Link (SSB): Difference between revisions

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m (→‎In competitive play: We don't denote a ranking anymore like that, these are historical lists, not active best players lists, and anything about rankings should be integrated into the blurbs. Also putting the cleanup tag back on, as these blurbs are extremely basic. Finally, I removed the players who have nothing written at all about their Link, they can be possibly added back if a proper blurb is written for them.)
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==Differences between game versions==
==Differences between game versions==
===NTSC-J to NTSC-U===
===NTSC-J to NTSC-U===
Link was severely nerfed in his transition to the NTSC-U version. Many of his combo starters were toned down or removed and his recovery is even worse, while his moves deal less damage. While the higher [[SDI]] presence makes it easier for him to escape combos, this doesn't really have an effect due to how easy he still is to combo. This makes him worse than in the Japanese version.
Link was significantly nerfed in his transition to the NTSC-U version compared to his original Japanese incarnation. Link's gravity was increased which reduced the height of his jumps and Spin Attack, notably making his recovery even more limited than it already was. A handful of Link's moves were also made noticeably less effective. Up tilt received a huge damage/knockback reduction which both significantly hindered Link's combo potential at lower percents and his shield pressuring potential. Down aerial also saw a significant power reduction which made it far less effective as a combo ender. While the higher [[SDI]] presence/hitlag does make it easier for Link to escape combos, this overall does not help Link too much (due to his susceptibility to combos) and Link's higher gravity made him more susceptible to combos. In addition to this, these factors also hindered some of Link's main combo tools, particularly up smash and back aerial due to their multi hitting nature. Link is overall significantly worse in the NTSC-U version, as his combo game is less potential and his biggest weakness (his recovery) was made even worse. Link ended up going from a solid mid tier in the Japanese version to one of the worst characters in the North American version.


====Aesthetics====
====Aesthetics====
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====Attributes====
====Attributes====
*{{nerf|Link's Master Sword is slightly shorter, worsening his range.}}
*{{nerf|Link walks slightly slower (0.4 → 0.37).}}
*{{nerf|Link walks slightly slower (0.4 → 0.37).}}
*{{nerf|Link's [[gravity]] is higher (3.2 → 3.4). While this does improve his vertical endurance and his ability to land, it also makes him more susceptible to combos and more notably, it reduces the height of his jumps and his Spin Attack, hindering his recovery.}}
*{{nerf|Link's [[gravity]] is higher (3.2 → 3.4). While this does improve his vertical endurance and his ability to land, it also makes him more susceptible to combos and more notably, it reduces the height of his jumps and his Spin Attack, hindering his already poor recovery.}}
*{{buff|Link's shield size is slightly larger (260 → 280).}}
*{{buff|Link's shield is slightly larger (260 → 280).}}


====Ground attacks====
====Ground attacks====
*{{nerf|Up tilt deals 5% less damage (15% → 10%), hindering its KO potential and making it much less safe when shielded. It also sends opponents at a more horizontal angle (90° → 79°), removing its ability to combo into itself at low percents for easy combos.}}
*{{nerf|Up tilt deals 5% less damage (15% → 10%), without compensation on its knockback values. This not only greatly hinders the move's KO potential and its combo potential at lower percents but this also greatly hinders the move's shield pressuring potential, going from being able to chain into itself on shield to now leaving Link at a frame disadvantage on shield (if the move is landed from the front).}}  
**{{buff|However, this improves its combo potential at higher percents.}}
**{{buff|However, the move's lower power also improves its combo potential at higher percents.}}
*{{change|Up tilt launches opponents at a lower angle (90° → 79°).}}
*{{nerf|Up tilt has smaller hitboxes (120u/90u → 100u/80u) and the far hitbox has been moved closer to Link (z offset: 260 → 240).}}
*{{nerf|Up tilt has smaller hitboxes (120u/90u → 100u/80u) and the far hitbox has been moved closer to Link (z offset: 260 → 240).}}
*{{nerf|Up smash's first two hits deal 1% damage making it deal 2% less damage overall (24% → 22%).}}
*{{nerf|Up smash deals less damage (8% (hit 1)/4% (hit 2)/24% (total) → 7%/3%/22%).}}


====Aerial attacks====
====Aerial attacks====
*{{nerf|Down aerial deals 2% less damage (18% → 16%) and has decreased base knockback (30 → 25).}}
*{{nerf|Down aerial deals less damage (18% → 16%) and has lower base knockback (30 → 25), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}
*{{nerf|Down aerial's tip has a smaller hitbox (180u → 150u).}}
*{{nerf|Down aerial's tip has a smaller hitbox (180u → 150u).}}


