Zelda: Majora's Mask Art Director Wanted to Make Another "Strange" Zelda Game

By Marc Deschamps

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is considered one of the strangest games in the Zelda franchise. Originally released on Nintendo 64 in 2000, the sequel offered gameplay similar to Ocarina of Time, while incorporating new mechanics and a much darker tone. A major part of that darker tone can be attributed to the work of art director Takaya Imamura. Speaking to Video Games Chronicle, Imamura recently revealed that he wanted to return to the series to work on another "strange and unique" series entry, but things never came together, for one reason or another.

"I wanted to do it one more time, yes," Imamura told VGC. "Recent Zelda games have taken things back to basics, and I wanted to make something a little bit more unique, with a little twist, in a strange and unique world, like Majora's Mask."

While most Zelda games are set in Hyrule, Majora's Mask takes place in a parallel world called Termina. Link finds himself transported there by the mysterious Skull Kid, 72 hours before the world is set to be destroyed by the falling Moon. Familiar faces like Zelda and Ganondorf are absent from the game, and Link must use a set of masks and his trusty Ocarina to save the day. These elements made Majora's Mask stand out from every previous Zelda game, and it was initially pretty divisive, as a result. Over the years, however, it's become a favorite among Zelda fans. The game received a 3DS remake in 2015, and is currently available in the Nintendo Switch's N64 app.

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Majora's Mask would not be the last time that Imamura had the opportunity to work on the Zelda franchise; the art director was briefly involved during the planning stages for The Wind Waker. Of course, The Wind Waker also happens to be a pretty unique and strange Zelda game, but it's not nearly as dark as Majora's Mask was. It remains to be seen whether we'll ever see another Zelda quite like it, but maybe that's for the best; it does keep Majora's Mask feeling unique, even after 23 years!

Are you a fan of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask? Would you like to see another Zelda game like it? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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