Nintendo has finally bid farewell to the 3DS, but this by no means a sad occasion. The 3DS had a magnificent life, building a stellar library of games that made use of the hardware better than most gamers even realize. Arguably the cream of the crop are Grezzo’s interpretations of two Nintendo 64 classics, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora’s Mask 3D.
Where Ocarina of Time 3D was a launch title, Majora’s Mask’s 3D released alongside the New 3DS, both games serving as landmarks of sorts in the greater scope of the 3DS’ history. Remakes of two of the best Zelda games, Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora’s Mask 3D take vastly different approaches when it comes to honoring the past.
10 OoT 3D: Amazing Showcase Of 3DS Hardware
The 3DS’ 3D feature isn’t exactly reviled so much as it is generally ignored by the greater gaming community. It was always seen as a gimmick by audiences and it’s even arguable the 3DS exceeded in spite of its 3D. Which is all of a bit of a shame considering how incredible the 3DS’ stereoscopic 3D can be. Case in point: Ocarina of Time 3D.
Virtually every color, aesthetic, or design change made between the N64 and 3DS versions can be justified by the 3D. Not only does playing with 3D make the game far more vibrant, it gradually builds to a level of immersion that frankly should have defined the 3DS’ legacy.
9 MM 3D: Amazing Showcase Of New 3DS Hardware
Given the 3DS’ incredibly long life span, it only made sense for Nintendo to improve upon the handheld a number of times over the course of its life. Majora’s Mask 3D’s release was intimately linked to that of the New 3DS, specifically utilizing the hardware to push sales. While Majora’s Mask 3D is still playable on regular 3DS, New 3DS offers full camera control, faster load times, and smoother gameplay altogether. Majora’s Mask 3D is to the New 3DS what Ocarina of Time 3D is to the 3DS.
8 OoT 3D: Only Fixes Major Issues
Majora’s Mask 3D is notorious for overcorrecting, an issue its predecessor remake did not have. Ocarina of Time 3D only fixes what it absolutely needs to, going so far as to leave harmless glitches untouched. OoT 3D’s biggest changes to the gameplay come in through the Water Temple. Not only has the dungeon been redesigned to telegraph where water levels can be changed, Iron & Hover Boots are now regular items in order to make underwater traversal faster. Beyond that, OoT 3D doesn’t fix what isn’t broken.
7 MM 3D: Better Use Of Touch Screen
Ocarina of Time 3D commits to its touch screen, but not in the wisest of ways. Not only is moving items unituive with buttons (ignoring the fact opening the menu is impossible without touch controls,) but the inventory screen is an absolute mess that players need to keep track of themselves.
While Majora’s Mask 3D retains much of the same touch screen features as Ocarina of Time 3D, regular controls are far more fluid, equipping items around no longer rearranges them in the menu, and the general UI is cleaner while being more intuitive.
6 OoT 3D: Atmosphere
While both Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora’s Mask 3D have justifiably criticized for their bright lighting, it’s at least justifiable in the former’s case. The brighter lighting goes hand in hand with the stereoscoping 3D. Not just that, changes in color and texture are often done to match Ocarina of Time’s in-game visuals to that of the concept art.
Even artistic changes– like the pink sky during the final battle with Ganon– exist to play off the capabilities of the 3DS’ hardware. It’s not 1:1 to the original N64 release in this regard, but Ocarina of Time 3D recaptures the original’s atmosphere while bolstering it.
5 MM 3D: Extra Fishing Ponds
Fishing in The Legend of Zelda has never gotten the credit it deserves. This could be because the games often do a bad job at explaining how to actually fish, but these are in-depth mini-games in some of the most relaxing settings in the franchise. For fans of Ocarina of Time’s fishing hole (and they do exist,) Majora’s Mask 3D features brand new fishing ponds.
Located in the Southern Swamp and the Great Bay, the new fishing ponds come with their own unique fish, react to masks, are massive, and play off of Termina’s three day schedule & weather patterns. Majora’s Mask 3D has the most robust fishing mini-game in the franchise. It’s a pity it doesn’t get more credit.
4 OoT 3D: Master Quest
Grezzo really went all out when it came to remaking Ocarina of Time. The game is a loving reimagining of the original for a modern audience, but it also features arguably the best bit of unlockable content in a Zelda game: Master Quest. Upon defeating Ganon, players will unlock Master Quest 3D. The whole world is mirrored, enemies do double damage, and every single dungeon has been redesigned (including the Ice Cavern, Bottom of the Well, and Gerudo Training Grounds.) Master Quest isn’t necessarily better than Ocarina of Time, but it’s an outstanding secret regardless.
3 MM 3D: Redesigned For Handheld
Ocarina of Time is a game very much of its time, with a save system that starts players at set locations when they boot up the game. Outside of dungeons, young Link will only ever start in Kokiri Forest and adult Link will default to the Temple of Time. Majora’s Mask reshapes its save system entirely to better suit handheld players.
Instead of offering temporary saves, Owl Statues now permanently save the game– just like how Bird Statues work in Skyward Sword. Link can no longer save when rewinding time, but there are a copious amount of Owl Statues (arguably too many) that make saving at any given point a breeze.
2 OoT 3D: True To The Original
Few remakes are as true to the original as Ocarina of Time 3D. The game doesn’t replace the original Nintendo 64 release– which has its own unique merits– but it is more or less an analogous experience. In terms of pure gameplay, it’s outright better. Ocarina of Time 3D’s art direction also intelligently lifts from concept art, resulting in a Hyrule that’s familiar even in its updated form. There are no major gameplay changes, no major dungeon changes, and no major story changes. Ocarina of Time 3D is a genuinely great remake.
1 MM 3D: A Reinterpretation
Majora’s Mask and Majora’s Mask 3D differ in significant enough ways where it’s worth playing both games at the end of the day. The original is an intense experience that’s frankly unrelenting. It’s dark, thematically and aesthetically, which makes Termina even more dreadful. Majora’s Mask 3D is more of a reinterpretation.
Termina loses its warped Hylian iconography (inverted Triforces,) while losing its darker color palette in favor of lighting more in-line with the rest of the Zelda franchise. Majora’s Mask 3D is the game Majora’s Mask would be if it played it safe. For some, though, that’s exactly what they need to overcome how much stress the game puts on the player.
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