Who can forget a gaming year like 2000. It was the year the PS2 finally started making headway. 2000 signaled the slow death of the N64 and the PSX, while cranking out epic titles gamers still play today like Perfect Dark, Diablo II, Deus Ex, The Sims, Dead or Alive 2, Majora’s Mask, as well as others. The question is which gaming platform was the most successful in 2000?
Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata reckons that often-overlooked N64 Zelda quest, Majora’s Mask, was a "turning point" for Nintendo, and an early glimpse at games of the future.
"The ‘Three-Day System’, the idea of a compact world to be played over and over again, came down from Miyamoto-san and one other director, (Yoshiaki) Koizumi-san," explained Aonuma. "We added that to the mix, and then, finally, we saw the full substance of a The Legend of Zelda game we could make in one year."
Iwata went on to add: "Actually, I feel as though, back then, we were given a glimpse of the concept that ‘Deep, compact play is one form of the games of the future’. I think in that sense, as a product, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was a big turning point for Nintendo."
Majora’s Mask is a game of great quality. There’s a few that think otherwise, but with all great art, it often does cause quite a bit of polarity. Majora’s Mask has the great distinction, or unfortunate fate, of being a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, which many consider the greatest Zelda game of all time. While Phil Stetson won’t argue Ocarina of Time’s importance, he does wish to argue why Majora’s Mask is better. Or more specificity, why Majora’s Mask is the greatest Zelda game ever created.