Young Link (SSBU)
Young Link in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | |
---|---|
Universe | The Legend of Zelda |
Other playable appearance | in Melee |
Availability | Unlockable |
Final Smash | Triforce Slash |
“ | He’s back after 17 years! Young Link is faster than Link but he’s also lighter, making him easier to launch. | ” |
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site |
Young Link (こどもリンク, Young Link) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was officially confirmed as playable on June 12th, 2018. Fujiko Takimoto reprises her role as Young Link's voice, albeit mostly through voice clips used in Melee.
Changes from Super Smash Bros. Melee
Although Young Link is still faster and lighter than Link, it is unknown if he has been further decloned in spite of Link's own Breath of the Wild-based alterations, and he is not classified as an Echo Fighter either.
Aesthetics
- Due to the game's graphical improvements, Young Link's design gains additional detail, particularly in his hair. His colors are more subdued than they were in Melee.
- Young Link is now taller, almost as tall as regular Link.
- Young Link is much more expressive. Like Diddy Kong, his hat is also "looser" on his head and pops off during certain animations, such as his down aerial.
- Young Link now has an entrance animation, similar to Link's animation from the original Super Smash Bros.
- Young Link's taunt from Melee executes significantly faster. In addition, he has two new taunts: one where he triumphantly lifts his sword into the air while grinning, and another where Navi flies around him, akin to Link's side taunt in Brawl and Smash 4.
- The Kokiri Sword now has a bronze hilt. It leaves behind a white trail with blue accents, as opposed to a pure white trail in Melee.
- Additionally, Link's yellow and blue Spin Attack sword trail from Smash 4 is recycled for Young Link, as Link now has a unique sword trail.
- Young Link now has an alternate costume based on the appearance of Dark Link.
Attributes
- Like all characters, Young Link's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete.
- Young Link's fall speed has been reduced.
- Young Link's midair jump is significantly higher. This improves Young Link's ability to recover back to the stage.
- Young Link now has a fast fall speed more in line with the rest of the roster, in comparison to his almost unnoticeable fast fall in Melee. This greatly increases the versatility of his air game, and allows him to use various mix-ups that other characters possess.
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack's third jab has slightly more horizontal range.
- Neutral attack infinite is now a flurry of slashes that transition much faster, and has a finisher in the form of an ascending slash.
- Forward tilt covers more vertical range. It also has a faster startup.
- Down tilt has much quicker startup.
- Up smash has more ending lag.
Aerial attacks
- Forward aerial's two hits connect to each other much more reliably.
Throws/other attacks
- Young Link's Hookshot has shorter range, making it harder to grab opponents with.
- Young Link jumps a bit higher when performing his up throw.
- Up throw has more ending lag.
Special Moves
- Fire Bow's arrow now lights up when nocked, and ignites when completely charged, compared to in Melee where the arrow does not light up at all. This is purely aesthetic, as the arrows are always on fire regardless of charge length.
- Fire Bow's arrows have been redesigned to more closely resemble the artwork found in the manual for Ocarina of Time.
- Spin Attack preserves much more momentum after being used, and Young Link can move more during its animation.
- Like with Link's Bombs in Super Smash Bros. 4, the explosions from Young Link's Bombs do not damage him if they hit an opponent.
- Young Link now has a Final Smash, which is Triforce Slash. Visually, this variant resembles Link's version from Smash 4, but the final flourish and slash have altered animations: Young Link rears his hand back and does an outward slash, instead of a stab.
Alternate costumes
Gallery
Young Link's amiibo.
Young Link on Great Bay.
Tossing his Bomb at Wario on Castle Siege.
Drinking Lon Lon Milk with Inkling on Temple.
Performing his down aerial in his Dark Link-based costume on the Umbra Clock Tower.
Young Link drinking his Lon Lon Milk with Simon on Figure-8 Circuit.
Carrying his Bomb with Bomberman on Temple.
Idling with Mario on Tomodachi Life.
With all playable The Legend of Zelda veterans on the Great Plateau Tower.
Character Showcase Video
<youtube>qpzDPfCzB7g</youtube>
Trivia
- Young Link's official artwork is based off of the pose he strikes after using his grounded Spin Attack.
- Young Link and Pichu share the longest gap between playable appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series, with seventeen years between Melee and Ultimate.
- This has been noted by both of their Super Smash Bros. blog's "Today's Fighter" descriptions.