Link (The Legend of Zelda)
| Link | |
|---|---|
| Legend of Zelda series character | |
| File:E3 link art.jpg Link, seen here in some Twilight Princess artwork, is a courageous fighter who stars in The Legend of Zelda series games. | |
| First game | The Legend of Zelda |
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
Link (リンク, Rinku) is the protagonist of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda video game series. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, and first appeared in the 1986 game The Legend of Zelda. Introduced as a generic sword-fighting hero, the character was typical of fantasy-adventure games. However, later Legend of Zelda titles revealed significantly more details about him. The game’s success—over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide[1]—and that of its numerous sequels made Link one of Nintendo’s best-known characters. Link is named for the “link” the player shares with the hero of each game,[2] and in every game (except Four Swords Adventures), the player can name the character according to his or her wishes.
A peculiarity of the character is that there are several different incarnations of Link throughout the series, although they share a number of distinctive characteristics. The existence of multiple Links is made obvious on many occasions in the games; for example, the introduction sequences of The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap refer to an ancient, legendary champion, identical in appearance to Link, and TWW directly mentions the “Hero of Time” (a title given to Link in Ocarina of Time) as a historical entity. Because of this unique situation, Link may be referred to both singularly and plurally throughout this article. Miyamoto confirmed that there were multiple Links in late 2003; however, the exact chronology of the Legend of Zelda series is subject to debate among fans, and apart from a few fairly clear pairings it is uncertain which of Link’s incarnations appears in each of the games. Even “official” timelines tend to contradict previous “official” timelines. A theory to explain the similarities, actually proposed by Ganondorf in The Wind Waker, is that they are all reincarnations of the same heroic individual.
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Common attributes of all Links
Link is a courageous boy or young man; it is unlikely that his age ever exceeds 17 years at any point in the series, though apparently, in most games he is closer to the age of 10 or 12. In the Legend of Zelda games, he usually leaves his home and relatives at an early age to pursue his destiny and fight Ganon, his archenemy, or other servants of evil. In almost all LoZ games (exceptions being Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and the not-yet-released Twilight Princess) Link is a child or a young adolescent when he begins his quest.
Link’s adventures mostly take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, although The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Majora’s Mask, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages are set in other locales (and so, to some extent, is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker—although all of these games at least mention Hyrule). Link is closely associated with the Triforce of Courage and thus with the goddess Farore and her color, green. Recovering the Triforce of Courage is a key part of some LoZ games like The Adventure of Link and The Wind Waker.
The Legend of Zelda titles give few hints at Link’s personality; ellipses (“…” and variations thereof) are sometimes used to replace Link’s speech and can be interpreted in various ways, but his actual words are almost never given. He speaks (or thinks) a few sentences in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and Link’s Awakening, but he is usually silent. Moreover, the top-down 2D view in many of the games is not well-suited to depict his facial expressions.
In the 3D games, beginning with Ocarina of Time, Link has been voiced by three actors; Nobuyuki Hiyama for adult Link, Fujiko Takimoto for young Link and Sachi Matsumoto as Link in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, but because no Zelda game to date contains substantial spoken dialog, the part merely consists of short phrases, grunts, and other sounds. This also means that it is unnecessary to replace these actors with English-speakers. However, it should be noted that in The Wind Waker, Link has been heard saying the phrase, "Come on!" when the player calls upon a special statue native to the Tower of the Gods dungeon or Medli or Makar in their respective dungeons.
However, a defining trait of his character seems to be his bravery, an attribute consistent with his role as the rightful bearer of the Triforce of Courage. In The Adventure of Link, it is explicitly stated that the quest for the Triforce of Courage is to be a trial for whoever seeks it. Despite his youth and the adversity that he must face, alone for the most part, Link rarely shows signs of fear or cowardice (although he sometimes expresses fear of allies for comic effect). Nintendo’s Zelda.com Encyclopedia[3] also uses “humble” to describe him.
Appearance
Invariably, every Link wears a green tunic and a long, floppy green cap, at least for part of each adventure, (not counting the bonus "Second Quest" of The Wind Waker) although the shades of green vary. He also wears different clothes during parts of some Legend of Zelda games, most often color variations on his basic outfit.
Link’s Kokiri tunic in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask is of a somewhat darker tone than his tunic in The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap. This may be due to the radically different artistic styles of the aforementioned games: the first two had graphics and artwork aiming for a more realistic feel, whereas the The Wind Waker used cel-shading to achieve a cartoon-esque look, which The Minish Cap imitated. The difference is again apparent in the dark, detailed, stylistic look of Twilight Princess as compared to Phantom Hourglass (the sequel to The Wind Waker), which uses its predecessor's style.
Link’s hair color has varied from game to game, ranging from brown in the first Legend of Zelda game, to pink in A Link to the Past (although it is probable that it is not supposed to appear pink, as official artwork for the latter shows him with blond hair), but recent Links have all had blond hair. Shades range from a gingery color in Link’s Awakening and strawberry blond in Ocarina of Time to a bright, lemony-gold blond in The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, and Phantom Hourglass. The new Link in Twilight Princess has straw-colored, dirty blond hair. Most Links also have similar hairstyles.
Link has long pointed ears resembling some conceptions of elves. These are apparently a distinctive trait of the Hylian race (and their descendants) which supposedly allows them to hear messages from the gods. Older Links usually wear small blue hoop earrings, as is the Hylian fashion.
Several games mention or show a Triforce mark on Link’s left hand; the instruction booklet for The Adventure of Link reveals that this mark identifies him as the champion who will find the Triforce of Courage. A segment in the opening clip of Super Smash Bros. Melee shows three hands (Link’s left and Zelda’s and Ganondorf’s right) being crossed, each bearing a glowing Triforce symbol with one triangle a brighter white than the others, representing the three pieces. Most recently in a demo for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess at E³ 2005, Link was shown as having a whole brown Triforce mark on his hand, as in the Oracle series.
Abilities and weaponry
Swords and shields
In all Legend of Zelda games, Link carries a sword as his primary weapon, and usually a shield for protection. He usually acquires more powerful versions of both items in the latter stages of his quests. The most well-known sword the hero uses is the Master Sword. This sacred blade, forged centuries before any of the events recounted in the Zelda games, has become an important symbol for the series, appearing on many of the titles’ cover art. It is also known as the “Blade of Evil’s Bane”, a fitting title given its ability to greatly damage evil creatures and repel evil magic. Link does not wield the Master Sword in the first two games, instead he wields a more generic weapon called the “Magical Sword”. Additionally, in the first two games the Holy Cross appears on his shield, possibly simply because it is stereotypical design for a knights shield.
Some of Link’s other swords include the Wooden Sword, the White Sword, the Fighter’s Sword, the Tempered Sword, the Golden Sword, the Kokiri Sword, Biggoron’s Sword (a massive, two-handed sword forged by a gigantic Goron blacksmith), the Razor Sword (which loses its edge and reverts to the Kokiri Sword after 100 strikes), the Gilded Sword, which is the strongest sword in Majora's Mask (besides the Great Fairy's Sword), the Giant’s Knife (two-handed, breaks after a few hits and must be re-forged), the Great Fairy’s Sword (also two-handed), the Noble Sword, and the Four Sword (sword that allows Link to replicate himself up to three times).
