Majora's Mask. 3 days to do stuff, giant creepy moon, and creepy mask transformations. To celebrate the upcoming release of Majora's Mask 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, I'll be talking about the development of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Development Story:
Majora's Mask development started as a game called "Zelda Gaiden" which means "Zelda Side-Story". The reason why it was called "Zelda Side-Story" was because it was supposed to be an expansion for Ocarina of Time along with UraZelda. UraZelda was supposed to add remixed and harder dungeons, along with new enemies and other stuff. Zelda Side-Story was to have a redesigned overworld and a brand-new adventure. Eiji Aonuma, Zelda Gaiden's dungeon designer, wasn't impressed. He thought he was just remaking Ocarina of Time again. When Aonuma complained to Miyamoto, Miyamoto challenged him to make a new installment, but in only one year. Aonuma accepted the challenge and got straight to work. The development team experimented ways of making the game in a year, and eventually decided to use a 7-day time based system instead of the final game's 3-days. This allowed Zelda Gaiden to be developed in 18 months.
Zelda Gaiden was originally planned to be released on a cancelled console, called the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive.
Because it was going to be for the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive, it was to exploit many of the features to come with it. An eternal clock was used to keep track of time, and also what you did in the game would permanently change what would happen in the days again. Unfortunately, the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive died and was buried on E-bay, so Zelda Gaiden was remade in cartridge form. Sometime in the middle of development, the game was renamed to "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" to "reinvent the game".
Some differences between the beta and the final:
Link's model was the same as Ocarina of Time
Gorman Brother's were once one Ingo
Moon originally had no face
Layout of stages are different, and have an Alice in Wonderland feel to them, as seen in this video
Jabu-Jabu Fishing:
Majora's Mask was going to include a fishing minigame called Jabu-Jabu Fishing. Miyamoto even stated if you catch Jabu-Jabu, it might stop the moon from falling.
Time-selling merchant:
That's right. In Majora's Mask, there was originally going to be a merchant that sold time for rupees.
OK, we've covered the development. Now let's go into the unused material.
Unused items:
Hylian Loach:
Probably the most finished unused item in the game. When used, it acts like an event item.
"Empty" Bottle:
This item appears as an empty bottle, but when you use it, it works like a bottled Poe. Link takes a swig of purple liquid, spits out a puff of smoke, and receives on heart of healing or one heart of damage.
Wallet:
This wallet would be the wallet you start with, as the number is "99". It's uncertain where the icon would be used.
Deku Horn, Goron Drum, and Zora Guitar
(From left to right, Deku Horn, Goron Drum, Zora Guitar) These items exist as independent items in the Japanese version, and are fully functional. Most likely used to change the Ocarina icon whenever the person changed into the respective form. There are some early screenshots of the game with these icons equipped in the C buttons:
Zora Guitar
Goron Drums
Deku Horn
Unused Objects:
Potion Shop Salesman:
This guy appeared in Ocarina of Time. He got redesigned, but lacks animations.
Link's Mask:
This mask has 3 models, each rotated differently for different scenario's. Though what's really weird is that Majora's Mask has 3 models rotated exactly like the Link Mask models. This suggests that sometime during development, Skull Kid wore Link's Mask. With a code, you can make Skull Kid wear the mask.
Zelda's Flute:
This strange object suggests that Zelda would use the flute during the cutscene where he remembers the Song of Time. How does it suggest it? This flute can be found in the same place as Zelda's model. This model is the same one found in Ocarina of Time when a Skull Kid plays it.
Unused Cutscenes:
Great Fairy Cutscenes:
Some early Great Fairy cutscenes. This one shows the Great Fairy teaching Link the spin attack:
This one shows Link burning calories... Talk about Zelda Fit
Older Clock Tower:
Here is an older clock tower before it was remodeled.
Well that's all I can talk about on the development of Majora's Mask! Tell me which beta you would like to see next!
Development Story:
Majora's Mask development started as a game called "Zelda Gaiden" which means "Zelda Side-Story". The reason why it was called "Zelda Side-Story" was because it was supposed to be an expansion for Ocarina of Time along with UraZelda. UraZelda was supposed to add remixed and harder dungeons, along with new enemies and other stuff. Zelda Side-Story was to have a redesigned overworld and a brand-new adventure. Eiji Aonuma, Zelda Gaiden's dungeon designer, wasn't impressed. He thought he was just remaking Ocarina of Time again. When Aonuma complained to Miyamoto, Miyamoto challenged him to make a new installment, but in only one year. Aonuma accepted the challenge and got straight to work. The development team experimented ways of making the game in a year, and eventually decided to use a 7-day time based system instead of the final game's 3-days. This allowed Zelda Gaiden to be developed in 18 months.
Zelda Gaiden was originally planned to be released on a cancelled console, called the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive.
Because it was going to be for the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive, it was to exploit many of the features to come with it. An eternal clock was used to keep track of time, and also what you did in the game would permanently change what would happen in the days again. Unfortunately, the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive died and was buried on E-bay, so Zelda Gaiden was remade in cartridge form. Sometime in the middle of development, the game was renamed to "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" to "reinvent the game".
Some differences between the beta and the final:
Link's model was the same as Ocarina of Time
Gorman Brother's were once one Ingo
Moon originally had no face
Layout of stages are different, and have an Alice in Wonderland feel to them, as seen in this video
Jabu-Jabu Fishing:
Majora's Mask was going to include a fishing minigame called Jabu-Jabu Fishing. Miyamoto even stated if you catch Jabu-Jabu, it might stop the moon from falling.
Time-selling merchant:
That's right. In Majora's Mask, there was originally going to be a merchant that sold time for rupees.
OK, we've covered the development. Now let's go into the unused material.
Unused items:
Hylian Loach:
Probably the most finished unused item in the game. When used, it acts like an event item.
"Empty" Bottle:
This item appears as an empty bottle, but when you use it, it works like a bottled Poe. Link takes a swig of purple liquid, spits out a puff of smoke, and receives on heart of healing or one heart of damage.
Wallet:
Deku Horn, Goron Drum, and Zora Guitar
Zora Guitar
Goron Drums
Deku Horn
Unused Objects:
Potion Shop Salesman:
This guy appeared in Ocarina of Time. He got redesigned, but lacks animations.
Link's Mask:
This mask has 3 models, each rotated differently for different scenario's. Though what's really weird is that Majora's Mask has 3 models rotated exactly like the Link Mask models. This suggests that sometime during development, Skull Kid wore Link's Mask. With a code, you can make Skull Kid wear the mask.
Zelda's Flute:
This strange object suggests that Zelda would use the flute during the cutscene where he remembers the Song of Time. How does it suggest it? This flute can be found in the same place as Zelda's model. This model is the same one found in Ocarina of Time when a Skull Kid plays it.
Unused Cutscenes:
Great Fairy Cutscenes:
Some early Great Fairy cutscenes. This one shows the Great Fairy teaching Link the spin attack:
This one shows Link burning calories... Talk about Zelda Fit
Older Clock Tower:
Here is an older clock tower before it was remodeled.
Well that's all I can talk about on the development of Majora's Mask! Tell me which beta you would like to see next!
