Zelda: Majora’s Mask N64 vs. 3DS – examining which is better

We’re taking a bit of time to reflect on the Zelda: Majora’s Mask N64 vs. 3DS debate to think about the pros and cons of each version.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is often regarded as one of the better (if not one of the best) games in the series. This is despite how heavily it borrows assets from Ocarina of Time – it fashions old assets into new characters with set routines and believable reactions to the tragedies that occur in the game. That being said, the two versions of the game available right now, N64 and 3DS, provide different experiences. There isn’t a consensus on which version of the game is objectively better, however. Today, we’re going to discuss the differences between Majora’s Mask N64 vs 3DS and ask you the question: which one do you like better?

In favor of the original Nintendo 64 game

There are lots of reasons to prefer the original version of Majora’s Mask. For one, the 3DS version’s upgraded graphics aren’t necessarily a complete upgrade, per se. The Nintendo 64 version of Majora’s Mask has choppier, more polygonal graphics, which actually lend to the creepy vibes in a more important way. For example, Deku Link looks much sadder in the Nintendo 64 version, whereas the 3DS one rounds him out and reduces the intensity of his gloomy expression. This extends to the rest of the game, too. Generally speaking, the 3DS version’s graphics are more rounded. They do retain the unnerving, oppressive feeling of the game, but to a much lesser extent than the Nintendo 64 version.

Then there’s the elephant in the room: the 3DS version’s Zora Link swimming changes. This is probably the worst change the 3DS version of the game made, and it adds an extra point in the original version’s favor. In the 3DS release, Zora Link requires magic to swim with any sort of speed at all. This wasn’t the case in the original Majora’s Mask – you can use magic to use Zora Link’s barrier, but it isn’t needed to increase his speed. This change significantly slows down the pace of the game in the Great Bay area, and the requirement of magic for fast swimming really doesn’t add anything of value to the game – except frustration, maybe, because it drains your magic meter incredibly quickly.

Something else to consider in the Zelda: Majora’s Mask N64 vs. 3DS debate is that another one of the 3DS version’s unfortunate changes was to Deku Link’s water hopping. In the original version, you could perform a spin off the swamp’s lily pads to conserve momentum and hop across the water with ease. In the 3DS version, it seems you lose most of your momentum when you perform a spin attack, which makes navigating the lily pads much more difficult. That’s the thing about the 3DS version – a lot of things are made much more difficult for no real reason.

One great example of this is the Gyorg boss fight. In the original game, Link can either choose to stay on the platform in the middle of the room or go underwater to fight him. In the 3DS version, the entire platform is sunk underwater for the second phase. For this part of the fight, the water fills up with mines, and you have to make Gyorg inhale one. This paired with Zora Link’s magic-hungry changes makes this fight much more difficult.

There’s also the matter of accessibility. The Nintendo 64 version of Majora’s Mask is playable on Nintendo 64 (of course), Wii, Wii U, and Switch. The latter options are also compatible with save states, which makes the game much more accessible to players who aren’t as good at video games. They allow you to retry tough moments in the game without wasting valuable in-game time. And if you’re not one for save states, you can just choose not to use them and get the original intended experience instead.

Overall, the original Majora’s Mask is still a great experience to this day. Save states make it easy to pick up and play (since normally, you can only save via an Owl Statue or the Song of Time), and none of the 3DS version’s unfortunate changes are present here. That being said, the game is also missing the few changes from the 3DS version that do enhance the experience.

In favor of Majora’s Mask 3D

Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D makes tons of changes to the game. Not all of them are good, but there are a few quality-of-life changes and additions that are definite improvements. One example is time management – in this version of the game, the Song of Double Time can be used to pick which hour you want to skip ahead to. In the original version, it merely skipped ahead to the next time benchmark (Night of the First Day, Dawn of the Second Day, etc.). As is the case with Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D has better inventory management. There are two extra touch screen buttons you can assign items to in addition to the standard X and Y buttons. The Ocarina of Time is also available on the touch screen at all times, rather than having to be assigned.

Just like in Ocarina of Time 3D as well, Majora’s Mask 3D has the option of gyro controls. Depending on your preferences, this can make tougher challenges like the Swamp Shooting Gallery easier. There are also more save locations in Majora’s Mask 3D, including ones that do not function as owl statues. Given that there are no save states in this version of the game, this is a welcome change. Additionally, the New 3DS lets you use the small control stick to adjust the camera, which isn’t possible at all in the original game.

There’s also the addition of fishing holes to the game with plenty of fish to catch. That’s overall a minor change, but it’s still an extra bit of unique content that wasn’t present in the original title. Finally, you have the graphics, which are much smoother and high-quality than in the original game. Just about everything has been updated, and while the new visuals aren’t quite as creepy as the Nintendo 64 version’s, they do technically look better.

Overall, Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is sort of hit or miss. Some of its changes were for the better, but others brought down the experience. Which version of the game do you like better, though? Feel free to let us know in the comments down below. Who knows – we may see yet another remake of this game sometime in the future.

You can currently play the Nintendo 64 version of Majora’s Mask via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. Read about the service here.