Saving progress in a video game is an essential feature which allows us to resume the adventure without losing what we have achieved. This is especially important in long games like those in the The Legend of Zelda sagaHowever, not all installments have offered this feature in a straightforward manner. A clear example of this is The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, where the save system varied significantly between versions, and Japanese players suffered the brunt of it.
In most Zelda games, It is possible to save the game at any timeHowever, Majora’s Mask changed this dynamic. In the Japanese version, the only way to save progress was using the Song of Time, which would take you back to the first day of the game’s three-day cycle, before the Moon collided with the city of Termina. The problem with this method was that, When going back in time, players lost their rupees. and any progress made on quests or changes to the world would be reset, making saving a frustrating and impractical task.
Aware of the complaints, Nintendo opted for a different approach for the Western versionsOwl-shaped statues were introduced that allowed for quick saves. While this method had its limitations—the save would be deleted upon loading the game—it at least allowed players to quit the game without having to restart the entire three-day cycle.
It is interesting to note that lThe Japanese version offered three save slotsin contrast to the two available in the Western versions. This change was probably due to the memory demands of the quick save system. Finally, in the Western version Majora’s Mask for Nintendo 3DS, the owl statues have been updated to allow for a save permanenteand the Song of Time lost its function as the only method of saving progress.
