Back in 2000 when I first played MM, I wasn't in the right mindset. I sort of wanted to rush through it and just get it done. Then I did, and never looked back.
That's certainly not the way it's meant to be played, and with MM3D I'm taking my time dealing with one thing or another. I'm really, really enjoying this game, and taking things slowly.

@ploot

Kind of ironic for a game with a ticking clock . But you're quite right. There's so much stuff to be missed in this game when trying to rush through it.


I'm not liking this 'fishing voucher' prize in the Deku game. (And possibly the other mini games too- I got one for taking a phot of Tingle for the contest.) Used to get 50 rupees from those things. Now the fishing hole costs 50 Rupees...or one voucher.

I feel like I'm on government benefits, and I'm getting paid in vouchers instead of cash so I don't go out and get drunk on Chateau Romani. Bah.

@ploot

Wow, the best way to play this game is to find out all the secrets of the Clock town folks!

Also, the alien invasion was a fucking surprise.

What in the ever loving fuck happened to my Zora swimming?

It RULED in the original. This is just awful.

@Shadowlink

I heard it changed. How did it change?

@DrFinkelstein

It's much much slower.

You can access the 'fast' swimming by holding R, which combines with the electrical attack and drains magic. Kind of like the Goron fast rolling. But generally with the Goron, you're in areas with either magic pots or grass that contain magic pots. With the Zora however, when you're out in the open ocean where you WANT to swim fast... there's not much in the way of magic lying around to pick up. It's rather annoying.


I can understand slowing the swimming down in areas to give you greater control, such as in the temple, but why not simply add a 'slow' option to the swimming? Why nerf it altogether and make what was the default speed now reliant on magic?

I suppose Chateau Romani just became even more useful.

Oh man, fun times.

I screwed up Sakon's hideout (somehow?? I think I took too long to kill the wolf?) and lost the Sun Mask. (I did NOT reset back to my previous save. THIS IS CHEATING.)

This of course left me with a mere 6 hours to finish collecting the Zora eggs before my progress on that matter was reset. Flew to Great Bay, found out my picture was no good, rushed to get another one, got my guide, then tore through Pinnacle Rock. Got all the eggs to saftey and learned the New Wave Bossa Nova with a mere 1 'hour' before the moon fell. Talk about the skin of my teeth!

I should sit down and try to work out an 'optimal' run schedule one day. In the meantime, I'm just cramming in as many quests into each timeline as I can. I think I'm doing pretty well. (Progress spoiled for newbies)

1st Timeline:

Adult Wallet
Deku Playground Completed

2nd Timeline:

Great Fairy's Mask
Woodfall Temple Preliminaries
Woodfall Temple
Snowhead Temple Preliminaries
Bremen Mask
Bunny Hood
Mask of Scents
Kafei Mask
Small Quiver
Big Quiver
Blast Mask
Big Bomb Bag

3rd Timeline:

Snowhead Temple
Powder Keg License
Goron Race- Gold Dust Bottle
Keaton Mask
Postman's Hat
Bomb Game Completed
Kamaro's Mask

4th Timeline:

Romani Ranch Opened
Epona found
Garo Mask
Romani Milk Bottle
Romani Mask
Beaver Race Bottle
Great Bay Temple Preliminaries
Chateau Romani Bottle
Deku Scrub trading quest completed
Stone Mask
Gilded Sword

Starting my 5th timeline soon. Should clear the temple, and with any luck the leadup to the Stone Tower Temple. Plus a few more sidequests to polish off. Maybe the spider houses.

Wonder if I can have this cleared in the 6th timeline...

I do not remember the Goron race being so shitty on the N64 version. The rubberband AI, the random knocking you out of the spike roll. Terrible, terrible segment.

@Stephen

The weird thing is I finished that first try when I went in to get the bottle. When I went back in a subsequent timeline to get the Gold Dust for my sword, thats when I started having the issues you mention. Took me 3 goes that time.

So, I completed this with all hearts and masks. I definitely love this game.
I do however wish the final mask didn't make the last boss ridiculously easy. I was hoping they'd have tweaked it a bit.
I know I could just not use it, but, come on! It's just too cool.

One thing I didn't get into was the fishing. Is it any good?

@Stephen
I don't think you can get knocked out of the spike roll unless you hit a bomb flower on the track. You will always get knocked out of the pre-spike roll though.
I'm pretty sure, at least.

They also changed a segment near the end of the game, and it drove me nuts. That's all I'll say.

@ploot

I'm pretty sure the gorons just randomly knock you out of the spike roll. I was pretty good at avoiding the bomb flowers. The run I actually finished it on was so shameful. At least the rubberband AI cuts both ways.

@Stephen
Yup, they do.
I went back and tried it just a minute ago, and you're absolutely right.
BLAH!

@ploot

I haven't spent very much time on the fishing. Mostly because the clock is ticking. No time for fish.


What would be neat would be a '4th day' mode accessable after completing the game. No time limits. No angry moon over your head. You get to potter around Termina and see how everyone is doing. And you can spend time fishing.

@Shadowlink
But Link holds TIME ITSELF in his pocket!
He could spend the whole three-day cycle staring at a cow if he wanted.

Truthfully though, the "4th day" would have been a really neat addition to this version. Aw.

@ploot

I'm sure Link has more important things to do than stare at cows .

I'm feeling a little dumb right now.

Partway through the stone tower temple. Killed the Garo Master. Circled back to the temple entrance.

..."Wasn't I supposed to have the Light Arrows at this point?"

Thought I must have missed them along the way. Circled back again. Found an empty chest in the room.

"What?"

Checked inventory. Facepalmed.

I must have been on autopilot or something, I completely erased all memory of actually getting the arrows. Cost me an hour or 2 of game time. Blah.


BTW @ploot:

Was the segment they changed a chest with a key in the room with the water & the bridge through the middle? Where you have to jump out of the water as Zora link to reach it?

Because I never had to do that last time. And it was annoying as fuck to do.

@Shadowlink
Haha, you did that the hard way. You could've become Deku Scrub Link and skipped over the water to the chest. Very easy.

The part I'm talking about comes during the final leg of the game.

Also, don't kid yourself, Shadowlink. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about.

@ploot

*facepalm*

I thought there had to be an easier way, but it didn't come to me. Maybe because the ledge was too high.

I know in the original I used to exploit a mask switching trick to get Zora link in a position where he could just grab that ledge and pull himself up.


Also Twinmold is a bitch. If I punch you, you fall. Got it?

@Shadowlink

I think that trick has been taken out of the game. I haven't tried it on the ledge you're talking about, but I tried doing that earlier in the game and couldn't get it to work.

@Hero_Of_Hyrule

I can't remember if I tried it anywhere else (maybe Great Bay Temple?) but I always used to use it in the Stone Tower. I just figured you were meant to, even though it seemed awkward .