Nintendohas finally bid farewell to the3DS, 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 twoNintendo 64classics,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DandMajora’s Mask 3D.
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WhereOcarina of Time 3Dwas a launch title,Majora’s Mask’s 3Dreleased alongside the New 3DS, both games serving as landmarks of sorts in the greater scope of the 3DS’ history. Remakes of two of the bestZeldagames,Ocarina of Time 3DandMajora’s Mask 3Dtake vastly different approaches when it comes to honoring the past.
10OoT 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.
9MM 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. WhileMajora’s Mask 3Dis still playable on regular 3DS, New 3DS offers full camera control, faster load times, and smoother gameplay altogether.Majora’s Mask 3Dis to the New 3DS whatOcarina of Time 3Dis to the 3DS.
8OoT 3D: Only Fixes Major Issues
Majora’s Mask 3Dis notorious for overcorrecting, an issue its predecessor remake did not have.Ocarina of Time 3Donly 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 to make underwater traversal faster. Beyond that,OoT 3Ddoesn’t fix what isn’t broken.
7MM 3D: Better Use Of Touch Screen
Ocarina of Time 3Dcommits 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.
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WhileMajora’s Mask 3Dretains much of the same touch screen features asOcarina 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.
6OoT 3D: Atmosphere
While bothOcarina of Time 3DandMajora’s Mask 3Dhave 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 matchOcarina 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, butOcarina of Time 3Drecaptures the original’s atmosphere while bolstering it.
5MM 3D: Extra Fishing Ponds
Fishing inThe Legend of Zeldahas 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 ofOcarina of Time’s fishing hole (and they do exist,)Majora’s Mask 3Dfeatures 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 3Dhas the most robust fishing mini-game in the franchise. It’s a pity it doesn’t get more credit.
4OoT 3D: Master Quest
Grezzo really went all out when it came to remakingOcarina 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 aZeldagame:Master Quest. Upon defeating Ganon, players will unlockMaster 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 Questisn’t necessarily better thanOcarina of Time, but it’s an outstanding secret regardless.
3MM 3D: Redesigned For Handheld
Ocarina of Timeis 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 Maskreshapes its save system entirely to better suit handheld players.
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Instead of offering temporary saves, Owl Statues now permanently save the game– just like how Bird Statues work inSkyward 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.
2OoT 3D: True To The Original
Few remakes are as true to the original asOcarina 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 3Dis a genuinely great remake.
1MM 3D: A Reinterpretation
Majora’s MaskandMajora’s Mask 3Ddiffer 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 3Dis 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 theZeldafranchise.Majora’s Mask 3Dis the gameMajora’s Maskwould 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.
