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This article is about Toon Link's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. For other uses, see Toon Link.

Toon Link (トゥーンリンク, Toon Link) is a returning starter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U representing the Legend of Zelda universe. He was revealed on September 26th, 2013, the same day The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD came out in Japan.

He currently ranks 23rd on the tier list due to his above average run speed, great projectile game, and kill set-ups. He is hindered from being much higher because of a poor grab game, light weight, and very punishable grab.

Attributes[]

Strengths[]

  • Fast dash speed, being ranked among the Top 15.
  • Can wall jump.
  • High priority attacks.
  • All his attacks except have disjointed hitboxes, as he wields a weapon.
  • Average recovery, which can be aided by using Bombs to inflict self damage.
  • Has tether recovery, as well and extended grab range.
  • Several projectiles that vary in use, making for a versatile camping/zoning game.
    • His projectiles also contribute for a very unique combo game, which combined with his Grab Aerial allows him to do quick pokes/punishes.
  • Hylian Shield can block almost any projectile when standing still, walking or crouching. No damage will be taken whatsoever.
  • Has a Meteor Smash: Down Aerial.
  • His Back Throw is one of the strongest in the game in terms of knockback.

Weaknesses[]

  • Lightweight and floaty, being very easy to launch.
  • Most of Aerial Attacks have considerable ending lag.
  • Lacks reliable setups for combos at close range, relying too much on projectile setups.
  • Lack of proper KO moves.
  • Can be hurt by his Bombs if they explode while holding them.
    • In addition, opponents can pick up Toon Link's Bombs and use it against him.
  • Below average recovery, lacking a good aerial movement and reliable recovery move.

Summary[]

Kuroham-toonlink

Toon Link's stats by Kurogane Hammer.

Much like Link, Toon Link has a strong Zoning game, with a resilient Turtle stance. With a good variety of melee and ranged attacks, Toon Link can effectively control the space near him, interrupting opponents and punishing them accordingly. He is nimble on his feet and can set up combos effectively with his projectiles. All his attacks have disjointed hitboxes, giving him advantage over opponents. In addition, he has a solid defense in the form of his Hylian Shield, which can block most projectiles; being the only character other than Link capable of doing such feat.

One of his most versatile attacks is his Grab Aerial, that can start many combos and setups. While having lower range than Link's, it is equally fast, and can combo into most of his Tilts at low percentages. He is also notable for being able to set up many combos using his projectiles, with all his Special Attacks having great utility. Hero's Bow is great for long range pressure and establishing a safe distance between opponents, as well frustrate characters who struggle at approaching.

Toon Link has many weaknesses, however. He relies too much on his Special Attacks and Grab Aerials for setting up combos, with few of his ground attacks other than Up Tilt being able to combo properly. His Aerials also have moderate ending lag, which prevents them from combo'ing into each other. Much like Link, his recovery is very easy to gimp, even with the improvements on his recovery. He also lacks proper killing moves, mostly relying on his Forward Smash and Back Throw.

Overall, Toon Link is a good alternative for players who want to focus on zoning game. While he lacks the power of his counterpart, he is overall faster and can rack up damage very quickly. Players, however, must be aware of his weaknesses and be patient to land the right killing moves.

Changes from Brawl[]

Toon Link has received buffs and nerfs, but was overall slightly nerfed. Toon Link's mobility has been improved, and Boomerang and Bomb have more utility. His grab game in particular has been improved, being longer and having less lag. However, Toon Link has been weakened in both his power and combo game, with smash attacks in particular having less damage output. His down and back aerials, both solid options from Brawl, are now difficult spacing options. Most importantly, Toon Link must rely more on wall jumping and tether recovery, as Spin Attack gains less height.

In terms of appearance, his design remains roughly the same as in Brawl, but receiving a saturation treatment as the rest of the cast. His bright colors, textures and proportions now resemble more his incarnation from Wind Waker HD. He also has more facial expressions, most of them based on his poses when taking selfies with the Pictbox in Wind Waker HD.

