Majora’s Mask: Temples Ranked
Majora’s Mask doesn’t have numerous dungeons and temples like its predecessor, Ocarina of Time. Instead, the game has only four main temples, but the three-day cycle ensures that players have to strategize and plan their activities around the time loop or risk losing progress due to the reset. This means that while the temples follow the Zelda formula, you will have to redo some parts again after the reset. Majora’s Mask temples are unique, as you have to plan according to the time cycle. Here are all of the Majora’s Mask temples ranked, based on their puzzles, layouts, and the effort required to complete them.
4. Woodfall Temple
This is the game’s first main temple, which isn’t surprising, given that you are initially trapped in the body of a Deku Scrub. You have to go to the Deku Palace to learn the location of the temple, and that is also where you find a captured monkey, who teaches you the Sonata of Awakening. This song is essential, as the temple is submerged in water, and you have to raise it by playing the Sonata of Awakening. Majora’s Mask utilizes the environment significantly, and the Woodfall Temple’s environmental hazard is poisonous water.
When you first enter the swamp, you get hurt if you try to swim in the water. Completing the temple by defeating Odolwa cleanses the poison from the water. You also clear the monkey’s name, as you find the Deku Princess and can take her back to the Deku Palace. The dungeon isn’t bad, but it’s substantially straightforward compared to others in the game. Link essentially uses Deku Flowers to travel, which can sometimes become frustrating, as you may fall off before landing on a platform. The temple’s puzzles aren’t as complex as other temples, and there is too much emphasis on using the Deku form.
3. Snowhead Temple
This is the temple located in the snowy mountain region, and you must put to rest a Goron hero and put to sleep a giant Goron before you can enter it. The temple spans multiple floors, and you have to Goron roll across several unfinished bridges to get to different locations. Snow is the environmental hazard for Gorons, with ice falling in the temple, and Fire Arrows play a large part in clearing pathways and switches. The boss fight is interesting, as you have to roll as a Goron and continuously attack Goht with your spikes while avoiding obstacles.
Snowhead Temple utilizes both Link and his Goron forms, without prioritizing either. The layout of the dungeon also feels more connected, as the central pillar leads to different rooms. A major frustrating element about this particular temple is falling off from a higher platform and having to climb back up. Snowhead is more complex compared to Woodfall, but it also forces you to retrace your steps multiple times. Defeating Goht removes the snow from the area, and you can see the beautiful springs.
2. Great Bay Temple
This is the temple Link must complete to remove the curse affecting Great Bay, and it has one of the most unique layouts of all the temples in Majora’s Mask. Great Bay Temple is like a maze that uses its water system as a puzzle. You have to shut off or open pipes, which changes the direction of the water and allows you to access different areas. Link’s Zora form comes in handy, as there is substantial underwater activity in the temple. Human Link also has his use, as Ice Arrows are crucial to create temporary platforms and reach inaccessible areas.
The boss, Gyorg, has two forms, with one requiring you to dodge while on a platform and another giving you swim and attack as a Zora. The water system connects the temple, but Nintendo is infamous for its Water Temples. Whether it be Ocarina of Time or Majora’s Mask, one mistake can lead to losing track of what remains to be done or collected. Despite this, the mix of swimming, valve puzzles, and using Ice Arrows to create platforms makes Great Bay Temple one of the best in Majora’s Mask.
1. Stone Tower Temple
This is the final main Majora’s Mask temple and the game’s most unique one, as it requires Link to create his clones as part of puzzle-solving. The Elegy of Emptiness creates holo statues, which can hold down switches, and Link can create one clone for each of his forms. If that isn’t enough, Light Arrows can be used to activate a switch outside the temple, which flips it upside down. This allows Link to access areas which were previously not reachable. The boss, Twinmold, is fought using the Giant’s Mask because of their sheer height.
The layout flip of Stone Tower Temple and the use of statues to solve puzzles are two of the most unique elements of all the temples in Majora’s Mask, which also explains why it’s ranked first on the list. Stone Tower Temple also prioritizes Link over his other forms, and even when he dons the Giant’s Mask, it’s still Link in a larger form. Players also have to use previously acquired items to correctly navigate the temple. Despite this, there is some frustration regarding the temple, including losing track of switches or creating the wrong statue, forcing you to redo the puzzle.