Other shields usually include something larger and stronger than his original shield, such as a metal or magical shield to improve on a small wooden original. The ultimate shield is often the Mirror Shield, highly resistant to attacks and capable of reflecting light, lasers, electricity and even some spells back at their source or another target.
It is unclear when most of Link’s incarnations developed their swordfighting or weaponry skills; it appears that they are naturally gifted with great dexterity, which would be consistent with Link’s role as a warrior chosen to hold or retrieve the Triforce of Courage and stop the evil that threatens an innocent person/people/land. In some games, however, he is taught special techniques by instructors he encounters on his way (The Adventure of Link, Majora’s Mask, The Minish Cap, The Wind Waker) or can practice on dummies.
Link is left-handed, although this detail is never particularly stressed in any of the games, save for a Nintendo Gallery figurine description in The Wind Waker, which states that Link favors his left hand, and the Adventure of Link instruction booklet, which describes Link setting off “with a magical sword in his left hand and a magical shield in his right”. He wields his blade accordingly in the 3D games. In the original NES and Super NES Legend of Zelda titles, Link can be seen alternately holding his weapon in the right or the left hand, depending on his orientation, due to sprite mirroring (Nintendo’s originally joking explanation for this is that he always keeps his shield pointed at Death Mountain, which in the 2D games that featured it was always North, towards the top of the screen). Starting with The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, however, the sprites are no longer mirrored and have been updated to reflect that Link holds his sword in his left hand and his shield in his right, no matter what direction he is facing. This occurs in the left and right-looking sprites. In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, however, Link returns to alternately holding his weapon in the right or the left hand, depending on his orientation. At the beginning of the Four Swords Plus (Four Swords Adventures) manga, Link is referred to as the “left-handed hero” after defeating pirates that were raiding a Hylian town. However, in the animated TV series, Link is right-handed.
Sword techniques
Link’s oldest special sword-fighting technique is the ability to shoot beams of energy from his sword—the exact nature of the beams remains obscure, though it has been referred to as “throwing his sword”. This allows him to hit opponents from great distances, but often with less power than a direct strike. In most Zelda games, Link must have full health (measured by a meter with red, usually heart-shaped units which empty as he takes damage) to perform this move, although in the Oracle games, he can wear Rings that enable him to shoot the beams with one or even two hearts missing. In The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Link’s first sword has the ability to shoot beams at full health. In subsequent 2D games, Link usually had to acquire a more powerful sword to perform the technique. Majora’s Mask changed the technique slightly by requiring him to don the Fierce Deity’s Mask, which then consumed magic to perform the beam technique. In The Minish Cap, the ability was taught to Link by one of the Blade Brothers, and he could also learn to perform the technique when he had just one heart. In the animated TV series, Link most often fights by shooting beams from his sword. These only induce pain in people, but warp Link’s enemies back into Ganon’s “evil jar”.
The other 3D games in the Zelda series do not feature the sword beam technique, although it was intended to be implemented in Ocarina of Time, as shown in a picture on Nintendo’s official website during the development process.
Another of Link’s signature moves is the spin attack, also known as whirling blade or spinning slash, during which he executes a full 360° (or more) rotation with his sword drawn; this can damage several of his opponents at once and is usually more powerful than an ordinary strike. Although the visual representation of this attack varies throughout the series — performing a spin attack usually causes Link’s sword to light up and other related visual effects — the technique itself is present in every Legend of Zelda game beginning with A Link to the Past. From Ocarina of Time on, this attack can be executed instantly by rotating the analog stick in a full circle and pressing the sword button. Charging the blade takes time and magic but will result in a stronger and wider attack. In The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, and A Link to the Past (in the GBA version), after Link learns a special technique, he can charge power longer to spin for an extended period (rather than a single rotation) when he uses his spin attack. Sometimes known as the “Hurricane Blade”, this technique was also present in the Game Boy Advance re-release of A Link to the Past, and it was usable in the Gamecube release of Soul Calibur 2, which featured Link as a playable character, and in both Super Smash Bros. games.
Occasionally, Link also possesses the “up thrust” and “down thrust” techniques, which are used to strike at enemies above or below Link while he is jumping. The down thrust move is also known as the “sword plant” technique, as it ends with Link planting the sword point down in either his adversary or the ground. These moves are found in The Adventure of Link, Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Soul Calibur 2. The down thrust is featured in The Wind Waker as a parry technique usable only against Magtail and Floor Master enemies, as well as in The Minish Cap, but as a move Link needs to learn from one of the Blade Brothers. In Twilight Princess the sword plant serves as a finishing move Link can use on a downed enemy.
Parrying, introduced in The Wind Waker, is a new technique for Link to perform; if the player hits the action button just before being hit by an enemy, Link will dodge the attack and counter it, either by rolling behind his opponents or jumping over them and slashing them from behind. The third parry, mentioned above, is the rare down thrust. Link learns this technique from the old warrior and fisherman, Orca, in his home village on Outset Island.
Other weapons
There are other weapons recurrent in Link’s arsenal, most notably (and repeatedly) small Bombs and projectile weapons including Boomerangs, Bows and the Hookshot.
Bombs
Link’s bombs are small, blue, and have a short fuse. When they blow up, they can hurt enemies or destroy obstacles, or even bring down walls to reveal secret passages. Variants include Bomb Flowers, from which bombs are made, and which explode shortly after Link picks them; Bombchu, mouse-shaped bombs which, once released, zoom along floors and walls searching for targets; and grey Remote Bombs which Link can detonate at will. A larger, reddish “Super Bomb” can be purchased late in A Link to the Past, and is necessary to gain access to the Silver Arrows and Golden Sword. In The Minish Cap, Link may also acquire Remote Bombs, that may explode at will by pushing the same button you lay them out with, by talking to a certain Minish. The disadvantage to this is that you may not lay out multiple bombs.
In Majora’s Mask, Goron Link can also use a Powder Keg. This huge explosive device provides a far larger explosion than regular bombs, enabling Link to destroy huge rocks and walls. Unlike Link’s other weapons, bombs normally inflict damage indiscriminately, so Link may be harmed if he is within range when they go off.
Boomerang
The boomerang, somewhat exotic for a sword and sorcery fantasy setting, is available to Link in all LoZ games except for Zelda II and Majora’s Mask. In Majora’s Mask, however, Zora Link/Mikau is able to shoot his fins as if they were two boomerangs thrown simultaneously with each arm. In The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, Link’s boomerang can hit multiple targets. The boomerang always returns to Link when thrown. It is most useful for stunning enemies, but can be used to kill some weak opponents and collect items or activate switches at a distance. In Link’s Awakening, the boomerang was a special hidden item, which inflicted as much damage as Link’s first sword. According to Zelda.com[4], Link is “one of the most accurate boomerang throwers Hyrule has ever seen”. Occasionally, Link obtains a “Magical Boomerang” which flies farther and can sometimes be controlled after he throws it. In the upcoming Legend of Zelda game Twilight Princess, the “Gale Boomerang” creates whirlwinds which can carry items, and in the soon-to-be-released game The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass the touch screen of the Nintendo DS can be used to draw a path for Link’s boomerang to follow.
