Link, as we all know, is one of the best-known and most beloved heroes in Nintendo’s vast repertoire. He might actually become number one, if he ever fancied s⛄taging a violent coup and burying the Master Sword up to the hilt in Mario’s paunchy belly. Now there’s a mental image to start your day with.
The fact of the matter is, Link is probably well aware of that fact, but would never dream of acting on it. He’s one of those eternal goodly do-gooders who help grandmas crossroads, 🔯and cruise over to some obscure island to clean oil off of waterfowls’ feathers for Greenpeace.
Even with all of that said, though, nobody’s perfect. There’s a little darkness in everybody. This isn’t to say that you’ll ever see Mario pulling a Grand Theft Auto on the mean 𝔍streets of the Mushroom Kingdom, but there’ll be something. At the very least, I’m sure he irritates Peach by leaving moustache hairs in൲ the shower drain.
In Link’s case, we’re talking about his ‘alter ego,’ Dark Link. Technically, this guy is nothing more than a palette swap of the real Link, but he serves as a physical manifestation of all his hostility and anger. He appears throughout the Zelda series, often opposing his goodly counterpart. He usually fights using all of your own techniques, but he’s got a few tricks of ⭕his own too. Let’s take a 🌳look at 15 Things Dark Link Can Do That The Hero Of Time Can’t.
15 Keep His Darn Bearings In The Water Temple
Now, I’ll admit this right from the off: I’m really not very puzzle-minded. When it comes to a complex, point and click style what-the-heck-do-I-do-with-all-these-obscure-items-in-my-inventory sort of situation, I’m way out of my depth. Grim Fandango just about made my brain diss♏olve and come dribbling out of my ears.
As such, Ocarina of Time’s infamous Water Temple was not a good time for me in any sort of way. This dungeon is known for co⛎nfounding playe⛦rs at the best of times, so what chance did I have?
Dark Link, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem navigating the place. There he was, guarding the Longshot; happy and at home like he’s lived there all his life. I had a hell of a time in this place, as you can imagine, only to find that another ‘Link’ already made it through and was ready anꦯd waiting.
14 Attack Of The Clones
Now, granted, several versions of the Hero of Time have existed at once. Several times, in fact. I have fond memories of Four Swords Adventures, foꦺr instance, and my friends’ complete inability to co-operate and get anything done. A good time was had by all.
Dark Link, however, takes this cloning ability and dials it up to eleven, in a way that the original Link could only dream of. In Hyrule Warriors, Cia beg🅺ins by summoning one Dark Link to battle our hero, only for thirty craptons of them to appear and join the fray. The cocky Link strides in to take them all out, only to be soundly whupped before his allies st♋ep in to save him.
In short, as fun as it i🦹s to throw each other off of platforms into pits repeatedly, teamworꦯk pays dividends.
13 The Dark Side Of Streetpass
Back when ꦿthe 3DS was first released, I was unutterably thrilled by the idea of Streetpass. Where I live, it was tough to𒉰 find any passes, so those rare occasions that I got that flashing green light to show up were more exciting than I like to admit.
The thing about this function, though, was that it very rarely amounted to much. A little bonus extra here or there in games that supported it, but nothing really substantial. A Link cap for your♎ Mii was one thing, but Dark Link went the whole hog and hopped across toꦉ other players’ 3DSs personally.
That’s right. In A Link Between Worlds, you can send a Dark version of yourself to do battle with other players. Your Streetpass warrior’s stats would increas𓂃e as you achieved more in the game.
12 Rocking That Crown In Style
When it comes to the royal family, our old friend Link is usually content with his servile, bootlicking role. The whole ‘bailing their butts out of trouble’ routine is Link’s place. He’s made his peace with it, he’s accepted it, and he’s darn good at it. Where would P⛎rincess Zelda be without Link? What about the whole darn Hylian royal family?
Dark Link, on the other hand, isn’t so keen to serve and not lead. Back in the world of Valiant Comics, Link’s sh꧋apeshifting ‘shadow’ was able to disguise himself as Queen Seline, and from there forcibly take the throne of Calatia. Granted, this was darn short-lived, but still. That’s the kind of ambitious, can-do attitude that Link could stand to learn from. Or something.
