The Most Controversial 'Legend of Zelda' Game Is 26 Years Old

The Legend of Zelda franchise is beloved in a way that not many are in the world of video games. Every game gets rave reviews. Every new release is hotly anticipated by adults as if they were children waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve.

It's rare for one of Link's adventures to fall short of expectations, but that's exactly what The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask did when it first came out on April 27, 2000, in Japan. The series was still coming off the high of what critics thought was the greatest game in history, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Majora's Mask uses the same graphical style and some of the same character models because it came out only two years after Ocarina of Time.

Fans were immediately comparing the two games, which was what created unjust expectations for Majora's Mask. In a vacuum, fans and critics thought the game was spectacular. Compared to its predecessor, it wasn't what people thought they were going to get.

Majora's Mask is set in a world that is rushing to a finish line, and only Link has the tools and the heroism to stop it. The game is more mature, more daring, and downright different from the rest of the storytelling in Zelda. Different felt weird back then. Fans wanted a straight sequel to Ocarina of Time, not a game that was so contrasting from the patterns laid down by it.

Retrospective analysis has the game rank much higher than it did back in 2000. With 26 years to look at what Majora's Mask offered, many are now quick to point out how its supposed flaws are now defining strengths, and especially strengths that brought out the best in both the adventure game genre and future Zelda titles.

Jordan Biordi of Comics Gaming Magazine even has it ranked as the best game in the series now.

"The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is, without a doubt, the best Zelda, PERIOD. It took the foundation that its predecessor laid and used it to make a game that was bolder, more daring and far more engaging. It's honestly hard to believe it was released less than two years after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for how much of an improvement it is over that game."

Sometimes it shows that taking some time to compare and contrast a game against its entire canon instead of just its previous release is the best way to fairly find out its value. Majora's Mask may still be controversial, but it's at least appreciated and revered for the greatness in its heart.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 5:49 PM.