Link (Smash NeXt)

The owner of the Triforce of Courage, Link, is ready to Smash for the fifth time in Super Smash Bros. NeXt! Link is the hero of Hyrule and, along with Zelda and Ganondorf, one of the owners of the Triforce. He has many tools such as a bow, a boomerang and many bombs, aside from his Master Sword. In NeXt, Link appears to be lightly buffed.
==Attributes==
Link comes packed with his bow, gale boomerang and bombs. This means that he has one of the best ranged fighting style albeit he can use also his Master Sword to attack close opponents. Generally, people will see that Link is a rather slow character with subpar recovery and not so good aerial movement. However, Link has tools to fight against each character in the game.
==Differences between Smash 4==
Link got many minor buffs, mainly in his recovery and in his speed.
===Aesthetics===
*Link's design is based on his Hyrule Warriors' model.
*Link's dash is similar to Hyrule Warriors' dash animation.
===Attributes===
*Link is heavier (104 -> 108).
*Link dashes faster.
===Ground attacks===
*Jab's multi hits revamped with a powerful finisher.
*Dash attack's start-up reduced.
*All tilts are weaker, inflicting less damage and knockback.
===Aerial attacks===
*Up aerial has better knockback but stays out for a shorter time.
*Down aerial's meteor effect is stronger.
*Forward and back aerial inflict lower damage.
===Grab and throws===
*Hookshot is faster and doesn't drop
*Down throw's knockback reduced. It has also a more diagonal trajectory, giving more combo abilities.
===Special moves===
*Hero's Bow is stronger, having much more knockback and becoming a finisher.
*Bombs never damage Link, even if they don't hit any opponent. It's safer but Link can no longer Bomb Recovery.
*Spin Attack is a bit different: by holding B Link will fly higher than he did in Melee, Brawl and Smash 4. If B is simply pressed, Spin Attack will act as Smash 64 did. Smash 64 version is better to do damage while worse to recover.
*Whirling Leap (Up Special: custom move 2) gained a windbox.
*Triforce Slash is an OHKO again.
==Moveset==
===Special moves===
Move 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Standard Special 	Hero's Bow 	4%-12% 	Link equips his bow, with the arrows serving as projectiles. Charging increases the speed, distance and damage dealt by an arrow.
Standard Special: custom move 1	Power Bow 	4%-20% 	This variation is slower in the charge but inflicts more damage and much more knockback.
Standard Special: custom move 2	Quickfire Bow 	4%-8% 	This variation is faster in both the charge and the arrows' speed but inflicts less damage and has less range.
Side Special 	Gale Boomerang 	7% (near), 5% (late), 0% (return) 	A projectile which damages opponents as it flies away and drags opponents towards Link during its return. Can be angled up or down. A "smash throw" (similar to performing a smash attack) increases the distance the boomerang can travel.
Side Special: custom move 1 	Boomerang 	9% (near), 7% (middle), 5% (far), 3% (return) 	This variation loses the windbox and has less knockback but can be aimed easier and inflicts more damage. The return section too inflicts damage.
Side Special: custom move 2 	Ripping Boomerang	4% (near), 2% (middle), 1% (far), 1% (return) 	Travels near and is weaker while inflicting multi hits.
Up Special 	Spin Attack 	12%/9%/7%/5% (ground), 4% (air hit 1), 2% (air hits 2-8), 4% (air hit 9).	This move functions differently when grounded and airborne; an aerial Spin Attack is used as recovery which grants Link great vertical distance. Hits 5 times in the air. A grounded Spin Attack is akin to most Zelda games, and functions similarly to a smash attack with great knockback. The move also differs if B is pressed or held. If held, Link will perform this move with a good recovery boost. If pressed, Link will perform this move in the Smash 64 style, which is a better racking up move.
Up Special: custom move 1 	Shocking Spin 	14%/9%/7%/5% (ground), 4% (air hit 1), 1% (air hits 2-4), 6% (air hit 5) 	This variation is stronger but doesn't recovery so much. Smash 64 version is even worse in recovery because Link doesn't gain height at all.
Up Special: custom move 2 	Whirling Leap 	0% 	It doesn't inflict damage but recoveries higher. In NeXt, it has a windbox made to give to Smash 64 version too some utility.
Down Special 	Bomb 	5% (upper body), 8% (feet), 9% (down smash aerial, feet) 	An item based projectile Link pulls out, with its design from Twilight Princess. On contact with a surface, it detonates, dealing damage to opponents.
Down Special: custom move 1 	Giant Bomb 	8%-10% 	The bomb is stronger but explodes only when the time runs out.
Down Special: custom move 2 	Meteor Bomb 	5% 	The bombs are weaker but meteor smash the opponents.
Final Smash 	Triforce Slash 	68% (total) 	Link sends out a beam of light to stun enemies in front of him. If the beam comes in contact with an enemy, Link dashes forward and slashes them repeatedly while they are trapped in the Triforce, with the last hit being a powerful stab and launching the trapped enemies away.
==Animations==
===Idle===
*Briefly poses with his sword behind him.
*Looks behind him.
===Taunts===
*Up: swings his sword, then sheathes and unsheathes it. This is a reference to his Twilight Princess "well done" sheathe. 
*Side: Proxi flies out in front of him, then returns.
*Down: performs a pose whereby he stands on one leg and holds his sword in an attack position. Similar to the pose he performs after hitting an enemy with his sword in Zelda II: Adventure of Link. 
===Fighting stance===
Retains his one from Smash 4.
===Victory poses===
*Horizontal swipe with his sword, then holds it up, giving off a battle cry. 
*Three swipes with his sword and looks to the right. (His "character chosen" animation in Super Smash Bros., but ends with him facing a different direction.) 
*Gives two swipes of his sword, then sheaths it. 
===Losing animation===
Claps to the winner.
===On-screen appearance===
Link comes riding Epona, then jumps down with Epona still running forward.
===Walking and dashing animations===
*Walk: simply walks.
*Dash: dashes like he did in Hyrule Warriors.
===Dodging===
*Dodge: Link rolls forward/backward.
*Sidestep: Link moves like avoiding a projectile.
*Air dodge: Link moves like avoiding a projectile but in the air.
===Crowd cheer===
LINK LINK LINK!
===Victory theme===
A remix of Smash 4's Zelda series victory theme, which is a remix of the theme heard in the original The Legend of Zelda when you get a Triforce piece.
Category:Super Smash Bros. (series)
Category:Super Smash Bros. Characters
Category:Characters