Bomber’s Notebook #024 – Ocarina of Time vs. Majora’s Mask Part 2

In last week’s Bomber’s Notebook, I compared and contrasted Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask in three different categories: story, time mechanics and dungeons. This week we’re going to dive into more defining elements of the two games and place them side-by-side in order to discern which of the two titles reigns supreme.

Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask have been running side-by-side as competitors for fans’ favorite Zelda game for a few years now. The former has been immensely popular since the day it was released, but the latter began to become more appreciated and stole the spotlight starting around a decade after it was released. They are very different and yet very alike, splitting a considerable chunk of the Zelda fan base into two: those who love Ocarina of Time more and those who love Majora’s Mask more. Make the jump to read the second part of this two-part series!

Music

Ocarina of Time boasts some of the most famous themes in Zelda, including but not limited to the “Song of Storms”, “Gerudo Valley”, “Zelda’s Lullaby”, “Lost Woods”, “Epona’s Song” and “Saria’s Song”. It would be a disservice to say that this music hasn’t penetrated the very fabric of modern culture. Many musicians have these songs dedicated to memory, perhaps one day you’ll hear a piano player punching out familiar melodies from Ocarina of Time. I know I’ve experience this phenomenon many times.

The key to this game’s music lies within the simplicity of the composition. They main theme is often repeated, but what makes these songs so endearing is that they embody the nature of the areas or events that correspond with them so well. Not to mention that they’re all incredible memorable and easy to learn, which makes Ocarina of Time‘s themes popular candidates to be remixed. It would be silly of me not to provide a few samples of the music, so here:

Majora’s Mask remixes a few of Ocarina of Time‘s tunes, but most of them are completely fresh and encompass an ominous, unearthly feel. Many of the themes are slow, played in minor scales and fluctuate between more upbeat melodies and wicked ones. I guess that this is all to emphasize that Termina is a twisted, alternate version of Hyrule. The Snowhead Temple’s theme is a remixed version of the Ice Cavern, but uses synths and echo sound effects instead of chimes. It has an entirely different atmosphere than the Ice Cavern, which is representative of what Majora’s Mask‘s score strives to achieve.

The beautiful, happy music of Ocarina of Time has been tossed out the window and is replaced by an unnerving, somber and unforgettable soundtrack. A dominant theme in Majora’s Mask‘s music is progression and change. Over the course of the three days, the Moon will draw nearer and nearer to Termina. The townspeople became more and more disheartened and lose faith, also increasing the sense of urgency for Link to hurry up. Clock Town’s theme changes everyday, and by the Third Day the song has become rapid and carries a hint of a devilish, off-key tone that is subtle but potent in setting the mood. Once the Third Day draws to a close, the “Final Day” song plays. It’s slow, is comprised only of complex chords and brings with it the idea that Termina’s despair is inevitable. It is simplistic yet meaningful.

The Woodfall, Snowhead, Great Bay and Ikana areas all share the same basic melody, but execute the brooding piece in different manners. The same goes for the boss themes, which are essentially the same throughout but comprise of different music instruments to fit the dungeon and areas. Majora’s Mask makes great use of choirs and various chords to instill a dramatic feel in the music. There are also many masterful individual songs, but I find that the “Song of Healing”, among other pieces, represents the sadness, the essence, the brilliance of Majora’s Mask better than the rest.

Ocarina of Time‘s songs are timeless classics that will forever remain embedded in our hearts. Few games can achieve what it has in music. But Majora’s Mask‘s soundtrack is deeper, has greater meaning and is much more unique. Comparing the music is a lot like comparing the games themselves, since their soundtracks exemplify the games so wonderfully. I would have to say that in this field, the result is a stalemate.

Sidequests

Each game offers its fair share of sidequests, but obviously Majora’s Mask takes the upper hand with such gems as the Anju and Kafei quest, the optional and extensive quest for the Fierce Deity’s Mask and the challenging Skulltula Houses. In fact, I mentioned all three in a previous Notebook. The Biggoron’s Sword Trading Sequence from Ocarina of Time also made the list, but pales in comparison to the Stray Fairies, vast number of Pieces of Heart and multitude of masks one can collect.

