It’s been five long years since Zelda: Breath of the Wild took the breath away from longtime series fans and critics alike. As the latest installment in the sprawling Zelda universe, the Nintendo Switch/Wii U release also breathed new life into the franchise, garnering several perfect scores, racking up game of the year awards, and selling over 28 million copies in the process.
Unfortunately for Link fans around the world, Nintendo recently pushed the eagerly-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild from 2022 to Spring 2023. That six-year gap may seem like a lifetime to diehard Zelda players, but many have filled the time with Breath of the Wild DLC (dowloadable content) expansion packs The Master Trials and The Champions' Ballad.
The latter sends the player through hordes of enemies (Bokoblins), trap-laden shrines, and showdowns with multiple bosses (Ancient Guardians). Once our protagonist, Link, completes every Champions’ Ballad task, however, the user earns the game’s ultra-rare Master Cycle Zero item.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Link frequently traverses Hyrule Kingdom with his trusty horse, Epona. In Breath of the Wild, the player can tame and name their own steed, but completionists can take that horsepower to new levels with the Master Cycle Zero.
Just like riding a standard horse (in the game), Link can shoot arrows and duel with enemies from the saddle. On the other hand, additional controls allow the motorized equine to execute wheelies, burnouts, and jumps.
For one Zelda fan, YouTube’s Crafty Transformer (Tsukuru), a digital version of the Master Cycle wasn’t enough. So, the cardboard artist created his own iron steed out of cardboard. Within the game, the Master Cycle Zero fuses Sheikah Magitek technology and design with Breath of the Wild’s prominent rune aesthetic. The virtual version also touts a hub center steering front end similar to the units found on limited-run motorcycles like the Bimota Tesi H2.
Sadly, Crafty Transformer can’t commit such technology to the custom cardboard copy, but the artist still captures all the vehicle’s ornate inlays and intricate bodywork. Despite the rigid chassis, Tsukuru replicates the fore and aft monoshocks. Of course, the cardboard Master Cycle Zero only offers the performance of a pushbike, but the functioning model is still good for a roll down the block.
Zelda fanatics may have to wait until 2023 for the follow-up to Breath of the Wild, but with Crafty Transformation’s help, they can build their own Master Cycle Zero in the meantime.
