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
Availability	Starter
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, her alter-ego Sheik, and long-standing villain Ganondorf, as representation for his franchise. Another incarnation of Link from The Wind Waker, Toon Link, also returns from Brawl.

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 smash is stronger.
• 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.
• 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.
• Link's grab has been changed to be both much faster, grab at a longer reach and also regains its Super Smash Bros. trajectory, in which it shoots straight, and doesn't fall to the ground.
• Hero's Bow charges faster.
  • However, it deals less damage.
• Link's bombs deal slightly more damage and no longer harm him if thrown close to an opponent.
  • However, they suffer from more gravity, somewhat weakening his approach.
• 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. Does 2%, 3%, and 5%.
• Dash attack - Link performs a leaping downward slash - a Jump Attack - from Ocarina of Time. It is capable of hitting both horizontally and vertically. 13 - 15% damage.
• Forward tilt - Link performs an overhand swipe with his sword. 13% damage.
• Up tilt - Link swings his sword in an arch above his head. It is now effective for combos. 9% damage.
• Down tilt - Link swipes his sword across the ground. 12% damage.

Smash

• Forward smash - Link forcefully swings his sword forward. If directional input is applied, he will swing again with even more power. 8%, then 13% uncharged, 10% then 20% fully charged.
• Up smash - Link swipes his sword in an arc three times. 4%, 3%, 12% uncharged. 5%, 5%, 16% fully charged.
• Down smash - Link swipes his sword from front to back. 15% front, 13% back uncharged, 20% front, 17% back fully charged

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial - Link performs a sex kick. It is one of the few attacks that doesn't utilize his sword. 11% damage if clean, 6% damage if late.
• Forward aerial - Link swipes his sword twice as he swings his body 360˚. 8% damage for the first swing, 10% damage for the second.
• Back aerial - Link performs a two kick combo. It is one of the few attacks that doesn't utilize his sword. 3% then 5% damage.
• Up aerial - Link thrusts his sword upward with his body dangling. 15% damage.
• 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. 19% damage, 15% without sweetspot, 8% second hit.

Throws and grabs

• Forward throw - Link releases the opponent from his pummel and kicks them away. 3% then 4% damage.
• Back throw - Link takes his opponent behind him and kicks them away. 3% then 4% damage.
• Down throw - Link takes the opponent onto the ground and elbow drops them. 3% then 4% damage.
• Up throw - Link raises the opponent above him and slashes upward. 8% total damage.

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. 4% uncharged, 12% fully charged.
• Side special - Gale Boomerang: Link tosses the gale boomerang from Twilight Princess as a projectile. Unlike in Brawl, the small whirlwind is only produced on the boomerang's way back. Boomerang does 7% close up, 5% distant.
• 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. Hits max 4 times in the air, once on the ground, 1 hit of 4% then 3 hits of 2%. Can be charged on the ground - 12% uncharged, 20% charged.
• Down special - Bomb: Link equips a bomb from Twilight Princess, which he can then throw at an opponent for 5% damage. If he does not release the bomb, it will explode and damage him for 7%.

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	Giant 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

Trophy

Link's trophy has been seen in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. In addition to a trophy of Link's normal appearance, a trophy of Link in his Ocarina of Time 3D design, riding Epona, appears in the 3DS version.

• LinkTrophy3DS1.png

  Link trophy.

• 

  Link and Epona trophy.

• 

  Trophy of Link as he appears in Ocarina of Time 3D.

Gallery

• 

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

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  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.

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  A sword attack, possibly the forward tilt.

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

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  Toon Link throws a Bomb at Link.

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

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

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  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.

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  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.