12 Perfect Tattoo Ideas for Video Game Lovers
Rattatattoo, baby.
As a wise person once said, once you get your first tattoo, you’re always conspiring on your next one. I got mine in 2019, and ever since, I’m always thinking of which one I’d like to get next. Meanwhile, many people I know are tatted to the brim, with several more planned on the bodily itinerary for this year alone.
There are a lot of reasons to get a tattoo, whether you want one for sentimental reasons, or you just like how they look on ya. So, it’s really no surprise that some people might want video game-inspired tattoos! Games can hold a lot of emotional value for players, akin to a really good book or movie, and even aside from that, the imagery that comes out of games can be really badass to look at.
Or not. That’s the trick, right? Finding something that you’ll want to keep on your body for as long as possible. It can be a tough thing to figure out, but luckily for you, I’ve given this topic a lot of thought. With all that said, here are some tattoo ideas that may or may not get your gears turnin’ for your next gamey tattoo.
Life is Strange: Butterfly/Hole to Another Universe
Both of these are icons that hold recurring meaning in Life is Strange, and I think both deserve a spot here next to each other. On one hand, you have an indication to Max that her actions will have consequences—the game literally tells you so. On the other hand, you have Chloe’s most consistent tag, a symbol of her constant desire to get outta dodge and figure it all out.
They’re simple enough designs that they’ll give you a cool, minimalist look, yet they also carry a lot of weight if you’re an LiS fan. I’ve sat on the butterfly for years, at the very least.
Fire Emblem: Crest of Flames
I’ve already decided that one of the hills I’ll die on is that Fire Emblem is a perfectly fine franchise. Granted, I’ve only played three Fire Emblem games (four, if you include Three Hopes), but because I’m not much of an anime person myself, I have little to say on the “weeb bait” front. I honestly think these games are great, and Three Houses very easily made itself one of my favorite games of all time.
Bearing that in mind, the Crest of Flames: it’s a simple design, but it looks cool as hell, and you can put it anywhere on your body and it won’t take up too much space. Alpharad already did it, so hey, if you’re on the fence, there’s someone else toeing the line for you.
Dragon Age: Your Favorite Faction
There are so many factions at play in the Dragon Age universe, which is partially what makes its universe so rich. Naturally, this also means you’ll probably get pretty attached to whatever faction you find yourself repping, whether it’s the Grey Wardens, the Dalish, or the Inquisition.
These designs all have fairly small, yet intricate logos that could easily be paired with any number of other tattoos on your body. And if you really want to flex your nerd pride, you could double up on ’em.
Persona 5: Take Your Heart
Admittedly, I got exhausted with Persona 5 and stopped playing once I reached Sae’s palace. But I can’t deny that it’s a game with a lot of heart, and that it totally deserves all the love it continues to get.
So, a tattoo like this would absolutely be fitting for anyone who resonated with Persona 5‘s story, or who just like the meaning behind the phrase “Take Your Heart.” It could mean all sorts of things: toughen up, persevere, chill out, don’t lose hope. And at the very least, the hat looks dope.
Undertale: Despite Everything, It’s Still You
This might be my personal favorite on this list, and the idea I’ve ruminated on the most. I first played Undertale while undergoing medical problems that left me feeling hopeless and dejected. Even though I spoiled the plot for myself, like a dummy, I still felt the weight of the phrase’s message. That no matter what happens to you, at the end of the day, you’re still you. And nobody can take that from you.
I also thought it’d pair well with a picture of my boy Napstablook, but you can do whatever you want with it.
BoTW: Korok Seed
There’s a lot of cute imagery that you can derive from the Legend of Zelda franchise, but I always thought a little Korok seed would be a cute, minimalist design to put on you. In particular, if you have freckles or beauty marks, this would be a cute little thing to put on them.
It’s like indicating there are little treasures on you for people to find. I kinda love that!
Pokemon: Your Fave! In Sprite Form
We all have a favorite Pokemon. Mine is Jolteon, for a relatively stupid reason: back in the day, I absolutely rocked the shit out of everyone I played Pokemon Stadium with whenever I had Jolteon on my team. He’s my spiky murder dog and he always will be.
You could technically get your fave done in any art style, but I just think that their sprite forms are classic, and they fit with the flow of our bodies fairly well. Plus, I think it’d be pretty cool to look down while you’re working and see your spiky murder dog just hanging out on your bicep. Like, hey little dude, wanna send this email for me?
Mass Effect: N7
Don’t hate me, but I don’t really care for the Mass Effect series. It’s just not my thing. And this has always bugged me, because it seems to be everyone‘s thing. If I meet someone who’s even remotely into RPGs, they’ve typically played and loved Mass Effect. It seems to hit all their emotional and storytelling sweet spots, and then some.
So hey, Shepards, why not get an N7 and remind everyone where you come from? Who knows, you might even signal to your future Garrus Vakarian that you’re available…
Stardew Valley: Junimo
Awwwww, he’s just a lil guy. He’s just a lil green boy. A tiny lil apple with an antenna. A stinky little round man.
There’s a lot of ways you could incorporate Stardew Valley onto your body. But, neaww. Lil moss babies.
The Witcher: Wolf Medallion
I’ve actually seen this tattoo a few times, whether on the internet or in a bar, and it always goes hard. The Witcher is one of those series that’s managed to transcend beautifully between nerd and mainstream culture, and I think getting a tattoo of the wolf medallion is a great way to capture that.
No, unfortunately, we can’t be Geralts IRL. But this is the next best thing.
Dark Souls: Don’t You Dare Go Hollow
What started as a random line from an NPC in Blighttown has become one of the most iconic lines in modern gaming. The phrase is meant to tell the player character that they need to persevere, so they don’t become the mindless hollow beasts in Lordran. But players have taken it to mean something else entirely, something incredibly beautiful.
“Don’t you dare go hollow” is now synonymous with fighting one’s urge to give up, whether on the game itself, or on life in general. I think there’s something really special to that.
Night in the Woods: Nightmare Eyez
Night in the Woods is about a 20-year-old cat who drops out of college and moves back to her hometown, where she seeks a reprieve from life, but finds that it isn’t as simple as that. Nobody gets a reprieve. Everything is still constantly baffling. And while drunk at a party, she decides to address this by standing up on a keg and shouting to everyone, “I HAVE NIGHTMARE EYEZ!!!”
It’s juvenile and sad and fucking awesome. If you’ve ever had a Mae moment, I see you, I feel you, and I think that, while it’s not necessarily something to encourage, it doesn’t get rawer than that. Honor your Nightmare Eyez. They make it more difficult for us in some ways, sure, but then again, nobody sees things quite like us.
Do you have a video game tattoo? Or do you have another idea you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!
(Featured Image: Bioware/EA)
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