Majora’s Mask had much to capitalize on after the wild success of Ocarina of Time. As many know, the development team had little time to work on this sequel, which is why, instead of having seven or eight main dungeons like in most Zelda games, we only got four. However, Majora’s Mask is “quality over quantity” incarnate. While it may only have four dungeons, all of them are bangers, and I would even argue that they are some of the best in the entire franchise. One of my favorites that has always stuck with me is Snowhead Temple.
After completing the Woodfall Temple, and probably completing some interpersonal sidequests in town, it is time to head north towards Snowhead and complete the Mountain portion of the “Four who are there, bring them here!” main quest. The Hero of Time will overcome the obstacles of the frigid lands of Snowhead. Learning to play the Goron Lulluby on hand drums, meeting the spirit of Darmani, and encasing his soul into a cute mask are all required before we can reach the summit where Snowhead Temple is located. And even then, not just anyone is allowed to walk right into the temple. First you will have to deal with the giant, invisible Goron, Biggoron, who guards the temple. Fortunately, he is not violent — he just blows strong gusts of wind to prevent you from going forward. The Goron Lulluby will put him to sleep, and he will fall into the abyss below, opening up the entrance to the dungeon (do not fret, I am sure Biggoron is OK).
I would argue that, while most 3D Zelda dungeons are mostly known for their aesthetic and theme, the dungeons in Majora’s Mask are most distinguished by their puzzle gimmicks. Stone Tower Temple has its dungeon flipping mechanic, Great Bay Temple has you changing the direction of the water’s flow, and Snowhead Temple’s main gimmick involves a giant pillar in the center. Players move up and down the cylindrical dungeon to change the level of the pillar, opening access to various levels and blocked off pathways throughout the dungeon.
The dungeons in this title also make great use of the masks Link collects through his adventure. Snowhead Temple makes use of the recently-received Goron Mask, which is able to turn Link into a Goron (fortunately, he keeps his iconic green hat so he stays recognizable). Being a Goron brings new abilities. Now Link does not need a sword, as Gorons are powerful enough to just use their fists. Link will use this not only to throw hands with the many ice-themed enemies, but his strong punches is what he will use to knock out the levels of the central pillar. Goron Link also gets a ground pound, which he will use to solve some puzzles. Lastly, Goron Link will get a Sonic the Hedgehog-esque spin dash ability, commonly coined as the Goron Roll, where he can roll around at high speeds (at the cost of depleting his Magic Meter). This ability is used for traversing the various curved walls and clearing gaps that Child Link is unable to jump. The Goron body also comes in handy when having to walk the lava filled floors at the bottom of the dungeon, as Gorons are immune to such hot temperatures.
I know it may seem hard to believe, but Snowhead Temple is covered in ice and snow. Many of the doors and pathways are obstructed by ice, and many ice and snow-themed monsters roam the dungeon. Fortunately, Link finds another key item here which, coincidentally, solves all these problems: Fire Arrows. Now Link can not only shoot his enemies down, but he can burn them from the inside as well! These Fire Arrows are useful for melting away all the ice blockades found throughout the dungeon, as well as taking out some large icicles for various puzzles. You will also find that cold-based enemies like Eenos or Freezards are taken down quite easily with these nifty arrows.
Funnily enough, this dungeon also features some fiery foes as well that might not find Fire Arrows so intimidating. The lava at the base of the dungeon keeps the temple warm enough to house some Red Bubbles, a recurring monster in the Zelda series. Even some fire-breathing Dinolfos are able to live here. But the scariest monster by far has to be the Real Bombchu, which makes its first appearance in Snowhead Temple. It turns out Bombchu Bowling was based on true events, but these are not fun and silly like the beloved minigame. This rat wears a huge, gross smile below its lifeless eyes, and worst of all, it has an explosive attached to its tail. They do not even try to fight, they just charge at you and detonate themselves in the name of taking three hearts from your health pool. It is pretty pathetic when you realize all you have to do is hold up your shield to protect yourself from the blast, but these poor guys do not live long enough to correct their mistakes and try a new strategy.
This dungeon contains one main boss, but two miniboss rooms. The two minibosses are the same: Wizzrobes. These recurring minibosses are in every dungeon in this title, and luckily, they are fairly easy. Teleporting pads are laid out across the room, and the Wizzrobes will teleport across the room until they’re ready to attack. Sadly, they take too much time to ready their attacks, leaving themselves open for Link to shoot them with his new Fire Arrows. The Wizzrobes that appear in Majora’s Mask’s are probably my favorite versions. Not because I find them cool, but because these versions hardly look like monsters — just really unhealthy, old men. And I find the idea of old men running around these dungeons pretty funny. But after those Wizzrobes are defeated, and the rest of the dungeon has been cleared, it is time to fight the main boss.
After opening the boss door, you will find Goht, the bull-shaped, mechanical demon trapped in a block of ice. Link’s only option is to free it with a Fire Arrow. After thawing, the monster breaks out of the rocks and begins rampaging around the doughnut-shaped boss room. The common tactic is to turn in to Goron Link and use your Goron Roll ability to chase Goht down and ram into him while he rampages; however, if that tactic seems a bit too hands-on, using well-placed Bombs and Fire Arrows are valid methods of taking him down as well. Other than having to keep an eye on your Magic Meter, this fight is pretty easy, but it is really fun ramming into Goht as Goron Link. Once Goht is defeated, Link will take his well-deserved Heart Container and the Goht Mask. Now one more Guardian is freed, and Link is halfway through his quest to save Termina.
