- For fighter info, see Link (SSB), Link (SSBM), Link (SSBB), Link (SSB4), and Link (SSBU).
| Link | |
|---|---|
 
Official artwork of Link from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. | |
| Universe | The Legend of Zelda |
| Debut | The Legend of Zelda (1986) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | SSB Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | WarioWare Gold (2018) |
| Console/platform of origin | Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom Disk System) |
| Species | Hylian |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of origin | Hyrule |
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Voice actor | Nobuyuki Hiyama (SSB/Melee) Akira Sasanuma (Brawl/SSB4) Kengo Takanashi (Ultimate) |
| Article on Zelda Wiki | Link |
Link (リンク, Link) is the protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. Unlike the majority of Nintendo protagonists, there are several, distinct incarnations of Link seen throughout The Legend of Zelda series. Regardless, they all share the same destiny as heroes whose courageousness enables them to defeat powerful forces of evil and stop their conquests, most notably Ganondorf/Ganon. Other hallmarks shared by the Links are their ability to wield the Master Sword and their possession of the Triforce of Courage, although these are not depicted universally.
As a member of the "perfect-attendance crew", Link has been featured as a playable character throughout the entire Super Smash Bros. series. Compared to the rest of the crew, however, he holds the distinction of doing so in name only because of three of his incarnations (the Hero of Time, the Hero of Twilight and the Hero of Hyrule) appearing as playable characters. By extension, preteen incarnations have also been playable, with the first instance of this occurring in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Link is marketed as one of Nintendo's flagship characters alongside Mario.
Character description
Link's first appearance was in the original The Legend of Zelda, which depicted his quest to rescue Princess Zelda and the land of Hyrule from the evil Ganon. Link is designed with a green tunic and a green hat, which, like Mario's design, was due to the NES' hardware limitations. This appearance has since been traditional for Link, with the exception of his appearance in Breath of the Wild, which nevertheless features versions of his traditional green clothes as unlockables.
It is worth noting that while there have been multiple games within The Legend of Zelda series, it has not always been the same Link who the player controls. This is evident with the fact that are there multiple timelines within the series, wherein many games typically feature a new Link with a new origin. Notable examples include "Hylia's Chosen Hero" (referring to the Link from Skyward Sword), the "Hero of Time" (referring to the Link from Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask), the "Hero of Winds" (referring to the Link from The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass), and the "Hero of Twilight" (referring to the Link from Twilight Princess). However, each incarnation of the hero is tasked with defeating the main antagonist of the story, most frequently Ganondorf/Ganon, from either taking over the world or, in other cases, destroying it.
Due to the The Legend of Zelda series giving Link simple and concise answers that the player can pick instead of traditional dialogue, there is very little insight into the personalities of the majority of his incarnations. While the only incarnations to expressively show distinct personalities are the ones from The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass, Twilight Princess, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild, universal traits among Link's incarnations are bravery, humility, and politeness.
One thing that has varied with Link is his age. In some games, such as The Wind Waker and the present timeline of Ocarina of Time, Link is a child, with these two particular incarnations being represented as playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series. In Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Breath of the Wild, and the future timeline of Ocarina of Time, Link is depicted as a teenager. However, the only teenage Links to appear as playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series are the Hero of Time and the Hero of Twilight, his descendant in Twilight Princess.
Regardless of his varying ages, Link almost always starts out as a normal person until learning of his heroic destiny and, as his journey presses onward, gradually progresses into a full-fledged hero. For example, Ocarina of Time features him as a young boy whose mother, before dying, entrusted him in the care of the Great Deku Tree. The Wind Waker also features him as a young boy, albeit living a happy and carefree life on Outset Island alongside his grandmother and younger sister. In Twilight Princess, he is an ordinary young man working at Ordon Ranch. Breath of the Wild is one of the few exceptions to this rule, introducing him as a knight and a descendant of many other knights.
In Super Smash Bros.
