75+ Amazing Legend of Zelda Tattoos – Gaming Has Never Looked This Good
Legend of Zelda is arguably one of the most popular and successful video games of all times. The first version of this game was released in the 1980’s and has attracted an army of fans.
The game and its story have evolved over time, but the main characters and the feeling has always remained the same. And if you are a die-hard fan surely you can’t be without a Legend of Zelda tattoo? The object of the game is pretty much the same in all the versions of the game.
The player is in control of a character called Link who must rescue Princess Zelda and her Kingdom from the evil Ganon. Link, Zelda, and Ganon are the main characters in the game.
In most of the games Zelda is kidnapped or locked away by the villain Ganon, but although she plays the damsel in distress she is not always helpless. In different variations of the game, she demonstrates her own magical abilities like telekinesis which she uses to tell Link of her situation.
In later versions, she plays a more active role in saving and defending her kingdom. Her name is Yiddish, despite the fact that the game was designed in Japan, and means happy or lucky – and she is quite lucky!
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Tattoo Designs
Since the release of the first game, there have been more than 75 million copies of the game sold and you can be sure there are some tattoo fans among those gamers.
Getting a Legend of Zelda tattoo not only brands them as the ultimate fans and reflects their love, but also helps fellow gamers identify them.
These tattoos can be divided into two categories – popular characters and symbols. Here we look at these in detail:
Characters
Zelda – Tattoos of Zelda usually show her as a short character with long yellow hair, blue eyes and trademark pointed ears. In most designs, she wears a dress which is blue, purple or pink.
She is often drawn in the 8-bit style (see Techniques below) and combined with the Triforce or a sword.
Link- The hero of the story wears a green tunic and a pointed green cap and is also often shown as a short stubby figure. In tattoos, his poses are more active than Zelda’s and he often holds a sword or adopts a fighting stance.
Deku – These creatures are plant-like with arms, legs, and faces and co-exist with other races in the game. They are a foe that Link regularly needs to battle during the game. They usually appear in tattoos with big noses, yellow hair and a long green hat that touches the ground.
These could be chosen as tattoo subjects because they are quite cute.
Skull Kid and Majora Mask– The Skull Kid character makes his first appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He is a small imp found in the Lost Woods and is usually inked wearing a red cloak and hat.
In the next game (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask) he finds and steals a relic called Majora’s Mask. The power of this item corrupts him. The Skull kid is a strange looking creature with a flat face, horns, and bulging eyes.
Tattoo artists usually render him in dark shades of red, green and purple.
The Majora Mask is also a popular Legend of Zelda design. In Skull Kid tattoos the character is usually portrayed with arms and legs, but in Majora Mask tattoos you only see his head, inside the mask. These tattoos are also usually quite colorful – matching the picture on the game box cover.
Kaepora Gaebora – Another favorite tattoo among Zelda fans is the wise owl. He is a recurring character throughout the game series and helps Link in his adventures. His appearance in tattoos mostly matches the way he is drawn for the games – brown and cream.
He is portrayed at rest on a branch in some designs and flying, with outspread wings, in others.
Symbols
Triforce – During the game the player is tasked with retrieving the Triforce, which has pieces hidden in various locations. This is one of the most requested Legend of Zelda Tattoos. It consists of three triangles which form one large triangle. It represents power, courage, and wisdom.
In the game this symbol is gold so some fans color their tattoos yellow while others prefer bold black.
Eye of Truth – Another popular symbol that Zelda fans love to use for tattoos is the Eye of Truth. This is designed as a simple eye with three triangles above it and a long teardrop underneath. In solid black, this makes a bold and interesting tattoo.
Hearts / Crystal hearts – In the game heart containers (or Bowl of Hearts) are items to collect that increase Link’s health (symbolized by a life bar). Rows of hearts or crystal hearts are fashionable for tattoos, especially among female Zelda fans.
They are often seen in an 8-bit design (see techniques below).
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Meaning of Legend of Zelda Tattoo
Most clients who get a Zelda tattoo do so to pay respect to their favorite game and identify themselves as fans. The messages of courage and power within the game resonate strongly with many people.
Often these clients have played the game for most of their lives and the tattoo that they choose will have specific meaning to them.
Common Techniques
Watercolor – Most Zelda tattoos are either designed in black or with plenty of colors. Watercolor backgrounds and splash over’s help make the designs even more unique and eye-catching.
8 –Bit – Chunky “pixelated” images of Zelda, Link, hearts and the Triforce are commonly requested. This is a nod to the first images in the original 1980’s games.
In Short…
This style of tattoo only resonates with people who play the games which make them rather exclusive. If you decide to have one you may find yourself rolling your eyes when people ask you about it, but imagine how awesome it will be when a fellow fan recognizes and admires your ink!
The Legend of Zelda is a classic and so these tattoos are unlikely to become passé anytime soon – showing your love for your favorite game has never looked this good!
