Young Link

is a distinguishing moniker for Links child appearance from and in spinoff and crossover games with multiple character iterations of the The Legend of Zelda series' main protagonist. This particular iteration is the younger form of the Hero of Time. In the N64 games, he is called Child Link.
==Spinoff appearances==
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Young Link appears as a playable Warrior in . In , he is available in the DLC Pack. His class of Weapon is the Mask, with which he can transform into the mighty Fierce Deity Link during his Focus Spirit and Special Attack, although he otherwise uses the Kokiri Sword to attack. He also wears the Keaton Mask over his head, which can be briefly worn by tapping the Strong Attack button when his Magic Gauge is full. Similarly to his Skyward Sword counterpart, Link, Proxi speaks on Young Link's behalf.
Young Link is initially weak compared to other Warriors, as the power and range of his attacks are merely adequate. To compensate for this, Young Link possesses a unique trait; the ability to convert his Special Attack Meter into his Magic Meter by playing the Ocarina of Time to empty his Special Attack Meter and fill his Magic Meter with the equivalent amount. By using Focus Spirit, Young Link can then transform into the Fierce Deity and utilize the Fierce Deity Sword, which fires sword beams. Fierce Deity Link also greatly improves his speed, power, reach, and grants him the typical bonuses from Focus Spirit. Young Link can keep restoring his Magic Meter with the Ocarina while using Focus Spirit, potentially allowing him to remain in Focus Spirit indefinitely if a sufficient amount of the Special Attack Meter is recycled periodically. If Young Link has two Fierce Deity Badges crafted and a full Special Attack Meter, he may fill the Magic Meter in one instance by playing the Ocarina.
Young Link's Strength VI Strong Attack allows his boots to momentarily grow wings that enable him to slide across the ground while performing repeated slashes, and execute a massive, Triforce-shaped explosion. They resemble both the Pegasus Boots and the Hover Boots.
In , Young Link drops the same Materials as his adult counterpart does. However, in , Young Link drops his own unique Materials when defeated. He may either drop his Belt as a silver Material, or his Keaton Mask as a gold Material.
==Crossover appearances==
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Young Link is an unlockable character in . There are two ways to unlock him: by playing 500 vs. matches, or by completing with 10 different characters, including Link and Princess Zelda, at any difficulty and stock. The player will then be challenged by Young Link, and upon defeating him, Young Link will become a playable character. His appearance is based on the young counterpart of Link as seen in , since he wields the Kokiri Sword and the Deku Shield during combat. Young Link is more agile albeit weaker than the older Link (who is the same incarnation). He has most of the same weaponry and moves as his adult counterpart, but they are usually accompanied with a few changes, like his Hookshot and Boomerang having a shorter reach. Great Bay serves as the home stage of Young Link, referencing how the Hero of Time visited the Great Bay Coast in . When he taunts his foes, Young Link drinks a bottle of Lon Lon Milk before wiping his mouth.
Young Link's alternate costumes each give him a differently colored tunic, like Link. Other than the default green, Young Link's alternate costumes recolor his tunic to red, blue, white, and black respectively. The red and blue costumes are ironically based on the Goron Tunic and the Zora Tunic, neither of which Young Link could never wear in , unlike his adult self. The white costume is based on the Blue Ring tunic as seen in the original The Legend of Zelda.
Young Link's special moves are the same as the adult version. He wields the Fairy Bow from as his ; however, Link couldn't use the Fairy Bow as a child in (despite having a similar one in Majora's Mask), and instead of it shooting normal Arrows like Link's, Young Link's Fire Bow shoots Fire Arrows like in , although they do not travel as far as Link's and actually inflict less damage. Young Link's is the Boomerang, and while it might not have a range as great as Link's, Young Link actually has more control over it. Bombs function as the hero's , while the Spin Attack is his as well as his . Young Link's Spin Attack is weaker than Link's, but it can trap nearby foes in a cyclone of slashes upon performing this move.
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After being absent in and , Young Link finally returns as a combatant in . His newly acquired Final Smash is the Triforce Slash, like his counterparts Link and Toon Link. Young Link also appears as a Fighter Spirit that can be obtained by either clearing "Hyrule Smash!", Young Link's Classic Mode Route, or by purchasing it from the Shop for G 300.
