Since The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, it's no surprise that Link is one of the most popular characters in Super Smash Bros. Since Smash 64, our trusty hero has been seen using various items and sword attacks to tactically take the win.
Link is an extremely complex character when compared to other zoner-type characters, and there are three of them to choose from. What sets the Hero of the Wild apart from others to make him a viable choice?
10 ASSET: Great Range
One of the biggest mentions of Link, when he was first revealed in Ultimate, was the increased length of the Master Sword, greatly expanding his spacing potential. All of Link’s moves, physical ones, and projectiles, have the ability to control the playing field from a great distance, except the exclusion of a tether-grab, which is actually a blessing in disguise.
The Master Sword may have increased range, but players will need to be cautious as it is still one of the slower swords in the game. Link is, without a doubt, a slower and more methodical type of character who strives to outplay opponents before they can even reach him.
9 FLAW: Heavy Pockets
Winning the award for 63rd best run speed in the game, it seems like Link gets a bit weighed down by all the bombs, arrows, and equipment stuffed in his back pocket. Getting around the stage can be a bit frustrating at times without constantly creating a wall of projectile spam in front of Link because running in recklessly at faster opponents is never a great idea.
One redeeming factor of his below-average speed would be his vastly improved grab, coming out in a surprising 6 frames, making it one of the fastest in the game. Getting a grab may not be the easiest thing in the world, but he has plenty of amazing throw-combos to reward his lead-filled boots.
8 ASSET: Bombs Away
With Link’s change in design to match Breath of the Wild, certain things within Link’s moveset had to be changed, the bombs being the biggest alteration. Breath of the Wild’s Bomb Rune is remotely activated at will, giving Link a huge amount of tactical advantage with this single projectile.
It can be utilized for edgeguarding, combos, stage control, recovering, and attacking, making it one of the best projectiles in the game. On smaller stages, in particular, Link can have full control of his terrain when they’re utilized correctly, forcing opponents to play to his rules.
7 FLAW: Disadvantage
A disadvantage state refers to when a character is in a non-optimal position, whether they’re stuck by the ledge or being knocked around with combos. Link’s disadvantage can be particularly tough to get out of because of his higher weight and height, making him easy to hit and to continue hitting him.
He has a few burst options that can sometimes help him out like neutral-air or back-air, but he’s definitely susceptible to damaging combos and confirms. It’s best to play Link at a fair distance from the opponent, then close the gap when they get hit by one of your various projectiles.
6 ASSET: Style Points
Going off his Rune Bomb alone, Link has some seriously killer combos that look absolutely stunning when pulled off correctly. There are z-drop loops, combos into spikes, setups from across the stage, and whatever creative displays that players can come up with.
YouTube videos from players like MrDanishButterCookie show off some impossible looking combos that make Link look absolutely disgusting. Besides bombs, the bow and boomerang help expand stylishness even further, making a character that is extremely fun to watch.
5 FLAW: Linear Recovery
Lacking a tether recovery like his two younger counterparts, Link has to suffice with only his up-special and hardcore self-explosions. He can actually cover some extreme distance with a bomb-drop, being able to recover all the way from the edge of the blast zone.
Although, he’ll usually be traveling in one exploitable angle when bombs aren't available, and any disjoints or long-lasting hitboxes have a decent chance at stuffing out your recovery chance. Mixing up your timing is essential, and a bomb placed on stage may also be your saving grace.
4 ASSET: KO Potential
The Master Sword is the blade of evil’s bane after all, so it’s no surprise to see Link wield it with such power. Compared to previous Links in Smash, the Master Sword feels as if it has some hefty weight to it, while still retaining a good amount of swiftness.
All of his smash attacks are great kill options, and up-special is fantastic for nabbing airborne opponents or being used out of shield. Link also has plenty of ways to combo into these powerful moves, leaving him with nothing short of a powerful moveset.
3 FLAW: Difficulty
Looking at the complex nature of his tool kit, Link is going to take some serious time and commitment to perfect. His bombs alone will take hours upon hours to master concerning the sheer amount of versatility they have.
You’re going to want to religiously practice various bomb setups, combos using your boomerang, reliable combo starters and confirms with tilts and aerials, and your best edgeguarding tools like neutral-air and down-air. Think carefully before deciding which Link to sink your time into, because the Hero of the Wild waits for no one, as he was napping for 100 years, after all.
2 ASSET: Out-of-Shield
Ultimate’s amazing decision to add a universal jump-squat, meaning that all characters can leave the ground at the same speed, gives more characters scarier out-of-shield options. Link happens to be one of the most fearful characters to apply shield pressure to as he has offensive options such as a frame 7 up-special and a z-drop bomb combo to turn the opponent’s advantage against them.
The recent buff to many characters’ shield size, Link included, makes it even more difficult to break his defense. Link is one of the scariest characters’ shields to hit in the game, maybe only behind Mr. Game & Watch and his ridiculous frame 3 up-special.
1 FLAW: Which One?
Zelda is one of the most represented franchises in Smash in terms of playable characters, but three of them are Link, sadly. Link, Young Link, and Toon Link all have enough differences to not be counted as Echo Fighters, and each one will work better for different players.
Young Link is the fastest of the three along with having the fastest arrows and shortest bomb fuse, although he can struggle to get KOs at high percent. Toon Link is a good balance between the three and is quite fast as well with a different neutral-air, back-air, and down-air. Make sure to try out all three to determine which hero is best for you.