Editing Link (SSBU)

{{disambig2|Link's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''|the character in other contexts|Link}}

|image = {{tabber|title1=Champion|tab1=[[File:Link SSBU.png|x250px]]|title2=Hero of the Wild|tab2=[[File:Link-Alt1 SSBU.png|x250px]]}}

'''Link''' ({{ja|リンク|Rinku}}, ''Link'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was suggested to appear in the then unnamed ''Ultimate'' in its first [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Gt42kVgCw teaser trailer] at the end of the March 8th, 2018 [[Nintendo Direct]], and officially announced in ''Ultimate''{{'}}s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o E3 2018 trailer] on June 12th. Link is classified as fighter #03.

Kengo Takanashi, Link's voice actor from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}'', reprises his role in ''Ultimate'' with newly recorded voice clips, replacing Akira Sasanuma's portrayal from ''Brawl'', ''SSB4'' and ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''.

Link is a medium-[[weight|heavyweight]] swordsman that sports powerful attacks and long [[range]] via the Master Sword. Link sports an above-average [[walking]] speed, the 15th slowest [[dashing]] speed, above-average [[initial dash]], is tied with [[Diddy Kong]] for the 10th slowest [[air speed]], the 4th slowest [[air acceleration]], above-average [[gravity]] and [[falling speed]], the 6th highest [[fast fall|fast falling speed]], and above-average [[traction]]. Lastly, Link has among the lowest jump heights in the game. Overall, these stats render Link's mobility generally poor.

Like his [[Young Link (SSBU)|alternate timeline]] [[Toon Link (SSBU)|counterparts]] and {{SSBU|Hero}}, Link possesses two shields instead of just one. In Link's case, he wields the [[Passive shield|Hylian Shield]], which blocks opposing [[projectile]]s if he is standing still, walking, or crouching. Like Toon Link, Link also wields his respective version of the {{iw|ZeldaWiki|Master Sword}}, which had its range enhanced compared to the last installment.  

Link's grounded moveset comes with its merits, long-range set aside: neutral attack deals above-average damage and has a reliable [[semi-spike]] in its third hit; forward tilt boasts both above-average damage and knockback, which in tandem with its good range and low ending lag, makes for a great [[spacing]] option; up tilt also deals above-average damage which, in tandem with its low ending lag and large range, makes it a great [[juggling]] option; down tilt possesses very low ending lag, satisfactory damage, and high vertical knock back, rendering it a great combo starter for devastating chains of aerial attacks. Dash attack possesses high damage, knock  back, range, and traveling distance, making it very useful for KOs at around 110%.

Link's KO potential shines strongly in his [[smash attack]]s, all of which deal high damage and knock back. Forward smash has large range and a [[tipper]] on the first hit. His forward smash is a [[natural combo]] without activating the tip. When Link is at 0% or when he has full stamina in a stamina battle, the first swing of his forward smash releases a sword beam that can be charged to improve damage and distance. His up smash hits three times, has wide range, and average startup; these attributes, in tandem with up smash's high damage and knock back, makes it very reliable for both damage-racking and KOing. His down smash deals the lowest damage out of Link's smash attacks, but its decent speed and vertical trajectory make it a very useful edge guarding option; down smash's edge guarding capabilities are further bolstered through its second hit's strongest hit box, which is a reliable semi-spike.

Link's aerial attacks are useful in their own rights. His neutral aerial is a [[sex kick]] with low all-around lag and good damage output overall, and is able to [[lock]] and combo with other aerial and ground attacks; forward aerial sports long-range, low landing lag, and high damage, making it one of Link's most reliable KOing options; back aerial is Link's fastest aerial in terms of start-up lag, being able to combo into itself at low percents and other attacks at higher percents; up aerial deals high damage, a long-lasting hit box, and great range, making it reliable for both KOs and juggles; down aerial is similar to up aerial in some regards, but its clean hit instead functions as a reliable [[meteor smash]] that KOs at alarmingly early percents (its grounded hit KOs at 125%). Down aerial can be used to bounce off of opponents, which can actually aid Link's recovery.

