If you can’t find what you’re looking for here or want to check out more Majora’s Mask 3D walkthroughs, common fixes, and tips, take a look at the Master List.
Ever since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, fans have clamored for the N64 hit, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, to receive the same lush 3DS treatment.
Though it’s taken a few years, we finally got what we asked for – but unlike Ocarina of Time, which was left virtually untouched in terms of gameplay, Majora’s Mask received the visual overhaul we wanted and more.
Some fans have decried many of these changes (such as swimming with Zora Link) but for the most part, many of these changes are positive and well-considered for the jump from living room console to a handheld device (with a known short battery life).
Here are some of the changes you should expect with areas in the main storyline quest and Temples.
(NOTE: This has been written in a way that is intended for players who are familiar with/have beaten the original N64 version of Majora’s Mask. Newcomers to the game may still find this guide handy, but are less likely to recognize certain rooms and areas right away.)
Magic Bean Shortcut
In Southern Swamp, you need to gain access to the off-limits areas of to Deku Palace to reach the monkey that has been accused of kidnapping the Deku Princess. To do so, you need to run through the mazes to either side of the main corridor into the palace (one side will lead to a Piece of Heart, the other to a hole in the ground) without getting caught by the Deku Soldiers.
Once you reach the hole in the ground and have spoken to the Magic Bean seller there, there is a second portal past him that you can step on. This portal will take you back up to the surface on the right side of the palace – exactly where you need to be to plant the bean.
(Remember: Grab a bottle of Spring Water before going into this portal.)
Changes to Woodfall Temple
For the most part, the puzzles in the four Temples have been kept largely identical to the original N64 game. There have been a few minor changes to the Woodfall Temple:
- The Stray Fairy that normally lies under the pushable block has been moved to a later room (room door is located at the bottom of the board path in the main room with the giant flower in the center).
- The moving flower platforms in the large room with the pits in the ground and the dragonflies flying around no longer move until you land on them.
Changes to the Water Temple (Great Bay Temple)
- The Ice Arrows no longer make ice platforms anywhere in the water that you want to shoot. You need to aim for sparkles in the water.
(Note: Like in the N64 game, shooting into the water may not always get you you an ice platform with the first arrow so you may end up wasting quite a few arrows/magic. A Green Potion is recommended.)
- In the room with the giant waterwheel (immediately after the door with the giant turtle), the platform to the left that you jump onto from the yellow water jet is now seperated from the one with the door. I recommend not wearing the Bunny Hood while walking on the pipes that connect these two platforms.
Changes to the Stone Tower
When the Stone Tower is rightside up, one of the earlier rooms (reached by taking the door to the right), has two fenced in areas on the left blocked by Sun Blocks and a large pool of water with spike bombs at the bottom. It’s also bisected by a high-walled bridge.
- In the original game, you have to swim towards the opposite side with Zora Link and maneuver him in such a way as to flip up and roll onto the ledge. In the 3DS remake, a ledge has been added to allow you simply to swim up to it and climb up.
- The switch in this same room is accessed easiest by changing to Deku Link and hopping across the water from the aforementioned ledge.
Transformation Mask Changes and UI Tweaks
The transformation masks can be set to any of the buttons on the side of the bottom screen (these take the place of the yellow C-buttons on the N64 controller, plus one). Previously, when transformed, these masks would be grayed out in the menus and you would be unable to replace the C-button this mask was set to.
In the 3DS version, you are now able to set a new mask or item onto that C-button equivalent and when you exit out of the menu, you will transform back to normal Link automatically.
Masks and items are are now able to be reorganized on the bottom screen menus rather than having a set place. This means that it’s easier to accidentally drag the wrong item onto your use buttons but it’s also very easy to notice the mistake and fix.
As you can see most (though perhaps not all) of these changes were added to simplify things and smooth over some of the undue frustration of the original game (i.e. that ledge in Stone Tower) and also to help players adapt to the change in platform (i.e. the moving flower platforms in Woodfall) rather than to “dumb the game down.”
For other guides and tips for Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, check out the Master List.
