Link (SSBM)

Link in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Starter
Tier	B (16)

“	A sword-wielding hero who also boasts long-range attacks.	”
—Description from Melee's manual.

Announced at E3 2001, Link (リンク, Link) is a starter character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Link returns as a veteran character from the previous game, acting mostly the same as before, as a swordsman with powerful short range attacks and a wide variety of long range attacks. Link, however, has received some large buffs, making him a considerably better fighter in Melee.

Link is ranked 16th in the tier list, in the B tier, which is much higher than his current rank in the Smash 64 tier list (10/11th out of 12), and just one below his clone, Young Link. Link's placement is due to a very good approach due to some low lag aerials (with his neutral and forward air), a good variety of projectiles and a very high air speed. A disjointed hitbox also gives Link a slight advantage against others, as well as a fully functional shield that can block a wide variety of projectiles. Link is also a potent edgeguarder in the NTSC versions of the game; his Spin Attack is possibly the best semi-spike in the game, though he still has many other options. Link, however, suffers from a rather high falling speed and a high weight, making him an easy target for chain grabbing and combos. His recovery is also predictable, though he can extend it slightly.

Attributes

Link generally falls under the "slow, but powerful" archetype of fighter, though many of his attacks are fairly versatile and long reaching. Link has a rather high weight, as well as a fast falling speed and air speed, an unusual combination of physics for someone of his weight class.

Arguably Link's greatest asset is his range. His sword has a large, disjointed hitbox (though not as large and disjointed as Marth's sword), allowing him to attack safely from a distance; unlike the duo of Marth and Roy, Link only has one hitbox on his sword, allowing his approach to be considerably less "specific" than either. Additionally, Link has a multitude of projectiles on his Special moves; while the Bow is decidedly situational due to its low range, speed, and power, Link's boomerang and bombs allow him to start combos, continue them, or simply deal damage; the latter also can extend Link's recovery if he slashes them with his Spin Attack.

Another benefit are his variety of useful attacks in his arsenal; a majority of his grounded attacks have good KO potential, including his tilts, with his up tilt having rather decent speed and acting as an excellent combo starter that takes advantage of his above-average air game. Link's air game is solid; his fast, low-lag back, forward, and neutral aerials coupled with his low short hop and high falling and air speeds give Link among the best SHFFLs in the game. Link's boomerangs and bombs also give the character excellent zoning abilities, with the former's modifiable trajectories potentially making it a good approach tool as well. In addition, Link has a variety of powerful finishers; all of his smashes have decent power with acceptable start-up and cool-down lag, his forward smash can be extended should the first hit fail to connect, and both his up and down aerials can be potent finishers, especially when combined with his aforementioned SHFFL. In the NTSC regions, Link's Spin Attack is also a deadly edgeguarding technique when used on the ground; its later hitboxes sharply semi-spike the opponent, and if Link can land this attack on recovering opponents, he can quickly and safely gimp opponents. While the attack lost its semi-spike properties in PAL regions, the attack's long range and above-average power still make it a decent edgeguarding technique.

Link's grab game has a variety of positive and negative attributes; while his grab has a long range, it also has high ending lag. Link's grab also cannot grab opponents in the air, limiting his chaingrab potential. Link's throws, however, have low knockback and relatively high hitstun, as well as low ending lag, allowing Link to potentially string in a few hits against his opponent.

Link's recovery is also considered to be above-average. Link by himself is difficult to edgeguard, as his recovery has a wide variety of options; his wall-grapple can allow him to enter "safe-zones" underneath the ledge, and his spin attack covers the top of him, with his bombs also potentially allowing for some form of recovery if he slashes them with his spin attack. In addition, Link's high weight and falling speed make him rather resilient to the upper blast line, though these attributes impact his horizontal survivability.

A high falling speed and being a rather large target, however, comprises Link's primary flaw: Link is a particularly easy target for chain throwing and combos. Against fast characters, such as Fox or Sheik, Link players must read opponents very well as to avoid such techniques; unlike most others, however, Link's only fast move that can potentially break combos is his neutral air, causing him to be rather predictable in these cases. In addition, Link boasts among the worst out of shield options in the game; both Spin Attack and his up tilt are slow to come out, and his grab cannot grab opponents in midair.

Exacerbating Link's ease to be comboed is his poor overall mobility. While still rather fast for a character of his strength, weight and range, Link still has a rather slow, inflexible approach on the ground, due to his slow dash speed, poor dashdance, and short wavedash. Additionally, Link has multiple high-lag attacks, notably his down and up aerial attacks; while this can be alleviated with L-cancelling, they can still be punished, requiring Link players to carefully set up combos and KO moves.

