Fate: A Tribute to Majora’s Mask from Materia Collective.

Fans of the Nintendo 64 classic The Legend of Zelda can relive the magic with a musical tribute themed around the beloved videogame release Majora’s Mask. The 79-track collection of newly arranged music, Fate: A Tribute to Majora’s Mask, is from Seattle-based Materia Collective. The Legend of Zelda debuted in 1986, and the 19 titles in the franchise have sold more than 80 million game units worldwide, with Majora’s Mask moving more than 3.3 million copies since 2000.

The game is set in Termina, where a powerful ancient artifact, Majora’s Mask, has been stolen, leading to an existential crisis — the moon being pulled into Termina, where it is expected to crash after three days. The hero, Link, keeps looping back in time to take steps that will prevent the fatal collision, thus the gameplay is structured in three-day cycles, as is Fate.

Mixing styles and genres in a way that reflects the tone of the original soundtrack, Fate’s three parts start with The First Day, a collection of tracks driving the anxiety and elation of the first foray into Clock Town. The Second Day offers a melancholy representation of the denial and doubt about the moon is falling into the Earth. The Final Day is a shorter but more intense set of pieces accenting both the dread of the end and the glimmer of hope that still shines in what are perhaps Termina’s final moments. 

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask stands out because, more than any game in the franchise, it dealt with the positive and negative issues that human beings constantly face — grief, death, the passage of time, fear, rejection, and temptation, but also friendship, reconciliation, perseverance, justice, hope, and love,” said Sam Bobinski, who produced the album with his brother Peter Bobinski. “These themes made for a unique storytelling experience. The game’s musical direction incorporates sounds and instruments typically used in Chinese opera, and explores minimalist styles; neither typically found in Zelda soundtracks. Our favorite moments are the boss pieces and the final encounter with Majora,” Peter Bobinksi added.

The artists on the album are all contributors to Materia Collective, a community of video game music fans from all over the world. “We approached the group with our plans of making a Majora’s Mask album, and asked members to propose arrangement and remix ideas. We got over 100 responses,” Sam Bobinski explained of the homage to the work of Japanese composer Koji Kondo, Nintendo’s in-house music and sound designer.  Assisting him on the original was Toru Minegishi, who wrote themes for three battle scenes.

Majora’s Mask is described by Materia Collective as “a game that was less about ‘Good vs. Evil’ and more about how people handle difficult obstacles in life, and the consequences of their actions.” Set in a surreal environment in which time can bend to one’s will, it “captured human emotions and interactions in a way that made the player feel personally invested in solving the characters’ problems, healing broken relationships, and restoring the world to peace.”

“We feel that this soundtrack to Majora’s Mask not only provides a strong complement to the game, reflecting all these emotions and themes, but is an collection of musical ideas on its own,” Sam Bobinski added. Recycling themes from previous games using leitmotif, it creates atmosphere with minimalist ideas and sounds. “The inclusion of ideas and instruments from Chinese opera gives the soundtrack a unique twist on the classic Zelda music, much like the game is itself a unique twist of the standard Zelda game,” Peter Bobinski noted.

“Cherry Blossoms Outside Clock Town” is a re-imagining of the Clock Town theme that combines elements of orchestral, funk and Japanese folk music to create a beautiful and mysterious atmosphere. “Nova Onda Bossa” is the debut of Materia Brasilis, an ensemble dedicated to arranging game music in the styles of Brazilian music. Laura Intravia’s “The True Face” is a choral and orchestral tour-de-force depicting the final battle of the game, taking the listener through an intense musical journey.

Over a six month period the Materia contributors completed their music, with Peter and Sam “providing creative advice and direction where appropriate.”

Materia Collective is a Seattle-based videogame music publisher and label, representing an international array of renowned video game musicians, composers, and songwriters. The collective supports its members with the financial, legal, logistical, and creative aspects of bringing videogame music into the forefront. The company was founded in 2015 by Sebastian Wolff, a data engineer and digital developer with more than 20 years of classical piano training and experience. During that three-plus years, Wolff has built a catalog of more than 150 releases and made Materia known within the industry as a creative magnet and purveyor of innovative game music endeavors.

You can see the tracklist and access the digital album at Bandcamp or on Spotify.