The second The Legend of Zelda hit for N64, Majora’s Mask released again on Switch Online thanks to the Expansion Pass. Now’s your chance to relive the sequel to the Ocarina of Time as you take Link on a journey to recover Majora’s Mask.
While many of the gameplay mechanics return from Ocarina of Time, there is one distinct new feature in Majora’s Mask that will play a crucial role during your gameplay: time progression. Read below for your complete game controls and gameplay tips, including how best to play with time, for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.
Majora’s Mask Nintendo Switch Controls
- Move: LS
- Jump: Run toward ledge (automatically jumps)
- Interact: A (talk, open doors, lift objects, etc.)
- Roll: A (while running)
- Z-Target: ZL
- Attack: B
- Magic: B (requires Deku form)
- Fire Punch: B (requires Goron form)
- Boomerang Attack: B (requires Zora form)
- Sword Beam: B (requires Fierce Deity Mask and Z-Targeting)
- Jump Attack: A (while Z-Targeting enemy)
- Use Accessory Items: RS→, RS↓, RS← (N64 C-buttons)
- Speak to Tatl: RS↑
- Block: R (requires shield and can’t move while blocking)
- Roll: R + A & L (in direction of desired roll)
- Start Menu: +
- Suspend Menu: –
Note that RS← and RS↓ can be pressed with X and Y, respectively.
Majora’s Mask N64 Controller Controls
- Move: Joystick
- Jump: Run toward ledge (automatically jumps)
- Interact: A (talk, open doors, lift objects, etc.)
- Roll: A (while running)
- Z-Target: Z
- Attack: B
- Magic: B (requires Deku form)
- Fire Punch: B (requires Goron form)
- Boomerang Attack: B (requires Zora form)
- Sword Beam: B (requires Fierce Deity Mask and Z-Targeting)
- Jump Attack: A (while Z-Targeting enemy)
- Use Accessory Items: C→, C↓, C←
- Aim: L (when using Bow, etc.)
- Block: R (requires shield)
- Roll: R + A & L (in direction of desired roll)
- Start Menu: Start
Gameplay tips for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Whether you’re playing Majora’s Mask for the first time or revisiting the classic after two decades, these tips should help for more successful gameplay and less stress.
Save often through the Suspend Menu in Majora’s Mask!
Majora’s Mask has a unique save feature, unlike Ocarina of Time. In Ocarina of Time, you were able to save at any time. However, that ability has been removed from Majora’s Mask for two different types of saves.
The first is a temporary save through the owl statues in the game. When you strike these with your sword, you will gain a save that will disappear once you resume playing the file; think of it as a suspended save. This allows you to take a break and return, and while theoretically you could spam the owl statue for saves, it’s not recommended as it isn’t permanent. Save files with an owl statue save will have an owl icon on the save file.
The second is a permanent save through the Ocarina of Time’s “Song of Time.” Once you gain the Ocarina from Skull Kid, you can then use the Ocarina and play the “Song of Time” to return to the morning of the first day (just after exiting the bowels of the clocktower in your Deku Scrub form). While this does permanently save your game, you will lose all rupees and numerical items. You can store your rupees in a bank, so be sure to do that before playing the “Song of Time” and returning to your first day.
Somehow, money deposited in the future is still there in the past!
Now, you can bypass all of that and save whenever you want through the Suspend Menu. Simply hit – (minus button) and select Create Suspend Point. You have four slots to work with and this should save you a lot of stress than the traditional save options. To load, simply hit – (minus button) and Load Suspend Point, selecting the slot you wish to load.
Keep an eye on the three-day time cycle in Majora’s Mask
The big departure from the main series through that point was the aforementioned time cycle – on the bottom of the screen – introduced in Majora’s Mask. The game runs on a three-day time cycle where at the end of the third day, the moon will crash into Clock Town.
This is why the “Song of Time” is crucial beyond saving. You will need to reset the cycle at the end of every three days to prevent the destruction of the town and to gain the necessary masks, items, and more to fight off Skull Kid and retrieve Majora’s Mask.
Beyond the “Song of Time,” you can also advance time to either 6 am or pm with the “Song of Double Time.” This is just like dancing with the scarecrows in the game. You can also play the “Inverted Song of Time,” which slows time to a third! This will undoubtedly be an important song as you progress.
Note that while you are not officially notified you’ve learned the songs after retrieving the Ocarina, you can play them after gaining the Ocarina of Time and resetting to the first day the initial time. To play the “Song of Double Time,” press C→ C→ A A C↓ C↓. To play the “Inverted Song of Time,” press C↓ A C→ C↓ A C→.
Familiarize yourself with each form and mask in Majora’s Mask
You play a good chunk of the early portion of the game as a Deku Scrub. Eventually, you’ll gain the ability to shift between forms by the masks you collect. Each mask has unique features that will aid you along the way in Majora’s Mask. However, there are four in particular you should be aware of and gain familiarity with.
First is the Deku Mask. As you might have guessed, it turns you into a Deku Scrub, which you’ll become intimate with in your journey to retrieve the Ocarina of Time from Skull Kid. In this form, Link can hop across water in spurts of five hops, use magic by blowing bubbles, and use Deku Flowers. They are also very short.
Second is the Goron Mask which turns you into a Goron. As a Goron, you can walk on lava, carry powder kegs, throw a fire punch, and engage a rolling attack that consumes magic.
Third is the Zora Mask, which turns you into a Zora. As a Zora, you can swim swiftly in water, launch a boomerang fin attack, and deploy an electric barrier. They are also very tall, allowing access to higher areas.
Fourth and last is the Fierce Deity Mask, which turns you into Fierce Deity Link. In this form, Link becomes an adult and his sword becomes the Fierce Deity Sword. Link’s attack range and strength is increased. He also has the ability to shoot sword beams at the cost of magic power. This mask is also only usable in boss battles.
Make sure to collect all of the masks throughout the game and figure out which ones work best for which situations!
Remember, the most important part of Majora’s Mask is the three-day time cycle. Once you master that, you should be able to smoothly proceed to finally defeat Skull Kid and retrieve Majora’s Mask.
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