Summary
The Legend of Zeldahas explored a variety of themes throughout its long lifespan of nearly four decades, including heroism, sacrifice, the passage of time, fate, and free will. To emphasize these themes, the series has used a rollercoaster of undertones, going from the heights of childlike wonder and joy down to the depths of fear, despair, and terror. However, since the release ofMajora’s Mask,The Legend of Zeldahas hardly returned to the horror themes that saturated the groundbreaking 2000 title. Although more recent installments — namely,Tears of the Kingdom— have hinted at exploring those themes again, they haven’t quite paid off in the way thatMajora’s Maskdid almost 25 years ago.
That being said, ifTears of the Kingdomis a sign of anything, it’s that the series still has massive horror potential that it needs to return to, thereby givingMajora’s Maska proper heir. InThe Legend of Zelda’s massive library of games, there is no installment quite likeMajora’s Mask. To this day, it remains a celebrated entry for its boldness and willingness to feature even darker themes than those found inOcarina of Time, especially as the franchise was just beginning to truly take off around that time. Now, the time has come for anotherZeldatitle likeMajora’s Maskto take the stage and prove once again what the series is capable of.
The Legend of Zelda Still Needs a Horror Title Like Majora’s Mask
Tears of the Kingdom’s Initial Horror Vibes Didn’t Pay Off
WhenTears of the Kingdomwas first revealed, it seemed as though some of the horror elements the series had been known for — especially in entries likeOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask— were finally making a comeback. In the game’s second and third trailers, a character who, at the time, was presumed to be Ganon, appeared as a terrifying Undead of sorts and then was later depicted as the stereotypical Ganon fans have become familiar with since he was first shown inOcarina of Time.
Then, onceTears of the Kingdomwas finally released, fans got to see firsthand these moments that were shown in the trailers within the game’s first hour. As Zelda and Link explore some old ruins beneath Hyrule Castle, they eventually happen upon a large room where Ganon’s corpse is being kept. As they approach the corpse, it awakes, speaks toLink and Zelda, and a horrifying sequence takes place which even sees Link losing his arm. Unfortunately, this is largely the extent ofTears of the Kingdom’s horror elements, as they never fully pay off, nor are they revisited in the same way.
Tears of the Kingdom’s Depths can be a bit eerie to explore, but they don’t evoke the same feelings of terror thatMajora’s Maskdid so many years ago.
A Zelda Title With Horror Themes Is Long Overdue After Majora’s Mask
In light ofTears of the Kingdom’s failure to fully envelop players in a world of terror, despite initially teasing such elements, there remains no true heir toMajora’s Mask.Ocarina of Timefeatured certain moments where these undertones were explored, like the Shadow Temple and the well in Kakariko Village, but its successor arguably took them even further, to the point that many fans comment today on how the terrifying face of themoon inMajora’s Maskstill haunts them in their sleep to this day.
Majora’s Maskis popular for a reason. It might have been a bit niche at the time of its release, but since then, it has been widely recognized as one of themost importantZeldagamesever made, which is saying a lot, considering it immediately followed what many have claimed is the best game in the series. GivenTears of the Kingdom’s attempt to explore elements of horror once more, it’s a sign that the series' potential for such themes is still alive and well, so it’s time forMajora’s Maskto get a true spiritual successor once and for all.
