time-- I was really excited! Now, does a game that was originally released in the year 2000 still hold up? Let's find out!
I first started playing it on my launch day 3DS, and it felt exactly like Ocarina of Time 3D in terms of the controls and gameplay --which is always a great thing-- I only wished there was a way to move the camera around at will. Oh wait... There was! Granted, there's a $200 fee to do so if you haven't already upgraded to the New 3DS XL. I eventually ended up buying one, which makes the game look and run better, as well as give you the new camera options. It was a great addition to the game. Was it worth buying a $200 handheld console? I'll leave that up to you. It doesn't break the game if you don't get the New 3DS obviously, it still controls and looks great, but the new features sure do come in handy.
The graphic update was fantastic because it looked exactly as I remembered it when it was first released. I mean that in the best way possible. You know how you remember something nostalgically from the good old days? In your head it holds up great, only for you to take a look at how it actually was and... Wait, that's not how you remembered it! This WAS exactly how it looked in my head: beautiful. Plus, if you have the New 3DS it makes it look a little better and run even smoother. For a newcomer, this is one of the prettiest 3DS games out there.
I'm not passive-aggressive at all!
I did notice some changes in the mechanics. In the original game when you went back in time to the First day, it would save your progress --part of it, at least. For example, if you finished a dungeon and then went back in time and saw that "Dawn of the First Day" title screen, you would still have the dungeon boss's remains and the weapon collected in that specific dungeon if you decided to quit the game right then and there --because everything else would reset. When you eventually come back to it, you would continue where you left off at Dawn of the First Day. In this new version, the only way to actually save was with the Owl statues. I found myself beating a dungeon, go back in time thinking it would save my progress and stopped playing at that point only to have to beat the dungeon once again when I continued with my play-through. This is a minor complaint, but I would've loved to know this beforehand --maybe I missed it in the instructions, who knows!
If you've never played the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask before, this would be a perfect place to start. Not only is this game very different from any Zelda game you've ever played, it's surprisingly deep, considering there are only four main dungeons. The side-quests are spectacular. You wouldn't want to miss what's going on around the town because everybody's story is very engaging and you get to see it in a very detailed way. Plus, it has the added benefit of being completely updated --just for you! The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is a gem that deserves to be played --be it for the first time, or to revisit it, because there's enough new here for everybody.