====Special attacks====
====Special attacks====
*{{nerf|[[Boomerang]] covers less distance.}}
*{{nerf|[[Spin Attack]] grants less height due to Link's higher gravity.}}
*{{nerf|[[Spin Attack]] covers less distance in the air, worsening Link's recovery.}}
*{{nerf|[[Bomb]]s deal less damage when they explode (8% → 5%).}}  
*{{nerf|[[Bomb]]s deal less damage when they explode (8% → 5%).}}  
*{{buff|Bombs deal more damage when thrown (4% → 5%).}}
*{{buff|Bombs deal more damage when thrown (4% → 5%).}}
*{{buff|Bombs deal more knockback when they explode, improving their combo potential.}}
*{{buff|Bombs deal more knockback when they explode, improving their combo potential.}}


===NTSC-U to PAL (AUS)===
===NTSC-U to PAL (EUR)===
Link was once again nerfed in his transition to the Australian PAL version. His air speed and his double jump height were decreased, making his recovery even worse, although he is less vulnerable to juggles due to his faster fast falling speed
Link received some notable buffs in the transition to the European PAL version. His air speed is much higher (now being almost as high as Pikachu's) and he is also significantly heavier which noticeably increases his survivability. Link's recovery covers significantly more distance (although it still remains linear and exploitable) and his higher weight means that a vast majority of hits do not send him as far, giving him the potential to live for significantly longer. Link's forward smash also saw a rather large increase to its power, making it significantly more powerful as a combo ender. Link's combo game in general was improved as his higher air speed gave him access to combos he could not perform previously (or in situations where certain combos would not work) and his stronger forward smash allows him to get KOes off combos where he previously could not score KOes. Ultimately, Link is considerably stronger in the European version than in the North American version, although he is still regarded to be slightly weaker than his Japanese counterpart, being considered to be no higher than mid tier.
*{{nerf|Link's air speed is lower (31 → 27).}}
 
*{{nerf|Link's Midair Jump Multiplier was decreased (0.9 → 0.85).}}
*{{buff|Link is significantly heavier (0.96 → 0.9) going from being tied for the 4th heaviest to the 2nd heaviest.}}
*{{nerf|Link's starting horizontal air velocity multiplier for his midair jump was given a slight decrease (0.35 → 0.34).}}
*{{buff|Link's air speed is much higher (31 → 37) going from being tied for the 5th highest to the 3rd highest.}}
*{{buff|Link's air acceleration is higher (0.04 → 0.05).}}
*{{buff|Link's fast falling speed was significantly increased (102 → 110).}}
*{{buff|Link's fast falling speed was significantly increased (102 → 110).}}
*{{nerf|Link's double jump is slightly lower (0.9 → 0.88).}}
*{{buff|Forward smash deals more damage (20% (clean)/12% (late) → 24%/14%) without compensation on its knockback values, significantly improving its KO potential to the point of becoming the strongest forward smash in the game by a significant margin.}}


===PAL (AUS) to PAL (EUR)===
===PAL (EUR) to PAL (AUS)===
Link received some buffs in the transition to the European PAL version. His air speed is much higher (now being almost as high as Pikachu's) and his double jump has regained some of the height it had lost in the Australian version, improving his recovery. His forward smash has received an increase to its power, and he is also significantly heavier which noticeably increases his survivability, but also makes him even more vulnerable to combos. Ultimately, Link is stronger in the European version than in the NTSC-U version, although he did not get significantly improved overall.
In a rather unique case, Link was changed in the Australian version, being the only character in the game who differs between the European and Australian versions. Link was significantly nerfed in his transition to the Australian PAL version, even beyond his NTSC-U counterpart. The higher weight and stronger forward smash Link received in the European version were reverted to how they were in the NTSC versions, hindering his endurance and KO potential. His air speed received a rather drastic decrease, being a considerable amount lower than in the NTSC versions and his double jump gains even less height. Both of these factors not only made Link's recovery the worst it had ever been by a significant margin but they also made Link's combo potential the worst it had ever been. Link's lower air speed removed combos Link could do in every other version while his lower double jump also meant that certain combos would stop working sooner. As a result of these factors, Link is considerably worse than in any other version, likely being the definitive worst character in the Australian version.


*{{buff|Link is heavier (0.96 → 0.9).}}
*{{nerf|Link is significantly lighter (0.9 → 0.96), with Link being reverted to his NTSC weight.}}
*{{buff|Link has much higher air speed (27 → 37).}}
*{{nerf|Link's air speed is drastically lower (37 → 27), going from the 3rd highest to the 3rd lowest.}}
*{{buff|Link's air acceleration is higher (0.04 → 0.05).}}
*{{nerf|Link's double jump is lower (0.88 → 0.85).}}
*{{buff|Link's midair jump multiplier was given a very slight increase (0.85 → 0.88).}}
*{{nerf|Link's starting horizontal air velocity multiplier for his double jump is slightly lower (0.35 → 0.34).}}
*{{buff|Forward smash deals more damage (20% (clean)/12% (late) → 24%/14%) improving its KO potential.}}
*{{nerf|Forward smash deals less damage (24% (clean)/14% (late) → 20%/12%) without compensation on its knockback values, significantly hindering its KO potential and reverting its power back to its NTSC counterparts.}}


==Moveset==
==Moveset==
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