Although Link's close-combat capabilities are excellent, where he mainly shines is in his projectile game and special moveset. He sports three projectiles: [[Bow and Arrows|the arrows from his bow]], [[Boomerang]], and [[Remote Bomb]]. Bow and Arrows has Link fire an arrow straight ahead, which can be [[spam]]med to some degree; it can be charged, greatly increasing its damage, knockback, and distance, making it a good [[gimp]]ing and [[pressuring]] tool. Link's neutral special is unique in the fact that his arrows briefly linger on the ground when landing, allowing him to pick them up and fire two arrows simultaneously; Link is able to deal more damage and knockback, aiding neutral special's KO potential. The Boomerang travels decently far and deals good damage, which can be further exploited by smash tapping the move: the boomerang's distance and damage are increased as a result. The Boomerang vertically launches opponents with high base knockback on its way forward, and launches opponents towards Link on ite way back; the Boomerang can be angled up and down, rendering it a flexible combo starter and approaching option. The Remote Bomb can be thrown as an item, potentially being able to initiate combos by chaining it with other attacks. This is further bolstered by the Remote Bomb's 30-second time limit, which gives it plenty of time to be abused as a projectile. The Bomb's detonation has large range and deals decent damage and knockback, with enough power to KO opponents at 180%. Although Link can be harmed by his own bomb's explosion, he can exploit its vertical knockback offstage as a means of aiding his recovery.

Link's primary recovery move and most offensive special attack is his [[Spin Attack]]. The move's grounded deals decent damage and knockback, good range, and is a fast out-of-shield option, giving it decent utility; however, it can be charged, increasing its damage output and knockback, significantly improving its KO ability. Aerial Spin Attack is instead a multi-hitting series of sword slashes that gains respectable vertical distance and has good knockback on its last hit, making it good for KOing near the upper blast line.

Link has potent strengths, but is definitely not without weaknesses. Although it has been improved from ''Smash 4'', Link's mobility is still inconsistent and somewhat on the poor side. Despite his high walking speed, his dash is only marginally faster, making it very sluggish and unreliable for approaching (foxtrotting is the only way of mitigating this issue). Link's air speed and air acceleration are both notoriously poor, making his air game solely reliant on the traits of his aerial attacks; Link's low jumps and high falling speed, in tandem with his aforementioned poor air speed and air acceleration, place a burden on his recovery. Due to Link no longer sporting the Clawshot in his moveset, he loses a reliable tethering option, further hampering his recovery.

The loss of Clawshot changes Link's grab game entirely: due to grabbing opponents with his bare hands, his grab speed is significantly quicker; in exchange, his grab has much less range. Thus, Link's grab game is much more aggressive and up-close. Link's overall grab game is half-functional. While his fast pummel helps him easily rack up on damage, his up throw is his strongest throw and can semi-spike bystanders, and his down throw has good combo potential into moves like up tilt, up smash, and neutral aerial, his forward and back throws are both extremely weak and lack reliable set-up potential.

Overall, Link is a flexible zoner character; while his long-distance projectiles and disjointed hitboxes make him play somewhat defensively for much of the match, his excellent out-of-shield options and KO power allow him to close in on his opponents with the right timing and deal large amounts of damage very quickly. However, Link players must be cautious to not play recklessly due to his below-average frame data and mobility, as many other characters can make it difficult for him to utilize his options with their superior speed. Throughout ''Ultimate's'' lifespan, Link has garnered great results from many different players, although his results did go down slightly after the first few months of the game's release.

Link has received arguably the most noticeable changes of any returning veteran in ''Ultimate''. His design is now based on ''Breath of the Wild'', incorporating multiple elements from the game into his move set, such as the {{s|zeldawiki|Remote Bomb}}, the {{s|zeldawiki|Ancient Bow}} & {{s|zeldawiki|Ancient Arrow}}, and the {{s|zeldawiki|Sword Beam}}. This has led to a much larger overhaul in his move set than other returning veterans, as several of his attacks either have altered or completely new animations. As a result, Link has gained a large mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition to ''Ultimate''; however, he was considerably buffed overall.

Compared to his previous iterations in ''Smash'', Link has better close combat and spacing capabilities thanks to his faster movement speed, the return of the [[Boomerang]] (which improves his [[combo]] ability) and the longer range on his Master Sword, now having range on par with other sword-based fighters such as {{SSBU|Ike}} or {{SSBU|Marth}}. Particularly, the latter change has either improved or outright granted his attacks' more utility: [[forward tilt]] is now much more effective as a ledge-trapping option due to its wider arc, [[down tilt]]'s reduced damage output allows the move to combo for much longer (even serving as a potential KO confirm at higher percents), [[up smash]] serves as a more threatening anti-air option, [[forward aerial]] is more effective as a spacing option while the first hit can now be used to start combos, [[up aerial]] catches airborne opponents from a farther distance, and [[Spin Attack]] has increased reliability as an [[out of shield]] option and KOing tool due to its faster start-up and larger sweetspot.

