Is The Legend of Zelda’s Triforce the hottest gaming tattoo? Probably

There’s more to the Triforce than just a few triangles. It’s a symbol for power, courage, and wisdom — the ultimate source of strength and influence. It’s been in every Zelda game since The Legend of Zelda was released in Japan in 1986 — though in the first game, Link was only in search of two, the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Power. However, it was released in Japan in 1986. Zelda 2 – The Adventure of LinkThis is where Nintendo introduced the triforce motif to the first game. It symbolically brings together individual triangles.

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It’s so simple but easily recognizable. The glowing seal of lights on the hand can be used to identify Triforce holders. This is a visual indicator for what Link means. The result was almost. Made to be a tattoo — an actual tattoo, scratched into skin with needles and ink.

And so it’s no surprise that Triforce tattoos are one of the most popular gaming tattoos. One tattoo artist estimated he’d done more than 60 in a single year. It’s hard to overstate the ubiquity of the Triforce tattoo; you’ve surely seen them don arms and legs locally, and there are pages and pages of Triforce tattoos on Google and in Reddit threads. Many people have hashtagged images with #triforcetattoo on Instagram. There are jokes, too: “Tattoo Parlor Refuses to Do Swastikas, Iron Crosses, and Triforces,” reads one facetious jab at the iconography.

Image: Nintendo

The four tattoo artists I spoke to agreed it’s an immensely popular option — one tattoo artist even has seven Triforce tattoos speckling their body. Kim Hikaru, a tattoo artist, said that Triforce tattoos were more affordable than the popular games. A simple tattoo can cost less and take less time, she added, and it can also be hidden easily.

“A good icon to tattoo is simple in design,” tattoo artist Jess Soares told Polygon. “It’s something that can be seen from far away and makes you go, Hey! Are you referring to a Zelda-themed tattoo? The Triforce definitely does that.”

Photo by Sabrina Camacho

Sabrina Camacho, an artist who tattoos at Snowbird Studio in Austin, Texas, agreed: “The Triforce is such recognizable and subtle iconography,” they said. “I think people get Triforce tattoos because they’re all-encompassing. Everybody has their Zelda first Zelda, their Zelda favorite Zelda, or their most replayed Zelda games as children. And the Triforce is the icon that connects them all — throughout all of the lore, art styles, and characters, it stays.”

The Triforce tattoo often has a very personal meaning to the people who own it. Nathalia de Matos was a New Zealand-based medical technician. At 33 years old, she said they have close ties to her family. Legend of ZeldaWhen she was four years old, her family moved from Brazil to America. “The earliest example I have is from a home video that my mother took of me and my siblings watching and cheering on my father whilst he played the first Legend of Zelda,” she said. The games continued to play a role in her life as “a source of escapism,” she said. “The tattoo was a way for me to give thanks for the comfort that the franchise provided throughout my childhood and into my late 20s.” It’s her only tattoo.

Hikaru, the tattooist, stated that after having survived cancer, a client got the Triforce tattoo. The courage triangle shines and the rest is all gray.

There’s a sense of community among people who have Triforce tattoos. Sometimes video gaming is seen as an isolated hobby. There’s truth to that, but video games also bring people together — in online communities sharing tips and tricks; in parks battling in Pokémon GoYou’ll find yourself huddled on the screen or stuffed up on a sofa and spilling onto the ground. Or maybe you will be pointing at your Triforce tattoo as someone walks by in Zelda. shirt.

Photo: Nicole Carpenter/Polygon

I didn’t intend to get a Triforce tattoo. I’d booked an appointment to get a portrait of Zelda, though — an American traditional style ladyhead. Because I was familiar with these games, the tattoo artist asked if it would be okay to place the new tattoo on an empty area of my arm. I smiled and agreed. I am a walking poster child for the idea that tattoos, while permanent, don’t have to have deeper significance or meaning. A design can be liked, a game or book may be chosen and inked on your skin. The game is my favorite so I bought it. But I can see the power of this symbol: Many people have come to me as a stranger to chat about it. Sometimes it’s just, “Hey, I like that game, too!” but other times it’s a short, meaningful story.

“It makes me happy that people found some solace and community with Legend of Zelda and the Triforce symbolism,” Nicholas Jakic, a 30-year-old construction salesperson, told Polygon. “I love when people point mine out and say that they like it and then show off theirs too. It’s a great way to make friends. I think most of the time it’s a very levelheaded way of connecting.”