The Definitive Majora’s Mask on PC: A 2Ship2Harkinian Setup & Tuning Guide

Video GameEmulatorRetroTutorial
Written By EFUGY 3D
 

Play the classic the way it always deserved—sharp visuals, modern controls, smart quality‑of‑life, and optional mods—without losing the soul of Termina.

 

What is 2Ship2Harkinian?

Harbour Masters™️

2Ship2Harkinian (2S2H) is a native, decompilation‑based PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask maintained by the Harbour Masters team (the folks behind Ship of Harkinian for Ocarina of Time). It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux (and community builds for other platforms), adds high‑framerate rendering via matrix interpolation, widescreen, a modern menu, extensive QoL toggles, and a built‑in Randomizer (v2.0+). (GitHub)

Note: 2S2H ships without game files. You must supply a 🔗supported copy of the game. Use the team’s compatibility checker if you want to verify your dump before proceeding. (GitHub)

 

5 minute setup to play Majora’s Mask

  1. Verify your ROM at 2ship.equipment (look for a supported hash). (2ship.equipment)

  2. Download 2Ship2Harkinian (2S2H) from the official GitHub Releases (Windows/macOS/Linux). (GitHub)

  3. Run it:

    • Windows: Extract ZIP → run 2ship.exe.

    • macOS: Open 2ship.app → select your supported ROM when prompted.

    • Linux: Put the ROM beside 2ship.appimage → chmod +x → run. (GitHub)

  4. First launch will generate the asset archive; then you’re sailing.

Clean Install (Step‑by‑step)

  1. Get the right game data

  2. Grab the latest stable build

    • Download the newest Rena release (2.0.x at the time of writing) from the official GitHub. (GitHub)

  3. Launch & extract

    • Point 2S2H at your verified ROM; it will build .o2r/.otr asset archives locally. Keep these with the executable/app. (GitHub)

  4. Know the quick keys

    • F1: Toggle menubar

    • F11: Fullscreen

    • Tab: Toggle Alternate Assets (useful for texture swaps)

    • Ctrl+R: Reset session

First‑Run Settings for a “Best Of Both Worlds” Experience

These suggestions preserve the original feel while taking advantage of modern hardware. You can change everything in the in‑game Settings menu; if you ever need to, you can also switch rendering backends in 2ship2harkinian.json (DX11/OpenGL/Metal).

Video & Rendering

  • Backend:

    • Windows: DirectX 11

    • macOS: Metal

    • Linux: OpenGL
      These are the defaults and generally the most stable per OS. (GitHub)

  • Resolution: Native panel resolution (e.g., 2560×1440, 3840×2160).

  • V‑Sync: On (smooths interpolation and eliminates tearing).

  • Framerate: Set Visual FPS to 60 (or 120 on VRR displays).
    2S2H uses matrix interpolation—game logic stays authentic at 20 FPS, while camera and visuals render smoothly. (GitHub)

  • Frame Buffer Effects: On (restores motion blur, PictoBox capturing, and other effects properly). (GitHub)

  • Widescreen + HUD: Enable Widescreen and open the HUD Editor to fit the UI to 16:9 (or ultrawide). Save a preset. (GitHub)

  • Motion Blur: Personal taste—try Low–Medium to echo N64 feel or Off for a crisp look. (GitHub)

Audio

  • Sample Rate: Defaults are fine; 2.0.0 normalized to 32 kHz internally for stability across platforms.

Controls

  • Controller binding: Open Bindings → map C‑Buttons to your right stick (or face buttons) and utilize D‑Pad Slots for fast mask/item equips (a 2S2H feature).

  • Free Look: On (right stick camera), adjust sensitivity to taste.

  • Gyro (optional/experimental): Native gyro support varies by OS and controller; some users report issues in certain setups—if you rely on Steam Input/reWASD, disable overlays first when troubleshooting. (GitHub)

Quality‑of‑Life Toggles Worth Enabling (Keeps the Spirit Intact)

  • Pause‑menu Save + Autosave at intervals (creates owl saves automatically).

  • Better Song of Double Time (choose exact times to skip to at statues).

  • Cutscene/Entrance Skips: Trim repetitive intros without touching story content.

