SoulCalibur II

SoulCalibur II is a critically acclaimed 2002 fighting game produced by Namco that was simultaneously given home ports the following year for the Nintendo GameCube, , and . The console versions were made distinct by including a different guest character unique to that platform. Link in particular is unique to the GameCube version of the game, contributing to its popularity while Heihachi Mishima from the Tekken series is unique to the PlayStation 2 version and Spawn, an anti-hero from Image Comics, being unique to the Xbox release.
==Prologue==
The game is set four years after the end of Soul Calibur, which based on calculations from a timeline released on the "Soul Archive" website, puts the game's story in the year 1591.
The wave of slaughters that terrorized Europe reached a sudden end. The knight in azure armor, Nightmare, and his followers were successful in collecting enough souls and were about to start the restoring ceremony on the ruins of the once-proud Osthreinsburg Castle. But just as the ceremony was to start, three young warriors assaulted the castle. In a matter of time the clan was defeated and Nightmare stood in front of the young warriors wielding the Sacred Trinity. After an intense battle Nightmare fell, but then the evil soul inside Soul Edge sent the young warriors into a vortex of hellfire and stood to confront them. As a result of Soul Edge's evil aura, Krita-Yuga revealed its true form: that of the Holy Sword, Soul Calibur. 
The intense battle ended with the victory of the holy sword, but at the collapse of the vortex of Inferno, both swords along with the azure Nightmare were sucked in a void and expelled in another place. Siegfried Schtauffen, who was until a moment before the Azure Knight, restored his mind. Recognizing his sins, he set on a journey of atonement. Still the blade held a strong bond, and every night it took control of the body and took souls of those nearby. The efforts made by the young knight were fruitless, and four years later the Azure Nightmare returned.
Around those times various warriors came into contact of the blade's remaining fragments, revealing Soul Edge's ultimate survival after its defeat. Driven either to possess or destroy it, they join a new journey, while Nightmare starts his rampage once again, seeking souls to restore Soul Edge once again...
==Soul Edge==
The Soul Edge is an ancient cursed sword in the .
Many warriors in the Soul universe set out to destroy the deadly evil sword, with some wanting to have it for their own reasons, but almost none prevailed. Meanwhile, in Hyrule, the sword began to control an evil wizard, who was defeated by Link. To prevent this from happening again, the young hero set out to destroy it once and for all in the other world where it came from. He managed to destroy a fragment of the sword, ending the evil that threatened Hyrule. This is the strongest and most dominating sword Link has ever encountered, even compared to his best blades.
Soul Edge has been wielded by many. The infamous male Soul Edge is wielded by Nightmare, and the female version is wielded by Cervantes. Link can actually buy this weapon for 7,800 Gold in the Castor Shop while playing the Weapon Master mode. Link's version of Soul Edge causes his defense and offense to greatly increase to 135% and 140%, respectively; however, it drains his health by 2 HP every second.
Weapon	Cost 	Attributes 	Description
 	7,700 Gold	Offense goes up 40%Defense goes up 35%Drains 2 HP per second	An evil blade with a reputation for devouring souls. This weapon is also known to be a shape-shifter—which form it takes depends on its current owner. The forms it has taken are legendary, as are the souls of the renowned warriors it has consumed. Only those with great mental discipline can retain their will while wielding this weapon. It consumes the souls of those who fall before the blade, and also the soul of its wielder.
==Link==
Main article: Link (SoulCalibur II) 
Link appears as a guest character exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube version of the game, and the incarnation featured in SoulCalibur II is the legendary Hero of Time from Ocarina of Time. 
===Biography===
Hyrule's tranquility was shattered by the arrival of several disasters, which brought opaque, ominous clouds with them. Eventually, it was discovered that an unknown magician was to blame for all that had happened. Just as the people were about to lose all hope, the sun miraculously returned as Link, having been summoned by Princess Zelda to find the disasters' source, successfully destroys the magician. The people of Hyrule rejoiced in the belief that eternal peace would rule; but it eventually became clear that the magician responsible for the disasters was in fact controlled by an evil sword from another world, Soul Edge, and that the fragments of Soul Edge had been gathering in the other world.
Knowing that the resurrection of the evil blade must be prevented at all costs, Link chose to travel to the other world and destroy Soul Edge himself, taking his trusted Master Sword and , and transporting himself off on a secret journey, to fully accomplish his mission of restoring peace to Hyrule. Through the completion of Arcade and most other modes, Link ultimately succeeds in sealing away the evil within the Soul Edge via defeating Inferno, saving both his homeland and the Soul universe, and quietly leaving the world he had come upon, leaving only a faint echo of his Ocarina.