Bow & arrows
Link’s bow & arrows allow him to shoot at enemies from a safe distance. In addition to simple Wooden Arrows, Link can acquire more devastating rounds to foil the traps and dangers that await him. In The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past, he finds special Silver Arrows that are required to defeat Ganon, alluding to silver’s role in mythology as a tool against evil magic and creatures. In Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and The Wind Waker, Link can use magic with this weapon, enchanting his arrows to become Fire and Ice arrows which burn/melt or freeze enemies and obstacles on contact. In these games and The Minish Cap, the Silver Arrow is replaced by the mystical and powerful Light Arrow. Link’s bow & arrows are often essential in solving in-game puzzles and defeating very powerful bosses. For example, the final confrontations with Ganondorf in The Wind Waker and Ganon in Ocarina of Time involve extensive use of the bow.
Other projectile weapons
Link sometimes also makes use of other projectile weapons such as a slingshot in Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Seasons as well as a gun--like weapon called the “seed shooter” featured in Oracle of Ages. In Link’s Awakening, bombs can be fired along with arrows to create an explosive missile. So-called “bomb-arrows” are rumored to return in Twilight Princess, as they are shown in a short trailer. In the Nintendo Gamecube version of the Four Sword ("Four Sword Adventures") as well as Ocarina of Time, Link acuires a slingshot- which can shoot at enemies from a distance by using Deku Seeds. In the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, Link uses Deku Nuts to stun his enemies. A common strategy use for these is to stun the enemy, then use the jump-slash move (When Link leaps toward his enemy with his sword out infront of him)
Hookshot
The hookshot, introduced in A Link to the Past, is a weapon which fires and retracts a hook on a chain, using a spring-based mechanism. The hook can dig into certain surfaces, such as wood, and then pull Link to them. Alternatively, it can be used to retrieve items, break objects, or attack enemies. Variations on the hookshot include a longer-ranged version called the Longshot in the latter part of Ocarina of Time, and a simplified rope and Grappling Hook in the early stages of The Wind Waker. Oracle of Ages also featured the “Switch Hook” which allowed Link to swap places with an object (such as a vase or enemy) from a distance. In Twilight Princess, Link will use the “Clawshot”, which fires iron claws instead of a hook, allowing Link to pull himself to objects like iron fencing. Whether the traditional hookshot will be available in Twilight Princess is unknown.
Hammer
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was the first game to add a war hammer to Link’s weaponry, which can smash enemies and objects with great force (The Adventure of Link had a hammer, but it could not be used as a weapon). It was called the Magic Hammer in A Link to the Past and Four Sword Adventures, the Megaton Hammer in Ocarina of Time, and the Skull Hammer in The Wind Waker, being decorated with a skull pattern. This item is somewhat unwieldy and is usually employed to smash down posts or plates as part of puzzles; however the jump attacks of these weapons in OoT and Wind Waker are just as quick as those of their sword counterparts, making the hammers extremely deadly when used in such ways.
Items
During the course of his games, Link also makes use of normal objects as improvised weapons. Parts of the scenery - such as rocks - can be used instead of normal weaponry.
One example of such an item is the Deku Stick, a thin wooden stick usually found by defeating enemy plants. These are quite flammable, and act as portable torches, though they burn out quickly. Used as weapons, the sticks usually break upon first hit, but a glitch allows the player to keep the stick after it breaks - a weapon stronger than the Kokiri sword.
Physical abilities
Link is generally physically fit, and exhibits exceptional strength, speed, agility, and reflexes for one of his age. In addition to his fighting skills, he can perform certain actions on his own or by using powers granted by non-weapon items.
In several 2D games Link can use the Pegasus Boots (or Pegasus Seeds) to give himself a speed boost and dash, allowing him to travel quickly, ram obstacles and enemies, and cross unstable terrain into which he would otherwise sink.
Link can generally jump down from ledges where they exist and are not blocked, but curiously he is limited in other jumping ability. In the 3D games, he jumps small gaps and steps automatically, but can not jump higher (although he can climb). In the 2D games, only The Adventure of Link has jumping available as a standard action; in other titles Link must use an item such as the Roc’s Feather or Roc’s Cape to jump.
Though in the Ocarina of time, he obtains the Hover Boots, which resemble the Pegasus Boots when it comes to design. The main difference is that the sole of the Hover Boots is gold, and instead of jumping, Link can run off an edge and keep running for about two seconds. When he wears these boots and walks on land, Link will skid slightly before he completly stops, and takes about an extra second to start running again when he is at a complete stop.
Because jumping is integral to Smash Bros. game play, it is a standard action in those games.
Link can usually lift small bushes, clumps of grass, and sometimes small clay pots on his own. When aided by the Power Bracelet(s) or other magical bracelets, gloves, and gauntlets, he can lift and push objects much heavier than those he would normally be able to move.
The swimming abilities of the Links vary greatly. Some cannot swim at all, while some can remain afloat indefinitely. To reach his full swimming and diving potential, however, Link usually needs to obtain aid from a magical item such as Zora’s Flippers or an enchanted Zora scale. In Majora’s Mask, Link can don the Zora mask and change into Mikau to maximize his aquatic prowess. In The Wind Waker, Link is able to swim easily for a certain amount of time, as depicted by a ‘stamina bar’, but if Link cannot make it to land (or his boat) before the bar is depleted, he will start struggling and sinking lower into the water before finally drowning (the game does not end, but you do lose a half heart).
In Soul Calibur 2 (see relevant section below), Link also shows mastery of unarmed martial arts, but this is not canon. He can also attack unarmed when in other forms in Majora’s Mask and when wearing a certain magic ring in the Oracle series.
Also, in all of Link’s 3D incarnations, he has the ability to perform backflips and rolls to avoid attacks while targeting an enemy. Such moves are difficult enough to perform in reality with no equipment, but as Link is weighed down by his shield, sword and an array of other items, the hero’s strength and agility are quite apparent.
Magic
Many Links are skilled with magic and, once taught, can use spells to protect, transform, defend, or otherwise enhance themselves, or to directly attack the enemy and cause other effects. In some games Link uses a depleting pool of magic power to activate items such as Magic Wands, Rods, Staves, Canes, etc., although sometimes he does not have a Magic Meter and these work on their own.
- In several games Link finds wands, canes, and medallions, which may have an offensive effect as well as other uses.
- In The Legend of Zelda, Link can obtain a Magic Book to enhance the spell his Wand fires.
- In The Adventure of Link, Link learns spells from wise men in several towns.
- In Ocarina of Time, certain Great Fairies will grant Link magical abilities including three powerful spells, gifts from the legendary Golden Goddesses. These spells are Din's Fire, which surrounds Link in flames, damaging all enemies in a wide radius; Farore's Wind, which allows Link to set a warp-point and, whenever he wants, warp there by re-casting the spell. Finally, Nayru's Love allows Link to become temporarily immune to all attacks.
- In The Wind Waker, Link is given Magic Armour by a merchant on Windfall Island. This depletes the magic meter, but it blocks all attacks when used (Similar to Nayru's Love from Ocarina of Time). The Magic Armour can also be used when you use your Gameboy Advance and your Tingle Tuner while playing Windwaker, albiet temporarily and for a price.
- In all three 3D games, magic is required to shoot special arrows.
- In the upcoming Twilight Princess, Link can transform into a wolf in the “Twilight Realm”. The details of this transformation are still unknown.
Often, Link also plays (or conducts) songs on special instruments that magically affect his environment.
