The Legend of Zelda was released on the NES on February 21, 1986, marking the 36th anniversary of the game in 2022. While Nintendo fans had hoped for a bigger celebration of The Legend of Zelda’s 35th anniversary in 2021, they only got The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and Zelda: Game & Watch. For the 36th anniversary of Link and Princess Zelda, fans took matters into their own hands, celebrating their favorite series in their own unique ways.
On February 21, 2022, the hashtag #Zelda36th trended on Twitter. Users who clicked it were taken to a fan-made tribute to the series.
From the original NES release to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, fans posted artwork and cosplays depicting Link and Princess Zelda’s evolution.
Trisha Hershberger, a Twitch streamer and YouTuber, wore a blue dress adorned with various Zelda icons to commemorate the occasion. The shirt featured designs from Link’s shirt from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, as well as silhouettes of the pirate Tetra, aka Princess Zelda.
Other fans then shared photos of themselves dressed as Urbosa and the Gerudo Tribe from Breath of the Wild. CurlyCosplay posed with the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield, and also the Shiekah Slate.
Sweetnayru went even more elaborate. She shared a photo of herself dressed up as Midna from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Fans of the series who are artistic wanted to show off their enthusiasm for the series as well. Nintendo fans shared artwork of Link from the 1986 NES game as well as pieces from their favorite series games.
On Reddit, a fan posted adorable Princess Zelda art along with a link to a timelapse video.
Huttaburger went old school on Twitter, recreating the original Legend of Zelda boss fight between Link and Ganon in stunning pixel art.
More fans commemorated the 36th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda by sharing their favorite memories from the series.
The Legend of Zelda 36th Anniversary is trending on Twitter, according to Zelda Universe. They then asked the audience for their favorite series memories. Fans reacted with a wide range of emotions.
