Top tips to get a head start in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

So your New 3DS has just arrived, and you're raring to go and play Majora's Mask 3D. Well, as you may have heard, Majora's Mask is quite different to other titles in The Legend of Zelda series.

No need to be apprehensive though - we've whipped up a neat little guide with tips you can use within the first hour or two of starting.

From the moment you get the Ocarina of Time back, be sure to play the Inverted Song of Time each time you start the 3-day cycle. This'll slow down time, meaning you'll be able to achieve a lot more in your 72 hours.

You can learn the tune from the scarecrow fella, or just play R, L, Y, R, L, Y. Yes, RLY.

The Song of Double Time is even more useful now than it was in the original Majora's Mask. Not only can you skip forward to the next day with this tune, but also every single hour leading up to it. Very handy for making appointments.

Play the tune with Y, Y, L, L, R, R.

You can't save anywhere like you could in Ocarina of Time 3D, but there are plenty more save points in Majora's Mask 3D than there were in Majora's Mask. Be sure to activate each owl journal statue the moment you come across it.

The Bunny Hood is the mask you'll invariably use most as Young Link, as it makes you travel much faster than rolling around everywhere like you used to in Ocarina of Time. With better run-ups come longer jumps too!

First up, you'll need to visit the Laundry Pool in Clock Town on the first or second night. The Laundry pool is in the far right corner of South Clock Town when you're exiting the Clock Tower.

There, you'll meet Guru-Guru. Speak to him and he'll toss the Bremen Mask your way. Next, head to Milk Road, Southwest of Clock Town. Skip ahead to Day 3 using the Song of Double Time and head into Romani Ranch.

Head straight until you see the Cucco Shack and head in. Don the Bremen Mask and get ready to hold down B for a long time. As you play the marching tune, collect all 10 Cucco chicks. Once you do, they'll mature, and you'll be rewarded with the Bunny Hood.

Little green man

You'll see Tingle floating about in almost every area. Always buy both maps from him, as that'll mean you'll be ready for the next area the moment you walk into it.

Takkuri, the giant ugly bird flying just outside the Milk Road entrance, is a golden ticket for rupees. He'll drop a huge 200-rupee piece each time you best him. Beware though! He can nick some of your items, like bottles, and will take a very long time to knock down at the start of the game.

If you'd prefer to tackle him when you have stronger weapons, like the Bow and Fire Arrows, make sure you're mounted on Epona as you attack him. That way you'll be invulnerable, and can't lose any items to him.

Magnetic charm

To get magic upgrades and the most powerful sword in the game you'll need to collect all the Stray Fairies in each dungeon. This task is made a whole lot easier with the Great Fairy's Mask, as it will both attract fairies as well as indicate if there are any left in a particular room.

Pick it up by taking the Stray Fairy hanging around Clock Town (in East Clock Town at night and the Laundry Pool during the daytime) to the Great Fairy in North Clock Town.

Big badaboom

Losing all your bombs every time you play the Song of Time can be a pain. However, if you have a Blast Mask, you can achieve the same effect as placing a bomb where you stand by wearing it and pressing B. Just be sure to use your shield too or you'll lose health.

To get it, hang around North Clock Town after midnight on the first night. You'll see a thief mug the old lady that runs the Bomb Shop. Stop him in his tracks to be rewarded with the Blast Mask.

With fewer overall dungeons compared to just about any other Zelda game, netting Heart Pieces in minigames and sidequests is more important than it's ever been before. Don't be afraid to gallivant around on the hunt for new pieces rather than storming temples.

If you've played the Nintendo 64 original, don't assume all sidequests are exactly the same. Some Heart Pieces rewards have been swapped for Bottles, and vice-versa, with other minor changes such as the Stone Mask location.

The Sheikah Stone can be found in the base of the Clock Tower, just opposite the Happy Mask Salesman. Here you'll find visual, and sometimes even video clues of where to go next, and how to get just about every collectable in the game. Cheeky.