Some fans consider The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask the most fantastic Zelda game of all time. While not everyone is willing to go that far, it’s still a masterfully crafted game that deserves its outstanding 95% rating on Metacritic. Critics and players praise the title’s brilliant gameplay and fantastic emotional storytelling.
It was likely inevitable that The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask made its’s way to the Nintendo Switch sooner or later. That eventuality’s about to become a reality, as Nintendo just announced it is bringing Majora’s Mask to Nintendo Switch Online in February.
Nintendo of America broke the news in a tweet Thursday evening. Majora’s Mask arrives next month for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers, according to the tweet. Unfortunately, the tweet does not specify a specific time or date, though it’s still fantastic news for fans of the legendary game. Hopefully, Nintendo will follow up with more information as fans get closer to release.
For those who’ve yet to experience the legendary game, Majora’s Mask is the beloved 2000 follow-up to 1998’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It’s one of the franchise’s few direct sequels, taking place a few months after the previous game. After saving Hyrule from Ganon’s machinations, Link finds himself transported to the parallel realm of Termina. He only has three days to save Termina from a falling moon. Fortunately, Link has the previous game’s titular Ocarina of Time, allowing him to reverse time back to the day of his arrival.
The fan-favorite game iterates upon the mechanics from Ocarina of Time, such as the dungeon puzzles and ocarina songs. It also introduces a significant new mechanic in the ability for Link to shapeshift by wearing magical masks. The above-mentioned 3-day loop also shakes things up by forcing players to ration their time or risk losing significant progress. Different characters are also only available to interact with during certain times, with NPCs following fixed schedules. This requires players to plan accordingly to get things done before the game forces them back to the first day.
Gamers who want to play Majora’s Mask on Switch need to sign up for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Regular Online subscribers will need to upgrade their membership at an additional cost. New subscribers can sign up for a year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack for $49.99. That might be a bit pricey if users are only looking to grab one admittedly fantastic 22-year-old game. Still, the arrival of Majora’s Mask is unambiguously great news for existing Expansion pack members.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskis available now on 3DS, GameCube, N64, and Wii U and releases for Nintendo Switch Online in February 2022.
