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17 Awesome Fans Dressed as Nintendo Characters
Charizard has never looked better
We're big fans of cosplay here at GameSpot. We love the dedication to the craft, the creativity required to bring a favorite character to life, and the massive amount of hard work that goes into perfecting each costume.
Because 2016 is the year of so many great Nintendo anniversaries--Pokemon turns 20, while The Legend of Zelda and Metroid both turn 30--we thought now would be a great time to share some of our favorite Nintendo cosplay from the last couple years.
First up: Jessica Nigri's obsession with video game cosplay--such as this beautiful interpretation of Pokémon's Charizard--has earned her millions of devoted followers on social networks Instagram and Facebook.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
The gender-swapped hero Hyrule needs
Hyrule's legendary hero Link has always appeared as a male character in Legend of Zelda games. But after seeing Nigri's cosplay, we're all ready for a Fionna-and-Cake-ified release where a brave female in green rescues the handsome Prince Zelda.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
She's coming for you, Ridley
Nintendo's classic Metroid series gets some serious cosplay love, courtesy of Talaaya Cosplay's Chelsea Mills.
Samus Aran has never looked better.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Even the gloves amaze
We're especially blown away with Mills' attention to detail. Just look at the top-tier articulation in the Varia Suit's gloves.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Samus: A 3D-printed masterpiece
Amazingly, the Varia Suit was created piece-by-piece using a 3D printer and models that Mills created herself.
Here's a photo of Mills' helmet prototype. A more accurate 3D model was then made, covered in a thin layer of bondo, sanded smooth, painted, and assembled to create the full masterpiece.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Pray for a true peace in space!
The coolest moment in the original Metroid is when Samus removes her helmet to reveal that--surprise--the hero of the game is a badass woman.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Blastoise, we choose you
Pokémon-related cosplay seems to be a favorite of Nigri's. In addition to cosplaying as Charizard, she has taken on Slowking, Pikachu, Lugia, and this--her take on Blastoise.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
Texas-based fraternal twins Hopie (Princess Peach) and Hee-Hee (Mario), better known to their fans as Twinzik, are well-known for their amazing Mushroom Kingdom cosplay.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
One big happy family
Twinzik took the Anime Matsuri 2014 convention by storm, dressing their entire family as Super Mario Brothers characters.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
The Year of Luigi is long over
Poor Luigi: All those years of playing second fiddle to brother Mario has clearly taken its toll.
The sad look on his face absolutely makes this Twinzik cosplay.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
After a long day of cosplay
Maybe if Mario hadn't wasted his time searching 7 incorrect castles for Princess Peach, he wouldn't be so damn tired by the end of World 8-4 here.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
A real man of the sea
Twinzik's great Nintendo cosplay work goes beyond the Super Mario franchise. Here, Hee-Hee strikes a pose as the cowardly Captain Linebeck from The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
Waluigi number one!
Mario Tennis gets some love with this great Wario and Waluigi cosplay, again done by Twinzik.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
In which the evils of truth and love are denounced
Prepare for trouble. And make it double.
We're absolutely blown away by this stellar Team Rocket look from Rei-Doll (James) and Ryoko (Jessie).
(Image credit: Kifir)
Meowth? That's right
Here's another photo of Rei-Doll's Pokémon cosplay with the adorable Meowth in the mix.
(Image credit: Kifir)
Best cosplay in the Lylat System
Jessica Nigri's interpretation of Starfox has us all doing barrel rolls.
(Image credit: Official Jessica Nigri)
Flippers for sale, 500 rupees or best offer
The Zelda Project is a Los Angeles-based group dedicated to creating the most amazingly realistic Hyrule cosplay possible.
Link, accompanied by fairy Navi, risks severe Zora attacks by playing his ocarina near the water in this photo.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Up, left, right, up, left, right ...
Meanwhile, on Lon Lon Ranch, the beautiful horse trainer Malon (played by Adella) belts out a rendition of Epona's Song.
Composting artist Julia Starr is credited with bringing this particular photo shoot to life.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
As foretold by the prophet Impa ...
In this photo, Link (Wes Johnson) strides through the countryside on the back of trusted steed Epona. Johnson spent six months training in western horseback riding just for this particular photo shoot.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Saria the Sage
Even the supporting cast of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time gets some cosplay love from The Zelda Project.
Here, Saria, played by aspiring fashion designer Alondra, poses with the game's titular instrument.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Peeking out of a pink puffball
As cosplayer Darien Green can attest (and Waddle Dee can confirm), it isn't easy being stuck inside Kirby all day.
(Image credit: Nick Adams/Corbis)
Yangon cosplay
Teenagers Kyaw Myo Hein (Ash Ketchum) and Hatake Sersai (Pikachu) pose at the Yangon Comic Con in Asia.
(Image credit: Greg Holland/Demotix/Corbis)
A dramatic march to benefit Pikachu awareness
Okay, you got us. Technically, this photo isn't of Pokémon cosplay -- these are professionally made costumes.
Still, this photo from Yokohama's annual "1000 Pikachu Outbreak" is just too kawaii not to share.
(Image credit: Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO/Nippon News/Corbis)
More...
