General Classic Do You Think MM Took OoT's Spot of Being the Most Popular & Acclaimed Zelda Game?

[キラ]

When OoT came out, everyone was saying it was the greatest Zelda game in the series, and even the greatest game of all time, for its revolutionary controls (Z-Targeting and its context-sensitive A button) to its huge open world (for the time), its music, it's story, and time warping.

But now it's been a while since the game came out and people's opinions change. It seems as though Majora's Mask is now the reigning champ of the Legend of Zelda series for it's dark and mature subjects, along with its sidequests.

Do you think it is valid to say that Majora's Mask is now the series' most highly coveted game by fans? And, if so, why did the mass opinion change? Was it because of more people coming onto the Internet since these games came out, starting discussions and influencing each others opinions? Was it the fact that the young children who played these games in the past revisited them now older and started to get a grasp of the darkness and emotion of the game and appreciate the game for that much more? Is it because of the start of Project Moonfall and maybe people are just bandwagoners? Then again, that idea must have arisen because people like the game so much - or people decided to revisit the game because of all of the hype around Project Moonfall and started to think differently for the reasons I stated earlier... Or is it for a different reason entirely? A combination of reasons?

...Or do you not think that MM has now taken the trophy for Best Zelda Game by fans?

Keep in mind: I'm not asking necessarily whether you think it's the best, but asking about how popular you think the game was, and has become.

Discuss.

 

[DarkestLink]

Not even close. The online fanbase is a niche and very very inaccurate when trying to judge the Zelda fanbase as a whole.

 

[Random Person]

I believe MM is the most popular in terms of "like" (if not, then its second only to WW) In terms of "known" that still belongs to OoT. The reason being is that when you take out the "for its time factor" MM is just an overall better game than OoT, mainly because it played off of OoT's strengths and improved on them. Most gamers during today's generation, or even those who came during the gamecube, don't know the nostalgic gravity OoT brought with it in terms of Zelda and gaming. It's very easy to look at OoT and say "Meh, I don't see what all the hype is about." because many games since have modeled themselves on improving what OoT brought, including future Zelda games. MM, on the other hand, still stands as a unique setting that even if someone tried to duplicate, it would seem completely different. Not to mention, it pretty much perfected what OoT brought to the table.

Quite frankly, I think less than half the series' fans really appreciate OoT for what it brought, while the others all look at the games' comparisons without seeing the impact they brought. In that regards, its pretty tough to beat MM.

 

[dcgc28]

This is honestly hard to answer because fans of the Zelda series are still such a small group of the gaming world. I think if you were to have a poll for the masses (on say IGN.com) on which Zelda game was better MM or OoT I think OoT would win by a landslide.

Maybe MM has passed it in the realm of Zelda fans like most of us on this website but not to the masses I don't think so.

My personal opinion is that OoT is the best video game I've ever played, because it's one of the few that was incredibly hyped and absolutely blew peoples minds and lived up to every expectation it could. It's easily a 98 out of 100 on my scale.

 

[Mask-Salesman]

Pretty much everyone that is 18 years or older and plays videogames knows OoT is a great videogame. That person may not like the game or the genre, but he will definetly know that it's a good game. OoT is still one of the highest ranked games in the world and to me personally it's still in the top 5. Besides that, it's what you already mentioned yourself; OoT formed the basics for the modern action-adventure genre. From God of War to Darksiders, each action-adventure game these days is influenced by OoT.

MM is in a league of it's own however. I have to quote DarkestLink and agree that MM's fanbase is a niche fanbase. However, these fanbases are the ones that normally spend a lot of time on forums, like myself for example. I also think that MM is a game that you get to understand better once you grow older. I was 10 or maybe 11 when I first played the game. Offcourse I fell in love with the game instantly (playing as Goron or Zora FTW!) but the emotional bagage of the game was hard to grasp as a little kid. Once you grew older you get to see more and more how unique the game is.

Plus, some internet hypes like Project Moonfall and the Ben Drowned Creepypasta did help to make it more internet-famous. I think that MM did indeed get more populair because of the internet, especially for kids who didn't grow up with the N64. However, OoT will always be remembered as the greatest Zelda ever.

 

[Japas]

I don't think that Majora's Mask has passed Ocarina of Time only because, for so many people, it holds a lot of nostalgia. People who were playing Zelda before the Nintendo 64 will remember the game as the first 3D Zelda so they have that nostalgia, and others, me for example, who started playing with the N64 will remember OoT as one of their first games. Majora's Mask, in my opinion, is definitely better than OoT because, as said, it perfects what OoT presented. But because everyone has nostalgia glasses on, it will be some more time until MM bypasses OoT.

 

[r2d93]

No. I really don't think so at all.