===General Information===
*Link's Destined Battle in Arcade mode is against . 
*The main theme from The Legend of Zelda series is used in Link's profile viewer and Destined Battle theme. It is also played if Link was used in the Eurydice Shrine Gallery.
*Link's stage is the Ostrheinsburg Chapel and his alternate stage is Eurydice Shrine Gallery.
===Costumes===
Instead of having the standard two or three alternate costumes like every other character, Link has 4 different costumes based on appearances from other Zelda series games: green, red, blue, and pale violet. His two starter costumes are his traditional green tunic and the Goron Tunic. To obtain the Zora Tunic, the player must buy it in the Castor Shop for 21,000 Gold, found in the Extra Chapter 1 of the Weapon Master mode. Only after buying the Zora Tunic can the player buy the Blue Ring Tunic from the original , which is sold for the same price as the Zora Tunic.
===Fighting Style===
In , Link is the only character with a ranged attack and is self-taught. His fighting style retains many of his signature moves from past games in the and . Some of these moves include the Spin Attack, the Jump Attack, the Down Thrust, the Jump Thrust, and the Dash Attack. His range attacks have Link use the Bow, Bombs, and the Boomerang. He can also do swift kicks.
===Weapons===
Like all characters, Link has a total of 11 weapons to choose from. His starting and most-balanced weapon is the traditional Master Sword and Hylian Shield, and the rest of the weapons must be bought in shops in various cities in the Weapon Master Mode. Although most of his unlockable weapons are from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, a few are from games predating the two Nintendo 64 titles where the Hero of Time was playable, specifically the original The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past on the NES and Super NES, respectively. Two of such, the Armos Series and Link's version of Soul Edge, are exclusive to the game.
Weapon 	Cost 	Attributes 	Description
Master Sword & Hylian Shield	— 	Well-balanced 	A magic sword and shield that have accompanied Link on many adventures and helped him repeatedly save the land of Hyrule. This journey is no less dire, and Link once again goes into battle equipped with these items, this time in another world. These are well-balanced arms for Link.
Razor Sword 	600 Gold 	Attack goes up 25%Short reachTakes 15% block damage 	A sword forged by the blacksmith from the Mountain Village on Snowhead. The blacksmith is famous for his perfectionism—this sword is yet another excellent example of of his craftsmanship and boasts an amazingly sharp cutting edge. Unfortunately, the metal used to forge this blade is prone to chipping, so there remains some concern about its defensive capabilities.
Armos Series 	900 Gold 	Defense decreases 30%Offense increases with Soul Charge 40% (deteriorates) 	A sword and shield from one of the living Armos statues that dot the land of Hyrule. The origins of these items are shrouded in mystery, much like the Armos themselves. Concentrating one's will increases the weapons' power, but they are a bit too heavy for Link and he cannot use them effectively for guarding.
Megaton Hammer 	1,200 Gold 	Offense goes up 35%Short reach 	An extremely heavy hammer. Learning to use it effectively could take some time, as its reach is somewhat short for a weapon. Its power and toughness, however, far exceed that of any normal sword. It's guaranteed to inspire awe.
Cane of Byrna 	1,600 Gold 	Soul Charge boosts offense up to 50%Soul Charge lowers damage received by 25%Soul Charge recovers up to 32 HP each time	An ancient magic staff that grants protection to heroes. It can be used even by those who are not sorcerers as long as their hearts are pure. It is said that praying to the staff with all one's heart will shroud the user in light and fill him with vitality. Because it is not a true weapon, it usually does not fare well when it clashes against an opponent's weapon.
Mirror Shield 	2,200 Gold 	Hits taken are counters33% of damage received is inflicted back onto opponent 	A mirror-like shield found in the Spirit Temple. It is an amazing work of art, and there are few who would argue that it is not one of the finest shields in Hyrule. It is said that its surface reflects not only light but hostile intent as well.
Magic Sword & Magic Shield 	3,000 Gold 	Causes 40% block damageWeak against physical impact 	Ancient arms hidden deep in an underground tomb. This powerful sword holds an enchantment that counters the forces of darkness, and its holy aura allows it to deliver damage to the enemy even without making physical contact. The shield is enchanted with a spell that protects its user from enemy magic, but the actual shield itself is quite old and is weak against physical impact.