  • Camera Invert Options & Aiming Reticle for Bow.

Purist mode: Want it closest to original? Use N64 Mode and just keep widescreen, interpolated framerate, and HUD fit.

Fun/Experimental Enhancements (Flip These After a Vanilla Run)

These are great for replays, challenge runs, or just messing around:

  • Play as Kafei, Fierce Deity anywhere, adjustable climb speed, faster mask transforms, No Blast Mask cooldown, Always win Doggy Race, and more—the team exposes lots of toggles under Enhancements/Cheats. (GitHub)

New in 2.0+: Randomizer Built In

From 2.0.0 onward, 2S2H ships with a Randomizer: shuffle major items, keys, shops, songs, even mundane checks (grass, crates, barrels); multiple logic presets (Glitchless, French Vanilla, No Logic, Vanilla), boss souls, access logic for dungeons/trials, plentiful items options, and an in‑game Check Tracker. It’s deep and first‑class. (GitHub)

Go Beyond: 4K Textures & Alternate Assets

If you want a tasteful HD look:

  1. Install a texture pack—e.g., Majora’s Mask Reloaded for 2S2H.

  2. Place .o2r/.otr packs in your mods folder.

  3. In‑game, press Tab (Alternate Assets) or enable Use Alternate Assets in the menu.

  4. Many packs recommend using retro (the official OTR/O2R packer) to extract/merge textures or create manifests for load order. Follow the pack’s readme. (GitHub)

Tip: MM Reloaded specifically documents the O2R workflow for 2S2H and requires v1.1.0+. (GitHub)

Steam Deck & Linux Notes

  • The Linux AppImage runs natively; you can add it as a Non‑Steam Game and use Steam Input layouts. If you hit performance oddities, try switching backends (OpenGL ↔ DX11 via Proton isn’t needed here; prefer native OpenGL).

Troubleshooting (Fast Fixes)

  • Crash at launch / black screen: Switch Graphics Backend (DX11/OpenGL/Metal) in Settings or in 2ship2harkinian.json.

  • “Unsupported ROM / cannot extract”: Re‑dump and verify hash with the 2ship.equipment checker. (2ship.equipment)

  • Audio crackle: Update to the latest Rena build—2.0.0/2.0.1 included multiple audio fixes. (GitHub)

  • Gyro isn’t doing anything: Confirm no third‑party remapper is intercepting gyro (e.g., reWASD/Steam overlay). Some controllers/OS combos are still being tuned. (GitHub)

  • Mods not showing: Confirm packs are in mods/ and toggle Alternate Assets (Tab). Some packs require a manifest.json created via retro. (GitHub)

Power‑User Corner

  • Modern Menu v2 consolidates resolution & V‑Sync behavior and includes configuration presets—handy when switching between “Purist” and “Modded” profiles.

  • Menubar shortcuts and Debug Camera are excellent for cinematics and screenshots.

  • macOS Game Mode support lands improvements to input & scheduling on Apple Silicon.

Official Links & Where to Get Help

  • 2Ship2Harkinian GitHub (Releases, Readme, Issues): installation steps, OS notes, and hotkeys. (GitHub)

  • Compatibility Checker: confirm your ROM hash before extraction. (2ship.equipment)

  • Changelogs (1.0.0 & 2.0.x): see which enhancements are available in your build. (GitHub)

Suggested “Best Experience” Preset

  • Backend: DX11 (Win) / Metal (macOS) / OpenGL (Linux)

  • Resolution: Native

  • V‑Sync: On

  • Visual FPS: 60 (interpolated)

  • Frame Buffer: On

  • Widescreen: On → HUD Editor: Widescreen preset

  • Free Look: On; tune sensitivity

  • Autosave + Pause Save: On

  • Better Song of Double Time: On

  • Cutscene/Entrance Skips: On (non‑story)

  • Optional, after a vanilla run: Play as Kafei, FD anywhere, climb speed tweak

With those dials set, you’ll get a smooth, modernized Majora’s Mask that still plays like Majora’s Mask—just… finally unstuck from 2000’s hardware. Have fun, and happy moon‑watching!

EFUGY 3D https://www.efugy.com
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