The Many Looks of Link

The Legend of Zelda
Release Date: Circa 1989-1990
System: N/A
The Look: This short-lived animated series presented a well-hated-by-fans version of Link. One problem with this Link was no doubt the fact that he talked so much, something the game Link certainly doesn't do. His pathetic attempts to romance Zelda didn't help, though judging by his overall demeanor, those attempts were more an effort to cover up his same-sex leanings.




The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Release Date: Circa 1991-1992
System: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Look: Similar to the look of Zelda II, Link here is still small and barely visible by today's standards. Nintendo's trend towards keeping a more storybook feel to the character is apparent, though.




Link: The Faces of Evil
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Zelda's Adventure
Release Date: Circa 1993-1994
System: Philips CD-i System (remember that one?!)
The Look: Link took an ill-fated detour on the doomed and all but forgotten CD-i System from Philips for three games in 1993 and 1994. A golly-gee-whiz Link who seems culled straight from the contestant list of Project Runway shows up in the animated cut scenes for the titles (Zelda is actually the main character in two of the three games). The third title here, Zelda's Adventure, actually uses real actors for its cut scenes, though alas "Lipstick" Link is not to be found in those bits.




The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Release Date: Circa 1993
System: Game Boy
The Look: The first Game Boy adventure for Zelda fans was by its very nature a step back for Link's appearance, though at least he'd left his fey ways behind for the time being…






The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Release Date: Circa 1998
System: Nintendo 64
The Look: Not only did Link enter the realm of 3-D with Ocarina of Time, he also shows up in two different manifestations: younger Link and older Link. But the biggest change to his appearance here is clearly the more refined, three-dimensional rendering of the character that represents a quantum leap from what we'd seen before.





Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Release Date: Circa 1999-2002
System: Nintendo 64/GameCube
The Look: Link has taken a few side-trips from time to time to other gaming franchises, as he did when appearing in Super Smash Bros. and its sequel Super Smash Bros. Melee. Echoing his Ocarina of Time persona, Link sports his green garb (but other colors are available too). In Melee, a Young Link is also available.




The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Release Date: Circa 2000
System: Nintendo 64
The Look: A direct follow-up to Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask is notable for its giving Link the ability to transform into different critters (a Deku Scrub, a Goron, a Zora, and the so-called Fierce Deity), all of whom maintain the overall feel of Link no matter how wacky they might appear.



The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
Release Date: Circa 2001
System: Game Boy Color
The Look: Two handheld mergings between Nintendo and Capcom, these titles of course offer a more limited Link because of the very nature of the Game Boy system. The character's promotional-art look continued to be far cooler than his in-game appearance, but that would soon change.






The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Release Date: Circa 2002-2003
System: GameCube
The Look: A new and improved Link debuted with The Wind Waker, utilizing cartoon-style "cel shading" to provide a completely new experience. This look works particularly well for the young Link, even if it does drop the old "fairytale" design of the character.





Soul Calibur II
Release Date: Circa 2002-2003
System: GameCube
The Look: Another moonlighting gig for Link (though without his wolf persona, despite the "moon"), a playable adult Link showed up in the GameCube version of Namco's Soul Calibur II. This is a more realistic Link along the lines of the one from Ocarina of Time.



The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Link's Crossbow Training
Release Date: Circa 2006
System: Wii, GameCube
The Look: The debut game for Nintendo's Wii console, Twilight Princess sees Link going lync -- as in lycanthrope. That's right, our boy can turn into a wolf this time out. The game, which was the first in the Zelda series to get a T rating for violence, is more adult than the typical series fare, and as such Link is looking more realistic than ever before, with the cartoonish style of The Wind Waker completely left behind (if not its cel shading technique). The spin-off Link's Crossbow Training also utilizes this Link.

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Source: IGN


Pretty cool look back at the badass from Hyrule

"CHICKS DIG ME AND THEIR MEN FEAR ME"