Jared Hansen
Of all the entries in the Zelda series, Majora’s Mask is one of the most unique. It rightly is critically acclaimed, but its darker themes and new mechanics are very different from “the Zelda formula.” This book then is my analysis of the components and symbols of this game, how they influence the player and their experience in Termina. This book draws upon some of the great theories and analyses of my fellow gamers and essayists.
This book is divided into three sections that cover the people, places, and themes of Majora’s Mask. From Link we learn about childhood, nostalgia, maturation, and the intersection of all three. And Skull Kid serves as Link’s Shadow (a Jungian archetype), or a foil that he confronts and through their battle Link grows and develops. But what is the mysterious role of the Happy Mask Salesman?
Then for section two I break down each of the five major regions of Termina (Clock Town, Woodfall, Snowhead, Great Bay, and Ikana Valley). And the third section of the book takes a look at the broader themes throughout the game. What are the connections this game has to Japanese Noh theater of Noh? The Song of Healing is emblematic of the Kübler-Ross model of grief, but I also don’t approve of its application to this game. And lastly comes an analysis of the theme of purgatory, and how the game reinforces this theme throughout its mechanics and story.
This book then covers such diverse topics as the relationships that players form with transmedia franchises, their relationships with their avatars, and their relationship with death and grief. I think this game, Majora’s Mask, works best as a philosophical examination of human emotions and relationships. Which is probably why I discuss them so much in this book.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
LANGUAGE | BINDING | EDITION | ISBN | YEAR | PAGES |
English | Paperback | 9781091503304 | 2019 | 223 |
TAGS
Authors: #JaredHansen
Publishers: #SelfPublished
Languages: #English
Format: #Paperback
Accessibility: N/A
Year: #Year2019
Genres: #GameStudies
Companies:
Public Figures:
N/A
Games:
#Zelda (The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask)
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