== Trivia ==
* As suggested by his Trophy description in Super Smash Bros. Melee, although the Hero of Time is technically is adult self, some fans considered Young Link to be the true version of the legendary hero, as he begins his adventures as a child at Hyrule and Termina, as well as the majority of other Zelda games in the core series have their incarnations being non-adults.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:SSBM Young Link Alternative Costume 1.png|Young Link alternate costume from 
File:SSBM Young Link Alternative Costume 2.png|Young Link alternate costume from 
File:SSBM Young Link Alternative Costume 3.png|Young Link alternate costume from 
File:SSBM Young Link Alternative Costume 4.png|Young Link alternate costume from 
File:SSBM Young Link Icon.png|Young Link stock icon from 
File:SSBM Fire Bow.jpg|Young Link shooting a Fire Arrow in Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:Hookshot 3 (SSBM).jpg|Young Link firing the Hookshot from Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:Spin Attack 2 (SSBM).jpg|Young Link performing the Spin Attack in Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:Down Thrust 2 (SSBM).jpg|Young Link executing a Down Thrust in Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:Up Thrust 2 (SSBM).jpg|Young Link performing a Jump Thrust in Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:SSBM Young Link win.png|Young Link in one of his winning poses from Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:HW Young Link Sword Alt.png|Young Link with the Kokiri Sword from 
File:HW Young Link - Fierce Deity Form.png|Young Link transformed into Fierce Deity Link from 
File:HWDE Young Link Icon.png|Young Link portrait from 
File:HWDE Young Link Portrait 2.png|Young Link portrait from 
File:HWDE Young Link Portrait 3.png|Young Link portrait from 
File:HWDE Young Link Portrait 4.png|Young Link portrait from 
File:HWDE Dark Young Link Portrait.png|Dark Young Link portrait from 
File:HW Young Link Adventure Mode Icon.png|Young Link Adventure Mode icon from 
File:HW Young Link Head Adventure Mode Icon.png|Young Link Adventure Mode head icon from 
File:Young Link Transforming HW.png|Young Link transforming into Fierce Deity using Focus Spirit from 
File:HW Young Link - Ocarina of Time.png|Young Link playing the Ocarina of Time next to Ganondorf from 
File:HW Young Link - Hover Boots.png|Young Link using winged boots from 
File:HW Young Link victory.png|Young Link in his winning pose from Hyrule Warriors
File:HWL Young Link PH&ST Standard Outfit Artwork.png|Young Link's Standard Outfit (Grand Travels) from 
File:HWL Young Link Lorule Standard Outfit Artwork.png|Young Link's Standard Outfit (Lorule) from 
File:HWL Young Link Koholint Map Standard Outfit Model.png|Young Link's Standard Outfit (Koholint) from 
File:HWDE Young Link Standard Outfit (Great Sea) Model.png|Young Link's Standard Outfit (Great Sea) from 
File:HWDE Young Link Mini Map Icon.png|Young Link Mini Map icon from 
File:HWDE Dark Young Link Mini Map Icon.png|Dark Young Link Mini Map icon from 
File:SSBU Get the Tri4ce! Artwork.png|Artwork of Young Link and other Fighters reaching for the Triforce from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Artwork.png|Stock artwork of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 2.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 3.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 4.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 5.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 6.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 7.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Render 8.png|Alternate render from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon.png|Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 2.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 3.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 4.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 5.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 6.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 7.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link Stock Icon 8.png|Alternate Stock icon of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link.png|Closeup of Young Link from 
File:SSBU Young Link 2.png|Young Link fighting Wario from 
File:SSBU Young Link 3.png|Young Link with a Fairy from 
File:SSBU Young Link 4.png|Young Link drinking Lon Lon Milk beside the Inkling Girl from 
File:SSBU Young Link 5.png|Young Link in a Dark Link alternate costume from 
File:SSBU Young Link 6.png|Young Link in an alternate costume using the Boomerang from 
File:SSBU Young Link and Toon Link.png|Young Link with Toon Link in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
File:SSBU Young Link Fairy Bow and Fire Arrow.png|Young Link using the Fairy Bow and a Fire Arrow from 
File:SSBU Young Link Tip 3.png|Young Link performing the Spin Attack in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
File:SSBU Young Link Tip 4.png|Young Link throwing a Bomb in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
File:SSBU Young Link Tip 5.png|Young Link executing his Final Smash, the Triforce Slash, on Mario in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
File:Link YoungLink.png|Young Link as seen from Ocarina of Time
File:MM Link Model.png|Young Link as seen from Majora's Mask
===Video Gallery===
==See also==
* Hero of Time
* Fierce Deity Link
* Toon Link