Zelda: Every Mask In Both Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask Compared

The Legend of Zelda frequently tells a familiar story involving the fate of Hyrule Kingdom. Ocarina of Time delineates perhaps the archetypal version Hyrule’s cyclical destiny, but its direct sequel, Majora’s Mask, takes a radically different approach, with an apocalyptic narrative in a neighboring realm known as Termina. Majora’s Mask is well-known to have reused many of Ocarina of Time’s characters, and five of the Zelda sequel’s masks, which play a major role in its gameplay and plot, also first appeared in Ocarina.

The masks are a relatively minor part of Ocarina of Time, used only for a side quest. As a child, Link can visit the Happy Mask Shop in the Castle Town Market. There, the Happy Mask Salesman ropes him into a Hyrule-spanning errand to deliver masks to the correct customers. Link takes one mask at a time, finds the correct patron to purchase it from him, and returns to repeat the process with another mask. This constitutes one of two trading sequences in Ocarina of Time, a quest structure the series uses fairly frequently.

As its title suggests, mask play a much more important role in Majora’s Mask. There are many more than in its predecessor, and they serve as both core game mechanics and keys to side content, providing a variety of special abilities. The Happy Mask Salesman appears again in Majora’s Mask and is even involved in the story’s inciting incident, when the titular Majora’s Mask is stolen from him by Skull Kid. The number of masks in Ocarina of Time is comparatively small, and they have very different uses in each game.

Keaton Mask: Ocarina Of Time Vs. Majora’s Mask

The Keaton Mask is the first item in Ocarina of Time‘s mask trading quest. Although it’s an entirely optional questline, the prospective customer – a guard at the gate to Hyrule’s Death Mountain – requests the mask from Link in the course of the main story. During his quest to secure the three Spiritual Stones, Link gets a letter from Princess Zelda that grants him access to Death Mountain Trail, and the guard he shows it to requests the Keaton Mask for his son. Wearing it grants Link no special attributes, except for getting unique reactions when talking to NPCs.

In Majora’s Mask, Link gets the Keaton Mask as a reward for delivering a letter to Kafei during The Legend of Zelda‘s longest quest. When wearing the mask, Link can cut down any ring of bushes to summon a Keaton – a four-tailed, yellow fox. They need to be cut in quick succession, though, so it’s recommended players use a magically enhanced spin attack to get every bush in one go. The Keaton will then engage Link in a game of questions, and answering five correctly awards a Piece of Heart.

Bunny Hood: Ocarina Of Time Vs. Majora’s Mask

Ocarina of Time‘s Bunny Hood is the fourth item in the Happy Mask Shop trading quest, following the Keaton, Skull, and Spooky Masks. The buyer for the Bunny Hood is the Running Man, who is taking laps around Hyrule Field. Link just has to wear the Bunny Hood near him and he’ll come buy it, paying whatever amount it takes to fill Link’s wallet. Because of this, the Bunny Hood is especially useful for filling up the 500 Rupees of wallet space rewarded by Ocarina of Time‘s Gold Skulltula quest. It’s also a good idea to hold onto the Bunny Hood for a while, since wearing it prevents Stalchildren – the skeletons that attack Link at night in Hyrule Field – from spawning.

Getting the Bunny Hood in Majora’s Mask first requires the Bremen Mask, which Link can then wear to Romani Ranch to coax Grog’s Cuccos into marching behind him. Once Link has all the Cuccos in a row, they grow in size, and Grog gives Link the Bunny Hood. This mask is quite helpful in the time-sensitive Majora’s Mask, as it increases Link’s running speed. Players can also use it during the minigame hosted by the Postman (a renamed version of Ocarina‘s Running Man with a hat). He gives Link a Piece of Heart if players can run for exactly 10 seconds before stopping, and using the Bunny Hood during the game displays a timer, making it much easier.

Goron Mask: Ocarina Of Time Vs. Majora’s Mask

The Goron Mask is one of the final rewards for Ocarina of Time‘s mask trading quest, rewarded after selling the Bunny Hood to the Running Man. The Goron Mask has no particular use, but it will elicit unique lines of dialogue from a wide range of characters all across Hyrule and even manages to bring some cheer to the notoriously dour Ingo at Lon Lon Ranch. A frequent reaction to the Goron Mask is characters commenting on how large Link’s head is.

The Majora’s Mask version of the Goron Mask is much more powerful. Link obtains it after speaking with the ghost of Darmani III, who can be found in the Goron Village with the help of the Lens of Truth. After Link follows Darmani to his grave and plays the Song of Healing, the Goron Mask will let him transform into Goron Link, granting him access to abilities like a ground-pound attack and being able to trigger especially large weight switches. Goron Link can also curl up and roll at speed, a mechanic that makes a compelling argument for a Goron-centric Zelda game.

Zora Mask: Ocarina Of Time Vs. Majora’s Mask

Both versions of the Zora Mask are similar to those of the Goron Mask. Ocarina of Time‘s Zora Mask is likewise a reward for completing the Happy Mask Shop quest. It has no function except for seeing unique NPC reactions, with some more interested than others to see a Zora. The most colorful reaction comes from the Link-infatuated Princess Ruto, who says, “All right! You actually decided to become a Zora! Are you actually ready to marry me now?“

In Majora’s Mask‘s Great Bay, players can find a gravely wounded Zora named Mikau floating in the water. Helping Mikau to shore, listening to his story, then playing the Song of Healing as he passes away will award the Zora Mask. Like the Goron Mask, the Majora’s Mask Zora Mask transforms Link into Zora Link, which grants the player special abilities. The most useful is being able to swim very quickly underwater, but the Zora Mask also comes with new attacks and an electrical defensive barrier.

Mask Of Truth: Ocarina Of Time Vs. Majora’s Mask

The Mask of Truth bears the symbol of The Legend of Zelda‘s Sheikah Tribe, and while it is also a reward for completing the trading quest in Ocarina of Time, it is more useful than the Goron and Zora Masks. Wearing the Mask of Truth in the underground, hidden area in the Lost Woods angers the crowd of Deku Scrubs, but they’ll reward Link with the ability to carry more Deku Nuts. Speaking to one of the Gossip Stones scattered throughout Hyrule while wearing the Mask of Truth also reveals trivia about the kingdom and its denizens.

Obtaining the Mask of Truth in Majora’s Mask requires players to destroy all the Gold Skulltulas in the Swamp Spider House. This version also lets players speak with the Gossip Stones, but they now give clues on how to acquire the many other masks in Majora’s Mask, as well as spreading their usual gossip about Termina. This version of the Mask of Truth also lets The Legend of Zelda players see the thoughts of the game’s animals, which is useful in other side quests and for learning what they think of Termina’s people.

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