Tears of the Kingdom Fan Carves a Wooden Switch Cartridge Case
I still remember the first time I dropped into Tears of the Kingdom's post-post-apocalyptic Hyrule. The sky islands, the Depths, and the way every ruin felt like a memory with teeth. But in 2026, what keeps me attached to that game isn't just the main questโit's the community's weird, wonderful crafts. One fan, Reddit user FrigginBoomT, showed off a wooden Switch cartridge case that made me want to clear off my workbench and fail at woodworking for a weekend. Even years after the game's 2023 release, this build remains one of my favorite fan creations.
The Case That Made Me Stop Scrolling
The box's front cover features an engraving of the Hyrule Royal Crest. The Triforce sits inside that crest like a heartbeat inside a family sigil, and it instantly tells you which Hyrule you're dealing with. Opening the lid reveals two spaces for Nintendo Switch game cartridges. The cover and interior are both marked with simulated wear and tear, which fits the battered, post-post-apocalyptic version of Hyrule from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. That simulated damage is a patina of memory, like a sword that remembers every battle without needing to bleed. It isn't just a storage box. It's a tiny wooden reliquary for plastic worlds. ๐ชต๐ฎ
More Than a One-Off
FrigginBoomT is not new to woodworking. This isn't even their first case for Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. A few months before this build, they shared another design with a similar overall shape. That earlier case's front cover shows the rusty Master Sword and the partly overgrown letter Z from the Breath of the Wild logo. They've also made boxes for Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards, which tells me they have a workshop that probably smells like sawdust and adventure.
| Project | Motif | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tears of the Kingdom case | Hyrule Royal Crest with Triforce | Two Switch cartridges |
| Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom case | Rusty Master Sword and overgrown Z | Switch cartridges |
| Pokemon boxes | Pokemon-themed carvings | Card storage |
| Magic: The Gathering boxes | MTG-themed carvings | Card storage |
I've seen crochet dolls, custom controllers, and even playable Zelda-themed mechanical keyboards, but woodworking has a permanence that feels different. A wooden case can outlast a console generation. It can sit on a shelf like a handcrafted save file for fandom.
Reddit's Reaction: Koroks and a Vacant Throne
Like the game that inspired it, the wooden case got an overwhelmingly positive reception from Zelda fans. As of the original article, the most upvoted comment was a joke suggesting the case would be a good hiding place for one of Tears of the Kingdom's Koroks. I laughed, because Koroks are Hyrule's glitter: impossible to fully remove, and somehow always found in the last place you check. โจ๐ณ
Another commenter pointed out that the empty second compartment could symbolize hope for another sequel. That idea hit me harder than a Lynel's crusher. Direct sequels are uncommon in The Legend of Zelda, but rare doesn't mean impossible. That empty slot sits there like a vacant throne waiting for an heir. If Tears of the Kingdom ever does get a sequel, FrigginBoomT certainly has a great place to store it.
Why This Still Matters in 2026
In 2026, Tears of the Kingdom is no longer the new kid on the block. We've had time to argue about dungeons, Zonai devices, weapon durability, and whether the Depths were too dark. But fan projects like this show the game's afterlife. Nintendo's hardware line keeps evolving, yet Tears of the Kingdom remains playable on Nintendo Switch, and its community keeps carving, crocheting, and coding. The same lore hunger that makes people debate how Rauru connects to Ocarina of Time also makes them engrave Royal Crests into wood.
That's the thing about Zelda fans: we don't just play the games. We build shrines to them, sometimes literally. A wooden cartridge case is small, but it holds a whole Hyrule inside itโor at least two cartridges' worth. ๐ก๏ธ
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a weekend project, maybe don't start with a Royal Crest. Start with a simple box. But if you do, know that the community will cheer you on. And if you find a Korok hiding in your cartridge slot? You probably deserve it.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Nintendo Switch. And if you're still hungry for lore, the conversation around Rauru's connection to Ocarina of Time is a great rabbit hole to fall down.