Call me crazy, but I always thought Majora's Mask was a pretty dark game. Maybe it's the giant moon that glares at you as it slowly kills you. Maybe it's the fact that you're assuming the roles of a bunch of dead people that don't look too pleased when you put on their faces. Maybe it's even that one notoriously creepy statue that human Link summons for the Elegy of Emptiness. Whatever it is, that game is freaking weird, and I still have an incredibly hard time playing it to this very day.


One of the few reasons I ever managed to get through it, albeit with some help from my older brother, is simply because the world was so interesting. It was so strange that, at times, I wasn't even sure they were taking the game seriously—it had so many references to not only other Nintendo series, but also the game's predecessor: the Ocarina of Time. I came to realize that these subtle nods and nudges were things that made the game feel deeper and made the whole experience more surreal. It was probably one of my favorite cases in gaming of the game breaking the fourth wall to make me feel uncomfortable.

Either way, regardless of their intended tone, they're all pretty fantastic when you look back on them. Let's not wait any longer for them!


Whose Side Are You On!?


Among one of the many Mario references scattered throughout the game is one that a lot of people overlook. It's right under their noses... and chins, for that matter. If you look closely at either Romani's or Cremia's pendant, you'll catch a glimpse of a very familiar face. That's right, Bowser, supposedly tired of taking all of your coins in Mario Party, decided to make an appearance in Majora's Mask.

Apparently, Termina's favorite sisters like to root for the bad guy.


It's a Myriad of Masked Cameos


Another Mario reference pays homage to the big man himself. Any time during the game when you have access to the Happy Mask Salesman, you can run around him and look at some of the various masks he has attached to his bag. If you look at the mask on the top left of his back, you'll see a mask with a mustache, as well as a red hat and an "M" on it. This is an obvious reference to Nintendo's mascot, Mario.


Another easter egg can actually be found in your inventory. If you open up the Mask window and look along the second row, assuming you have all of the masks, will show in the following order: the Keaton Mask, the Bremen Mask, The Bunny Hood, Don Gero's Mask, and the Mask of Scents. The animals these masks most closely resemble are also the same animals that appear in the Star Fox series: a fox (Fox McCloud), an annoying chicken (Falco Lombardi), a bunny (Peppy Hare), a toad (Slippy Toad), and a pig (could also be a duplicate Falco, but more likely to be Pigma Dengar).


The Most Wonderful Thing About Tigers...


Considering that everyone in Termina has a counterpart in Hyrule, it brings about a lot of attention whenever a character is missing. Even the little dog from Hyrule got his three days in the sun in Termina. So where is the second cutest animal, Granny's pet tiger? If you look all around Granny's counterpart, which happens to be Anju's grandmother, you won't be able to find a living tiger anywhere.


The closest thing you can do is go around behind her wheelchair and look at the pattern that she has on the back of it. You'll be able to see that Granny's tiger made it over to Termina after all.


This Seems Sketchy


A young boy that makes most of his money picking up peoples furniture and bashing it is bound to see a few strange things. Some fish, maybe a few seeds, or even some sticks might pop out among the scattered remnants of that priceless family heirloom Link just threw. There is only one Zelda game where you'll get to see a dolphin because of throwing a pot, though, and that game happens to be Majora's Mask.

If you go to the bottom floor of the observatory, on the opposite wall from the wall which the staircase is closest to, you'll see a cluster of pots. Break some of them, and you'll be greeted with a lovely but pixelated drawing of a dolphin. This is assumed to be a reference to "Dolphin," the codename for the Nintendo Gamecube during its development.


That Skeleton Isn't One of Ours

One of the most humorous easter eggs is during the fight with Igos du Ikana. If you wear the Captain's Hat when you initiate the encounter, Igos, like the other skeletons in the area, will think that you are Captain Keeta. Sadly, just as quickly as the cutscene started, he'll end it by discovering that you were an imposter and proceed to try to kick your butt anyways. Serves you right for being short.


That's enough for this week, everyone! But don't worry—if you didn't get your fill of hidden treats, be sure to check out my exploration of the Luigi's Mansion series and Symphony of the Night. Keep an eye out for me next Friday when I return with even more tidbits to share!


[Header Source - Thanks Deg!]

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