Biggoron's Sword 	4,000 Gold 	Long reachDrains 3 HP per attack 	A masterfully crafted long sword forged by the best blacksmith in Hyrule, Biggoron, who lives on Death Mountain. Designed specifically for Link, it is made to be wielded with one hand. Even so, swinging it with full force gets tiring after a while.
Soul Edge(Complete) 	7,700 Gold 	Offense goes up 40%Defense goes up 35%Drains 2 HP per second 	An evil blade with a reputation for devouring souls. This weapon is also known to be a shape-shifter—which form it takes depends on its current owner. The forms it has taken are legendary, as are the souls of the renowned warriors it has consumed. Only those with great mental discipline can retain their will while wielding this weapon. It consumes the souls of those who fall before the blade, and also the soul of its wielder.
Great Fairy Sword 	9,800 Gold 	Attack goes up 20%Gains 5 HP per secondTakes 20% block damage 	A sword blessed by the Great Fairy, rumored to be able to reflect any and all dark magic. Merely holding it fills the wielder with strength, but unfortunately, its protective power did not survive intact in this world, and it is no longer able to resist enemy attacks.
Bug-Catching Net 	12,500 Gold	Offense decreases 80%Defenses decreases 80% 	A long-handled net used for catching bugs. This item is an old companion of Link's and has appeared on many of his adventures—it accompanies him on this adventure as well. Obviously, it is not a weapon, but perhaps it will cause opponents to let down their guard.
==Trivia==
*SoulCalibur II marks the first and so far, only time Link were to ever appear in a true fighting game, as well as being in a title not made by Nintendo.
**Although he was previously featured in the original Super Smash Bros., that series used a completely different ruleset of battling on platforms, and therefore are considered distinct from conventional fighting games.
**It is also the second time Nintendo were to make Link have an official crossover video game appearance. The next occurrence, Mario Kart 8, was released 11 years later.
*Interestingly, alongside having a unique guest character, each home port's box art of SoulCalibur II has a certain important weapon of the Soul series on the title logo and a different color theme, with the GameCube version having Soul Calibur (green), while the PlayStation 2 release shows the evil version of Soul Calibur (blue) and the Xbox has Soul Edge (red).
*Link, alongside Spawn, was one of the first characters in the Soul series to use projectiles, in his case, Arrows, Bombs, and the Boomerang.
*Siegfried Schtauffen (who is Nightmare in this game), the franchise's protagonist, as well as Yoshimitsu, coincidentally share the same Japanese voice actor as Link, Nobuyuki Hiyama. SoulCalibur II is also the final game where Hiyama himself would reprise his role as Adult Link. Notably, the actor did not perform a deep voice for the Hero of Time like he did in Ocarina of Time or as Fierce Deity Link in Majora's Mask, but rather in the same tone as Nightmare.
**The Japanese voice actress for Young Link, Fujiko Takimoto, voices the character in this game for the same language as well.
*Aside from Charade (itself a fragment of Soul Edge), Link is the only character in the game to have his voice remain unchanged regardless of the dub option set to Japanese or English, due to not having any sentences to speak.
*The titular weapon of the game, Soul Calibur (itself used by Xianghua as well as a few others when unlocked), possesses great holy power comparable to that of Link's Master Sword as well as the Four Sword. It can change shape and is even used for the final blow for Inferno in a similar manner Link does with the Blade of Evil's Bane for Ganon, though the hero himself never wields it.
*The unlockable Magic Sword and Magic Shield in SoulCalibur II is actually the Magical Sword/Shield from the original The Legend of Zelda and are in a completely different appearance in contrast to the NES game, with the sword having a rugged edge with a slight resemblance to the Master Sword, while the shield does not have the Christian cross in the center and is mostly blue/silver rather than brown.
*Charade and Inferno, who randomly use various weapons and styles from every of the main characters, cannot wield Link's weapons (as well as the other guest characters). Story-wise, this is excusable, as Link does not originate in the Soul universe and Hyrule is beyond the villains' reach.
*For unknown reasons, whenever Link is equipped with his unlockable weapons, including the Mirror Shield where he wields the legendary blade, his Scabbard for carrying the Master Sword on his back is missing.
*According to Namco, Link is the most difficult character to create for SoulCalibur II, as everything about the character has to be strictly approved by Nintendo. There have been some instances during development where some attacks had to be toned down due to being "too violent for a Nintendo character" (easily seen with the Bomb throw animation). Despite this, Link's moveset is seen to be more brutal than in the Super Smash Bros. series.
*If Link uses his Bow at full power, especially while having a Soul Charge, its Arrow will become a Fire Arrow to inflict more damage.