11 The Perfect Link Variety For Stealth Missions
When you think of stealthy video game stars, the usual suspects surely spring to mind. Solid Snake, for one, or that dude with the cool glasses who does the splits over doorways in Splinter Cell (yes, I know, Sam Fisher). Link, on the other hand, isn’t a character I’d say was big on stealth. He’s all HEEYA and GRAAAH whenever he swings his sword, after all, which doesn’t bod♌e very well for silent takedowns.
That infiltration scene early in The Wind Waker did not go well for me. When it comes to the sneaky-sneaky, I’d give Dark Link the nod instead. Not only can the guy silently ap⭕pear from no-damn-where, he doesn’t even cast a shadow. Further, you’ll never find him at night, 𓆏with just his glowing eyes visible.
10 He Gets A Starring Role As A Super Smash Bros. Boss
That’s right, friends. You come across a huge array of opposing Links in the Smash Bros series, true enough. Whether opposing players online, who are spamming projectiles like they’re going out of freak🐻ing fashion (which is every Link player ever), or CPU controlled ones in the singleplayer modes. Regular vanilla Link, Young Link, Toon Link, whichever you fancy really.
For me, though, that’s just not good enough. None of these guys get their own Boss Battle™, but their evil twin once removed does. In Super Smash Bros Melee, Event Match 18 pits you against your shadowy counterpart in a Hyrule Temple showdown. The match, dubbed Link’s Adventure, is a nod to Dark Link’s first appearance in The Adventure of Link. It’s a tasty ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚlittle slice of fanservice if nothing els🐼e.
9 Shapeshifting Like A Boss
As any fan of comic books will tell you, it can get a little damn confusing around here. Any long-running icon you care to mention, from Batman to Spider-Man, has been through a whole baffling array of changes and plot twists. We’ve got spin-offs, separate u🅰niverses, and alternate dimensions out the🎃 wazzoo here.
The question of what’s truly canon and what isn’t will keep the nerdly fans raging away on the Marvel forums for decades. All of this brings up a curious point about D♕ark Link too. In Valiant Comics’ Zelda arc, Link’s ‘shadow’ is a frequent aggressor. He is also seen to boast a fresh new ability not seen elsewhere. Morphing into Princess Zelda’s shape demonstrates that he is not bound to sharing the Hylian hero’s appearance.
8 The Jinx Blade (Because That’s A Thing)
Throughout the series, Link has constantly fallen victim to a recurring status effect known as Jinx. Unlike the usual generic RPG statuses like poison, sleep and blind, this one has a completely unique effect. Jinx amounts to a kind of curse, which can be put on the plꦐayer by different enemies and attacks depending on the gam♋e in question.
While under the effects of Jinx, Link’s equipment (or some of it) will be disabled, preventing him from attacking or defending himself until the curse has worn off. While the Hero of Time has been hit by many a jinx﷽ over his career, he has never used this mysterious power to his own advantage. Do you know who has, though? Dark Link, that’s who.
Triforce Heroes’ incarnation of your nemesis is able to inflic🍎t Jinx on you with his sword attacks. So that’s a neat trick.
7 Dance On Your Sword Like Michael Freaking Flatley
Link himself, as we know, is a master swordsman. His battle prowess has been proven time and again. His blade-brandishing is unrivaled, his aim with a bow straight and true, his pot smashing frequent,🐈 expensive and highly irritating. Who can give him a decent challenge (beyond his studly🎶 ginger nemesis Ganondorf)? Himself, that’s who.
If you eventually do find your way to Dark Link’s lair deep in tꦿhe Water Temple, you’ll find that he –as he usually does throughout the series—fights just like you, with the same skillset and abilities. There is one curious maneuver Dark Link performs that I’ve certainly never seen the main man himself manage: As you swing, your evil counterpart will leap onto your sword for a moment and balance on the blade.
That’s a hell of a party trick there, Dark Link, and I was briefly fl൲abbergasted the first time I saw☂ it.
6 Take 'Em All On (By Cheating)
In the 3DS’s The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, you’ll come across a survival-based minigame dubbed Take ‘Em All On! It’s run by Joynas in Castle Town, and the setup is simple: defeat every enemy in the room to proceed to the next one, and continue until you reach the boss. Beat them to win. It’s simple, violent, to the point, and leaves no room for misinterpretation. I’m not a puzzling sort of♛ guy, but this, I can approve of.
The issu🎃e arises at the end of level 3 of the game. The whole thing culminates in a battle with Dark Link, and the cheeky a-hole has full access to bombs, arrows and all the usual Link-y paraphernalia while you’re stuck with just your sword. What kind of hax magi𝕴c is this?
