Link (Super Smash Bros.)


 * This article is about Link's appearance in Super Smash Bros. For other uses, see Link.

Link (Japanese: リンク, Rinku) a starter character in Super Smash Bros. He is the sole representative of The Legend of Zelda series. Having many disjointed melee attacks and two projectile weapons, Link can be a hassle to approach. However, his lack of speed and maneuverability cause problems for Link in approaching an opponent. In fact, much of Link's strategy consists of standing back, throwing a few projectiles, and waiting for an opening. Due to his slow ground movements and attacks, it is imperative that Link players be able to not only short hop but be able to input an attack immediately afterward.

Link is known in high level competitive play as a very defensive character, relying on bombs and boomerangs to prevent gimps and using back air, up tilt, and up air for combos while using down air, f-smash, down smash, and projectiles for edgeguarding. Link's recovery is so poor that he cannot ever be close to a ledge. Link's poor recovery and the fact that he is very easily comboed make it difficult for him to win. Link has barely any good match-ups due to this and is usually considered the worst character to use on Dreamland. For this, he is third to last, 10th, on the tier list.

Attributes
Link has long ranged attacks due to his sword, and they also have good power and priority. On the down side, he also has slow attack and movement speed. His grab is long like his attacks due to being a tether grab, but it leaves him vulnerable if it misses. Link also has two good projectiles, which can lead to some very aesthetic combos. This makes Link tough to approach, and can be used to edge-guard. Link is also heavy, which means he is harder to knock around but easier to combo.

Link's biggest problem is his recovery. Despite possessing the 4th fastest air speed, his very short jumps, fast falling speed (the second fastest in the game) and poor distance both horizontally and vertically of Spin Attack (even descends before the animation is over) makes his recovery arguably the worst in the game. It is also easily edge-guarded, especially by characters with spikes.

Link is very low on the tier list because he is easily gimped and very easily comboed. He doesn't have the large priority of such characters as Falcon or Ness, the combo ability of Falcon or Jigglypuff, or the priority of Pikachu or Kirby, making the best way for Link to win vs these characters is to camp and space.

Normal

 * Neutral attack- Sword Swipe, 5%, then another swipe, 3%, and a last stab for 4% before a series of quick sword stabs, 1% each. This move comes out fast and has decent range right in front on Link.
 * Forward Tilt - Link brings his sword up and slashes down. Somewhat slow but above average damage and knockback for a forward tilt. 18%.
 * Up Tilt - Link quickly swings his sword in a small arch above him. Can be chained together and good for leading into combos, usually F-Tilt or N-Air. There is the slighted arch in the foe's upward trajectory; when facing right, there's a slight right angle, and when left, a slight left angle. This move can usually kill a foe reliably above very high damages such as 200%. 10% damage.
 * Down Tilt - He slashes his sword sluggishly below him. Usually knocks foes upwards. At lower percents, this can be followed by a F-Smash, a F-Tilt, or even a grab attack. At higher damages, in most cases, it knocks the foe far enough to prevent any real quick follow up. 12%
 * Dash attack - He sticks his sword straight out mid-dash and stops. Good range and speed, and can KO usually around 150%. Great for combo finishers. There is, however, some cooldown lag. 16%

Smash attacks

 * Forward Smash - He quickly twirls his sword twice and then slashes forward in a similar fashion to his F-Tilt, but has a bigger blue effect if it hits. Good finisher. 20%.
 * Up Smash - Triple Up Sword, 7%, 3%, then 12%. Good move for damage racking, as long as the foe doesn't DI out of it. Best suited for heavier characters. This move is somewhat weak for KO-ing, however, at lower percents it can lead into itself, and aerial follow up, or Up B. In most other cases, though, a U-Air or simply some other juggling plan (usually a Bomb readied before the move) is recommended. The range of the move itself isn't that far, it resembles a bunch of Link's Up Tilts in rapid succession, though with less of an arch.
 * Down Smash - 16% damage. Link rapidly slashes in front of him and then back. The move is a good close up defensive move but also has a good KO-ing property. This move is one of Link's few moves that come out near-instantaneously, and the ending lag isn't that bad either. Assuming the Link player is facing right, when the foe is hit on either side while being closest to Link, they will be sent upwards at a slight right trajectory. When hit at the end of Link's blade, it'll knock the foe in a 45° angle in the direction depending on what side they were hit on.

Other attacks

 * Ledge attack - Flips over and slashes outwards. Decent range. 4% damage.
 * 100% ledge attack - Slowly picks himself up and stabs at a slight upward angle. 4% damage.
 * Floor attack- Slashes on both sides and gets up. 6% damage.