*As opposed to their original source material in Ocarina of Time, Link in this game is able to wield the Megaton Hammer and Biggoron's Sword in only one hand rather than two (implying great physical strength). Although the Great Fairy's Sword was originally a two-handed weapon in Majora's Mask, the Hero of Time was a child in the latter Nintendo 64 game, and as an adult in SoulCalibur II, he can use the powerful blade in the same manner as the Master Sword.
**Ironically, in these Zelda games, if the Hero of Time were to equip them during cutscenes or in his idle animations, he can be seen wielding those weapons with one hand.
*Unsurprisingly, despite all individual versions of the game are successful, the GameCube release of SoulCalibur II has greater sales than the other home console ports due to Link himself being a fan-favorite pick in the Soul series community as well as finding him a perfect guest character for the game's setting.
*Link's Dash Attack in SoulCalibur II, in stark contrast to its in-game move name of "Hyper Dash Attack", behaves in a significantly different manner as opposed to the Zelda games, specifically A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening; Unlike its official source material, the hero is not wearing the Pegasus Boots, simply runs toward his opponent for a short time rather than actually dashing, and he uses his sword (or other weapons) with both of his hands like that of a spear weapon rather than one. However, he can still crash into walls, causing Link to briefly fall down to the ground.
*Although Link's non-green tunics, as seen from early games of the The Legend of Zelda series, are known to give defensive upgrades and additional bonus protection against certain hazards, they do not serve such purpose in SoulCalibur II, much like in the Super Smash Bros. series, as he still quickly takes damage when standing on lava in his Goron Tunic costume on booby-trapped stages (it should be noted that the tunic in Ocarina of Time does not provide complete immunity against magma or fire).
*Link is the only guest character to not return in the HD Online re-release of the game. This is due to the fact that Link is exclusively owned by Nintendo and it was released only on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
*Although SoulCalibur II is thought of as a "violent fighting game" and some fans find it strange to feature a Nintendo character like Link as the company normally has a stance against violence, The Legend of Zelda series creator Shigeru Miyamoto did not see a problem with Link being in the Namco title as a guest star, as the character had already been established as a fighter in the first two Super Smash Bros. games by SoulCalibur II's release (plus Ocarina of Time also had brief moments of controversial violence during its finale).
*Although the Cane of Byrna is by no means an actual weapon in A Link to the Past, much like the Bug-Catching Net, in SoulCalibur II, if Link were to perform a Soul Charge, it becomes his most powerful weapon in his arsenal, as its attack power goes up to 150%, surpassing the Biggoron's Sword, Megaton Hammer, Great Fairy's Sword, and even his version of Soul Edge.
*Link's blinking animation is slightly buggy, as at times he can be seen blinking twice in a row.
*The Razor Sword and Megaton Hammer are depicted as more powerful than the Master Sword. This is an odd case, as in Majora's Mask for the former, the weapon is only double the strength of the Kokiri Sword, which is identical to the Master Sword's power in Ocarina of Time, and also how powerful the latter weapon in that game. However, the Megaton Hammer being stronger than the sacred blade in SoulCalibur II may be excusable, as aside from shorter reach, the key item from the Fire Temple designed to defeat Volvagia is able to smash large rocks and break certain walls.
*Whenever Link battles against the hidden character Lizardman, the fight coincidentally resembles how the character faces the Lizalfos and Dynalfos enemies in the Zelda games.
*As Link's exact height is unknown, although the Hero of Time is of average size in Ocarina of Time, as he stands 1.7m (5'7") according to the corrected measuring graph in the Lakeside Laboratory in the 3DS remake, he strangely appears much shorter than nearly all of the characters in SoulCalibur II - including Heihachi and Spawn, who, according to their profiles, are often (but not all) between 5'6"-6'5", suggesting that Link is only about 5'0" in-game.
*The Great Fairy's Sword and Bug-Catching Net in SoulCalibur II serve as Link's Ultimate and Joke Weapons, respectively.
*Although not canon to either The Legend of Zelda nor Soul series in any way, Link's in-game story in SoulCalibur II is a reference to not only Ocarina of Time, but also Majora's Mask and A Link to the Past as well. The Hero of Time, in the opening cutscene, pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal in the Lost Woods as opposed the Temple of Time and he took down an evil magician to save Hyrule, which could possibly be Agahnim (despite this Link not actually being featured in the Super NES title). As his journey in the game is in fact a second adventure and he leaves the Soul universe to return back to Hyrule after saving the day, this is a clear homage to his quest in Termina. In addition, alongside having various weapons and the Blue Ring tunic from A Link to the Past and earlier NES titles, many The Legend of Zelda series fans who played the game considered Link's appearance to be self-contained or timeline-confused. 