Ocarina of Time offers a healthy thirty-six Heart Pieces while Majora’s Mask delivers fifty-two. Ocarina of Time features eight relatively useless masks while Majora’s Mask gives Link twenty-four to hunt down, many of which grant him supernatural abilities. Majora’s Mask presents more rewards for the player in the form of upgrades. For instance, Link can upgrade his Kokiri Sword to a Razor Sword then a Gilded Sword. Oh, did I mention there’s also the omnipotent Great Fairy’s Sword and Double Helix Blade?

Not everyone may like the way the time mechanics affect dungeons, but it’s difficult to complain about the sidequests. The Bomber’s Notebook item lets Link keep track of the schedules of denizens to reap the rewards of being a good Samaritan. It makes the game feel realistic and makes sidequests much more challenging. Majora’s Mask is infamous for having so many optional quests that it becomes the main focus for the player, drawing attention away from the main quest. This is fantastic news for those who take extra time out of their day to search for treasures, but very bad news for those who don’t. Majora’s Mask just isn’t the same game if you don’t attempt the optional adventures.

X Factor and Creativity

The marrow of Majora’s Mask lies within your connection with the characters. Their fates can be altered if Link decides to help them out. Each one has a very personal struggle that needs solving and Link can choose either to ignore or assist them. What’s great is that the scenes in the credits mostly depict the outcome of completed sidequests, meaning if Link did not help out a certain person, that person’s scene in the credits will be missing. This is another quality of the game that makes it so enthralling.

Many of the townspeople will lose hope and accept that the perilous Moon will inevitably end all life in Termina. They continue to exist knowing this for three days and makes for a miserable, depressing atmosphere. But the denizens stubbornly plan the Carnival of Time in light of their dire situation, but somewhere deep in the hearts of the townspeople, they understand that the Moon will bear down on the land. It casts a symbolic shadow over the entire land, the shadow consuming the hearts and minds more and more people as the days wear on. It’s an interesting concept and very unlike anything we’d seen before and have yet to see.

Ocarina of Time, on the other hand, has a different kind of ace up its sleeve. It brought the franchise into the third dimension in an effortless transition and serves as the golden standard for gaming even today. Gamers of all ages praise the game for its contribution to the landscape of gaming and for showing the entire industry how to do 3D the right way. It maintains the highest aggregate review score on many websites, it commonly ranked as the best game or one of the best games of all time by respectable publications and is loved unconditionally by the gaming community.

I found the concept of traveling back and forth in time to be one of the best in the franchise. It sits at the top alongside Twilight Princess‘ Twilight Realm and A Link to the Past‘s Dark World, and in my opinion surpasses them by a significant amount. To reiterate one of Ocarina of Time‘s best ideas, I’m going to pull a quote from the first part of this series:

Not to mention that the final boss defined an era. I can’t think of many final encounters that are more heart-stoppingly dramatic than Link’s face-off against Ganon outside of the rubble of Ganon’s Castle. The lighting, the lightning in the background and shady clouds set the tone quite nicely. The minimalist approach to the background music worked wonders. A male choir echoed a slow but powerful melody that was stunningly simple (like the rest of the game’s music) yet so perfectly suited to the situation. I’m sure that this was a hallmark moment for many N64 gamers.

Verdict

In the end, I wrote a lot more about Majora’s Mask than I did about Ocarina of Time. There’s just much more to talk about because Majora’s Mask is a unique flower. At the same time, however, it’s not for everybody. It takes a certain type of person who is willing to probe deeper than what lies on the surface to appreciate the game to the fullest. The sidequests are arguably as enjoyable as the main quest, but if the player doesn’t wish to indulge in them, much of Majora’s Mask‘s greatness will go unnoticed and the player will never understand the extent of the game’s beauty, as a good portion package comes in the form of sidequests.

Ocarina of Time is more well-rounded and is simpler. You just play the game to have a smashing good time and battle one of the most epic final bosses of all time. The game’s charm is difficult to put into mere words and is better to just play it, which is why I believe that Ocarina of Time edges out the victory. If you haven’t played it yet, go out and buy it. Right now. And if you’re the type who appreciates artistic visions such as Shadow of the Colossus and the products of independent game developers, the more mature and caliginous Majora’s Mask may be right up your alley.

Do you agree with the results? Disagree? Which game do you think is better: Ocarina of Time or Majora’s Mask? I’m sure that there will be a lot of debating, so feel free to post your thoughts in the comments below!