Attributes[]

  • Heavier than in Brawl.
  • Walk and dash speed are slightly faster.
  • Air Speed is slower.
  • Falling Speed is faster.
  • Sidestep has increased ending lag

Ground Attacks[]

  • Neutral Attack's second hit now connects better into the third hit. The third has a larger hitboxes, but deals less damage.
  • Forward Tilt have less startup and ending lag. However, it now has a sourspot at the base of the Master Sword's blade.
  • Up Tilt is faster and can combo into itself at low percentages. However, it deals much less damage and knockback.
  • Down Tilt now trips opponents at low percentages, however it deals less damage.
  • Forward Smash is faster, has increased vertical reach and the first hit now launches the opponent forward instead of upwards, allowing it connect together better with the second hit. It also has less ending lag.
    • The window of chance for using the second hit is now much lower, reducing the chances of accidentally using it.
  • Up Smash deals more knockback, but deals less damage. In addition, it now deals the same amount of knockback wether hitting in front or behind Toon Link.
  • Down Smash's first hit has higher knockback growth, and now connects into the second hit better. However, the second hit deals much less damage.
  • Dash Attack deals less damage, and no longer trips opponents at low percentages.

Aerial Attacks[]

  • Neutral Aerial has less landing lag, however both hits deal less damage.
  • Back Aerial deal less damage and has more landing and ending lags, no longer being able to be used twice in a short hop.
  • Down Aerial deals more knockback when not sweetspotted for a Meteor Smash. It also has a smaller hitbox and causes Toon Link to go through opponents rather than bouncing off them. The windbox is also stronger and larger.

Grabs and Throws[]

  • Grab is faster and has more reach, also with less ending lag if it misses. Also, the hookshot no longer falls on the ground when it misses.
  • Pummel is faster.
  • Grab Aerial is much faster and has higher range when used as tether recovery.
  • Back Throw deals much stronger knockback, now being one of the strongest Back Throws in the game.
  • Down Throw has higher knockback scaling.
  • Up Throw has less base knockback, being more useful for combos.

Special Attacks[]

  • Hero's Bow charges faster and the arrow travels longer distance, even when uncharged.
  • Boomerang travels a longer distance.
  • Bomb's explosion no longer hurts Toon Link if it hits the opponent or their shield. However, if the opponent grabs a Bomb and throws it at an opponent, the explosion will not harm them either.
  • Spin Attack covers slightly less distance when used in midair, and also decreases Toon Link's air speed when it is finishing. However, all hits now connect better in the air.

Moveset[]

Ground Attacks[]

Normal[]
  • Neutral A - Two forward slashes, then a stab. The hits deal 3%, 2%, and 4% damage, in the order they come out (9% total damage). First two hits have very little knockback; the third has some more, but has very little kill potential.
  • Dash Attack - A horizontal slash. Not a lot of knockback; sends enemy upwards. Deals 8% damage.
  • Forward Tilt - Arcing, overhead slash starting from behind Toon Link. It ends when his sword hits the ground in front of him. It doesn't appear to have a hitbox behind Toon Link, just above and in front of him. Decent knockback, killing near the edge at around 150% percent. Deals 9% damage.
  • Down Tilt - Horizonal sweep along the ground in front of Toon Link. Can trip opponent. Decent knockback. Deals 7% damage.
  • Up Tilt - Arcing, overhead swipe starting in front of Toon Link and ending behind him, at his feet. This move is pretty fast, and has pretty weak knockback, so it combos into itself when the enemy is at low percent. Deals 5% damage.
Smash Attacks[]
  • Forward Smash - Toon Link slashes forward up to two times. The first slash knocks the enemy slightly upward and deals between 10-14% damage. The second slash has a lot more knockback and deals between 11-15% damage. This is one of Toon Link's best kill moves. At certain percentages on certain characters, the first slash will hit enemies too far for the second slash to hit, so this move isn't a true, natural combo.
  • Up Smash - A slower, more powerful version of his Up-Tilt. Deals between 13-18% damage, with great knockback. This is another reliable kill move for Toon Link. Its power, speed, and range make it a great option out of shield and out of a dash.
  • Down Smash - Two horizontal slashes at the ground, first in front of Toon Link, then behind him. The first slash pulls the enemy toward Toon Link, and it often leads to the second hit connecting to the enemy as well. The second hit has decent knockback, and kills around the same percent as Forward-Tilt. The first hit deals between 6-8% damage and the second hit deals between 7-10% damage.
Other attacks[]
  • Ledge Attack - Climbs onstage with a slash in front of him for 7% damage.
  • Get Up Attack - Swings sword in front and in back of him for 7% damage.

