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

In the 40 years since the Legend of Zelda series first debuted, there has been no shortage of incredible collectibles. I've managed to amass a small assemblage of some of the best Legend of Zelda merch over the years, but some of the neatest items are not easy to get ahold of.

Take Bandai's Legend of Zelda Ichiban Kuji collectibles. These unique pieces of merch were only available for a limited time as part of a raffle. Even then its entirely dependent on whether a store near you even participated in the raffle to begin with.

Other Zelda collectibles have been doomed to remain as exclusive pre-order bonuses, never to have any alternative availability for general sale, which has left a hole in my 8-bit-sized heart.

So you too can be aware of these incredible collectibles' existence, I've narrowed down my top 5 pieces of merch I wish Zelda fans (and myself) could still buy. A lot of these are at least available at second-hand sites, but you have to be prepared to lay down a lot of rupees to make them yours.

5 - Legend of Zelda Ichiban Kuji Ichiban Kuji Effectone

As part of an old Legend of Zelda Ichiban Kuji set, this collectible plays the iconic "Treasure Chest" sound effect from Link to the Past whenever the small plastic bar is moved away from its base. Basically, you could put this at the top of your door and have the sound go off each time someone enters - the perfect addition to any gaming room.

Two of these were released in total, including one that played the "uncovered secret" jingle from the SNES game, but I only managed to track down the other version. You can still grab these second-hand at sites like eBay, Surugaya, and other retailers, but you can expect to pay upwards of $99.99 (eBay) for the set, and that's because of the unique way these were available to begin with.

Instead of just appearing at official Nintendo stores across Japan, these were available as part of an Ichiban Kuji raffle set. Ichiban Kuji means "Number One Japanese Prize" and refers to an official raffle by Bandai, which allows you to buy tickets at stores like 7-Eleven. After buying a ticket, you can peel them away to reveal letters that correlate to prizes, which is why you can see the letter "C" on the packaging in the image above.

Over the years, the Legend of Zelda series wasn't the only one to get the Effectone treatment during an Ichiban Kuji set. In the past, you could also win Metal Gear Solid and Monster Hunter versions of this neat little collectible. I just wish Nintendo released these as a line for everyone to buy, as it'd be a nerdy dream come true to have my entire house booby-trapped with official Zelda sound effects.

4 - Legend of Zelda Link Between Worlds Treasure Chest

Sometimes pre-order bonuses to games are so good that it makes me wonder why they weren't available as general pieces of merch, just like the Link Between Worlds Treasure Chest.

This little chest was provided as a bonus gift here in the UK if you pre-ordered the 3DS game, and it can open up to reveal slots to store 3DS game cartridges. That's not the coolest thing about it, but the fact that it plays the treasure chest jingle anytime anyone opens it. (I have a thing for merch that plays music, evidently.)

It's been thirteen years since Link Between Worlds, so mine sounds like its posessed. However, that's exactly why I wish an accessories or toy brand would make them again. There are similar items available right now, like the large Paladone Bokoblin Chest Light that's available for $33.49 at Amazon, but it's not the same. I just want to be able to rebuy this tiny toy chest, so I can not only listen to its tune in all its non-haunted glory, but so I have an accessory that's perfectly sized for my official Legend of Zelda Nendoroid figures.

3 - Ichiban Kuji Master Sword umbrella

Ichiban Kuji raffles are the source of so many amazing pieces of merch for a huge list of franchises, and it doesn't stop with the Legend of Zelda. One of the most unique collectibles it produced was an official Master Sword umbrella, which recreates the iconic sword's hilt as the handle.

What really blew me away when I first caught wind of this umbrella's existence was the amount of detail in the hilt alone. The colors well and truly pop, and look like they've been dragged right out of Breath of the Wild. There's even a lovely detail of the Triforce emblem on the umbrella cover, which helps make it look like a really classy, collector's item.

Sadly, as the Ichiban Kuji it was part of has passed many years ago, this is another item that's been relegated to the depths of second-hand auction sites. The cheapest I can find a listing for is $82.99 (eBay), which is a little more than I'd ever be willing to spend on an umbrella. If Nintendo ever decides to unleash this on the general public on the official US and UK Nintendo online stores, I'd be more than willing to spend my hard-earned rupees on it - especially as you always need an umbrella when you live in the UK.

2 - 8-inch Ceramic Ichiban Kuji Legend of Zelda Plate

I tried not to make this list purely about Ichiban Kuji items, but it's hard not to when Bandai produces such amazing pieces, like this ceramic Legend of Zelda heart plate.

This was one of the first Ichiban Kuji items I managed to get second-hand, and it's one of the proudest pieces I have in my collection. I love it so much that you've likely seen it appear in plenty of review images over the years, as it makes for a perfect Zelda-themed backdrop. Part of why I adore it so much comes down to its wonderful design. Nintendo and Bandai could have easily lazily printed an 8-bit heart on a circular plate, but instead, the plate looks like it's been picked right out of the original 1986 game, geometric edges included.

I just wish it was readily available at the Nintendo store or other retailers, as I fear that I'm going to break it sooner or later. As a ceramic piece, it's much more fragile than the rest of my plastic Zelda goodies. If Nintendo ever released this on its own, I'd be more than happy to buy another, or an entire set, so I can dish out a holiday meal on a range of retro-themed Zelda dishware. Let's just hope I would be able to muster up something better than Link's dubious food exploits.

1 - ThinkGeek Ocarina of Time Ocarina

Replicas of Link's Ocarina from Ocarina of Time aren't rare by any means. I own a couple on my shelf, and there's a ton flooding the Amazon search results. However, US retailer ThinkGeek was the first to release an electronic version of the iconic Legend of Zelda item, and I'm so annoyed that you can't easily come by it today.

The ThinkGeek Ocarina is not just a gorgeous replica, but the officially licensed item actually lets you play and "unlock" the songs from the game. If you press the correct buttons and notes of any in-game song, it will then play it back to you just like it does in the N64 game. There's also a free-to-play mode, which just allows you to play the buttons and mess around, if you'd rather rock out that way instead.

I made the mistake of putting off grabbing this stunning piece of merch, and now ThinkGeek is no more. The only Ocarinas I can grab now are actual instruments, one of which I already own and struggle to be able to produce more than a few notes. But unless I now want to spend upwards of $510 (eBay) on a sealed version that comes with its gorgeous illustrated songbook, that's all I'm left with.

If you own this in your collection, just so I'm incredibly envious. Here's hoping that if Nintendo can release a Talking Flower toy, they can one day re-release an electronic Ocarina.

• View all Legend of Zelda merch at Nintendo US
• View all Nintendo toys at Amazon

Our guide to the best Nintendo gifts is full to the brim with more Nintendo-flavoured collectibles.