Most people who have played video games over the last three or four decades recognize Triforce tattoos for what they are right when they see them. These simple yet interesting designs bring good feelings to all who have played the Zelda games over the years.
Sometimes they love them because they remember their youth, while others find that the meanings attached to the symbol work perfectly for them.
Stemming from the Nintendo video game series The Legend of Zelda, the history of the symbol is rooted in the plot of the game. As you move through the series, the lead character, Link, slowly learns the true meanings of the symbol and uses that knowledge along his journey. What most people find is that the symbol holds powerful meanings for them as well, hence why the triforce tattoo is so popular for people who have played the games.
If you are thinking about getting a triforce tattoo, it’s a good idea to first learn everything you can about it before you commit to any type of design. Below you will find the most common meanings that people like to attach to their triforce tattoos as well as some cool design options that you can use should you end up deciding to get one.
Triforce Tattoo Meanings
The triforce symbol is a representation of the Golden Goddesses, three fairies that serve as a form of creator. The three triangles of the triforce icon symbolize these three goddesses and the incredible power which they harbor. When you’re playing these games, there are often cut scenes that show the symbol and sometimes even show one or more of the goddesses.
The most common reason why people get their triforce tattoos is because they want the world to know that Zelda had a big impact on their lives. It could mean that they spent a lot of time playing the games when they were younger and the memories are all great, or it could mean that the games got them through some tough times in their lives.
The tattoo can also represent your love for Nintendo in general if you happen to be a big fan of the company and their games. Zelda is one of the two most popular Nintendo franchises, so it’s not surprising that the triforce shows up in quite a few fans’ tattoos. In these cases the triforce is just one of multiple Nintendo images in the designs.
The symbol itself is therefore an image of immense power, courage, and wisdom held by ancient beings. If these are three traits that you were lucky enough to be born with and you also happen to love Zelda, then this is probably the best tattoo that you could get. Of course, you could also aspire to have these three traits and get the tattoo for that reason as well.
Of those three meanings, courage seems to be the main one that people like to attach to their triforce tattoos. Whether you are a courageous person or you want to have the courage to go for what you want in life, the triforce tattoo can show that you aspire to do great things.
In the video game, the symbol often appears on the hand of whoever collects all three triforces, offering only the worthy and honorable a wish to be granted. In this way the tattoo could be looked at as a unique good luck charm. When people choose to use this meaning, they will usually place the tattoo in a very visible location so they can look at it whenever they want a little bit of luck getting through whatever it is they are doing.
A variety of the triforce symbol, known as the Hyrule Royal Family Wingcrest incorporates the triforce symbol with other iconography from the video game’s lore. A bird symbol is placed underneath the triforce which is cradled by the upstretched wings. It is a symbol of an ancient goddess as well as the royal line that reigns throughout the game series. For Zelda aficionados, the triforce in any form is a respectable representation of the story.
The triforce, easily separated into three segments, can be used as a friendship tattoo between three, or even two, people. Individual segments of the triangle can be filled in, varying on each person. When the three images are combined, they create the triforce, much like the concept in the video game. There are a lot of friendship tattoos that people can choose from, but this is perhaps the best one to get if you happen to have one or two friends who also love the Zelda video game series.
Triforce Tattoo Designs and Placement
Many people are very creative with their triforce tattoos, while others like to stick with the classic design. It really comes down to personal preferences and whether or not you want to add in any other elements into the design. You could start off with the basic triforce and then tweak it a bit to make it your own or you might even end up deciding to include it in a larger piece.
Although the original gold or a bold black is most often used, the triforce can be colored in various ways. The three pieces of the triangle, which come together leaving a fourth triangular shape in the center, can be filled differently, representing the separate facets. You can make each triangle a different color, which is a good idea if you want to add in more meanings since the colors themselves will hold their own meanings. You could also leave color out altogether if you prefer the look of black tattoos or black and grey tattoos.
The symbol can also be rendered in an “8-bit” style, showcasing the very first appearance of the triforce in the Zelda games. This is a great way to make it clear that the symbol comes from one of your favorite video games. It also tells people that you love old school video games in general and Zelda just so happens to be your favorite one.
It’s also not uncommon to see characters and landscapes from the Zelda universe included in these tattoos. Sometimes the triforce is the key element of these designs, while in other cases it is designed to blend in with everything else in the tattoo.
The design is very often tattooed onto the hand, large or small, as a representative of the triforce fable in the Zelda series. Since this is where characters in Zelda have the symbol, people who get the tattoo are showing that they feel they have the powers granted by the triforce.
There are a few places where triangle tattoos like the triforce look better than others, but you should be able to find a way to put your triforce tat wherever you want it. Since most triforce tattoos are smaller, they work very well as forearm tattoos and as calf tattoos. You’ll want to think about the meanings you want to attach to the design and how you want to design the tattoo before you decide where to place it.
Is the Triforce Tattoo Right for You?
If you are a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda and you like one or more of the meanings that can be used with the triforce tattoo, then this might just be the right option for you. They might look like simple video game tattoos to some people, but if you get one you will know how significant this symbol is and can use it to inspire you for the rest of your life.
As we pointed out above, you do have quite a few design options to choose from should you decide to get a triforce tattoo. It’s a good idea to think about the meanings that you are attaching to your design to give yourself a better understanding of how you should approach creating the tattoo. A good tattoo artist should be able to help you out during this process, which will greatly up your chances of ending up with a beautiful triforce tattoo.