As a playable character
Link's first appearance in a fighting game, and by extension his first official appearance in a Nintendo game outside of his home series, is in Super Smash Bros. as one of the eight starter characters. The incarnation that appears is the Hero of Time from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He is a slow, heavy character whose Master Sword grants him many disjointed attacks that allow for ranged combat. His neutral special move is Boomerang, which is a fast attack that will return to him. His up special move is Spin Attack, which boasts impressive power, but is cited as his main weakness due to its lackluster recovery potential. Lastly, his down special move is Bomb, which can be thrown either directly at opponents for combos, or to rest on the ground. Due to his flaws, Link is currently ranked 11th of 12 on the tier list, placing him in the C tier.
Link's in-game character description says:
- Link
- Link is the valiant boy hero of "The Legend of Zelda" series in which he fights against the evil Ganon to recover the Triforce. Though his tools may change with each adventure, his strength and righteousness remain constant. With his trusty sword and a variety of weapons, he takes adventure head on!
- Works:
- The Legend of Zelda (NES),
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES),
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
In Super Smash Bros. Melee
As a playable character
Link returns in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a starter character. He retains his Ocarina of Time design, although redesigned in a way so that he has a far more detailed look, even more so than the game his design is based on, largely due to the improved graphics of the GameCube. While his playstyle has been largely retained, his moves have been slightly tweaked. Spin Attack is now a much more reliable recovery move. Like the rest of his fellow veterans, he received a fourth special move, with his being Bow. It is a neutral special move that allows Link to fire an arrow, with the arrow's range being dependent on how long the player holds down the B button. As a result, his Boomerang has been moved to be his side special move.
Link has been buffed in the transition to Melee. In addition to retaining his Master Sword's disjointed range and his numerous projectiles, Spin Attack covers more distance in the air and his faster air speed. However, he has a very slow dashing speed, and is easy to combo due to his heavy weight and quick falling speed. Thanks to his buffs, Link is currently ranked 18th out of 26 on the tier list. This places him at the bottom of the E tier, and renders him as the lowest ranking mid-tier character.
Trophies
As a playable character, Link has three trophies - a normal trophy won beating the Classic Mode with Link on any difficulty, and "Smash Red" and "Smash Blue" trophies are acquired by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively. His Classic Mode trophy reads as follows:
Link
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.
- The Legend of Zelda, 07/87 (NES)
Main (Classic Mode) trophy
Smash (Red, Adventure Mode) trophy
Smash (Blue, All-Star Mode) trophy
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In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
As a playable character
Unlike the previous two installments, Super Smash Bros. Brawl does not feature the Hero of Time. Instead, he has been succeeded by his descendant, the Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. While this Link's playstyle is essentially the same as his ancestor's, some of his moves are slightly different in order to match their aesthetics and functionalities in Twilight Princess. This is most apparent with the Gale Boomerang and the Clawshot: the former can pull opponents and items toward Link with a small tornado, while the Clawshot can grab an edge, but not plain walls. Other changes include the arrows of his renamed Hero's Bow, which now disappear after a distance, and his Spin Attack now being chargeable.
Like the rest of the cast, Link has a Final Smash that he obtains when he breaks a Smash Ball. In his case, his Final Smash is the Triforce Slash, in which light from the Triforce of Courage on Link's hand shoots out and traps an opponent in between two large Triforce-shaped force fields. Link then dashes at the opponent, unleashes a barrage of slashes, and then finishes with a powerful blow with enough knockback to one-hit KO the opponent if nothing gets in the way.
While this Link's attacks are stronger, his mobility and recovery are very poor, to the point that the latter is comparable to his ancestor's in SSB. Due to his weaknesses largely outweighing his strengths, Link is currently ranked 35th out 38 on the tier list. This places him in the F tier, and renders him as a bottom-tier character.