We're big fans of cosplay here at GameSpot. We love the dedication to the craft, the creativity required to bring a favorite character to life, and the massive amount of hard work that goes into perfecting each costume.
Because 2016 is the year of so many great Nintendo anniversaries--Pokemon turns 20, while The Legend of Zelda and Metroid both turn 30--we thought now would be a great time to share some of our favorite Nintendo cosplay from the last couple years.
First up: Jessica Nigri's obsession with video game cosplay--such as this beautiful interpretation of Pokémon's Charizard--has earned her millions of devoted followers on social networks Instagram and Facebook.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
The gender-swapped hero Hyrule needs
Hyrule's legendary hero Link has always appeared as a male character in Legend of Zelda games. But after seeing Nigri's cosplay, we're all ready for a Fionna-and-Cake-ified release where a brave female in green rescues the handsome Prince Zelda.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
She's coming for you, Ridley
Nintendo's classic Metroid series gets some serious cosplay love, courtesy of Talaaya Cosplay's Chelsea Mills.
Samus Aran has never looked better.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Even the gloves amaze
We're especially blown away with Mills' attention to detail. Just look at the top-tier articulation in the Varia Suit's gloves.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Samus: A 3D-printed masterpiece
Amazingly, the Varia Suit was created piece-by-piece using a 3D printer and models that Mills created herself.
Here's a photo of Mills' helmet prototype. A more accurate 3D model was then made, covered in a thin layer of bondo, sanded smooth, painted, and assembled to create the full masterpiece.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Pray for a true peace in space!
The coolest moment in the original Metroid is when Samus removes her helmet to reveal that--surprise--the hero of the game is a badass woman.
(Image credit: Talaaya Cosplay)
Blastoise, we choose you
Pokémon-related cosplay seems to be a favorite of Nigri's. In addition to cosplaying as Charizard, she has taken on Slowking, Pikachu, Lugia, and this--her take on Blastoise.
(Image credit: Adam Patrick Murray)
Texas-based fraternal twins Hopie (Princess Peach) and Hee-Hee (Mario), better known to their fans as Twinzik, are well-known for their amazing Mushroom Kingdom cosplay.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
One big happy family
Twinzik took the Anime Matsuri 2014 convention by storm, dressing their entire family as Super Mario Brothers characters.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
The Year of Luigi is long over
Poor Luigi: All those years of playing second fiddle to brother Mario has clearly taken its toll.
The sad look on his face absolutely makes this Twinzik cosplay.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
After a long day of cosplay
Maybe if Mario hadn't wasted his time searching 7 incorrect castles for Princess Peach, he wouldn't be so damn tired by the end of World 8-4 here.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
A real man of the sea
Twinzik's great Nintendo cosplay work goes beyond the Super Mario franchise. Here, Hee-Hee strikes a pose as the cowardly Captain Linebeck from The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
(Image credit: Twinzik)
Waluigi number one!
Mario Tennis gets some love with this great Wario and Waluigi cosplay, again done by Twinzik.
(Image credit: PancakeRemix)
In which the evils of truth and love are denounced
Prepare for trouble. And make it double.
We're absolutely blown away by this stellar Team Rocket look from Rei-Doll (James) and Ryoko (Jessie).
(Image credit: Kifir)
Meowth? That's right
Here's another photo of Rei-Doll's Pokémon cosplay with the adorable Meowth in the mix.
(Image credit: Kifir)
Best cosplay in the Lylat System
Jessica Nigri's interpretation of Starfox has us all doing barrel rolls.
(Image credit: Official Jessica Nigri)
Flippers for sale, 500 rupees or best offer
The Zelda Project is a Los Angeles-based group dedicated to creating the most amazingly realistic Hyrule cosplay possible.
Link, accompanied by fairy Navi, risks severe Zora attacks by playing his ocarina near the water in this photo.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Up, left, right, up, left, right ...
Meanwhile, on Lon Lon Ranch, the beautiful horse trainer Malon (played by Adella) belts out a rendition of Epona's Song.
Composting artist Julia Starr is credited with bringing this particular photo shoot to life.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
As foretold by the prophet Impa ...
In this photo, Link (Wes Johnson) strides through the countryside on the back of trusted steed Epona. Johnson spent six months training in western horseback riding just for this particular photo shoot.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Saria the Sage
Even the supporting cast of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time gets some cosplay love from The Zelda Project.
Here, Saria, played by aspiring fashion designer Alondra, poses with the game's titular instrument.
(Image credit: Indigo Hernandez)
Peeking out of a pink puffball
As cosplayer Darien Green can attest (and Waddle Dee can confirm), it isn't easy being stuck inside Kirby all day.
(Image credit: Nick Adams/Corbis)
Yangon cosplay
Teenagers Kyaw Myo Hein (Ash Ketchum) and Hatake Sersai (Pikachu) pose at the Yangon Comic Con in Asia.
(Image credit: Greg Holland/Demotix/Corbis)
A dramatic march to benefit Pikachu awareness
Okay, you got us. Technically, this photo isn't of Pokémon cosplay -- these are professionally made costumes.
Still, this photo from Yokohama's annual "1000 Pikachu Outbreak" is just too kawaii not to share.
(Image credit: Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO/Nippon News/Corbis)
More...