Relationships with other characters
Link is essentially a lone adventurer. Although Zelda games feature more interaction with friendly or neutral non-player characters (NPCs) than some adventure games, such as the Metroid series, these characters rarely take an active part in Link’s quest. At best they provide him with hints, maps or useful items.
There are too many NPCs who help Link in some way throughout the series to name here. Nevertheless, some are particularly notable because they are related to Link, and therefore provide insight into his character and background, or because they directly accompany and assist Link in his quest, instead of passively offering advice or items. For more characters not covered here, see The Legend of Zelda series characters.
Family
- The first family of Link’s known to gamers was an unnamed uncle who meets a grisly fate shortly after the beginning of A Link to the Past. Taking up his sword and shield, Link sets out to avenge the brave man and complete his mission: rescuing Princess Zelda, and all of Hyrule, from Ganon. If Link is successful, his uncle is shown to have miraculously recovered (presumably part of Link’s wish, as granted by the Triforce).
- Mentioned but not seen, the mother of Link from Ocarina of Time was mortally wounded while fleeing the ravages of a fierce war with her baby. Desperate, she entrusted her child to the Great Deku Tree — who sensed the child’s destiny — to live and grow as a Kokiri.
- Link’s grandmother has struggled to raise her grandchildren in the unexplained absence of their parents. On his birthday at the beginning of The Wind Waker, she gives Link a lovingly made new outfit which resembles the legendary Hero’s, the sign that he has come of age. She also makes him a most delicious and beneficial soup.
- The Wind Waker also introduces the first relative in the series to have a name, his sister. Aryll lends Link her prized telescope on his birthday, not realizing it will lead them both into an adventure where she will be kidnapped by a monstrous bird and held prisoner on a forsaken rock far to the North. After she is rescued, she continues to lend him moral support while he quests to stop the dark forces threatening to swallow the remains of humanity who eke out a living on the Great Sea.
- In The Minish Cap Link lives with his grandfather, Hyrule’s Master Smith and a friend of the king. When Zelda is cursed by the evil mage Vaati, the Smith recommends sending Link to seek out the legendary Picori and beg their assistance.
Companions and allies
Princess Zelda
- For more information, see Princess Zelda: Link and Zelda’s relationship.
Zelda herself often aids Link in his quest to defeat evil. For example, in Ocarina of Time, she guides Link through his adventures and provides him with hints, sometimes disguised as Sheik. In The Wind Waker, as the pirate captain Tetra, she helps Link free his sister from Ganondorf’s grasp. In both games, Zelda is by Link’s side helping him during the final confrontation with the “King of Evil” (Ganon).
There is a popular theory among some fans of a romantic relationship between some of the Link or Zelda characters in the series. Although never definitely confirmed in the video game titles of the franchise, it is based on strong hints given in the games, interviews with the game creators, the cartoons, and comics/manga.
Fairies
Fairies are common in Legend of Zelda games. In all titles, Link can find small fairies which help him by replenishing several hearts before disappearing. In A Link to the Past, The Minish Cap and the 3D games, these can be captured in bottles and kept for later “use”. Great Fairies are a somewhat rarer sight. In hidden fairy fountains, they fully heal Link, and may provide him with items, techniques, or spells useful to his quest, or upgrade his bomb bag, quiver, and wallet so he can carry more bombs, arrows, and rupees (the currency of Hyrule).
Ocarina of Time also introduced Navi as Link’s fairy companion and guide, and the fairy Tatl accompanies Link in his journey through the world of Termina in Majora’s Mask. A fairy whose identity is not yet known will join Link in Phantom Hourglass, and Navi (the fairy's name was revealed in the July issue of Nintendo Power) will serve as a cursor in the Wii version of Twilight Princess.
Transportation
In some games, Link is able to ride on horseback. His steed, Epona, allows him to reach places much faster then he would on foot, and she can jump certain fences and gaps while galloping. In the upcoming game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the player can name Link’s horse. Other types of transportation include a talking boat, the King of Red Lions, in The Wind Waker, and playing the “Ballad of the Gales” will warp Link to certain places throughout the Great Sea; a bird that can be called upon with a flute in A Link to the Past; magical songs and occasionally an owl, Kaepora Gaebora, in Ocarina of Time. In the Ocarina of Time, Link can also use certain Ocarina songs, such as "the bolero of fire" "the nocturne of shadow" to warp to the six corners of Hyrule. In the Ocarina, adult Link can also ride on leafy platforms if they were planted in Link's younger form. These can often be used to reach hard to get pieces of heart but can aid in transport and the trading sequence side quests, where the warp songs automatically destroy perishables. A song in Majora’s Mask allows Link to warp to any Owl Stones he has activated. Another flute can be used to call a tornado to transport Link from dungeon to dungeon in The Legend of Zelda, and in Link's Awakening, there are 4 “Warp Holes” which Link can use to travel quickly. In the Oracle series, Link is also transported through the air on tornadoes created by the magical Gale Seeds. In Minish Cap Link can use the Ocarina of Wind to call upon a bird to transport him to different Wind Crests spread out through Hyrule. In the upcoming Phantom Hourglass, Link seems to be traveling throughout the ocean in a steamboat. In Ocarina of Time, Link can pick up chickens and if he jumps off a ledge, he will glide. Link, in a similar fashion, can use a special rooster in Link's Awakening to fly.
Link’s incarnations
Below are synopses of the different Links’ adventures.
The Legend of Zelda
In this game, Link’s character is not examined in detail. He is a young adventurer who is controlled by the player. Described by the instruction booklet as a traveler who saved Princess Zelda’s elderly nursemaid Impa from monsters, he is mostly a generic hero character attempting to rescue Zelda (and her kingdom, Hyrule) from the evil wizard Ganon, who has stolen the Triforce of Power. He begins the game as a green-clad elfin boy with a small shield but no weapon, and gradually gathers equipment and scattered shards of the Triforce of Wisdom until he is powerful enough to defeat Ganon and free the Princess.
The Adventure of Link
(This is Link from The Legend of Zelda.)
As Link approaches his 16th birthday, Impa takes him to North Castle in Hyrule, alarmed by the sudden appearance of a crest on the boy’s left hand. She shows him the true heiress of Hyrule, the original (or at least a very old) Princess Zelda, trapped out of time in an eternal sleep, lying on an altar in the castle. The old woman also tells Link the Legend of Zelda, an ancient tale about the division of the Triforce and the curse that was put upon the princess. Long ago, the power of the Triforce had belonged to one man alone, a great king of Hyrule; however, when he died, the artifact was divided, and the heir of the throne could inherit only part of it. Before his death, the king had only told the prince’s younger sister, Princess Zelda, where the missing parts of the Triforce could be found. As the princess would not give away her precious secret, the prince and one of his counselors, a magician, threatened her, but still the princess kept silent. In his anger, the magician put a curse on the princess so she would sleep forever, despite the objections of the prince, and died in exhaustion after casting the spell.
Impa then gives Link six crystals, and a scroll written in an ancient Hylian tongue, which Link understands despite having never learned it. He reads that the mark on his hand is the sign that he was chosen to seek the third Triforce, Courage, in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death. Link then begins a quest to place a crystal in each of six palaces in Hyrule, so that he can later penetrate unhindered into the magically protected Great Palace, claim the Triforce of Courage, reunite the three, and awaken Zelda from her slumber.