Changes from Smash 64 to Melee

In his transition from Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee, Link received numerous buffs, most of which made him a more potent fighter, going from bottom tier to mid-low tier.

Attributes

• Is generally a faster character, with a higher air speed and faster aerials, improving his combo and aerial games.
• Link's recovery was strongly buffed; it is considerably longer and more flexible, with Spin Attack granting a much higher vertical distance, and his higher air speed improving his horizontal recovery. He also has new options, with the wall grapple and bomb recovery.

Standard attacks

• New dash attack that is a slash rather than a stab. It has slightly better combo ability and can be considered an improvement.
• New Forward smash is considerably stronger.

Smash attacks

• Up smash is slower, has less vertical range, and has smaller hitboxes.

Aerial attacks

• Aerials are generally better.
• Down aerial is stronger.

Grab and throws

• Lower grab range, along with Link no longer being able to grab aerial opponents.

Special attacks

• The Hookshot now has considerably less startup and ending lag.
• Boomerangs travel faster and have less startup lag, as well as having a higher chance of returning to Link.
• Grounded Spin Attack is now a very powerful edgeguarding option.
• Boomerangs cannot travel as far.
• Aerial Spin Attack, due to now being a multi-hit attack, can no longer KO reliably unless the last hit is landed, and even then, it has less power than in Smash 64.

In terms of cosmetic changes, Link now has an added belt going over his shoulder and around his waist. He now has a new taunt, new helpless animation, and a new dashing animation. Link also received a new projectile, the Bow; his Boomerangs were moved to his side special move.

PAL differences

Like other characters, Link received some changes in the PAL version of Melee.

• Spin Attack has lost its semi-spike properties, making it slightly less useful for edgeguarding, though it still acts as a potent attack.
• The boomerang superjump and chain dance glitches were removed; these were also removed in NTSC version 1.2.

Moveset

For a gallery of Link's hitboxes, see here.

