Link (SSB4)

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Link in Super Smash Bros. 4
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl
Final Smash	Triforce Slash

Link (リンク, Rinku) was the second veteran confirmed to be a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4 on June 11th, 2013 during the E3 2013 Nintendo Direct. He will be among the first wave of compatible amiibo figures for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Akira Sasanuma is providing the voice of Link, but through reused voice clips from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

He is joined by Princess Zelda and her alter-ego Sheik as representation for his franchise. Another incarnation of Link from The Wind Waker, dubbed Toon Link, will also be playable.

Confirmed changes from Brawl

While Link has traditionally been a weak character, he seems to have gone through many improvements that both make him a stronger fighter and better represent his abilities in The Legend of Zelda.

• Forward tilt is now faster.
• Clawshot's Tether is dramatically buffed as with other tethers.
• His grab aerial comes out much faster.
• Gale Boomerang has its tornado come out upon returning, and has better damage and knockback.
• Hero's Bow charges faster.
  • However, it deals less damage.
• Link's bombs deal slightly more damage.
  • However, they suffer from more gravity, somewhat weakening his approach.
• Link's Dash attack is now the Jump Attack from Ocarina of Time. It is capable of hitting both horizontally and vertically depending on placement of the hitbox, and appears to have been strengthened.
• Up aerial has changed from its Zelda II: The Adventures of Link animation to a very wide scissor kick. It appears to have quicker start up and also a smaller hitbox, as the size looks very different than before.
• Down aerial has a meteor smash if the tip of his sword hits with the initial hitbox, similar to Toon Link's in Brawl. Link's down aerial also experiences significantly less lag after impacting the ground.
• The Spin Attack has been given its power from Melee, along with its charge ability from Brawl. The Spin Attack also seems to have been buffed, as seen in the E3 Invitational, where it acted similarly to Melee's.
• Link's Master Sword seems to be much larger, improving its already great reach.
• Link appears to have greater speed in both the air and on the ground, alongside overall less lag in his attacks.
• Triforce Slash's power has been lowered from 83% to 69%.
• Link has a new edge attack based on the Crouch Stab from Ocarina of Time.
• Link's roll animations are now based on Link's abilities from Ocarina of Time.

The design of Link's clothing, weaponry, and hair are based on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. However, his facial structure and his bright color contrast draw inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The Hylian Sheild and Master Sword that Link wield have been given much sleeker appearances, which is reminiscent to Ocarina of Time 3D and Skyward Sword. It would appear that instead of being designed after a specific incarnation, Link is a general representation of the Hero that draws inspiration from multiple games in The Legend of Zelda. His facial expressiveness is somewhat more varied than past installments as well.

Moveset

Ground attacks

Normal

• Neutral attack - Link takes three actions with his sword; he swipes his sword across his body, followed by an outward swipe, and then thrusts it in a forward stab. It is based off of a finishing move from Ocarina of Time.
• Dash attack - Link performs a leaping downward slash - a Jump Attack - from Ocarina of Time. It is capable of hitting both horizontally and vertically.
• Forward tilt - Link performs an overhand swipe with his sword.
• Up tilt - Link swings his sword in an arch above his head. It is now effective for combos.
• Down tilt - Link swipes his sword across the ground.

Smash

• Forward smash - Link forcefully swings his sword forward. If directional input is applied, he will swing again with even more power.
• Up smash - Link swipes his sword in an arc three times.
• Down smash - Link swipes his sword from front to back.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial - Link performs a sex kick. It is one of the few attacks that doesn't utilize his sword.
• Forward aerial - Link swipes his sword twice as he swings his body 360˚.
• Back aerial - Link performs a two kick combo. It is one of the few attacks that doesn't utilize his sword.
• Up aerial - Link thrusts his sword upward simultaneously as he performs a scissor kick.
• Down aerial - Link takes his sword into a downward thrust from Zelda II: The Adventures of Link. If positioned correctly, Link will perform a powerful meteor smash.

Throws and grabs

• Forward throw - Link releases the opponent from his pummel and kicks them away.
• Back throw - Link takes his opponent behind him and kicks them away.
• Down throw - Link takes the opponent onto the ground and elbow drops them.