If Link dies in this game, the Game Over screen depicts the “Return of Gannon [sic]”. It is implied that his followers will use the slain Link’s blood in a ritual to accomplish this resurrection.
A Link to the Past
Centuries before the events of A Link to the Past, Ganon and his army of evil were banished into the Golden Land, the realm of the Triforce, by the Hylians, at the price of countless lives. The portal to this world was magically blocked by seven sages, and the lands behind that seal, which Hylians hoped would never be broken again, became known as the Dark World, as they were corrupted by Ganon’s malice. (These events are generally believed to be those recounted in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.)
One day, when the Imprisoning War is all but forgotten, the land is plagued by sudden disaster, until the wizard Agahnim appears at the court of the king of Hyrule and quells the upheaval. Named chief advisor to the throne, he soon seizes power from the king and kidnaps six maidens, descendants of the wise men who had sealed the entrance of the Dark World. The maidens are taken to the castle tower, and never seen again. Agahnim then begins a dark ritual to break the seal on the Dark World and unleash Ganon’s fury upon Hyrule. Princess Zelda herself descends from the seventh sage, and manages to send out a telepathic call for help before being taken away. Link’s uncle heads for the royal castle first, but he is quickly dispatched. He leaves Link his sword and with his last breath imparts the sword-spin technique.
The young hero then begins a journey to collect three magical Pendants of Virtue, and claim the Master Sword as his before facing Agahnim.
Link then enters the Dark World to rescue the seven maidens trapped in their crystal prisons, and eventually slay Ganon himself.
After completing this quest he is told by the entity known as the “Essence of the Triforce” that it will grant him any wish when he touches it. Link uses his wish to restore peace and prosperity to the land of Hyrule (and to restore certain characters who fell in the struggle against evil), and returns the Master Sword to its pedestal.
Link’s Awakening
(This Link is generally believed to be the Link from A Link to the Past, or possibly the one from the Oracle series.)
After defeating Ganon, Link decides to travel the world, so he might be prepared if a threat like Ganon ever comes to Hyrule again. Returning to Hyrule, Link’s ship is caught in a storm and wrecked. He washes up on the shore of a mysterious island called Koholint. A girl named Marin, who strongly resembles Zelda, finds Link lying unconscious on the beach and brings him to her home. When he wakes, the young hero returns to the beach to retrieve his equipment. There he meets a strange talking owl who tells him that the only way he can escape Koholint is by awakening the “Wind Fish”, a giant creature slumbering in a colossal egg in the center of the island. To do so, Link must collect eight legendary Sirens’ Instruments and play the Ballad of the Wind Fish. Link later discovers that the entire island of Koholint and its people were dreamed into existence by the Wind Fish itself. Before the end of his journey inside the Wind Fish’s egg, Link must fight the “Nightmares”, evil spirits which the owl says have recently plagued the dream realm.
Link’s Awakening has a mysterious and somewhat confusing plot and an atmosphere that is sometimes compared to Alice in Wonderland. The ending is purportedly equivocal, as it remains unclear how Link entered the Wind Fish’s dream, or whether Link himself dreamed the entire adventure. In the short ending sequence however, the island and its inhabitants fade away as Link awakens and sees the Wind Fish flying above him. This ambiguity is well illustrated by the Wind Fish’s last words before Link plays the Song of Awakening, at the end of the game: “[…] Come Link… Let us awaken… Let us awaken… Together!”. This is considered to be reminiscent of the Red King in Through the Looking-Glass. If the player completes the game without letting Link die, a bonus ending sequence implies that Marin still exists, and her wish to fly away as a seagull has been granted.
Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, a young Link has been raised as one of the Kokiri, the “children of the forest” (who are thought to have later become the Koroks in The Wind Waker). Always considered an outsider by Mido, the leader of the Kokiri (due to the fact that, unlike other Kokiri, Link did not have a fairy companion) Link became very good friends with Saria, the object of Mido’s affection. Link’s life changes one day when the Great Deku Tree sends a fairy, Navi, with instructions to bring Link immediately.
After bypassing a distraught Mido, Link battles a curse put on the Tree by Ganondorf, an evil Gerudo thief from the desert. Although he is successful in breaking the curse, he is too late. Dying, the Deku Tree directs Link to Hyrule Castle, where he encounters Princess Zelda. She sends him on a mission to collect three Spiritual Stones and save Hyrule. Once Link obtains the stones, he travels to the Temple of Time and opens the Door of Time with the Stones and the Ocarina of Time. He then draws the Master Sword from its stone pedestal. This action imprisons Link in the Temple of Light for seven years, while Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule and seizes the Triforce, a legendary artifact hidden in the Sacred Realm by the three goddesses, holding unimaginable magical power.
Seven years after drawing the sword from the pedestal, Link is awakened as the Hero of Time by Rauru, Sage of Light. Link finds that much time has passed, and he has grown up. He sets off on a quest to cleanse the land of Ganondorf’s evil. Returning to the Kokiri Forest, he finds that none of his friends have grown up, and most now don’t recognize him! Finally he meets the Deku Sprout (the Great Deku Tree’s successor), who reveals the hidden story of his past.
The reason Link has grown, while his Kokiri friends have not, is that he is actually a Hylian, orphaned in the Hyrulean Wars. When Link was a baby, his mother fled with him to Kokiri Forest, and, mortally wounded, left him under the Deku Tree’s protection. He was brought up as one of the Kokiri, and knew no differently. Now, Link must rescue the other five sages from their temples so they can awaken to their powers and lock Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm. After Link gathers the sages in the Temple of Light, the final Sage, Zelda, reveals herself and is captured by Ganondorf—who could only hold on to the Triforce of Power, and now seeks to recover Wisdom and Courage by sacrificing Link and Zelda. Fighting through Ganondorf’s castle, Link confronts and seemingly defeats the tyrant. But the King of Evil reveals the true blackness in his heart, and, using the Triforce of Power, transforms into the monstrous Ganon. After Link triumphs over Ganon, Princess Zelda uses the power of the Ocarina of Time to return Link to the past and allow him to live out the seven years of his youth taken from him while he was sealed away by the Master Sword.
After the events of Ocarina of Time, Link becomes a legend as shown in the Wind Waker. When evil emergered to threaten Hyrule again, it was believed the Hero of Time would return to save Hyrule once again, but he never showed (This Link was saving Termina from Majora's Mask). In the Wind Waker, a statue of this Link can be viewed inside Hyrule Castle, but it is later destroyed by Ganon's forces.
Majora’s Mask
(This is the same Link who returned to his youth in Ocarina of Time.)
After defeating Ganon and being sent back in time to his childhood, Link leaves Hyrule to search for a lost friend (declared by the official manga to be his old fairy companion, Navi, which is a reasonable assumption in the game as well). While riding deep in the Lost Woods, he is ambushed by a Skull Kid who is possessed by an evil artifact, Majora’s Mask, and his horse, Epona, is stolen. Chasing the Skull Kid, Link falls into a crevasse and arrives in an alternate reality, in a country called Termina. He must save this land from the evil of Majora’s Mask, which has drawn the moon into a decaying orbit, causing it to crash into Termina’s capital city in just three days. Link uses the Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time, which sends him back in time when he plays it, to relive those precious three days again and again in order to prevent the disaster. Along the way Link finds many magical masks of his own, a handful of which allow him to transform. Those masks can turn him into a rock-like Goron; a petite, plant-like Deku Scrub; a graceful aquatic Zora; or the all-powerful Fierce Deity, making Link as powerful as Majora’s Mask.