Aerial attacks

 * Neutral Air - Sex Kick. Link's N-Air is best used as a defensive move, seeing how even when it first comes out, there is not much KO power unless used in the air for an edgeguard. 10% when it first comes out.
 * Forward Air - Spin Sword, 20%, 10%. Link slashes once in front of him, swirls in a complete circle and sticks out his sword again (best viewed on 1/4 speed in training). The first hit does 20% damage with a good amount of knockback, the second doing 10%, but still with strength. It is not possible for the two hits to combine into each other, so only one will hit.
 * Up Air - Upwards Thrust, 16%. Decent KO power, can also juggle. The hitbox of this move is Link's blade, which is directly aimed up.
 * Back Air - Double kick. They both combine into each other for a good amount of knockback, though the second hit can be DI'd out of. In addition, it is unsafe for Link player to use this move near a ledge due to the length of this move, as Link's recovery may not always be good enough to make it back to the stage. 10%, 10%.
 * Down Air - Down Thrust Sword. Link aims his sword directly below him for a long duration. This move has great knockback. This move can be used to kill recovering foes by jumping directly at them (do NOT start this technique by leaping off a ledge), using his D-Air to KO them, and using the small amount of height gained from hitting the foe (in a "Leap Frog" like way), recover back to the stage. It should be noted that this move's downwards descent can be fastened by fast falling, though doing so isn't recommended near ledge, as this move will definitely doom Link players who use this move off a ledge. Also has substantial ending lag when the player lands on the ground whilst using the move. To avoid the ending lag, press Z just before the sword touches the ground (called L-canceling). This will cause Link to bring the sword back up before it plunges into the ground, avoiding the ending lag. This is an imperative tactic to master to play well with Link. 16%.

Grabs & Throws

 * Link, along with Samus, has an "extended grab"- meaning they use a grappler in order to increase their grab length, leading to various combos due to the large grab range.


 * Forward Throw - Link violently kicks his foe forward with good power. Often throws the foe far enough to set up a quick boomerang or bomb-based edgeguard, or simply one of Link's aerials. 14%
 * Back Throw - 16% damage. Link takes the foe and kicks them directly behind him. Somewhat better killing power than his forward throw.

Taunt

 * Lowers his right leg and raises his left arm (his sword arm), then pulls his right leg up, pushes his right knee out to his left, points his foot downwards so that the end of his left boot comes to about halfway up his left shinguard.

In Single-player
In the game's single-player mode, Link is the first character the player battles, in which they must face him on Hyrule Castle. If the player is against Link in Single Player mode on Very Easy, he does not attack or move until the player makes the first strike or after a period of time.

Extended Boomerang
Link's boomerang (neutral B attack) goes farther if it is treated as a smash attack. Quickly tap the control stick to the side while hitting B to extend the range.

Bomb Recovery
Like Samus, Link can use his bombs to aid his recovery. However, unlike Samus, Link must use a bit of technical skill and timing. While recovering, pull out a bomb and drop it slowly below Link. Continue to Directional Influence toward the stage and then use his B-air. This causes Link to explode toward the platform. He must use his Up B move and land back safely. Link cannot grab the edge because the explosion causes him to face the other direction. To counter this, throw his Boomerang before using his Up B. This technique is extremely situational, and poorly helps to recover in very few cases.

Bomb damages

 * Explosion: 5%
 * Throws
 * Tilt: 5%
 * Tilt Up: 5%
 * Tilt Down: 0%+5% (5%)
 * Dash: 9%+5% (14%)
 * Smash: 8%+5% (13%)
 * Smash Up: 8%+5% (13%)
 * Smash Down: 0%+5% (5%)
 * Air Throws
 * Tilt: 7%+5% (12%)
 * Tilt Up: 8%+5% (13%)
 * Tilt Down: 8%+5% (13%)
 * Smash: 9%+5% (14%)
 * Smash Up: 11%+5% (16%)
 * Smash Down: 11%+5% (16%)

Description
''Link is the valiant boy hero of "Legend of Zelda" series in which he fights against the evil Ganon to recover the Triforce. Though his tools may change with each adventure, his strength and righteousness remain constant. With his trusty sword and a variety of weapons, he takes his adventures head on!''

Works:
 * The Legend of Zelda (NES)
 * The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
 * The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Trivia

 * When Link picks up a battering item, his dash attack will show him using his sword and the item he's wielding.
 * A level 3 Link CPU on any stage will always use a bomb as his first attack and a level 9 Link on the Hyrule Castle stage will always use his boomerang as his first attack, making them very predictable and easy to approach.
 * Link is stronger in the European version of Super Smash Bros., as his Side Smash causes 24% instead of 20% and he has better air speed, improving his recovery.
 * In the Japanese version of Super Smash Bros., Link's sword has a reflection metal effect, while the western version does not, making his sword more plastic looking.
 * Link, along with Kirby, Pikachu, Donkey Kong and Yoshi, is the only character to open his mouth in Super Smash Bros..