Operation Moonfall: The Case for Majora’s Mask 3D

Hot on the heels of the recent Eiji Aonuma interview, a subset of hardcore Zelda gamers have initiated a campaign. Not unlike Operation Rainfall, Operation Moonfall is an attempt at drumming up enough support for a 3DS adaptation of the Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask. The campaign has begun the work of coordinating an effort that, if successful, would ideally result in the release of the Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask 3D without detracting from any new Zelda experiences which may be in the works. Now, some of you might be cynical given the largely unsuccessful efforts of Operation Rainfall at localizing the JRPG trifecta: Xenoblade, The Last Story, and Pandora’s Tower. I understand such cynicism, and know that most of the time, petitions and pleas to huge corporations often are a waste of time and resources. However, I would wager to say that Operation Moonfall stands a very good chance of succeeding. The reason is two-fold: first of all, in the interview with Mr. Aonuma, it was said that a remake of Majora’s Mask could very well take place if the same outpouring of support and emotion that was prevalent with regards to Ocarina of Time were to exist for Majora’s Mask. Secondly, unlike the aforementioned JRPGs, The Legend of Zelda is an established Nintendo franchise, loved by millions around the world, and is also a guaranteed Cash-cow for Nintendo.

Which brings me to my next point, the costs of churning out a remake for Majora’s Mask would be half the cost of developing Ocarina of Time 3D. This is because many of the assets are already in place in terms of character models, etc. Here’s some food for thought: Majora’s Mask took about one year to be developed from start to finish. For this very same reason, I would wager to say that the 12-18 month development time could be cut in half if Grezzo would once again take the helm in developing such as remake: they appear to be familiar with the hardware, and the upgraded engine is already in place, potentially halving development time for the remake. In addition, Zelda has one other thing going for it that was not the case for Operation Rainfall and the trifecta: an open willingness to bring something to the table based on fan reaction. This is a golden opportunity for the Legend of Zelda: you have an established franchise capable of selling millions of copies at the drop of a hat, you have the existence of assets which could result in a 6-10 month development period if handled optimally, and you have a clear directive from the executive producer of the series. Frankly, Majora’s Mask has everything going for it at the moment, and we would be insane to shut up and sit idly waiting for something to happen. As such, I am giving you a directive of my own, on behalf of Zelda Dungeon and the rest of the Zelda Community I ask that you make your voice heard. Don’t give up without a fight, write physical and electronic letters to Nintendo of America, let your voice be heard on their Facebook and Twitter accounts, let them know that we want Majora’s Mask 3D, and we want it now.

Sources:
Zelda Universe Post With Contact Information and Links