Trophies
Link has a trophy that is awarded each time the Classic Mode is completed with Link on any difficulty. See Triforce Slash for the trophy description of Link's Final Smash, and Toon Link for the trophies based on The Wind Waker Link:
Link
- A young man who emerged to rescue Hyrule from peril. He's the bearer of the Triforce of Courage who fights to keep Ganondorf from conquering the world. His green outfit is a constant throughout the series. He's a skilled swordsman, horseman, and archer. He's also proficient with bombs and boomerangs.
: The Legend of Zelda
: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Triforce Slash
- Link with a Smash Ball, releasing his ultimate attack. Light flares from the Triforce symbol on the back of his hand and rushes out to meet the enemy he faces. The enemy gets trapped within the glittering Triforce, is quickly cut to shreds, and is launched by the last strike. The attack works on one enemy at a time, so it's best to go after the character in first place.
- : Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wolf Link
- Link's alternate form in the Twilight Realm. In this form, he cannot use weapons such as swords or shields, but he can attack with a ferocious wolf bite. He also has a number of unique skills inherent to his beast form, such as a keen sense of smell, the ability to dig, and a loud wolf howl.
- : The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Link trophy.
Triforce Slash (Link) Trophy.
Wolf Link trophy.
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
Stickers
| Name | Game | Effect | Character(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deku Link | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask |  Resistance +5
|
|
| Epona & Link | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time |   Attack +9
|
   
|
| Link | The Legend of Zelda |  Attack +17
|
|
| Link | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Resistance +31
|
|
| Link | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess |  Resistance +27
|
|
| Link with Goron Mask | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | Attack +17
|
|
| Midna & Wolf Link | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Attack +26
|
|
| Zora Link | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask |  +60
|
|
.png) Deku Link (Zelda: Majora's Mask) |
.png) Epona & Link (Zelda: Ocarina of Time) |
.png) Link (The Legend of Zelda) |
.png) Link (Zelda: Link to the Past) |
.png) Link (Zelda: Twilight Princess) |
.png) Link with Goron Mask (Zelda: MM) |
.png) Midna & Wolf Link (Zelda: Twilight Princess) |
.png) Zora Link (Zelda: Majora's Mask) |
In Super Smash Bros. 4
As a playable character
The Twilight Princess incarnation of Link reappears as a starter character in Super Smash Bros. 4. However, his overall color scheme is noticeably more vibrant because of SSB4's aesthetics.
In addition to his playable appearance, Link's appearance serves as the basis of a downloadable content costume for Mii Swordfighters. Nintendo also released a QR code for those who wish to have the exact Mii used in the costume's advertising. While the costume is based on Link's SSB4 appearance, its simplified design, brighter color scheme, and mirrored hairstyle closely resemble the Skyward Sword incarnation of Link.
Link has been buffed in the transition to SSB4. Many of his attacks are faster and stronger, while SSB4's new edge mechanics make his Clawshot's tether recovery more dependable. His projectiles have also seen some improvements: Hero's Bow charges faster, Gale Boomerang's new launching angle improves its follow-up potential, and Bomb deals more damage if it explodes near the opponent's feet. However, Link is still highly susceptible to rushdowns because of his rather sluggish mobility, while some of his attacks' damage outputs were slightly lowered. Thanks to his buffs largely outweighing his nerfs, Link has been able to attain some notable players in tournament play and achieve respectable results, even at the national level. As a result, he is currently ranked 31st out of 55; in addition to placing him near the top of D tier, this renders him a mid-tier character like his ancestor is in Melee.
Trophies
- Link
Green tunic? Pointy hat? Yep, it's Link, all right! In this game, his sword and shield make for effective attacking and blocking, and his bow, bombs, and boomerang will spice up any battle. He's even brought his Clawshot for grabbing enemies and edges. Jeez, just how much stuff can Link carry?
Green clothes? Pointy hat? Yep, it's Link, all right! In this game, his sword and shield make for effective attacking and blocking, and his bow, bombs, and boomerang will spice up any battle. He's even brought his Clawshot for grabbing enemies and edges. The hero of Hyrule is really kitted out for a brawl!
- Link (Alt.)
