Majora

A cursed artifact that threatens to crash the moon at dawn on the third day.

Majora's Mask is a mysterious artifact central to the 2000 action-adventure game for the Nintendo 64. Directed by Eiji Aonuma, with a scenario written by Mitsuhiro Takano and script by Yoshiaki Koizumi, and produced by Takashi Tezuka (with Shigeru Miyamoto as general producer), the game was developed in under two years. The mask serves as the catalyst for the game's dark narrative. Obtained by the Happy Mask Salesman from an ancient tribe—though the exact source is vague and not confirmed as a specific tribe—it was stolen by a Skull Kid who fled to the separate dimension of Termina. Its presence drives the plot, forcing Link to prevent the moon from crashing into Termina within three days. While the game reuses elements from Ocarina of Time due to time constraints, the mask introduces unique mechanics and a haunting tone that defined its legacy.

Quick Facts

First appears: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Lore & Background

The lore surrounding Majora's Mask is rooted in the events of Termina, a separate dimension depicted as darker and more unsettling. The mask was obtained by the Happy Mask Salesman and then stolen by a Skull Kid, who used its power to bring a grimacing moon down toward Termina. This evil can bring about the end of the world, creating a threat predicted to impact at dawn on the third day, the morning of the Carnival of Time. The mask's influence afflicts four distinct regions: Woodfall is poisoned, Snowhead suffers eternal winter, Great Bay's waters are contaminated, and Ikana Canyon is terrorized by the undead. The Happy Mask Salesman explains that Skull Kid's mask is Majora's Mask, which contains a powerful evil that can bring about the end of the world.

Reader's Guide

In gameplay, Majora's Mask drives a 72-hour cycle lasting about 54 minutes in real time. Players must use knowledge from previous cycles to solve puzzles and unlock dungeons. Link retains weapons, equipment, masks, learned songs, and proof of dungeon completion after resetting the timeline with the Song of Time. The game introduces transformations via three primary masks: Deku Link can fly and skip on water; Goron Link can roll at high speeds and walk in lava; Zora Link can swim faster and generate electric force fields.

Other masks provide situational benefits, such as the Great Fairy's Mask for locating fairies or the Stone Mask for invisibility. The Bombers' Notebook tracks 20 characters with fixed schedules, helping players manage interactions. Owl statues allow temporary saves and fast travel via the Song of Soaring. The game requires the Expansion Pak to support its complex mechanics and graphical enhancements.

Did You Know?

Majora's Mask was completed in less than two years, a tight schedule that necessitated reusing character models from Ocarina of Time.
Unlike Ocarina of Time where masks were optional sidequests, Majora's Mask relies on them centrally, with 24 total masks including transformations into Deku Scrub, Goron, and Zora forms.
The game requires the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak to play; it is not optional.
An enhanced remake for the Nintendo 3DS, titled The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, was released in 2015.