One of Nintendo's tentpole franchises, The Legend of Zelda holds a place in many fans' hearts, either as a fond nostalgic memory of their childhood, or as part of their life to this day. The franchise also gets the creative juices flowing, as one fan recently showed with a Polly Pocket Breath of the Wild mock up. Fans have taken to the lore and characters dotting the 35-year history of the franchise, and a particular piece of lore in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is serving as the inspiration for a impressive anniversary gift for one fan.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time brought the franchise into 3D for the first time, back in 1998, and to this day fans still look back on Ocarina of Time as being a landmark game for Nintendo. It is also the first game in the series to introduce characters with their own deep backstories and histories. While the Zora had been part of the franchise since the first game in the series, in Ocarina of Time, they were given a chance to shine, and in the spotlight fans learned a lot about some of their long-held traditions.
One such tradition is the giving of Zora's Sapphire to a true love, establishing a bond between two people meant to last a lifetime. In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Princess Ruto gives Link the "Zora's Engagement Ring" for saving her from Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly. Now a fan has taken the Zora's Sapphire and made an actual ring out of it. The lucky fan receiving the ring from her husband, who worked with a jeweler to bring the design to life. The finished product looks almost exactly like the design seen in game, and is likely a one-of-a-kind, making this a fan project that really went above and beyond.
[OoT] For my anniversary I was gifted my Zora's Sapphire dream ring from a drawing I'd made years ago. My hubs worked with a jeweler to make our dreams come true! from zelda
The creativity fans show in their works of art for Zelda, or any franchise really, is born out of a deep connection to gaming and shows that games are a huge part of many folks' lives. One fan took the Royal Crest seen in many Legend of Zelda games and turned it into string art. While not as expensive as a sapphire and diamond ring, the same kind of love for the franchise is on display, showing how fans use whatever means necessary to express themselves.
Fans continue to impress with their creative endeavors inspired by The Legend of Zelda. From aquariums that feature the moon from Majora's Mask, to pixel art of Breath of the Wild, to recreating the game in Minecraft, as long as there are Zelda games there will be a steady stream of Zelda fan creations.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available on the Nintendo 3DS.