In this game, Link never grows up in the traditional sense, but the dark power of the Fierce Deity’s Mask allows Link to assume a powerful adult form, “Fierce Deity Link”, also known by some fans as “Oni-Link”. This may be the most power any Link ever acquired, aside from the ultimate power of the complete Triforce.
Oracle Series
These two games tell different stories about the same Link, within the framework of a larger story, which comes into play when the gamer starts the second game with a special password from the first. (The games can be played in either order, and certain characters and events from the first will carry over.)
Oracle of Seasons
- The Triforce sends Link on a mission to another land, Holodrum, to stop the disruption of the seasons by the General of Darkness, Onox. While there, it is his duty to protect the Oracle of Seasons (in disguise as a dancer), named Din. After Onox takes her by force and the seasons are thrown into chaos, Link sets out to rescue her with the aid of the Rod of Seasons (a magical staff which allows Link to control the four seasons).
Oracle of Ages
- Link awakens one day in another land, Labrynna, where he has been sent by the magic of the Triforce. Upon his arrival he is tricked by Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, into opening the seal protecting the Oracle of Ages, a singer named Nayru. Veran, possessing Nayru’s body and time-traveling powers, goes back in time to change the past and command the present. Link rushes to follow them to the past and save Nayru using the power of the Harp of Ages, which, when played correctly, grants its user the ability to move back and forth through time. After exorcising Veran’s spirit from Nayru’s body, Link ascends her citadel to defeat the Spectre of Sorrow.
- In the manga, Link traveled to Labrynna after the events of OoS manga.
Linked Ending
- Even though Link has restored peace to Holodrum and Labrynna, Onox’s efforts have yielded the Flame of Destruction; Veran’s, the Flame of Sorrow; and by Twinrova's kidnapping of Zelda, the Flame of Despair. Twinrova plans to use these flames to sacrifice Zelda and revive Ganon. Link must first defeat Twinrova and save the kidnapped Zelda, then take down the crazed, bestial Ganon produced by the botched attempt.
Four Swords
For the first multiplayer Zelda game, Nintendo didn’t want to introduce new characters and have gamers arguing over who gets to be Link—so everyone gets to be Link.
In the beginning of the game, a Zelda (who is probably not Zelda from any of the other games) goes to the Sanctuary of the Four Sword with her friend Link, to check on the seal containing the Wind Mage, Vaati. The seal has weakened, however, and Vaati emerges and kidnaps Zelda. Drawing the Four Sword from the pedestal where it had imprisoned Vaati, Link gets a splitting headache and passes out, awakening to find that the magical Four Sword has divided him into 2-4 identical Links (depending on the number of players). Identical except for their fashion sense: the first Link wears his traditional green outfit; the second, a red version; the third, blue; and the fourth purple. (In The Minish Cap, it is revealed that these colors reflect the four elements with which the sword is imbued.) The Links must cooperate to overcome obstacles, collect keys, and storm Vaati’s Palace so they can rescue Zelda and seal the mage away again.
The Wind Waker
Hundreds of years after Ocarina of Time, the Gods have flooded Hyrule. A new country has been formed, encompassing the islands of the Great Sea, islands that were once the highest mountaintops of Hyrule. The kingdom of old, lying dormant under the sea, is now a half-forgotten dream, barely surviving in ancient scrolls and dusty memories.
In the beginning of the game, Link’s younger sister Aryll is captured by the Helmaroc King (a giant masked bird), mistaken for someone else with golden hair and pointy ears. In order to save his sister, Link travels to all corners of the Great Sea to retrieve his sister and defeat the shadowy power in control of the bird. He finds his quest intertwines with another, and Link becomes, after many trials, the “Hero of Winds”. Using the Wind Waker, a magical conductor’s baton, he borrows the power of the gods to aid him in his quest. The wand’s user interface is similar to that used for the Ocarina of Time, but adds tempo as well as pitch to form tunes.
It is widely discussed what relation this Link has to the Hero of Time, but since it is mentioned in the game that they are not directly connected, and Link’s family shield is a variant on the Hylian shield used by Hero of Time and the Knights of Hyrule, it is reasonable to suggest that this Link is actually descended from such a Knight. Whether he is the hero reincarnated is uncertain, although Ganondorf comes to believe so. He is also mistaken by the Deku Tree to be the Hero of Time returned to defeat Ganon. Link aids the pirate Tetra in finding her destiny as the Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. The true heir to the Hyrulean royal family also aids him in his quest to awaken two sages and seal the great evil sorcerer Ganondorf under the sea.
Four Swords Adventures
Worried about the seal on Vaati, Zelda goes with six other mystical maidens to check on the Sanctuary of the Four Sword, and Link accompanies her. But something goes horribly wrong, and a dark shadowy copy of Link attacks! Link is forced to draw the Four Sword to fight Dark Link, but when he does, he once again develops a split personality, and Vaati escapes. The Four have to battle their way through the countryside, collecting Force Gems, breaking barriers, and freeing Maidens, until they can ascend the Tower of Winds to the Realm of the Heavens and face down Vaati in the Palace of Winds. Even then, it’s not over. The Links must escort Zelda safely down through the collapsing Tower of Winds and confront the dark force behind Dark Link and Vaati’s return... Ganon! Following Ganon’s defeat, the Four Sword is returned to its rightful resting place and the Four recombine into a single Link.
In the FSA manga, the four Links had very different personalities, which sometimes led to arguments. They gave each other nicknames to tell themselves apart: Green (the “main” Link), Red (the childish optimist), Blue (short-tempered), and Vio (the dry-wit loner).
The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, Link is a young boy living with his grandfather, the Master Smith of Hyrule. Link is a childhood friend of Princess Zelda, and on the day of Hyrule’s yearly fair to celebrate the coming of the Picori, they go to join in the festivities. A mysterious stranger, Vaati, shows up and wins the sword-fighting competition; each year the victor of this tournament has the honor of touching the sacred Picori Blade. This sword was gifted to the Hylians by the tiny Picori, it was used long ago by a legendary hero (probably a Link) to defeat the forces of darkness and seal them away in the Bound Chest. At the ceremony, Vaati reveals his true nature; he breaks the Picori Blade off at the hilt, releasing all the malevolent spirits that had been imprisoned inside the chest. Princess Zelda is protected from the spirits by a mysterious golden aura emanating from her forehead. Vaati then remembers that the female descendants of Hyrule have “the power of light” in their blood; knowing she could cause him trouble with this power, he turns her to stone before looking in the chest. He had been hoping to find the legendary Light Force, but instead it is completely empty. The king of Hyrule, desperate to save his daughter, sends the young Link on a mission to seek help from the Picori, who are believed to reveal themselves only to children. With the help of a mysterious hat-like creature called Ezlo, Link traverses Hyrule to find four magical crystal elements and infuse the re-forged Picori Blade with their power so he can face the power-hungry Vaati. The re-forged sword is known as the White Sword until Link powers it up with all four elements; it then becomes the Four Sword.
