OoT + MM = ?

I mentioned this purely-hypothetical idea in this article. Consider this just as food for thought. I'm not a Zelda-nut by any means, but these two games rank right up there in my favourite ever titles. MM just edges it for me, since it's easily one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played, whereas OoT broke ground with the gameplay.

Anyway, the idea is this; Since both games take place directly one after another, wouldn't it be cool to see a proper remake wherein the content of both games is remade into a single title? Now, I know we already have an OoT 'remake' for 3DS, but honestly, I see that title as a remaster (much in the same vein as Perfect Dark XBLA) rather than an actual remake. It's the exact same thing more or less, it just looks better.

When I say 'remake', I actually mean a full-on remake where none of the original assets remain, and even the content of the game is remade. Entirely-different dungeons, world-layout, size, everything. Think Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Heavily-inspired by the respective original works, but a new take on those ideas. I know that might shake purists to their core, but we'll always have the originals to play.

Imagine an up-to-date re-imagining of the events of OoT and MM in a single game, with all the HD bells and whistles on Wii U. The storyline would have the same basic idea, but could be told in a fresh way. Also, things like The Lost Woods could be given a serious refurbishment. As awesome as the 3DS OoT is, it's really just a remaster. The Lost Woods are still just a basic grid. Imagine them as an actual modelled forest!

What's really interesting about this idea to me is that they could either have it so that the MM portion could only be accessed after beating the OoT portion (perhaps Zelda teaches you a new tune or gives you an artifact which leads you through The Lost Woods into Termina), or have it so that both worlds are explorable without having to finish one.

There could be secret areas in Hyrule that are only explorable once items are found or tasks done in Termina, and vice versa. Perhaps the parallel version of Hyrule's Running Man in Termina could give you the key to beating his Hyrule self, etc.

The problem with this is that is messes with the canon (Link travels to Termina to find Navi). Perhaps a middle-ground situation would be better, whereby the main content from OoT must be completed before travelling to Termina, but there could still be lots of ancillary tasks and content not related to the story which crosses over both worlds. Maybe it could just be a spin-off, and not canon at all? Not sure if that's acceptable.

There would also be another possibility, and this is true whether or not the Hyrule portion of the game must be completed before travelling to Termina - Future Termina. In fact, this may work better if one has to finish OoT first. In OoT, upon completion Link returns the Master Sword and Ocarina of Time to Zelda. However, at the beginning of MM, we see that Zelda just gives the OoT straight back to him.

This could either be retconned, or explored and explained much better. Instead of a minimal flashback explaining why Link still has the OoT, we could have a whole new portion of game after the events of OoT where we play out that period between saving Hyrule and travelling to Termina.

Until defeating the Mask of Majora, Termina's fate is that of destruction. Therefore, Future Termina could be a barren wasteland. There could even be no element of combat or such things in post-apocalypse Termina. Master Sword-less adult Link explores a barren land, seven years after the impact. We all know that while there are only four dungeons in MM, they are way more complex than that of OoT.

Post-apocalypse Future Termina could be used to great effect, here. The ruined temples that you must conquer in the present day may hold items that must be used to defeat said temple, but are totally inaccessible when the temples are standing. Travel to the barren wasteland of future Termina where you will find the ruins of those temples, and maybe that item or secret/whatever than you needed is now accessible, since the impact of the moon shattered the walls, and therefore the boundaries which stopped you in present day.

This could also lend something extra to the already-thick atmosphere of MM. If you've ever let the moon crash down, you know it's depicted as basically a nuclear explosion. Everything is completely decimated. Future post-apocalypse Termina would be a lonely place with little signs of life. Trunks of trees charred of all leaves and branches, leaning away from the epicentre of the impact site. Calcified remains of those who you meet in present day, families and friends clutching each other as the blast takes their lives. Fauna slowly taking over again, mossy ruins etc.

Nothing but you, your horse, and a blighted landscape. Think Shadow of the Colossus, but without giant beasts and a far more eerie atmosphere. Of course, along with the suggestion that inaccessible essential items being obtainable in ruined Termina, there could also be non-essential things to find.

Upon defeating the Mask of Majora and averting the biblical impact of the moon, Future Termina would no-longer be post-apocalyptic. You could travel there and meet your comrades from present day. Perhaps Kafei and Anju now have children? The little Goron prince is now teenage, etc. The people of Termina welcome you as a hero. Perhaps you could even find Navi, there.

Anyway, I just thought this was a cool idea, and wanted to write it down before I forgot it. Done right, it would certainly be a truly epic game. They could simply call it The Legend of Zelda: The Hero of Time.