- If Link was on a desert island and could only pick one item, it'd be his powerful sword. This weapon is key to his down-air attack, a move with great launching potential and the ability to strike twice. He can also strike twice with his side smash—the second blow deals more damage and launches harder.
- Of all of his weapons, Link's sword may be the most lethal. His down air attack has incredible launching power. What's more, he'll bounce up afterwards, allowing for a follow-up strike. His side smash can also be followed up with a more powerful second blow that sends foes flying - just press the button again straight away.
- Adult Link (Ocarina of Time)
- The children from Kokiri Forest never seem to grow into adults. Just a young boy, Link is entrusted with a quest by the Great Deku Tree. He leaves the forest and eventually finds the Master Sword in the Temple of Time. When he awakes, he is seven years in the future and an adult!
- Link was once a carefree lad living with the Kokiri in Kokiri Forest, but one day, the Great Deku Tree entrusted him with an important task and he had to leave. His quest led him to find the Master Sword, and when he took it, seven years passed in the blink of an eye. Before he knew it, Link had grown into a young man!
- Wolf Link
- Hey, who let a wolf in here? This is the spot for a trophy of Link! The wolf does look cool, though... Oh, oops! That wolf is Link, from Twilight Princess, after he steps into Twilight. It's actually a pretty handy transformation. Maybe the Master Sword can help him transform at will...
- Hold on a sec! Where's our dashing young swordsman? Oh... This IS him, just...in wolf form. When he steps into the eerie Twilight world, Link becomes this rough-looking beast! Luckily, he turns back into normal Link eventually, but with the Master Sword letting him transform at will, he might feel like going wolf again from time to time.
Classic (3DS)
Classic (Wii U)
Alt. (3DS)
Alt. (Wii U)
Adult Link (Ocarina of Time)
Wolf Link
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
As a playable character
The reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch briefly features a silhouetted Link, ostensibly as his incarnation from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The Nintendo E3 reveal fully confirmed that Link's Breath of the Wild incarnation would succeed his Twilight Princess incarnation as a playable character. In addition to wearing the Champion's Tunic as part of his default costume, Link has the Wild Set of clothes as an alternate costume.
Unlike his predecessors, Link features a few noticeably distinct properties to his moves. These most notably include his down special move using the Remote Bomb Rune, and his Final Smash using an Ancient Bow to fire an Ancient Arrow.
Gallery
Link's artwork from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which inspired his appearance in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Link's artwork from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which inspired his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4.
Trivia
- Link and Princess Zelda are the only playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series who have varying designs based on different incarnations of their namesakes. In Link's case, his Hero of Time incarnation is playable in Smash 64 and Melee; his Twilight Princess incarnation is playable in Brawl and SSB4; and his Breath of the Wild incarnation is playable in Ultimate.
- Link and Captain Falcon have shared the same weight value throughout the Super Smash Bros. series.
- As of Melee, Link is one of only three characters who has a forward smash that can unleash a second hit upon a second button press. Fittingly, he shares this trait with Young Link and Toon Link (pre-Ultimate).
- Link is the only Legend of Zelda character to be a starter character in every installment.
| Character Inspirations for Mii Fighter Costumes in Super Smash Bros. 4 | |
|---|---|
 Mii Brawler
|
Akira · Captain Falcon · Flying Man · Heihachi · Jacky · King K. Rool · Knuckles · Toad |
 Mii Swordfighter
|
Ashley · Black Knight · Chrom · Dunban · Gil · Link · Lloyd · Monster Hunter · Takamaru · Viridi · Zero |
 Mii Gunner
|
Fox · Geno · Inkling · Isabelle · K.K. Slider · MegaMan.EXE · Proto Man · Samus · Tails · X |
| Headgear only | Barbara · Chain Chomp · Chocobo · Daisy · Inkling Squid · Luigi · Majora's Mask · Mario · Meta Knight · Peach · Red Shell · Sheik · Shy Guy · Spiny · Super Mushroom · Waluigi · Wario · Zelda |