Furthermore, Link benefits from some of the universal gameplay mechanics, all of which have improved his previously below average close combat game. His grab game has slightly improved due to him now possessing a more standard grab; while the [[Hookshot]] and [[Clawshot]] in previous games granted Link a long-ranged grab, they were unsafe to use due to their startup and ending lag. The ability to perform any attack out of a run and his faster movement speed helps Link close in on opponents more easily (which is further helped by his sword attacks' longer range and his above average traction), and his much faster jumpsquat significantly improves his combo potential into aerials. The universal landing lag reduction has especially strengthened Link's combo ability and addressed his landing weakness to a degree, with [[neutral aerial]]'s weak hit allowing him to set-up for a grab at low percents, forward aerial's first hit comboing into other moves until very high percentages, [[back aerial]]'s first hit now serving as a KO setup at high percents, and his aerials' damage outputs making them safer on shield despite the reduced [[shieldstun]] for aerial attacks.

Link has gained a new down special in place of Bomb, known as the [[Remote Bomb]]; with it, Link pulls out a Remote Bomb rune which he can then throw and later detonate with the Sheikah Slate, making it function more like {{SSBU|Snake}}'s [[C4]] bombs. Compared to his old Bombs, Remote Bombs have a much larger blast radius and greater KO power; this changes his set-up and combo routes with the bomb, as it can now be detonated or [[Item throw|Z-dropped]] into one of Link's own attacks. They also significantly improve Link's pressuring, edgeguarding and ledge trapping abilities, since the bomb can be thrown while only being detonated at command. Lastly, the move possesses potential as a strong, albeit tough recovery option, as it can also be Z-dropped and detonated to launch Link a considerable distance forward.

However, Link is not without his fair share of nerfs. As a result of the several changes and alterations his moveset received, he has inadvertently lost several key strengths that his previous incarnation possessed. While Link has a much faster grab than his precious incarnation, the loss of his Hookshot has not only significantly worsened his overall grab range, but also effectively removed one of his more potent recovery and spacing options. The replacement of his old Bombs has also hindered Link in a variety of ways. Link can no longer pull out bombs as a way to potentially break out of combos, making him slightly more vulnerable to them. Since Remote Bombs no longer explode on impact, KO set-ups with them have effectively become harder to perform. Compared to his old bombs, Link can only have one Remote Bomb out a time, resulting in them becoming a worse zoning option overall. Link has also received hitbox reductions to several of his sword-based attacks, now mapping them strictly to the Master Sword itself. While this does not necessarily affect the reach of his attacks that involve swinging his sword from above (i.e. forward tilt, up tilt, forward smash), it has reduced the vertical reach of his attacks that are swung in front of him (i.e. down tilt), while also hindering the horizontal range of his thrusting sword attacks (i.e. up aerial, down aerial), making them slightly harder to land overall.

Finally, despite improvements to his landing lag and Spin Attack, his already sluggish frame data has been further worsened (especially on the ground): a considerable number of his attacks have either increased endlag (such as forward tilt or down tilt) or increased start-up lag (such as neutral attack, [[forward smash]], [[down smash]], and forward aerial), making it even harder for him to defend himself up close against opponents with superior frame data, such as {{SSBU|Fox}} or {{SSBU|Mario}}. This requires Link to be more wary when fighting opponents with such strong boxing capabilities and use the longer range of his Master Sword to his advantage, as his weaker frame data can put him at a greater risk of being thrown into a disadvantage state easier.

Overall, the changes to Link have somewhat repurposed his playstyle from that of a hard-hitting zoner with long-ranged melee attacks, to one that also incorporates more stage control and trapping tactics with his Remote Bomb rune in a similar manner to Snake. Because of this, Link has noticeably deviated from his counterparts in terms of his overall gameplan and how he enacts it. Compared to his previous iterations, Link has amassed an increasingly robust set of results in ''Ultimate{{'}}s'' early competitive metagame, which are arguably the strongest out of any of his previous incarnations overall, this in part due to players such as {{Sm|Izaw}}, {{Sm|Otakuni}}, {{Sm|VinS}}, and especially {{sm|T}}. However, his results have been somewhat inconsistent over time as ''Ultimate{{'}}s'' metagame has progressed, as Salem has since then dropped Link in favor of Snake, which has led to a slight slowdown of noteworthy results. Regardless, Link is agreed to fare better competitively than in ''SSB4'' and has had a more positive reception since the beginning, as he is usually seen as either a lower high tier character or an upper mid-tier character.

Link has overall been slightly buffed in game updates.