*The unique Armos Series unlockable weapon for Link in SoulCalibur II, although the arms are based on the Armos' seen in Ocarina of Time, the enemies never use them as they hop to attack. In addition, Link's version of the sword is notably larger with the head of such foe on its guard and the rock-like shield has minor damage, showing a crack on its front, which is accurate to the official artwork of the Armos in the N64 title.
*Despite Link, as the main protagonist of the long-lived Zelda franchise, is widely known for banishing evil and is pure of heart like the character Talim, himself able to optionally wield the very weapon he was set out to destroy - Soul Edge, was not technically unheard of by the arcade's home release in 2003. On rare occasions since Majora's Mask (released three years prior), the young hero is capable of harnessing dark powers; the prime example is the infamous Fierce Deity Link transformation by the Fierce Deity's Mask.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:SCII main cast artwork.webp|Main cast official artwork
File:SC II GameCube Box (back).webp|GameCube version box (back)
File:SCII PS2 Box Art.webp|PS2 version box art, featuring Heihachi Mishima
File:SC II Xbox Box Art.webp|Xbox version box art, featuring Spawn
File:SCII Soul Calibur.webp|The Soul Calibur
File:SCII Soul Calibur Evil.webp|Soul Calibur corrupted by Soul Edge
File:SCII Soul Edge.webp|The Soul Edge
File:SCII Link Artwork.png|Official artwork of Link
File:SCII Link Artwork 3.png|Official artwork of Link
File:SCII Link Artwork 2.png|Official artwork of Link
File:SCII Link wallpaper.webp|Link wallpaper
File:SCII Artwork with Link.webp|Special artwork featuring Link
File:SCII special art with Link.webp|Special artwork featuring Link
File:SCII Artwork.png|Official artwork of featuring Link
File:SCII main cast artwork plus Link.webp|Artwork of Link with the main cast
File:SCII Link JP commercial.png|Link in a Japanese commercial for the game
File:SCII Link intro.png|Link in the intro movie of the game
File:SCII Link with Green Tunic Model.png|Link as seen in-game
File:SCII Link with Red Tunic Model.png|Link in his 2P Goron Tunic costume
File:SCII Link with Blue Tunic Model.png|Link in his unlockable Zora Tunic costume
File:SCII Link with Purple Tunic Model.png|Link in his unlockable Blue Ring Tunic costume
File:SCII Link profile angles.webp|Link as seen in multiple angles
File:SCII Link Using Bow.png|Link using the Fairy Bow
File:SCII Link Using Boomerang.png|Link using the Boomerang
File:SCII Link Throwing Bomb.png|Link using a Bomb
File:SCII Link Using Dash Attack.png|Link executing the Dash Attack
File:SCII Link Performing Spin Attack.png|Link executing the Spin Attack
File:SCII Link Using Jump Attack.png|Link preparing a powerful vertical slash
File:SCII Link Using Down Thrust.png|Link performing a Down Thrust
File:SCII Link Performing Cyclone Attack.png|Link doing an airborne Spin Attack
File:SCII Link Using Up Thrust.png|Link performing a Jump Thrust
File:SCII Link weapon exhibition profile view.png|Link during the Weapon Exhibition mode
File:SCII Link forward view.png|Face of Link during Weapon Exhibition
File:SCII Link forward thrust.png|Link thrusting his Master Sword during the Weapon Exhibition
File:Link fighting Raphael in SCII.webp|Link in a versus battle against Raphael, hitting him with an Arrow
File:SCII Link Arm Buster.png|Link performing the Arm Buster throw on Raphael
File:SCII Link fighting Sophitia.webp|Link battling against Sophita, about to throw a Bomb
File:SC II Link fighting Mitsurugi.webp|Link fighting against Mitsurugi, about to fire his Bow
File:SCII Link mirror match.png|Link in a mirror match against himself
File:SCII Link before fighting Inferno.png|Link preparing to fight against Inferno
File:SCII Link vs Inferno.png|Link vs. Inferno
File:SCII Link defeats Inferno.png|Inferno ultimately defeated by Link
File:SCII Link at Ending.jpg|Link as seen during the Arcade Mode ending
File:SCII Heihachi art.webp|Heihachi Mishima, the guest character for the PlayStation 2 version
File:SCII Spawn art.webp|Spawn, the guest character for the Xbox version
==External links==
*Official Nintendo UK site