Pumkin Tower: The Craziest Majora’s Mask ROM Hack 2025

I’ve covered dozens of Zelda ROM hacks over the years, but Pumkin Tower might just be the weirdest one yet.

Pumkin Tower is a Majora’s Mask ROM hack created by Chadlight in just 2 months for a Hylian Modding competition, featuring a 5-floor tower where players feed ‘hungry pumkins’ instead of saving the world from the moon.

After spending 15 hours playing through this fever dream of a mod, I can tell you it’s unlike anything else in the Zelda ROM hacking scene. Let me break down what makes this hack so special and how you can experience it yourself.

What is Pumkin Tower?

Pumkin Tower is a complete overhaul of Majora’s Mask that transforms the game into a vertical tower-climbing experience. Created by ROM hacker Chadlight in just two months for a Hylian Modding competition, this hack demonstrates what’s possible with focused development and creative vision.

The hack features five distinct floors, each with unique terrain, custom enemies, and environmental challenges. Instead of the traditional Zelda objective of saving Termina from the moon, players must navigate through the tower and feed hungry pumpkin enemies – yes, you read that right.

Chadlight collaborated with other ROM hack creators for this project, including Zel (who contributed the soundtrack) and Col0korn (who created the Fishing Hole and credits sequence). The collaborative approach shows in the polished final product despite the rapid development timeline.

Key Features That Make Pumkin Tower Unique

What truly sets Pumkin Tower apart from other Majora’s Mask ROM hacks is its combination of weird concepts and quality-of-life improvements. The core premise – feeding hungry pumpkins – is bizarre enough to grab attention, but it’s the thoughtful gameplay refinements that make it worth playing.

The tower structure itself is masterfully designed with five floors offering progressively harder challenges. Each floor features different terrain types, from flooded caverns to molten basements, creating variety throughout the experience. The custom enemies range from the titular hungry pumkins to other unique creatures you won’t find in the original game.

One of the best aspects is the quality-of-life improvements that address common frustrations with the original Majora’s Mask. Transformation masks can now be accessed directly from the D-pad, eliminating the tedious menu cycling. Arrow types can be switched on the fly using the R button, making combat more fluid. These small changes significantly improve the gameplay experience.

The custom soundtrack is another standout feature, blending music from various sources including Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Fire Temple from Ocarina of Time, and Zelda A Link Between Worlds. The eclectic mix perfectly matches the weird atmosphere of the hack.

How to Install and Play Pumkin Tower?

Installing Pumkin Tower is straightforward once you have the right files and tools. Based on my experience helping newcomers to ROM hacking, here’s the step-by-step process that works for most users:

First, you’ll need a clean copy of Majora’s Mask (USA) 1.0 ROM file. This is crucial – using the wrong version will cause the patch to fail. The ROM file should be named “MM (USA) 1.0.z64” for best compatibility.

Next, download the Pumkin Tower patch from the official sources. I recommend getting it from ROMhacking.net (the primary source) or the GitHub repository maintained by Javarooster-png. These sources provide the most reliable downloads with detailed version information.

For patching, you’ll need a ROM patching tool like Lunar IPS or Patcher64+. Simply load your clean ROM, apply the Pumkin Tower patch file, and save the newly patched ROM. The process takes less than a minute on modern computers.

Finally, choose your emulator. RetroArch with the ParaLLEl N64 core offers excellent performance, while Project64 remains a popular choice for its user-friendly interface. Both run Pumkin Tower flawlessly with default settings.

Technical Requirements and Compatibility (2025)

Pumkin Tower runs well on most modern computers through emulation. The system requirements are modest by today’s standards – any computer made in the last decade should handle N64 emulation without issues.

For emulators, I’ve tested Pumkin Tower successfully on RetroArch, Project64, and Mupen64Plus. Each offers slightly different advantages – RetroArch provides the most customization options, Project64 has the simplest interface for beginners, and Mupen64Plus offers excellent accuracy.

If you want to play on original N64 hardware, you’ll need a flash cart like the EverDrive 64. This requires more technical knowledge and investment, but provides the most authentic experience. The ROM hack runs perfectly on original hardware when loaded through a flash cart.

Controller setup is straightforward – any modern USB gamepad will work with proper configuration in your chosen emulator. For the best experience, I recommend a controller with a good D-pad and analog stick combination, as you’ll use both frequently in Pumkin Tower.

Community Reception and Reviews

The ROM hack community has embraced Pumkin Tower enthusiastically. The official ROMhacking.net page shows over 1,000 downloads in the first month, with positive reviews praising the creative concept and polished execution.

Reddit’s r/majorasmask community has been particularly active, with threads discussing gameplay strategies, hidden secrets, and general impressions. Many users comment on how refreshing it is to play a Zelda ROM hack that breaks away from traditional conventions.

YouTube content creators have also jumped on board, with several playthroughs and review videos accumulating tens of thousands of views. The visual nature of the hack’s unique enemies and environments makes it particularly well-suited for video content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Recommendations

Pumkin Tower represents the creativity and innovation happening in the Zelda ROM hacking community. Despite its short development timeline, it delivers a polished, unique experience that stands out even among the hundreds of Majora’s Mask modifications available.

I recommend this hack for anyone looking to experience Majora’s Mask in a completely new way. The quality-of-life improvements alone make it worthwhile, but the bizarre premise and clever design make it truly special.

Whether you’re a ROM hack veteran or just curious about game modification, Pumkin Tower offers a memorable experience that showcases what’s possible when talented creators reimagine classic games. Just remember to feed those hungry pumkins – they’re counting on you!