Twilight Princess
In the upcoming Twilight Princess, scheduled for release in late 2006 for both Nintendo GameCube and Wii, Link is a young rancher (age 16) leading a fairly normal life, until two of his friends, Colin, (a young boy) and Ilia (believed to be Link's girlfriend or significant other), are kidnapped by monsters. Link’s rescue mission leads him into the Twilight Realm, a dark place that changes him into a wolf. While in this form, he is aided and ridden on by Midna, an imp-like creature with a strange helmet on her head. In his attempt to save his friends, Link discovers an even greater evil that only he can stop.
Starting at age 16, Link will age throughout the game. Though it is yet kept under wraps how it will exactly unfold, we will see Link as a child, as an adolescent and as an adult.[5]
Phantom Hourglass
(This Link is the hero from The Wind Waker.)
Phantom Hourglass, recently revealed by Nintendo, is said to be shooting for a release in late 2006. It seems to revive the idea of a fairy companion as in Ocarina of Time. A sequel to The Wind Waker, it involves Link’s quest to reunite with Tetra after both are lost at sea in a mysterious fog.
Link in other media
Although information is only considered series canon if it comes from the games or instruction booklets (where there is conflict, the games themselves are the accepted source), or occasionally other Nintendo materials, there are a number of other officially licensed Zelda stories. It is interesting to note the inclusion of fairy companions for Link (Spryte and Epheremelda) in several creations which predate Ocarina of Time. While there is no way of knowing whether these inspired Navi (& Tatl), the aspect of the crush on Link present in these cases is evidently absent in the games. Stories from several Zelda games have also been converted to manga format in Japan. These official publications greatly expand parts of each game’s backstory. See The Legend of Zelda series manga.
The Legend of Zelda TV series
Link, as voiced by Jonathan Potts, was featured in a set of cartoons which aired from 1989-1990 as a part of DiC’s The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Based loosely on the first game, the series presented Link as a rude, lovesick teenager, an image many find at odds with his silent persona from the video games. Constantly pursuing Zelda and pursued by the fairy princess Spryte, this Link was known to beg kisses from Zelda, and, famously, to burst out “Well excuuuuuse me, Princess!” when fed up with Zelda’s attitude.
Thirteen episodes were produced before the cancellation of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. The complete series was released October 18, 2005 on a three disc deluxe DVD set.
A slightly altered version of this Link (and Zelda) appeared in a few episodes during the second season of Captain N: The Game Master.
The Legend of Zelda comic books by Valiant
Featuring characters and settings from the TV series and added material from the second game, this fleetingly entertaining comic by Valiant only ran for four issues. Additionally, a few stories were included in a larger, 2-issue “Nintendo Comics System” title, which also had Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Punch-Out!!, and Captain N. While largely forgotten and ignored, this is actually the source of some persistent fanon beliefs.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Comic Serial
Created as a serial comic for Nintendo Power magazine by acclaimed manga author Shotaro Ishinomori, and later collected in graphic novel form, this told an alternate version of the events from A Link to the Past. Though Link starts out a hapless, bumbling kid, caught up in something bigger than he ever imagined, he displays great courage and ultimately proves himself a determined and competent adventurer. Interestingly, he also has a fairy guide and companion, Epheremelda, long before this concept was introduced to the series.
This telling portrays Link’s parents as Knights of Hyrule, lost to the Dark World. It also includes an original character, Roam, a descendant of the Knights of Hyrule who fought in the Imprisoning War. (Roam bears a striking resemblance to 002, a character from Ishinomori’s first successful creation, Cyborg 009, whose real name, coincidentally, was Jet Link.) At the end of the story, Zelda has become Queen, and Link is head of the Royal Guard and the Knights of Hyrule. This success is bittersweet, as their duties keep them apart, even though they were once so close, sharing an adventure and even coming together in dreams.
Drawn Together
Many video game heroes, and possibly Link, are parodied as Xandir in the animated television series Drawn Together.
Appearances in other games
Link is present in a number of games outside of the Legend of Zelda series. While varying in their regard within the gaming community, none of these games contributes anything to the series which would be considered LoZ canon.
Link: The Faces of Evil
Link: The Faces of Evil, released in 1993 for Philips’ CD-i system, is the only one of three Zelda games for the CD-i system in which Link is the protagonist. At the beginning of the game Link is visited by a wizard who tells him that Ganon and his servants have seized the peaceful island of Koridai and captured Zelda. After being informed that only he can defeat Ganon, Link travels to Koridai to find the magical artifact known as the Book of Koridai. Using the Book, he defeats Ganon and frees Zelda.
Although it features Zelda characters, this game was not produced by Nintendo, with supervision from Nintendo, or even for a Nintendo system. It has earned disfavorable reviews, particularly from Zelda fans, who do not consider it part of the Zelda series.
There were two other Legend of Zelda games released for the CD-i; Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda’s Adventure. However, in both games Princess Zelda was the protagonist, as in both games the plot involves Link’s kidnapping.
Super Smash Bros. series
Link (the adult version from Ocarina of Time) is one of eight characters available at the beginning of Nintendo’s 1999 fighting game, Super Smash Bros. No special information is disclosed about Link in this game. Link sports his traditional green Kokiri tunic (the player can also choose from a few alternate tunic colors inspired by Link’s Ocarina of Time tunics, including the red Goron Tunic and blue Zora Tunic, a purplish white color inspired by the effect of the Blue Ring from the original Legend of Zelda) and the Gameshark Tunic (black) representing Shadow Link. He also has some of his usual arsenal from the Legend of Zelda series at his disposal, including bombs, his boomerang and a hookshot.
Link is also one of the 14 playable characters available from the start in Super Smash Bros. Melee, the 2001 sequel to Super Smash Bros. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, he has his bow in addition to the equipment he brought with him to the original Super Smash Bros. While his swordplay is formidable, Link is at his best when utilizing all his tools and weapons in conjunction with his bladework, rather akin to his motif in the LoZ series. Link is one of the most versatile and flexible close range fighters in the game, but in both games he suffers from somewhat poor jumping ability, and he is fairly slow on the attack. These disadvantages are balanced by his better-than-average smash attacks and high priority, while his poor jumping ability is often outweighed by the fact that he is a very heavy character, ensuring that Link rarely flies far from the level. In Melee, he is given the ability to use his hookshot to latch onto the ledge of the arena, giving him a slight edge should his jump not be enough. Link also has a neutral guard, when not moving, or if ducking down Link can repel many attacks without using the L or R buttons to protect himself by using his own shield (he brings it up when he ducks, although the shield can still block attacks while he is standing). With his shield Link can even repel a fully charged energy blast from Samus Aran.
Also playable in the game, as a secret unlockable character, is Young Link, the youthful Link from most of the games in the series. Modeled after the Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask version of the hero, Young Link is more agile but weaker than the older Link. His spin attack is markedly different; the older Link’s technique will send an opponent flying with the first hit, while Young Link’s will draw the other combatant in close for more hits. His weapons are also slightly altered: his hookshot has a shorter range, and his Kokiri Sword and bombs also inflict less damage than adult Link’s Master Sword and bombs, although the explosions have a larger radius and can hit an opponent multiple times. Young Link’s quiver is stocked with fire arrows rather than traditional arrows. Young Link also has a different standing animation, as a result, he will occasionally lower his shield, which he uses to block attacks while standing. He also jumps considerably higher than adult Link. According to Young Link’s trophy description, he is considered to be the “true” Link. It is known that Mr. Miyamoto originally thought of Link as an adolescent child adventurer, rather than a young man portrayed in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess.