Aerial Attacks[]

  • Neutral Aerial - Two slashes of the sword, first one in front, second in back. The first deals 8% damage, and the second deals 7% damage. The move comes out quickly, so it can be used effectively out of shield, or just to challenge an opponent in the air. Both slashes have weak knockback, so it is not a reliable kill move unless edge guarding. Low landing lag makes it a useful move to pair with a short hop.
  • Forward Aerial - One quick and heavy slash of the sword. It deals 13% damage and has quite a bit of knockback, making it one of Toon Link's best kill moves, especially because it can be used offstage. There is a bit of a start up time to the move, so it's usually wiser to use the Neutral-Air in close situations.
  • Back Aerial - Quick backward arc slash, looks similar to Forward-Air. This move is a bit laggier, and therefore can't be acted out of as quickly in the air. It also has more landing lag, and isn't a great option to if you're about to hit the ground. Its knockback is generally too strong to follow up on, but too weak to kill. It deals 11% damage. It can be useful with Reverse Aerial Rush, but because it doesn't auto cancel, it is risky to use if you're not going to full hop, or end up offstage.
  • Up Aerial - Sticks his sword above him and holds it there. This move acts like a sex kick, and as such it deals more damage (14%) on its initial frames, and less as it is held out (11%). If you land this move on its starting frames, it can be a good kill move because of its good knockback. If hit after these initial frames, it has less knockback, and sends the opponent upwards. This can be useful for combos.
  • Down Aerial - Sticks his sword below him, rises a bit higher in the air, and then flies straight downwards. It spikes opponents, so it can be really useful if used right near the edge of the stage (so you land on stage, but they are sent offstage). It deals 16% damage if you hit the opponent on start up, and 12% damage during the rest of attack. During the attack, you lose control of Toon Link until you either hit the ground, or hit an opponent. If an opponent is hit, Toon Link continues downward, which makes this move very risky off-stage, but you can move him slightly right or left.
  • Hookshot ZAir - Toon Link sends his hookshot out straight in front of him. It has minor knockback, deals 4% damage, and auto-cancels. It can be used out of an air dodge. If it is used out of an air dodge, it will acquire landing lag and therefore won't auto-cancel.

Grabs and Throws[]

  • Grab - Sends out his hookshot in front of him. Good range, but the generally high ending lag makes it very punishable if you miss. Can be used as a tether recovery.
  • Pummel - Beats down on the opponent with the hilt of the sword for 2% damage.
  • Forward Throw - Shoulder tackles the opponent forward with decent knockback for 7% damage.
  • Back Throw - Falls backwards and kicks opponent upward and behind him with good knockback for 7% damage. This is one of Toon Link's good kill moves.
  • Down Throw - Drops opponent on the ground for 3% damage, then immediately slams on top of them for 4% more. Sends opponent upwards and backwards with decent knockback. Contrary to Brawl, this move now hits Jigglypuff for full damage (even up to 999% damage).
  • Up Throw - Throws opponent upwards and slashes them for 7% damage. Moderately low knockback, so it's great for starting Up-Tilt combos on heavier characters.

Special Moves[]

Toon Link's Special Moves
Brawl 3DS/Wii U Ultimate
Standard Special Hero's Bow
Side Special Boomerang
Up Special Spin Attack
Down Special Bomb
Final Smash Triforce Slash

Toon Link's Custom Special Moves
Custom 1 Custom 2
Standard Special Fire Arrow Piercing Bow
Side Special Floating Boomerang High-Speed Boomerang
Up Special Hurricane Spin Rising Slash
Down Special Time Bomb Short-Fused Bomb

Taunts[]

  • Up: Conducts with his Wind Waker baton, at the end of which, a sound from when Toon Link plays a song in The Wind Waker is heard
  • Side: Sheaths his sword and puts his shield away, then watches a fairy fly in front of him.
  • Down: Flails and swings his sword around, then gets tired out.

In Competitive Play[]

Upon SSB4's release, players had high expectations of Toon Link because of his success in Brawl. While players realized that his power had been toned down since Brawl, the adoption of a new playstyle that is more reliant on his Bomb allowed him to attain roughly the same potency that he possessed in Brawl. Despite having sparse tournament results, Toon Link nevertheless found success thanks to professionals like Hyuga, Zan, Anaky and Sigma achieving very favorable results in their respective regions. Opinions of Toon Link further improved when Hyuga announced his participation in GENESIS 3, where he placed 9th. As a result of his early success, Toon Link was ranked 22nd on the first tier list.

