GAME · 2000 · JAPAN
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- Developer
- Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Platforms
- Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Wii U
- Original title
- Zeruda no densetsu: Mujura no kamen
40 archived facts 5 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Nov 2026
40 Interesting Facts About The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Interesting Facts (29)
- #001
Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of The Legend of Zelda, confirmed that the Happy Mask Salesman was inspired by his own appearance and personality.
- #002
On the Happy Mask Salesman's bag is a mask of Mario from another popular Nintendo series.
- #003
Art director Takaya Imamura said the name "Majora" in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was a portmanteau of his surname and "jura" from one of his favorite films, Jurassic Park.
- #004
The Song of Healing has the same first six notes as Saria's Song but is played backwards with a different rhythm.
- #005
If Link wears the Garo's Mask, the Gibdo Mask or the Captain's Hat in the presence of Redeads, they will begin to dance.
- #006
When looking from the telescope at the Astral Observatory towards the southern entrance of Clock Town, a clear impression of Skull Kid can be seen in the grass.
- #007
The expanded draw distance in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask lets the player see much farther, removing the fog effect and "cardboard panorama" used in Ocarina of Time to hide distant areas. IGN called the game's texture design one of the best created for the Nintendo 64, describing the textures as colorful and diverse despite some low resolution.
- #008
If Link is wearing the Captain's Hat during the fight with Igos du Ikana, a cutscene will occur in which he mistakes Link for the Ikana military general Captain Keeta. He then realises that Link is too small to be Keeta and continues to attack him.
- #009
Development of this game reportedly began out of reluctance to work on an expansion of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) for the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive (64DD), titled "Ura Zelda/Another Zelda", which would never be released due to the 64DD's poor sales. Eiji Aonuma complained about working on Ura Zelda, so Shigeru Miyamoto challenged him to make a different Ocarina expansion within a year; in return, the staff would no longer have to work on Ura Zelda. This expansion was called "Zelda Gaiden" ('Zelda Side Story') and was to be a different adventure set outside Hyrule. Aonuma's team managed to finish the game within a year by reusing Ocarina's game engine and graphics, and it was later released on the Nintendo 64 as Majora's Mask, a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time.
- #010
You will see butterflies around the torches. Shigeru Miyamoto, director of previous Zelda games, made heavy use of butterflies in his games.
- #011
The aliens that attack Romani Ranch on the first night are based on the Flatwoods Monster, a creature that was very popular in the 1950s and 60s.
- #012
The music heard in Termina Field is the original theme from The Legend of Zelda (1986).
- #013
In much of the artwork for the game, Link holds the first upgraded sword with twin blades. In the game itself, however, this is only a temporary upgrade.
- #014
In the Ancient Ikana Castle, if players go to the southeastern part of the courtyard there will be a pillar. If the player manages to climb on top of it, they will find a paper airplane. The airplane cannot be picked up and serves no purpose.
- #015
On the third day, when the Clock Tower opens, if the player stands in the small garden outside the Astral Observatory in Termina Field, a different cutscene will play showing the tower's opening as if looking from the Observatory toward Clock Town.
- #016
The arch at the entrance to Romani Ranch is actually the same as the arch at the entrance to Kakariko Village in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998). Even the text on the sign is effectively reused in both games as "Welcome to Kakariko Village." This is more noticeable in the Japanese version, which uses Japanese text instead of Hylian text. The Hylian text still means "Welcome to Kakariko Village."
- #017
In an interview with GameSpot, Eiji Aonuma said the idea for the mysterious alien creatures at Romani Ranch was inspired by a "UFO boom" that took place in Japan during the game's development.
- #018
It is the first The Legend of Zelda video game released in the 21st century.
- #019
At the beginning of the game, you encounter a twisted, dead Deku-like figure. This Deku is presumed to have died horribly. Later in the game, the Deku butler says that Link reminds him of his son, and in the ending credits he is seen weeping over the figure. This figure is most likely the butler's son, and his spirit has been with you throughout the entire game.
- #020
The mask-themed structure of Majora's Mask is said to have been influenced by the Marajoara culture, which lived on Marajó Island between 800 and 1400 AD. This culture is known for its intricate masks and paintings.
- #021
The game's five main regions reflect the five stages of grief. Clock Town is denial; its residents refuse to believe the moon will fall. Woodfall is anger; the Deku king tries to kill the young monkey accused of kidnapping his daughter. Snowhead is bargaining; Darmani begs Link to bring him back to life. Great Bay is depression; Mikau dies trying to save the eggs of his beloved Lulu, leaving her alone. Ikana Valley is acceptance; the only thing Link must conquer is himself, as he faces the loss of his friend Navi.
- #022
The Keaton character is probably based on the creature known as the Kitsune in Japanese mythology. In Japanese folklore, Kitsune are highly intelligent, magical fox-like creatures that can grow as many as nine tails; they can also shapeshift and take human form.