On May 10 2006, at an after-hours press conference during E³, Link became one of the first confirmed fighters in the Wii installment of the franchise, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His appearance seems to be influenced by his character model from Twilight Princess. It is still unknown if Young Link will return in Super Smash Bros Brawl.
Soul Calibur II
In the GameCube version of Namco’s Soul Calibur II, the adult-style Link is a playable fighter. Not much is revealed about the incarnation of Link in this game, but it is known that, after saving Hyrule from an evil wizard who was being controlled by a fragment of Soul Edge, he went on a quest to destroy the evil sword. Quickly pulling the Master Sword out of its pedestal, he set out to travel to this world to destroy Soul Edge, on a secret mission arranged by Princess Zelda. He left Hyrule to destroy Soul Edge, so that the evil blade would not bring harm to Hyrule or anyone else ever again.
Link is also notable in this game for being the only character with true projectile attacks (his trusty bow and arrow, boomerang, and bomb) - only Spawn, the Xbox exclusive character, can do the same. Link is also given an unique fighting style on par with any of the “regular” characters, and even has several moves from previous Legend of Zelda games, for instance, a dashing sword attack inspired by the A Link to the Past's Pegasus Boots, the Up-thrust and Down-thrust jumping attacks from The Adventure of Link, a backflip/jump sword attack nearly identical to attacks used in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, and the Spin Attack. He has a total of four costumes, although they differ only in tunic color (green, red, blue, and a very light lavender), which, as it happens, is more than any other standard character has in any version of the game. Besides his Master Sword and Hylian shield, Link is able to wield several weapons from his past, including the Cane of Byrna from A Link to the Past and the Magic Sword and Shield from The Legend of Zelda. Link’s ultimate weapon comes in the form of the Great Fairy’s Sword from Majora’s Mask, and his joke weapon is the Bug Catching Net from A Link to the Past.
Although the GameCube had the smallest market share, the GCN version of Soul Calibur II was more popular than its PlayStation 2 and Xbox counterparts (copies sold through December 2003: 500,685 vs. 447,138 and 320,991, respectively[6]); many attribute this to Link’s inclusion as a GameCube-exclusive character
Minor cameos
Link also briefly appears (cameos) in the following games:
- Tetris (NES) — Link appears after winning a B-type game of level at least 9 and height at least 1.
- F-1 Race (GB) — Link appears cheering before Course 5.
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) — Link appears sleeping in a bed at one of the Inns. Talking to him will trigger the “secret passage sound” heard in most of the Zelda games.
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest (SNES/GBA) — In the Super Nintendo version, Link would appear in spot three on Cranky Kong’s podium of heroes only if the player got a very small number of “DK Coins” throughout the game. In the Game Boy Advance version, he always appears on the podium, in spot two (or three, if the player got enough DK Coins to surpass him.)
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! (SNES) — One of the items available at Bazaar Bear’s general store is a seashell. If allowed, Bazaar will tell the player about a young boy named Link who came in earlier and inquired about it. This is an obvious reference to Link’s search for seashells in Link’s Awakening. Bazaar even mentions how Link tried to pay for it with Rupees.
- Mario Golf (N64/GBC) — in the N64 version, Link’s name is in the scoreboards between matches[7]; in the Game Boy version, one of the courses is called Link’s Club (and the Triforce is the logo).
- Picross NP Vol.5 (SFC) — One of the pictures to draw is Link, inspired by his Ocarina of Time appearance.
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ (GBA) — Microgame inspired in the original Zelda.
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ (GCN) — Microgame inspired in the original Zelda.
- WarioWare: Twisted! (GBA) — Microgame inspired by the original Zelda.
- WarioWare: Touched! (NDS) — Two microgames, one inspired by the original Zelda, and other by Zelda II.
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance — The Master sword makes an appearance and is available for purchase. The description alludes to Link.
- Final Fantasy — Link’s name appears on a tombstone in Elfheim. (In the North American NES version, the tombstone is Erdrick’s).[8]
- In many Kirby games, when Kirby obtains the “sword” power-up, he also gains a green cap similar to Link’s, and is able to shoot sword beams when he has a full life-bar. He also wears the hat in the Super Smash Bros. games, after “absorbing” Link or Young Link.
- World of Warcraft — A gnome NPC named Linken makes an appearance in the MMORPG World of Warcraft. He is dressed similarly to Link and gives players quests that, once completed, give the player “Linken’s Boomerang” and “Linken’s Sword of Mastery”. Two of the quests in the chain are called “It’s a Secret to Everybody” and “It’s Dangerous to Go Alone”, both quotes from The Legend of Zelda. The player also receives a photograph of Linken standing with a female gnome that looks remarkably similar to Princess Zelda.
- Tetris DS — Zelda-themed course in Mission mode. Link also slashes Tetriminoes on the title screen.
All Zelda cameo's in The Legend of Zelda series - References in other games
Trivia
- Links is Dutch for left and German for left, a humorous coincidence since Link is left-handed. Link is also Dutch and German for cunning or dangerous, an allusion to the archaic meaning of Sinister -- which in some contexts also means "left".
- Link has won the GameFAQs Character Battle, in which internet gamers vote on their favorite characters, twice. In 2002, the first Summer Contest, Link beat Mario in the final. In 2004, Link beat then-reigning champion Cloud Strife, who had defeated Link in the semi finals of the previous year’s contest. In 2005 Link was removed from the regular Summer Contest, but won the Tournament of Champions, a new contest for all of the previous GameFAQs Contest winners as well as the 2005 Summer Contest winner.
- In the June 2006 issue of Out magazine Link was ranked #1 in the "10 Hottest Game Heroes" list.
- In Seattle, a somewhat bewildered guy dressed up as Link, is a famous local sight.[9]
References
- The following games and their instruction manuals: The Legend of Zelda; Zelda II: The Adventure of Link; The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask; The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons; The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords; The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures; The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
- Books
- The official Nintendo Player’s Guides by Nintendo Power.
- Notes
- ^ “Zelda sales charts and sequel announced.” OptiGamersite. Retrieved Apr. 30, 2005.
- ^ According to a quote from Shigeru Miyamoto in a G4 TV show, “Icons”.
- ^ Paragraph “Link”, “Zelda Encyclopedia”. Zelda.com. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005.
- ^ Paragraph “Boomerang”, “Zelda Encyclopedia”. Zelda.com. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005.
- ^ Captain N cameo information
- ^ “Twilight Princess delayed until 2006” Retrieved Aug. 17, 2005.
- ^ “Twilight Princess confirmed to have Revolution features” Retrieved March 15, 2006.
- ^ Source: NPD Group. See "Graphs: Soulcalibur II Sales" IGN.com. Retrieved June 3, 2006.
- “ReyVGM” (pseudonym), (Jun. 26, 2004). http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/zelda_ending.txt - Ending FAQ list for the multiple Zelda games. GameFAQs. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005. Note that linking directly to the source is against GameFAQs policy; copy and paste the URL into the address bar.
- ^ Cheat Codes & Secrets of Final Fantasy, GameFAQs
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