Building the ultimate Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary setup

Image of a pile of Legend of Zelda collectibles sitting on a white desk. — (Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe)

The Legend of Zelda's 40th Anniversary is now fully upon us. Well, the official February 21 date has been and gone but with Nintendo doing zilch to mark the occasion we're keeping the party going for Hyrule's sake. The franchise has been going for 40 years now, after all.

We've had the Master Sword in hand all week, checking out the greatest merch, toys, and gadgets that you can use to get into the swing of things this February. It's never too late to party like it's the Ancient Times, here are all the gadgets we've been enjoying this month so far.

The latest:

The top 5 pieces of Zelda merch I wish I could still get my hands on

Yeah, there's a ton of Zelda merch out in the wilds these days, but Rosalie's been digging through the archives for the gadgets that have slipped through the sands of time.

Play Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Virtual Boy, they said. It will be fun, they said. I ended up having to lie down

Phil's been getting to grips with the Virtual Boy, but a trip to Hyrule through these lenses certainly hurts the brain. It turns out combining the Nintendo Labo with the brand's new throwback accessory is a bad idea.

It's not a full-scale replica, but the F4F Hylian Shield now takes center stage in my Zelda collection

Is Rosalie's Zelda collection complete now that there's an 11.5-inch Hylian Shield front and center? What a question, these things are never finished. However, with that mini replica figure in place things are certainly coming together for the 40th Anniversary.

The best Zelda merch

Rosalie and Ben have been rounding up all the biggest pieces on the market right now, with a treasure trove of all the kit they've got on their shelves ahead of the 40th Anniversary.

I spent £200 on this official Master Sword replica, and it made me weep with pure Zelda-fandom joy

Rosalie's gone big with a Proplica Master Sword for the setup. This isn't just a showpiece, though, the sword also runs its own sound effects and rumble effects for a little extra immersion. It's a little older, released in 2024, but it's still on Bandai's shelves.

I bought the NSO N64 controller purely for Ocarina of Time, and I've never been a happier Zelda fan

The Nintendo Switch Online N64 controller originally launched a few years ago, but Ocarina of Time doesn't quite hit right without it in-hand. Rosalie wanted that OG experience and this is the best way to get it (even if there are some changes).

I have made it my life's mission to get this Legend of Zelda toy, because it is truly magnificent

Ben's been Nendroid hunting ahead of the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary, with one specific figure in mind. The Good Smile Company miniature's articulation options already put them on his radar, but it's the Wind Waker version that's been living rent free for a while now.

I have 100 different ways to play The Legend of Zelda, but I'm still using the Game and Watch ahead of the 40th anniversary

Resident retro-expert Phil has been looking back at the Game and Watch series for Zelda's birthday and still maintains that the compact handheld is the best way to play the original release. Travel friendly? Check. Accurate? Check. Beautiful? Obviously, check.

These $17 fairy lights were all I needed to transform this Ikea bookshelf into my dream Zelda shrine

After a full game room re-organize, Rosalie's added a set of super cheap LED lights made to look far more Hyrulian to an Ikea bookshelf. Now, we've got a whole forest framing all those figures, accessories, and replicas.