*While standing still, walking, or crouching, incoming [[projectile]]s that hit Link's [[Shield (Link)|Hylian Shield]] will deal no damage and simply push him back. It can block any amount of projectiles regardless of power.

|neutralname= 

|neutraldesc=A downward slash, followed by an outward slash, then by an upward slash. Has slow startup for a jab, but deals above-average damage, has good reach, and its third hit is a [[semi-spike]] with high base knockback, making it useful for [[tech-chasing]] and forcing opponents near edges offstage.

|ftiltname= 

|ftiltdesc=A lunging downward slash. It has noticeably slow startup for a tilt attack (frame 15), but deals high damage and knockback for one in return, while possessing long range, the ability to hit opponents above and slightly behind Link, and only average ending lag that makes it safe on shield if spaced properly. This attack resembles the [[zeldawiki:Targeting|Z-Targeting]] slash used by the Link from ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''.

|utiltname= 

|dtiltname= 

|dashname=Jump Slash

|dashdesc=The {{s|zeldawiki|Jump Attack}}. It is generally the 2nd strongest dash attack in the game, KOing at around 110% from center stage when sweetspotted at the tip. However, it also has very slow startup (hitting on frame 20) alongside high ending lag, making it very punishable if whiffed or used recklessly.

|fsmashname=Sword Slice/Double Sword Slice

|fsmashdesc=A two-handed, lunging downward slash. If the attack button is pressed again, Link will perform a single-handed outward slash. The first hit deals respectable damage and knockback at the blade's tip, but only deals half as much damage with much lower knockback when not tipped; however, the non-tipped hit is a [[natural combo]] into the second slash. Extremely powerful when both hits connect, being one of the strongest forward smashes in the game. If Link is at 0% damage, the first swing will launch a projectile.

|usmashname= 

|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|4}} (hit 1), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|3}} (hit 2), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|11}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|10}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|9}} (hit 3)

|dsmashname= 

|nairname= 

|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|11}} (clean, foot), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|9}} (clean, leg), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (late)

|nairdesc=A flying kick. It is a [[sex kick]] with relatively low startup (frame 7), ending and [[landing lag]]. It has gained notoriety for its sheer effectiveness in Link's arsenal, as it lets him escape pressure, is safe on shield with proper timing, and can even [[lock]] and combo into other moves on landing especially with the late hit, a notable followup being dash attack as a KO setup at high percents. Additionally, it has a rather large disjoint and can anti-air opponents reliably. As such, it is considered to be one of the best neutral aerials and one of the best sex kicks in the game.

|fairname= 

|fairdesc=Two alternating, spinning outward slashes. The first hit has weak knockback in order to connect into the second hit, which deals high enough knockback to be one of Link's most reliable KO options. The move deals high damage if both hits connect, and due to its low landing lag and long range, it is also safe on shield move with proper spacing and timing. However, its slow startup, high ending lag and inability to [[autocancel]] before it can be interrupted leave it easy to punish if overused.

|bairname= 

|bairdesc=A hook kick followed by a mid-level roundhouse kick. Link's fastest aerial, coming out on frame 5, and has low ending and landing lag, allowing it to combo into itself at low percents. The first hit can also set up various attacks on landing, including an up tilt, up smash, or most notably, a Spin Attack, the last two of which can serve as KO setups at high percents.

|uairname=Jump Thrust

|uairdesc=The {{s|zeldawiki|Up Thrust}}. It is quite powerful when clean and has a long lasting hitbox that is difficult to dodge, making it an effective KOing and juggling option. However, it has moderate startup, coming out on frame 11, can only autocancel in a full hop if done near the start, and leaves Link highly vulnerable from other positions due to its long duration.

|dairname=Downward Thrust

|dairdesc=The {{s|zeldawiki|Down Thrust}}. Upon hitting a target without [[fast falling]], Link bounces off them and can then hit them a second time, albeit dealing less damage. The clean hit is a powerful [[meteor smash]] against aerial targets, while also dealing high knockback to grounded targets, KOing them at around 125%. Like up aerial, the move has very long lasting hitboxes, which along with its disjointed range make it useful for contesting attacks from below and intercepting recoveries offstage. However, due to its very long duration, high landing lag and inability to autocancel even in a full hop, it is Link's most committal aerial.

|grabname= 

|grabdesc=Reaches out with one hand. A relatively fast grab, but possesses merely average range.

