Looks like a Zora, Swims like a Goron

What on earth is going on with the swimming mechanics in Majora's Mask 3D? I heard some stories that they weren't as good as the Nintendo 64 version, but I can barely control the bloody thing on 3DS.

The camera seems to wander wherever it likes when swimming underwater, if it was directly fixed behind Link there wouldn't be a problem, but it's like the cameraman forgot his flippers and is struggling to keep up. 

The extra joystick on the New 3DS doesn't even help. I'm already holding my thumb down on the A button to make Link swim; so I have to do some impressive thumb/finger gymnastics just to reach the joystick to have minor control over the camera. I have no idea if it's any better on the previous 3DS.

When I thought things couldn't get any worse, along came a mini game where you have to swim through numerous rings in a certain order. Oh joy. And just to make sure you're having the most hideously agonising time imaginable; all the rings have been rendered as solid objects rather than markers to simply pass through. So unless you pass through the ring's centre with reasonable accuracy Link glitches into it, until he's spat out, leaving you to slowly maneuver your way back for another go.

And another thing; why are the vertical controls for swimming inverted?! Link's meant to have transformed into some kind of fish/man hybrid, not an aeroplane!

Maybe I'm being too negative but I'm nowhere near finishing this segment of the game, so I have at least another 1-2 hours of this to go. Best get the coffee on. 

Skull Kid Figurine Unboxing

                                     

According to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, the world needed to be saved in 72 hours. Well, this figurine took 2 weeks to arrive so it's a good job there isn't an angry moon crashing toward us.

The figurine however, is finally here so let's take a closer look!

The figurine comes packaged in a very plain white box, as Nintendo seem to package all of their figurines/trophies/toys, but it would have been nice to see some graphics on the box to liven things up. Once opened you'll find the figurine in a plastic cover which is easy to remove. 

The figurine itself is beautifully detailed but it seems quite fragile. It's made of plastic and upon closer inspection there's a been slight break on part of the Skull Kid's hat, which is a bit of a shame, so my advice is to take care and handle this figurine as little as possible.

                               

The base has the Majora's Mask logo across it, but the figurine can't be removed from the base.

All in all the figurine is great, with the detail on the mask being exceptionally well done, and it was an unexpected bonus, so I'm really pleased. ^_^

Now I leave you with a view of the rear.

Majora's Mask First Impressions

It's strange to think that to sell Nintendo's (sort of) New 3DS they bundle it with a 15 year old game. Sure, fans were pleading with Nintendo to re-release Majora's Mask, but is it the must have title/console seller Nintendo hopes it will be?

Well Majora's Mask has undergone a complete graphical overhaul, it looks incredibly sharp and the world of Termina looks wonderful, right down to the smallest detail. The characters have also been re-modelled and look indistinguishable from their Nintendo 64 counterparts.

The music of the Legend of Zelda series has always been a focal point, and MM is no different. You'll feel overwhelmed at the sheer volume of music present in the game, and it sounds brilliant in this remake.

I've mentioned before that I didn't play MM the first time around, so when the 3DS edition was announced I tried the GameCube port of the Nintendo 64 original. The save system in the port was a little confusing; with certain saves only lasting until I turned the game back on, and this coupled with a faulty memory card didn't help matters. Luckily every save point in the 3DS version is a definite save point, so no losing progress unnecessarily, and it certainly helps the games transition from the home console to the handheld platform.

The controls are very straight forward, MM is very easy to just pick up and play. The only frustration is that your inventory is only accessible via touch screen/stylus, and it really disrupts the flow of gameplay. So keep your stylus drawn at all times cowboy cos you're gonna to need it.

Majora's Mask was a stand out for the series thanks to it's foreboding undertones, which has been the subject of some great gaming theories, so it may be a draw for those looking for something different from the franchise. Plus Majora's Mask is chock full of unlockables and side-quests to keep you going for months, so I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Can't Mask the Excitement

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Special Edition arrived one day early...YAY!!! So let's take a look at the extra goodies on offer:

• SteelBook
• Double Sided Poster
• Majora's Mask Pin Badge

Steelbook Case

I don't own any SteelBook's but this is pretty nice. A lovely detailed image of Majora's Mask on the front, Skull Kid on the Back, and what appears to be an image of a map on the inlay. It's beautifully presented but I'm unlikely to use it as the game comes in its original packaging alongside the SteelBook, one for the collectors I guess.

Double Sided Poster

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking, but this is printed on very high quality paper and looks fantastic. I might get it framed and pop it on the wall.

Majora's Mask Pin Badge

I take back what I said in November because this pin badge is absolutely gorgeous. It comes in a great little presentation box, the engraving is incredibly detailed and it's been polished to the nth degree. Seriously, a lot of care and attention has been put into this.

Well, enough blogging about it because now I'm going to play it. Catch you guys tomorrow. ^_^

Free Skull Kid Figurine?!

Nintendo sent me an email and apparently I'm eligible for a free Skull Kid figurine! ... as long as they have the stock, of course.

If you buy any New 3DS console, including the Ambassador Edition, with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, you'll be able to qualify.

If you already have the console and the game on pre-order from Nintendo's UK store; you'll receive the Skull Kid figurine at the same time or a few days after it's been delivered.

If you're planning to get the console and the game from Nintendo's UK Store, you'll need to order them before Saturday 28th February 2015.

And if you've pre-ordered the console and the game from somewhere other than Nintendo's UK store, you'll have to register everything on Club Nintendo by Saturday 28th February 2015.

Now if only I had somewhere to put this thing...

Day 71 of 100 Happy Gaming Days: Majora's Mask 3DS Special Edition

The biggest announcement from Wednesday's Nintendo direct, without question, was Majora's Mask for 3DS.

I must admit I never played MM the first time around, despite having sunk a ridiculous number of hours into Ocarina of Time, so when Zelda fans began pleading with Nintendo to remake MM for 3DS, I had to see what all the fuss was about. I had the game on the Zelda Collectors Disk for GameCube and I was surprised to find a much darker Zelda adventure. There's a somewhat foreboding undertone making MM a standout entry in the long running franchise.

Nintendo are releasing a special edition version of MM for 3DS, but what's going to be included??? 

The special edition includes a copy of the game, a SteelBook case, a pin badge in the shape of the mask itself (with an attractive collectors box), and a double sided poster.

It's not a bad little haul for the extra £5 you splash out on the special edition release, the only criticism I could make is why hasn't the badge been painted?! It would have been so much more visually striking, then again you could probably find something similar on etsy, so it's not the end of the world.

Majora's Mask is set to be released on 30th June 2015, better pre-order this one, folks. It's going to sell out fast.