Link's aerial attacks.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack		Triple Slash	4-5%	Two slashes, followed by a stab that deals the most knockback and damage from the three basic hits. If the player mashes the A button enough, Link will initiate the infinite. Deals low knockback and 1% damage.
			2-3%
			6%
			1% per hit
Forward tilt		Sword Chop	13-15%	Link swings his sword in a vertical arc. This attack has relatively high knockback for a forward tilt. Since the hitbox is high, Link can hit midair opponents with it.
Up tilt		Half-Moon Swipe	9%	A quick arced slash above him. Among Link's most flexible moves on the ground, it has good combo potential, it is rather fast with minimal ending lag, and it has good knockback.
Down tilt		Grass Cutter	11%	Swipes down in front of him. The move can lead into an aerial attack, though this is somewhat predictable. This move can also strongly meteor smash a ledge-grabbing foe when the middle and bottom of Link's sword makes contact, though this is highly situational.
Dash attack		Running Hack	12%	Brings sword down in front of him. Somewhat fast, though it has some ending lag. At higher damages it will knock a grounded foe into the air, often leading into an aerial follow up, though it doesn't have much KO power.
Forward smash		Sword Slice	7% - 32%	Swings sword once in front for good knockback by itself, and if "A" is pressed again, does an even stronger one after. The second hit deals a more vertical knockback than the first. It is impossible that the second hit will land at damages above 30% or so due to knockback growth of the first hit. The first hit is still strong, though, not as much as the second one. Its possible to land a second hit without the first hit, but it requires perfect timing.
Up smash		Triple Sword Swipe	15%	Slashes in an arch very similar to his up tilt three consecutive times. This attack was taken from Smash 64, but with changes to the hitbox. All hits now have a noticeable arch above him with good range, instead of just the first hit being an arch and two smaller stabs upwards as in Smash 64. Good for racking up damage and setting up for air combos due to below average knockback for an up smash. Up to three separate hits, uncharged inflicts 15%. Fully charged will do 20%.
Down smash		Sword Sweep	13% - 16% front, 11% - 14% (back)	Swings sword on both sides of him on the ground. First hit comes out fast, though second hit has some lag. This move has decent range, and since the hitbox is on the floor, it makes this move good for spacing, and has some KO power.
Neutral aerial		Hylian Kick	11% max, 5% minimum	A generic sex kick; very fast, with low ending and landing lag, making it a good SHFFL option.
Forward aerial		Spinning Sword	13% (first), 7% (second).	Swings twice in front of him. The first hit is usually hard to follow into the second hit. This is somewhat like his f-smash, where the second hit has more power than the first, so the first hit is usually purposely missed in favor for the second. Due to its moderately high ending lag, it's rather situational for edgeguarding.
Back aerial		Double Kick	7% (first) next 6% (second).	Two short-ranged kicks to his back. The properties of the first hitbox make it difficult to directly segue into the second. This move, unlike most back aerials, is not always considered Link's best viable choice for edgeguarding due to awkward hitboxes and duration.
Up aerial		Stab-Up	16% initial, 12% on later hits	Stabs sword above him. Good for juggling, and it acts as a reliable vertical finisher at higher damages ~120%. Has some sex kick properties, though it has rather high ending lag.
Down aerial		Sword Plant	22%	His famous aerial from Zelda II where he takes his sword and keeps it aimed downward. This move is a move of extremes: huge knockback, huge ending lag, and huge hitbox. It is possible to hit more than once with this move on the same foe. If the move is still in action when Link lands, he must pull it from the ground, with among the highest ending lag in the game; as such, the move can be risky, though L-canceling substantially reduces its lag, giving it slightly as much cool-down time as an ordinary smash attack. It is one of his primary KO moves, and it can KO reliably starting at 80% to 90%.
Grab aerial		Hookshot	10%	Uses his hookshot. The attack has the unusual property of not suffering from the Stale Move Negation. With low damage, knockback and hitstun, as well as long lag, the move has relatively little use outside of being used for recovery, though its long range can potentially catch opponents off-guard, and it benefits from Link's small short hop.
Grab		Hookshot	—	Uses his hookshot to grab at foes from afar. It's the second longest grab in the game, behind Samus.
Pummel			2-3%	Bashes foe in the head with his sword hand (left fist). 2-3% damage.
Forward throw			4%, then 3%	Kicks foe a short distance in front of him. Low knockback. One apparent kick, but two mysterious hitboxes.
Back throw			4%	Pulls and extends leg simultaneously.
Up throw			3%, then 2%.	Brings foe up and slashes above, with below average knockback, allowing it to potentially combo into an up tilt or an up air. Two mysterious hitboxes.
Down throw			2%, then 4%	Brings foe down and tackles. Leaves foes wide open for a combo, such as his Spin Attack or up tilt. Two hits, first does 2%, then 4%
Floor attack (front)			6%	Quickly gets up and slashes on both sides.
Floor attack (back)			6%	Quickly gets up and slashes on both sides.
Edge attack (fast)			8%	Climbs up and stabs in front of him.
Edge attack (slow)			8%	Slowly gets up and quickly thrusts his sword. Only the sword has a hitbox; foes close to the end of ledge Link was on can avoid the attack completely.
Neutral special		Bow	5% uncharged, 18% charged	Although a bit laggy and travels fairly slowly, Link can increase the speed of the arrow by having the player hold B longer.
Side special		Boomerang	11%, 3% on return	Link throws a Boomerang. Deals fair knockback, Link's Boomerang's distance can be extended or have its trajectory altered with the Control Stick. Only one Boomerang can be on the field at a time.
Up special		Spin Attack	15% grounded, 11% total aerial	A spinning attack. Initial hits have low knockback, but the last one has a much stronger knockback than the rest. Although an unspectacular recovery, it can be dangerous as an offensive move, especially an edgeguarder. It deals high knockback and can send opponents in a lower diagonal trajectory, a semi-spike (not in PAL versions of the game). Link can grab an edge backward with his Spin Attack, unlike most recovery moves, but only during the move. Hits 5 times in the air.
Down special		Bomb	4% impact; 11% explosion	Link takes out a bomb. Then, he can throw it as any other item. The bomb can explode on its own, however, and it can damage himself.

In Competitive play

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. Melee Character Matchups

Avg.

Notable players

See also: Category:Link professionals (SSBM)

Active

•  Christian
•  Internet Explorer
•  J666
•  SAUS
•  Sixx
•  Stro
•  The GERM

Inactive

•  Aniki
•  Lord HDL
•  Skler

Tier placement and history

Link currently ranks at sixteenth on the current tier list. Historically, Link has always been regarded as an average to below-average character in the competitive metagame, having most frequently appeared at the thirteenth spot on the tier list. While Link's spacing ability and his above-average air game have been noted, his poor mobility on the ground is widely seen as the reason for his middle tier ranking; even Aniki's impressive performance with the character in the Jack Garden Tournament could not move the character up in the tier list, and Link's metagame has not become particularly powerful in Melee. In the most recent tier list, Link was ranked lower than his clone, Young Link, for the first time, owing to Young Link's better mobility. Link currently does not place particularly high in tournaments, even in smaller tournaments, and there are very few dedicated Link mains in the present metagame.