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=Hits the opponent with the Master Sword's pommel. A fairly fast pummel.

|fthrowname= 

|fthrowdesc=A front kick. Has little utility beyond launching opponents offstage, due to its weak power. Resembles the way Link punts objects in ''Breath of the Wild''.

|bthrowname= 

|bthrowdesc=A side kick. Launches the victim facing away from Link and at a slightly higher angle, but it is otherwise identical to forward throw.

|uthrowname= 

|dthrowname= 

|edgedesc=The Crouch Stab from ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''. Performs a thrust while climbing up.

|nsdesc=Wields the {{s|zeldawiki|Traveler's Bow}} and fires an {{s|zeldawiki|arrow}} forward. Charging increases the arrow's speed, distance and damage output; at full charge, the arrow flies almost completely straight and covers a very long distance. Good for [[gimp]]ing recoveries and pressuring opponents from afar. Upon hitting the ground or a wall, the arrows also linger for a while before disappearing, during which they can be picked up and thrown as items. If Link uses this move with an arrow picked up, he will fire two arrows at once, greatly increasing the damage dealt to opponents.

|ssdmg=8% (clean), 6% (late), 9.6% (clean, smash thrown), 7.2% (late, smash thrown), 3% (return)

|ssdesc=Throws a {{s|zeldawiki|Boomerang}}, which flies forward and then returns to Link. On the way forward, it launches enemies vertically with high base knockback, and on the way back, it launches them towards Link with weaker knockback, allowing it to set up combos. It can be angled up or down, and inputting it like a smash attack increases its damage, as well as the distance it can travel.

|usdmg=14%/12%/9%/7% (grounded, blade), 11.2%/9.6%/7.2%/5.6% (grounded, tip), 4% (aerial hit 1), 2% (aerial hits 2-4), 4% (aerial hit 5)

|usdesc=[[zeldawiki:Spin Attack|A spinning, outward attack, with Link using his sword]]. Much like in the ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, it is a powerful attack, and can be charged on the ground for even higher damage and knockback. Conversely, an aerial Spin Attack is a series of spinning, inward slashes and is Link's primary recovery move, covering respectable vertical distance, but minimal horizontal distance. The grounded version is a fast [[out of shield]] option and decays on damage over time, KOing at around 120% uncharged with the strongest hit, while the aerial version deals up to 5 hits and can KO reliably near edges.

|dsdesc=Pulls out a {{s|zeldawiki|Remote Bomb}}, which can be thrown as an item. After throwing it, using the move again has Link detonate the Remote Bomb with his {{s|zeldawiki|Sheikah Slate}}, creating a large blue explosion. The Remote Bomb has a maximum duration of about 30 seconds before detonating automatically, and can be knocked back by attacks, which also causes it to damage opponents in range. The Remote Bomb's throw deals low damage and knockback, but its explosion is significantly more powerful, having enough knockback to KO at around 180% from center stage with no [[rage]]. The explosion hurts Link as well if he is in range, which has its pros and cons; while being detrimental to him if he detonates the Remote Bomb with opponents too close to him, it also gives him a useful [[bomb recovery]], especially at high percents.

|fsdesc=Pulls out the {{s|zeldawiki|Ancient Bow}} and fires an Ancient Arrow straight forward, which explodes upon impact with the nearest opponent in its line of fire. It deals low damage compared to other Final Smashes.

Glides in on his {{s|zeldawiki|Paraglider}}, and pulls out his sword.

*'''Up Taunt''' : Swings the Master Sword twice and twirls it behind him before sheathing it. It is very similar to his victory pose in ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'', which he performs after learning a {{s|zeldawiki|Hidden Skill}} or defeating a boss/particularly difficult enemies.

*'''Side Taunt''': Holds the Master Sword in front of him with both hands as it glows blue, then puts it aside. Similar to {{SSBU|Ike}}'s up taunt.

*'''Down Taunt''': Assumes a {{s|wikipedia|Fujian White Crane}}-like stance while rearing the Master Sword behind his head. Loosely based on the attacking pose used by the Link from ''{{s|zeldawiki|Zelda II: The Adventure of Link}}''.

SSBULinkIdle1.gif|Link's first idle pose

SSBULinkIdle2.gif|Link's second idle pose

*'''Left:''' Swings his sword three times and looks to his right (his "character chosen" animation in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'', but ends with him facing a different direction).

*'''Up:''' Stabs with his sword, then holds it up, giving off a battle cry.

*'''Right:''' Lightly swings his sword, then turns his back to the camera and sheaths it. Based off of Link's victory pose in ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''.

[[File:ZeldaSeriesVictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|A flourished and abridged remix of the theme that plays when [[Link]] obtains a [[zeldawiki:Triforce|piece of the Triforce]] in ''[[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda (Game)|the original Legend of Zelda]]'' and has since become the main theme of the ''Zelda'' series.]]