Expectations of Toon Link remained high thanks to Hyuga placing 9th at Pound 2016, 4th at 2GGT: Mexico Saga and 5th at CEO 2016, while Zan and some Japanese players also achieved respectable placings at 2GGaming and local Japanese tournaments, respectively. As such, Toon Link ranked at 17th on the second tier list. However, after Hyuga became inactive after EVO 2016, Toon Link's representation and success at the national level noticeably decreased. While 3xA, Ri-ma and Xorn managed to achieve respectable placings at the regional level in 2016, with Ri-ma also managing to place 13th at the national tournament The Big House 6, Toon Link's tier placement was still considered to be slightly too high. Additionally, despite Hyuga returning to the competitive scene in January 2017 by winning the regional tournament Hail Smash VIII: The Return of the Hero of the Wind, and continuing that success by winning Smash Pendiente 68 a few days later, Toon Link's tier placement nevertheless dropped in subsequent tier lists. He would be ranked 20th on the third tier list, and then 23rd on the fourth and current tier list.

Trophy Description[]

SSB3DS Toon Link Trophy1

Toon Link[]

This cartoonish version of Link is how he appeared in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and a few other titles. In Smash Bros., he uses moves much like his older, taller counterpart. His small size gives him extra speed, though, so take advantage of that to send your foes flying.

  • NGC - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (03/2003)
  • DS - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (12/2009)

Toon Link (Alt)[]

SSB3DS Toon Link Trophy2

Toon Link's Bomb move doesn't deal much damage, but the blast radius is pretty big. His bombs can be thrown in all directions, damaging or distracting your foes. Also, his up special Spin Attack keeps him airborne longer than Link's version. For some launching power, use the side smash attack.

Engineer Link[]

SSB3DS Engineer Link Trophy

Link is well known for his green clothing, a look he has sported throughout time. But in Spirit Tracks, he dons a blue uniform with a red cap instead. The cap is decorated with a dove, the symbol of the Royal Engineers. Playing the Song of Birds will call a dove to roost!

Link (Spirit Tracks)[]

SSB3DS Link (Spirit Flute) Trophy

You might feel sorry for this version of Link, what with him living a life on fixed rails rather than exploring the seas or the skies. But, like the smoke from his train, that feeling will soon disappear when you see that after leaving Aboda Village, the young engineer's quest to restore the Spirit Tracks is filled with adventure.

Other features[]

To be added

Costume Gallery[]

Toon Link Palette (SSB4)

Gallery[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Toon Link makes a cameo in a Spirit Tracks stage for the 3DS Version.
    • The Toon Link that makes a cameo on the Spirit Tracks stage is replaced by Alfonzo when someone plays as Toon Link on the stage.
      • Toon Link is currently the only cameo character that's replaced with another character when being played on a stage.
  • All of Toon Link's pallette swaps appear to be completely based on canon/genuine designs featured in the Zelda franchise. Link's first skin is his traditional Hero's Clothes attire, followed by the Four Swords tunic colorations, then his original Beta design colors from The Wind Waker, then Shadow Link from Four Swords Adventures, then his tunic under the power of the magic Blue Ring in the original Legend Of Zelda game. His last color scheme is based on his original colours from the NES era, which were also featured in A Link Between Worlds.
  • Toon Link, Meta Knight, and Shulk are the only swordwielders that uses the regular sound effect when charging up their smash attacks rather than the "sharpening" sound effect.

External links[]

ZeldaSymbol The Legend of Zelda universe
Characters Link (64  · Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Sheik (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Princess Zelda (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Young Link (Melee  · Ultimate)
Ganondorf (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Toon Link (Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Side characters Bosses Dark Link  · Ganon
Assist Trophies Tingle  · Skull Kid  · Midna  · Ghirahim  · Moon
Mii Fighter Costumes Link  · Princess Zelda  · Sheik  · Majora's Mask  · Yiga Clan  · Skull Kid  · Ancient Soldier Gear
Background characters Four Giants  · Moon  · Tingle  · Toon Link  · Alfonso
Stage Hazards King Bulblin  · Koume and Kotake
Enemies Bubble  · Cucco  · Darknut  · Like Like  · Octorok  · Peahat  · ReDead  · Stalfos
Other Navi  · Beedle
Stages Hyrule Castle  · Great Bay  · Temple  · Bridge of Eldin  · Pirate Ship  · Gerudo Valley  · Spirit Train  · Skyloft  · Great Plateau Tower
Underground Maze  · Majora's Mask
Items Beetle  · Bombchu  · Bunny Hood  · Cucco  · Deku Nut  · Fairy Bottle  · Gust Bellows  · Heart Container  · Triforce
Music List of Music (The Legend of Zelda series)
Collectibles Trophies Melee Trophies  · Brawl Trophies  · 3DS Trophies  · Wii U Trophies
Stickers List of stickers (The Legend of Zelda series)
Spirits List of spirits (The Legend of Zelda series)
Masterpieces The Legend of Zelda  · Zelda II: The Adventure of Link  · The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
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