First off Majora's Mask didn't and never will have the impact on gaming that OoT did. MM is a fantastic game, but it is the dark horse of the series I believe. I get the vibe that the Zelda fandom is split when it comes to MM.
There are many fans who played it maybe later or even as a kid and completed it and loved it. I also think there are many who started it as a child and never picked it up again because it was too complicated with the time system for a child. There are also fans like me who played it, think it's a great game, but it's a lot to get into and it'd be very difficult to complete it without a walkthrough. And then again there are also Zelda fans who just didn't like it in general due to the time system.

OoT on the other hand is undeniably a great game wether you personally liked the game or not. Maybe Majora's Mask does possibly evoke the strongest response out of Zelda players, but I don't think it's the most popular.

 

[Skunk]

As much as I would like to say yes, I can't. OoT is still probably the most well known and well liked Zelda currently. Though MM is gaining popularity, it still hasn't surpassed OoT.

 

[Justac00lguy]

I think the general consensus is that Ocarina of Time remains the supreme title and the one that is conceived as being the greatest in the series. Now of course the likes of Majora's Mask aren't far behind, but OoT is like the flagship title for the series, the poster title if you will. When you think of that title you tend to think of revolution; not just in the series, but in gaming as a whole. No one really associates the same thing with Majora's Mask. Sure it was an amazing title, but it just doesn't hold that same legacy and prestige.

Now I'm not putting forth which is the better game; I'm a big MM fan and I rate it as my second favourite closely behind Twilight Princess. However, I just feel Ocarina of Time will forever hold that title.

So on to the topic of popularity. I do feel that people tend to prefer Majora's Mask, but I think this is due to a *newish* trend of appreciate the under appreciated. The truth is, this game was never underappreciated in anyway; it's just that it always kind of lived under OoT's shadow somewhat.

 

[43ForceGems]

Hmmm I see where you're coming from, because I have kindof noticed it too. But if you go look even just here on the forums at the thread about it, OoT is still first, and MM is actually 3rd, behind SS. Yet, neither of them are that far behind... Personally, my favorite game is Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time being a fair way down the list, to be honest. So I guess I'm subconsciously bias, but I still would say OoT is more popular and well known, in the Zelda community, and out. If you asked a ton of not Zelda fans if they've heard of Ocarina of Time, the name would probably ring a bell. If you said Majora's Mask they'd be like lolwut. So no, I don't think MM is taking over OoT's throne, but I would say it's up there.

 

[Salem]

I really doubt MM is capable of being more acclaimed than OoT, at least for a wider audience.

Whatever aspects MM does better than OoT, it's all negated by MM's disadvantages in comparison to OoT, they are MM's three day limit, which isn't' very appealing to casual gamers(by casual I don't mean people who primary play Angry birds or something), it's lack of dungeons in comparison to OoT, etc.

 

[Shadow Blade]

MM is to OoT what Luigi is to Mario, that's pretty much my take on this, MM is still very much in OoT's shadow.

 

[ILU]

I don't think so. Yes, MM is great, and yes, it's become very popular. But that's kind of how it goes for Zelda games. After a while, the MM-popularity niche will disappear, and another game that wasn't so popular at first will become the next big thing. I think it's because Zelda games are really special in that as you replay them over and over as you age, you see them in a new light and notice new things.... get new perspectives. MM didn't really impress me until I was old enough to understand the darker themes. TWW impressed me immediately with its whimsy, but I didn't catch onto its depth until later.

I'm not a huge TP fan, but replaying it years later, I can recognize and appreciate the focus on tragedy much better than I could before. So, each game gets its popularity spotlight years down the road from its release.

 

[Collbard]

I think that Majora's Mask has really become popular because of the OoT remake. I remember that there was a lot of excitement about MM when it was released because everyone just loved OoT. If you were a kid and you played and loved OoT when it came out, then you were most definitely going to get your hands on Majora's Mask. And as immediately similar as the two games are, there are a lot of huge differences. Majora's Mask, I believe, did a fantastic job of giving players something very familiar as well as very new. It was dark and at some points frantic. Unlike OoT which builds up in intensity, MM started with a bang and put you right in the action at the start. The iconic images of Majora's Mask itself as well as the moon and Fierce Deity Link also really resonated with people. (Can we have more Fierce Deity Link please?)

I think that those who played OoT and then MM each when they were released really associate those two games together, so with OoT getting a remake, it seems very natural that MM should get a remake as well. I think the fact that there has not been a remake has led a lot of people to get hold of the game again and enjoy one of the most unique entries in the series. So, I don't think it is the most popular or acclaimed, but I think that fans are experiencing a strongly renewed interest in the game right now.

 

[Zelda169]

MM ix nowhere near.oots le ngtn snd the reaskn is becuzude it spemds vrry much time in chocolate ma s house witb butter

anyway mm has avocal minority jn plsce.