==In competitive play==

In the beginning of ''Ultimate's'' metagame, many players thought of Link to have significantly improved from ''SSB4'', recognizing the increased reach of his sword, the return of his previous Boomerang from ''Smash 64'' and ''Melee'', his improved mobility, most of his aerials being safe on shield, most notably his neutral air, and the versatility of his new Remote Bomb special. Compounded with {{sm|Salem}}'s strong success with the character at majors and supermajors like {{Trn|Glitch 6}} and {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}, Link would receive an extremely positive reception from the community, where he would be regarded as a high tier or even a top tier character (with Dabuz at one point considering him to be a top 3 character).

However, overtime, Salem would eventually drop the character for {{SSBU|Snake}}; coupled with Link's small playerbase, this would cause his results to diminish considerably. As a result, Link's tier placement would become a subject of debate by many players, with some pointing out that despite his improvements, Link continues to retain the same issues from his previous counterparts, most notably his sluggish frame data. However, though Link's results have been sparse, {{sm|T}} has begun to show strong signs of success with the character, being the first Link player to place top 8 at a S-Tier with {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}} as well as making other notable placements at regionals and majors, while also defeating high level players such as {{sm|Marss}}, {{sm|Raito}}, and {{sm|Zackray}}. As a result, most players think of Link as a high tier character once again, garnering him a mostly positive reception from the community overall, albeit not to the same degree as before.

===Notable players===

<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->

''Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.''

*{{Sm|Bernie|Mexico}} - The best Link player in Mexico. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 7}}, 5th at {{Trn|Delfino Maza 2}}, and 13th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 8}}. Has wins over {{sm|Leaf}}, {{sm|Chag}}, {{sm|Nery}}, and {{sm|Wonf}}.

*{{Sm|Lean|Japan|p=Japan}} - One of the best Link players in Japan. Placed 17th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}}, 25th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP 3}}.

*{{Sm|Manzoku|Japan}} - The second best Link player in Japan. Placed 17th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}, 25th at {{Trn|EGS Cup 2}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP}} and {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}}, {{Trn|Umebura SP 4}}, and {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Umeki}}, {{Sm|Paseriman}}, and {{Sm|OCEAN}}.

*{{Sm|Orange|Canada}} - The best Link player in Canada. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|HABBY Birthday 2019}}, 5th at {{Trn|Frozen Phoenix 2019}}, and 49th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Blacktwins}} and {{Sm|DoctorKayh}}.

*{{Sm|Otakuni|France}} - One of the two best Link players in Europe. Placed 9th at {{Trn|SEL 4: Crêpes Strikes Back}}, 17th at both {{Trn|Stunfest 2019}} and {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Albion 4}}. Ranked 15th on the [[French Power Rankings#Ultimate|French Ultimate Power Rankings]] and 39th on the [[European Smash Rankings]].

*{{Sm|RIN|USA|p=Illinois}} - One of the best Link players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Frosty Faustings XI}}, 13th at {{Trn|Frosty Faustings XII 2020}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Midwest Mayhem Ultimate}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Comet}} and {{Sm|Rickles}}.

*{{Sm|Ross|USA}} - One of the best Link players in the United States. Placed 9th at both {{Trn|GatorLAN Spring 2019}} and {{Trn|Overlords of Orlando: Ultimate Edition}}, as well as 13th at {{Trn|GatorLAN Spring 2020}}, 49th at {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}}, and 65th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}} in conjunction with {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}.

*{{Sm|T|Japan}} (#15) - The best Link player in the world. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}, 4th at {{Trn|EGS Cup 2}}, {{Trn|Sumabato SP 9}}, and {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}, 5th at {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}}, 9th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 4}}, 13th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}}, 17th at {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 5}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|Dabuz}}, {{Sm|Tea}}, {{Sm|Choco}}, {{sm|Raito}}, {{Sm|Shuton}}, {{sm|Nietono}}, {{sm|kameme}}, and {{Sm|Zackray}}.

*{{Sm|VinS|France}} - One of the two best Link players in Europe. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|DreamHack Tours 2019}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Brussels Challenge Major Edition 2019}}, and 33rd at both {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}} and {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}. Ranked 9th on the [[French Power Rankings#Ultimate|French Ultimate Power Rankings]] and 43rd on the [[European Smash Rankings]]. Has wins over {{Sm|Elexiao}}, {{Sm|Griffith}}, and {{Sm|Yetey}}.

*{{Sm|Zomba|USA}} - One of the best Link players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|The Scarlet Classic V}}, 13th at {{Trn|Return to Yoshi's Island}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves}} using Link as one of his characters.

 

*{{Sm|Fatality|USA}} - Used Link as a secondary before dropping the character. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Midwest Mayhem Ultimate}} and 9th at {{Trn|Super Splat Bros}} with both Link and {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}}.