As part of an April Fools' joke, Link has once ranked sixth on the tier list; in the two days that this version of the tier list was declared official, the Melee Back Room claimed that Link's high-tiered ranking was due to having untapped aerial prowess. While another prediction on the tier list involving Jigglypuff eventually came true in the post-Brawl metagame, Link has failed to rise out of the low-mid tier range.

In single-player modes

In Classic Mode

Link can appear in ordinary one-on-one matches, as an opponent or ally in team battles (paired up with either Luigi, Young Link, Zelda or Marth), as a giant-sized opponent, or as an opponent in the metal fight. In these cases, Link either appears on Great Bay, Temple, or Mushroom Kingdom with the exception of the metal battle.

In Adventure Mode

Link's sole appearance in the Adventure Mode is in the Underground Maze stage. In the stage, the player must find the Triforce in one of six stages; however, five of these stages contain a Master Sword, where the player will fight a Link. While players have the option to skip these matches by merely jumping over the stage, the player receives the "Link Master" bonus if they KO all five Links in the stage.

In All-Star Mode

In All-Star Mode, Link and his allies are fought on the stage Great Bay.

In Event Matches

Link is featured in the following event matches:

• Event 3: Bomb-fest: This match pits the player's character against the team of Link and Samus with one stock each on the Princess Peach's Castle stage. Link and Samus only use their bomb special moves, and only items that create explosions (such as the Motion-Sensor Bomb and the Bob-omb) will spawn on the stage.
• Event 18: Link's Adventure: The player uses Link as they face Dark Link on the Temple stage. Both have 2 stock each.
• Event 20: All-Star Match 2: Link is the second opponent the player must fight in this series of staged battles. Their character battles him on the Great Bay stage, and the player's character has 2 stock while Link has 1. With a timer of four minutes, the player must defeat him and the other four characters with the overall time and life they have: Samus, Zelda, Captain Falcon, and Fox.
• Event 29: Triforce Gathering: The player plays as Link with Zelda as their partner, both of whom have one stock. They face Ganondorf on the Temple stage, who has two stock. Clearing the event allows the player to unlock Ganondorf.
• Event 34: Seven Years: As Young Link, the player fights Link with 3 stock each on the Great Bay stage.
• Event 41: En Garde!: As Marth, the player faces Link in a 2 stock match on the Temple stage.

Ending images

• 

  Classic Mode.

• 

  Adventure Mode.

• 

  All-Star mode.

Trophies

In addition to the normal trophy about Link as a character, there are two trophies about him as a fighter, unlocked by completing the Adventure and All-Star Modes respectively with Link on any difficulty:

Link (Classic Mode, Trophy #7)
Even in his youth, Link was already becoming the warrior who would carry the destiny of Hyrule (and many other lands) on his shoulders. His epic struggles against the forces of darkness are written in legend, and he is bound to the Princess Zelda and the archfiend Ganondorf by the awesome power of the Triforce.

• Game: The Legend of Zelda [07/87]

Link (Smash Red, Adventure Mode, Trophy #8)
Burdened with a shield, a heavy sword, and plenty of equipment, Link is not a very mobile character. Nevertheless, he's skilled with the blade, and his varied supply of missile weapons makes him a powerful fighter. To master Link, you must control the pace by balancing your long-range attacks with head-to-head swordplay.

• B: Bow
• Smash B: Boomerang

Link (Smash Blue, All-Star Mode, Trophy #9)
Link's Bow, Boomerang, and Bombs all take time to wield, so you may want to try drawing them in midair to prevent your foes from attacking you while you're vulnerable. The Spin Attack can score consecutive midair hits, and the final slash is very powerful. Link's Bombs are his trump card, but he can't pull one out if he's carrying another item.

• Up & B: Spin Attack
• Down & B: Bomb

Alternate costumes

Link's changeable clothing in Melee

Trivia

A comparison of Link and Young Link's respective Hookshots.

• Link and Young Link both use the same model for the Hookshot; as a result, it looks larger when Young Link uses it.
• Link and Mario are the only characters in Melee whose clones are ranked higher on the tier list than they are.
  • Link is also the only character in Melee to have a disadvantageous matchup against his clone.
• Link is one of 3 Super Smash Bros. characters whose neutral special move changed during the transition from Super Smash Bros. 64 to Super Smash Bros. Melee, the others being Ness and Jigglypuff. In the first Super Smash Bros. game, Link's neutral special was the Boomerang; from Super Smash Bros. Melee and forth, he instead uses the Bow (or variants such as the Hero's Bow), with the Boomerang being reassigned as a side special move.

External links

• Home Run Contest World Record
• Target Test World Record