- #023
When the thief Sakon tries to steal the old woman's bomb bag at the Bomb Shop, if Link hits the bag with an arrow, the hookshot or another bomb, the bag explodes and Sakon dies.
- #024
Majora's Mask contains a reference to the Star Fox characters. The masks in the second row of the mask screen resemble the animals the Star Fox team is based on and a former member who betrayed the team. In order: the Keaton Mask is Fox, the Bremen Mask is Falco, the Bunny Hood is Peppy, Don Gero's Mask is Slippy, and the Mask of Scents is Pigma.
- #025
If the player is standing in the small garden outside the Astral Observatory in Termina Field and the Clock Tower opens on the third day, a different cutscene plays showing the tower's opening as viewed from the Observatory looking toward Clock Town.
- #026
According to the gossip stone found in the Cucco Shack at Romani Ranch, the All-Night Mask sold at the Curiosity Shop was used as a torture device.
- #027
After cutting a sign with your sword, playing the Song of Healing next to the sign repairs it. When the song ends, the puzzle-solving music is heard and the sign magically repairs itself.
- #028
Three members of the Indigo-gos band, Evan, Japas and Tijo (respectively the keyboardist, bassist and drummer), play specific music from past Zelda games when they are visited in their rooms in the Zora Hall. They perform these melodies as long as you do not talk to them. Evan plays the 'Game Over' theme from the original NES Zelda; Japas plays the Dungeon theme, also from the first game; and Tijo plays the Cave theme from A Link to the Past.
- #029
The arch at the entrance to Romani Ranch is actually identical to the arch at the entrance to Kakariko Village in Ocarina of Time. Even the text on the sign has been reused, and in both games it reads "Welcome to Kakariko Village". This is more noticeable in the Japanese version, where the text is in Japanese rather than the Hylian language of the localized version. Even so, the Hylian text also translates to "Welcome to Kakariko Village".
Production Story (5)
- #030
Majora's Mask began as a remixed "Ura" version of Ocarina of Time intended for the disc-based 64DD peripheral of the Nintendo 64.
- #031
Eiji Aonuma, previously in charge of dungeons for Ocarina of Time, was not enthusiastic about only redesigning them for Ura Zelda, prompting Shigeru Miyamoto to challenge the team to build a new game from the existing engine and graphics within one year.
- #032
The three-day cycle in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask originally rewound a full week, but the span was shortened because seven days was considered too burdensome for players to remember and too complex to build within one year; Aonuma cited the 1998 film Run Lola Run as inspiration for the time loop.
- #033
IGN theorized that Majora's Mask's Expansion Pak requirement stems from its origins as a Nintendo 64DD game, which would have needed an extra 4MB of RAM.
- #034
Koji Kondo characterized the music of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask as having an exotic Chinese opera sound.
Behind the Scenes (1)
- #035
The smaller team completed Majora's Mask in 15 months by reusing game assets, and the aggressive schedule led to heavy mandatory overtime, with writers inserting complaints about overwork into the script.
Easter Eggs & References (3)
- #036
The story told by the Clock Town organ grinder who carries the Bremen Mask references the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten" (The Town Musicians of Bremen). The tale tells of a dog, cat, rooster and donkey who flee their abusive owners in the hope of reaching the German city of Bremen, a free trading town that represents freedom from masters. Although the four animals never reach the city, they band together to drive a group of robbers away from a hut in the forest and live there in harmony.
- #037
A small dolphin picture is hidden under a pot in the Astral Observatory. It is believed to be a reference to Dolphin, the codename for the GameCube at the time.
- #038
There is an extra slot for a 25th mask in the mask menu. If all twenty non-transformation masks are given to the Moon Children and all the optional Moon Dungeons are completed, the player must speak to the fifth Moon Child sitting on the tree. This will give the player the Fierce Deity mask before the final battle. When the game is finished, the mask will remain in the collection for the player to use. However, it can only be used in boss battles, and it is so powerful that only a few hits are needed to defeat them.
Deeper Meaning (2)
- #039
At the opening of the game it is stated that Link sets out to search for a friend he lost when he was the Hero of Time. Exactly who this is is never explained in the game, but it is heavily implied to be his fairy companion Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998). In the unofficial manga of Ocarina of Time, it is suggested that Navi eventually left because she had feelings for Link, but knew he would never return them. Although the manga is non-canon, the series' creator Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that Navi fell in love with Link but was jealous of Zelda, and implied that this may be why she left.
- #040
The 'Fierce Deity Link' is popularly known as 'Oni Link.' Oni are Japanese mythological demons or ogres.
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Sources & editorial notes
Sources for the entries on this page
- Wikipedia The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask — Wikipedia
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