*{{Sm|Izaw|Sweden}} - Considered the best Link player in Sweden and one of the best Link players in Europe before his inactivity. Placed 7th at {{Trn|Phoenix Blue 2}}, 9th at {{Trn|Valhalla II}}, 13th at {{Trn|ICARUS V}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Young Eevey}}, {{Sm|Raaban}}, and {{Sm|TriM}}.

*{{Sm|Javi|p=Smash 4|Mexico}} - Placed 3rd at {{Trn|WeTecThose 9}} and 33rd at {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}} using Link as one of his characters, and 65th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} with solo Link.

*{{Sm|Salem|USA}} (#30) - Considered the best Link player in the world before dropping the character. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Smash Conference United}}, 7th at {{Trn|Glitch 6}}, and 13th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{SSBU|Dark Pit}} {{head|Dark Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Reset Bomb Forest]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Dark Pit's Theme}}''||

|2||Giant {{SSBU|Ridley}} {{head|Ridley|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Norfair]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Metroid|Vs. Ridley}}''||

|3||{{SSBU|Bayonetta}} {{head|Bayonetta|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Umbra Clock Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Bayonetta|One Of A Kind}}''||

|4||{{SSBU|Dark Samus}} {{head|Dark Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Frigate Orpheon]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Metroid|Boss Battle 4 - Metroid: Samus Returns}}''||

|5||{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Gerudo Valley]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Gerudo Valley}}''||{{SSBU|Zelda}} {{head|Zelda|g=SSBU|s=20px}} is the player's CPU ally.

|6||Link {{head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}||[[Temple]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Great Temple / Temple}}''||If using the Dark Link costume, default Link {{head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px}} appears as the enemy.

|Final||[[Ganon]]||Sacred Realm||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Calamity Ganon Battle - Second Form}}''||

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Link has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Title Theme - The Legend of Zelda}}'' accompany the credits.

Link's Classic Mode character unlock tree includes the following characters in order:  

During the opening cutscene, Link was present on the cliffside when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light. Link successfully deflected three beams of light with his [[Hylian Shield|shield]] (staying true to the shield's unbreakable nature), but he lost his footing on the third blow, and was vaporized and placed under Galeem's imprisonment along with the rest of the fighters (excluding {{SSBU|Kirby}}).

Link is unlocked near a Sheikah Tower when taking {{SSBU|Villager}}’s route. The player must defeat [[List of spirits (Animal Crossing series)|Don's spirit]] to access his unlock battle.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"

! style="width:5%;"|No.

! style="width:5%;"|Image

! Name

! Type

! Power

! Stage

! Music

| 03

| [[File:Link SSBU.png|center|108x108px]]

| {{SSBU|Link}}

| [[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]] <center>{{color|#18aef5|Shield}}</center>

| 3,600

| [[Great Plateau Tower]] ([[Ω form]])

| ''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Main Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}''

{{-}}

Link's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]] as him. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Link in World of Light allows the player to preview the second spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Additionally, various incarnations of Link make an appearance in various Primary and Support Spirits.

Master Cycle Spirit.png|93. Master Cycle  

Link Spirit.png|172. '''''Link'''''

Spirit Link TLOZ.png|178. Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Epona Spirit.png|196. Epona

Ricky Spirit.png|217. Ricky

Dimitri Spirit.png|218. Dimitri

Moosh.png|219. Moosh

Wolf link and midna.png|223. Wolf Link & Midna  

Loftwing.png|231. Loftwing  

Link Drawing Spirit.png|233. Wall-Merged Link  

Link (A Link Between Worlds).png|234. Link (A Link Between Worlds)

Link's Awakening.png|1,322. Link (Link's Awakening)

==In Spirit battles==

|{{anchor|Darknut}}[[Darknut]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Fierce Deity Link}}Fierce Deity Link

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Fi}}Fi

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[File:Crispin Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|{{anchor|Crispin}}Crispin

|•{{SSBU|Link}} {{Head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}<br>•{{SSBU|Mii Swordfighter}} {{Head|Mii Swordfighter|g=SSBU|s=20px}} (Moveset [[Blurring Blade|3]][[Airborne Assault|1]][[Skyward Slash Dash|2]][[Power Thrust|3]], Super Mushroom Hat, Standard Outfit, Normal Voice Type 7)

