Debates over what “qualifies” as cosplay are often fraught or tedious, but occasionally, a genuinely interesting inquiry will arise. Redditor Jhalpin23 asked members ofThe Legend of Zeldasubreddit one such question: “Does it count as cosplay if you dress up as the cartridge?”
The Legend of Zeldawas a landmark title from the moment it launched nearly thirty-four years ago. Since then, the series has seen 19 entries in the main franchise, includingthe Nintendo Switch’s remake ofLink’s Awakening, as well as countless spin-offs and cameo appearances. The series' wild success has made masterful Link and Zelda costumes a common sight at gaming conventions, but giving the game cartridge itself a leading role is a genuinely fresh take.
RELATED:10 Video Game Mash-Up Cosplays We Wish We’d Thought Up
Fellow Reddit users replied to Jhalpin’s question in the overwhelming affirmative, and the thread featuring his perfect, person-sized cardboard recreation of the originalLegend of ZeldaNES cartridge is approaching 3.5 thousand upvotes at time of writing. Even though it eschews elaborate materials, complex crafting techniques, and deprives the wearer of anything resembling freedom of movement, the boxy outfit hits a cosplay trifecta of creativity, humor, and nostalgia. The photo of the cosplay kicked off a lively discussion in the comments, with users swapping stories of when they first acquired the featured cartridge and started adventuring in Hyrule.
While the ‘build’ of the costume appears solid, with lots of wonderful attention to detail—including the ghost of a ‘down arrow’ indicating which direction the cartridge should be plugged in—it is also an excellent example of approachable and accessible costuming can be. Cosplay has become increasingly mainstream in recent years, but is still often viewed as an activity reserved for master craftspeople. And while die-hardNintendo fans with expert cosplaying skillsare up to the challenge, the only hard requirement is a good sense of humor and earnest desire to have fun. Clever concepts can carry costumes as far as meticulous detail.
Posts like these also keep the cosplay community lively and connected in the era of COVID-19. Without gaming and pop culture conventions to serve as points of congregation and exhibition, more and more cosplayers are sharing their latest creations in online communities like Reddit, or social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Other creative Nintendo fans have started usingAnimal Crossingas a digital cosplay platform. One cannot help wonder, however, how the the hobby will cope with the moratorium on public gatherings—essential for photo shoots, workshops, and networking.
Even in the absence ofLegend of Zeldaconvention panels or Link and Zelda-themed group shoots, franchise fans have plenty to look forward to.Cadence of Hyruleis receiving a trio of DLC packs, thewaitBreath of the Wild 2may be shorter than expected, and rumor has it that a new edition ofMajora’s Maskcould also be releasing later this year. There is no word as to when the series' cartridges will return to their signature, gilded look, however.
The Legend of Zeldawas released for the NES in 1986, and is currently available on the Nintendo Switch eShop.