Special Moves

In Super Smash Bros. 4, special moves can be swapped out for different variants, but only a few of Link's are known. Link retains all of his original special moves and his final smash. These are Link's special moves:

• Neutral special - Hero's Bow: Link equips the hero's bow from Twilight Princess and shoots an arrow. The longer he charges the bow, the farther and quicker the arrow will travel.
• Side special - Gale Boomerang: Link tosses the gale boomerang from Twilight Princess as a projectile. Unlike in Brawl, the small whirlwind is only produced one the boomerang's way back.
• Up special - Spin Attack: Link performs a rapid 360˚ spin attack from Ocarina of Time. It has its power from Melee, but can still be charged from Brawl. It's potential as a recovery move has been significantly improved.
• Down special - Bomb: Link equips a bomb from Twilight Princess, which he can then throw at an opponent. If he does not release the bomb, it will explode and damage him.

Special Move	Basic	Custom 1	Custom 2
Neutral Special	Hero's Bow	-	-
Side Special	Gale Boomerang	"Electric variant"	-
Up Special	Spin Attack	-	-
Down Special	Bomb	-	-
Final Smash	Triforce Slash	-	-

Final Smash

• Triforce Slash: Link's final smash from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Link locks onto an opponent and proceeds to slash them repeatedly with his Master Sword. A luminous image of the Triforce appears around the opponent as Link slashes them. The final strike launches the opponent.

Taunts

• Performs two swipes with his sword, twirls it, and then sheathes it. He will then quickly unsheathe it. It is based on Link's victory pose from Twilight Princess.
• Link pulls in his right knee and draws his sword back behind his head in a threatening battle pose. It originates from Super Smash Bros..
• Link takes out his guide from Ocarina of Time, Navi, who proceeds to fly around as Link watches her.

On-Screen Appearance

Small whirlwinds appear on the battlefield, from which Link appears. Link then proceeds to equip his sword and shield.

Victory Fanfare

A flourished remix directly from Brawl. It is a remix of the tune that will play when Link obtained a Triforce Piece in The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is shared with Zelda, Sheik, and Toon Link.

Palette Swaps

• Standard - Green: Link wears the Hero's Tunic and carries a blue Hylian Shield.
• Red: Link wears a red tunic and carries a brown Hylian Shield. It is based on the Goron Tunic from Ocarina of Time.
• Blue: Link wears a blue tunic and carries a deep blue Hylian Shield. It is based on the Zora Tunic from Ocarina of Time.
• White: Link wears a lavender tunic and carries a white Hylian Shield. It is based on the Red Mail from A Link to the Past.
• Black: Link wears a black tunic and wields the Mirror Shield. His skin is dark and his hair is white. His pupils and irises are red, and his sclera is black instead of white. It is based off of Dark Link as he appeared in Twilight Princess.
• Skyward Sword: Link wears his Knight Academy uniform. It is a beige tunic with blue stripes and an additional red piece of cloth around his waist. His pants are green. Unlike in Skyward Sword, Link wears a beige cap with the uniform.

Gallery

• 

  Link in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.

• 

  Link's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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  Link's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

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  Link's up special in the Wii U version.

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  Link and Pit preparing their arrows.

• 

  A sword attack, possibly the forward tilt.

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  Link's Spin Attack colliding with Toon Link's against Donkey Kong.

• 

  Toon Link throws a Bomb at Link.

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  Toon Link and Link use their Spin Attack on the ground.

• 

  Link's down aerial now used as a meteor smash on Samus.

• 

  Link using his neutral attack 1 while Marth performs his dash attack. Note that Link is not dashing, nor is his sword outwards.

• 

  Link using his Clawshot.

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  His side taunt.

• 

  Link and Peach on Battlefield.

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  His appearance in the 3DS version, posing with Toon Link.

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  Link stealing a ledge from Mario.

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  Link's and Pit's arrows colliding in the air.

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  Forward aerial.

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  Link using the Gale Boomerang.

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  Link and Samus simultaneously grabbing a ledge with their tether recoveries.

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  Link's clothes from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

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  Dark Link costume.