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Personal Trainer: Cooking}}

|{{anchor|Glory of Heracles Hero}}Glory of Heracles Hero

|•{{SSBU|Link}} {{Head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Indigo}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Revolt -Striving for Hope-}}

|{{anchor|Frey & Freya}}Frey & Freya

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Save the World, Heroes!}}

|{{anchor|Marin}}Marin

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|•The floor is sleep-inducing<br>•Timed battle

|{{anchor|Zelda (Breath of the Wild)}}Zelda (Breath of the Wild)

|•{{SSBU|Zelda}} {{Head|Zelda|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}<br>•{{SSBU|Link}} {{Head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}<br>•{{SSBU|Inkling}} {{Head|Inkling|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Pink}}<br>•{{SSBU|Donkey Kong}} {{Head|Donkey Kong|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}<br>•{{SSBU|Falco}} {{Head|Falco|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}<br>•{{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}} {{Head|Zero Suit Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=ShortsBlue}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Hero's Comrades}}Hero's Comrades

|•{{SSBU|Ike}} {{Head|Ike|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|King Dedede}} {{Head|King Dedede|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Pink}}<br>•{{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}} {{Head|Zero Suit Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=ShortsBlue}}<br>•{{SSBU|Sheik}} {{Head|Sheik|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|Robin}} {{Head|Robin|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}<br>•{{SSBU|Zelda}} {{Head|Zelda|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}<br>•{{SSBU|Link}} {{Head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Teal}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{s|dragonquestwiki|Erik}}

SSBUWebsiteLink3.jpg|Link performing his up special, [[Spin Attack]] on {{SSBU|Pac-Man}} on [[Spirit Train]].

===Character Showcase Video===

*''Ultimate'' marks the first time in the ''Smash'' series where Link does not wear his trademark green tunic as his default outfit, as well as the first time Link no longer has his Goron and Zora tunics from ''Ocarina of Time'' as his respective red and blue alternate costumes. His new red and blue costumes are based on armor sets from ''Breath of the Wild'' - the {{s|zeldawiki|Hylian Tunic}} and the Royal Guard Uniform, respectively.

**Ironically, Link's Champion's Tunic cannot be dyed in ''Breath of the Wild'' despite being the base for four of his costumes in ''Ultimate''. His Hero of the Wild set can be dyed, but the colors used for the other three costumes based on this outfit are not possible in ''Breath of the Wild''.

**Despite being recolored versions of the Hero of the Wild outfit, neither his Fierce Deity nor his ''Twilight Princess''-inspired costumes appear to expose his knees. This is in line with how both outfits appear in their respective ''Zelda'' games. Additionally, if one views him wearing these costumes during gameplay, then one can tell that his trousers were indeed lengthened due to the appearance of seams and other fabric detail and not just simply recoloring his legs.

**Despite Link's default design lacking a cap, {{SSBU|Kirby}} still gains his familiar green cap when [[Inhale (Kirby)|copying]] Link.

**Link's Skyloft-based alternate costume (now a white recolor of his Champion's Tunic) is the only one of his eight costumes in this game that does not appear in ''Breath of the Wild''.

*This is the first game where Link is not left-handed, matching ''Breath of the Wild''; this resulted in multiple animation changes.

*Link is ranked #3 on ''Ultimate'''s roster,  which is coincidentally the same number of playable Links in the game as well as the same number of pieces in the {{s|zeldawiki|Triforce}}, as well as the number of sides of a triangle.

*One of Link's Tip's talks about how Link's name is only in five titles in the series, and that one is trickier to remember than the others. These games are ''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: A Link Between Worlds'', and the one that is "trickier to remember" being ''Link's Crossbow Training''.

*Link is the most common opponent for Classic Mode routes, as he appears in 20 different routes.

*Marketing for ''Ultimate'' depicts Link as a mascot of the game alongside Mario with roughly equal status for the first time in the series; for instance, Mario and Link were the two most prominent veterans teased for the game in March 2018, they are the two most prominent characters on the "Everyone is Here" cast artwork, and were shown on interstitial screens to represent the game at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}.  

** The only cases in which Link does not share prominence with Mario are the [[How to Play]] video (depicting Mario and {{SSBU|Bowser}} as has been tradition), the [[Controls]] menu (due to the fact that only one character is used to test controls), and [[Adventure Mode: World of Light]] (as Mario is the first required unlock while Link can be skipped over, although Kirby is the mode's ''de facto'' starter character). While Mario is marginally more prominent on the boxart for ''Ultimate'', it still depicts him and Link as a mascot duo.

*Interestingly, although Link has a new side taunt, an unused model of the fairy from his previous side taunt (which is given to Young Link instead in this new game) remains in his character files.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/Super_Smash_Bros._Ultimate#Link Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - The Cutting Room Floor]</ref>

*When fighting off the fifty puppet fighter army as Master Hand in World of Light, Link is one of the eight fighters fought there, being affiliated with Galeem.