The Similarities between Skyward Sword and Majora's Mask (by Carl B.)

November 25, 2011, by Carl B. - With all the new gameplay mechanics and innovations that Skyward Sword has brought The Legend of Zelda series, it borrows some ideas heavily from one other title in the franchise: Majora's Mask. These mechanics borrowed from Majora's Mask vary in level of influence, and many go far and above what was present in the N64's second Zelda title -- these two games have more in common that just sharing the same type of save point system.



Hub World

As I said in my in-depth review of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the game's main city compares most to Clock Town. Both are essentially hub worlds: Link travels to them constantly throughout the adventure to restock on supplies and embark on side quests. But what makes Skyloft and Clock Town so alike is that the NPCs in both towns have their own mannerisms and routines – the world feels genuinely alive.

Side Quests

As a whole, the side quests in Skyward Sword are deeper than the ones in Majora's Mask – most of the quests for the Bombers in Majora's Mask consist of Link simply talking to a character (I'm looking at you, Guru-Guru). Nothing in Skyward Sword is as deep and emotional as the Anju & Kafei quest, however. While the rewards for side quests in Skyward Sword are well worth the trouble, they're still pretty shallow and can be completed almost right away, doing away with the need for a notebook or journal to track the quests.

Dungeon-Field Progression
The best part about Skyward Sword is how it shakes up the Zelda formula so much with the dungeon to field progression, and this is something that Majora's Mask did first, albeit to a far lesser extent. Field sections in Skyward Sword are lengthy and are almost their own outdoor dungeons with plenty of environmental puzzles; in Majora's Mask, field sections are sometimes literal dungeons, as seen in Ikana Canyon and the Gerudo Fortress. In other Zelda games, players simply traverse a field before the next dungeon, and in A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, players are often able to go straight from one dungeon to the next without anything to do in between.

Time Travel

Time travel in both Skyward Sword and Majora's Mask are significant gameplay elements, although it is used far more often in the latter. Skyward Sword features time travel in the Lanayru Desert regions, creating some very unique and innovative puzzles through the use of Timeshift Stones that restore parts of the desert to a time before it was ravaged. Majora's Mask is all about time management: Link only has three days to stop Skull Kid, and is able to speed up time, slow it down, and travel back in time.