Intelligent design; the evolution of Link

by Christopher Grant { Feb 24th 2006 at 5:30PM }

In honor of The Legend of Zelda's twentieth anniversary, here's an evolutionary diagram of Link throughout the years, culminating with Twilight Princess's Link on the right. Someone oughta put this on a shirt.

Bonus points* for anyone who can rattle 'em all off. Double bonus points for anyone who can figure out which Link is (sort of) missing.

See also:
Old school Zelda rap commercial
Happy Birthday Zelda! 20 years old today

*current exchange rate: 1 Bonus Point™ = $0.00

Tags: Legend of Zelda, LegendOfZelda

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ryan D. @ Feb 24th 2006 5:35PM

Smells like that godawful CDi Link is missing.

derick @ Feb 24th 2006 5:37PM

4 swords link is missing....and Cd-i Link...

DCSimian @ Feb 24th 2006 5:38PM

Missing? Hmmm...I'm gonna say CD-i Link...although he should have never existed in the first place.

Ok...here goes.

Legend of Zelda
Zelda II
Links Awakening
Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
Link to the Past
Four Swords
Young Link from Ocarina or Link from Majora's Mask
Adult Link from Ocarina
Wind Waker
Twilight Princess

4TW perhaps?

Pince @ Feb 24th 2006 5:39PM

Do you have oracle of seasons / oracle of ages link in there? And if it is chronological, wouldnt the gameboy link come after the SNES link? I am assuming that they are ordered based on what looks most natural...unless my dates are just way off.

And oh yes, good call on the CDi link.

wonderflex @ Feb 24th 2006 5:39PM

SuperSmash Brothers Link is Missing

DarkSol @ Feb 24th 2006 5:41PM

Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess.

Brody Brooks @ Feb 24th 2006 5:44PM

My only gripe with the image is that ALL the links should be looking toward the right, not just the earlier 2D Link iterations. The 3D Links facing toward the viewer breaks the consistancy and furthermore the likeness to the Evolutionary image-style.

Otherwise, this is great. Once the above changes are made, it really should be put on a shirt!

Matt @ Feb 24th 2006 5:48PM

Well I'm no Nintendo fan, but I can see that Link's representation from the Gamecube version of Soul Calibur II is missing. And Minish Cap Link also appears to be absent.

skyman8081 @ Feb 24th 2006 5:49PM

The "Majora's Mask" Link is missing from that diagram.

R @ Feb 24th 2006 5:50PM

Minish Cap link anyone? Nope, not here :D Seems to be several missing.

SilverPill @ Feb 24th 2006 5:59PM

The Link from the cartoon that played on the 80's or 90's. I dont really remember the date. I was too young and it sucked. I love Zelda games thou and they are the only reason that keep me buying nintendo. Metroid too.

bard @ Feb 24th 2006 5:59PM

Minish Link is there, sixth from the left. The Game & Watch Link isn't there: http://glid.9online.fr/img/artwork/gw/3.jpg

wonderflex @ Feb 24th 2006 6:01PM

Here arethe missing Links (punny, I know):

Zelda Game & Watch
Zelda Game Watch
All 3 CD-i games link
Mario RPG link
Majora's Mask link
Both Smash Brothers games link
Soul Calibur II

Conn @ Feb 24th 2006 6:08PM

Legend of Zelda
Adventure of Link
Link's Awakening
Oracle of Ages/Seasons
A Link to the Past
Four Swords/Four Swords Adventures/Minish Cap (technically, it's from Minish Cap as that's the only one where Link is seen hatless)
Ocarina of Time (Young and Adult)
Wind Waker
Twilight Princess

Jay @ Feb 24th 2006 6:09PM

Yea I was going to say that chronologically thats incorrect. For shame Joystiq! you should have had sorting them by the GAMES chronology too. though... do we even know where all Zelda's fall?

Crazylink @ Feb 24th 2006 6:13PM

ALTTP and OOA/OOS are in the wrong order.

Sgt.Princess @ Feb 24th 2006 6:15PM

haha! the missing link... ^_~

wonderflex @ Feb 24th 2006 6:16PM

Other missing links, include link from these games:

F1 Race
Super Mario RPG
Tetris (NES)

bv @ Feb 24th 2006 6:20PM

QUADRUPLE Bonus points for anyone who can guess where joystiq ripped this from!!

(hint:

http://i1.tinypic.com/ohnx1i.jpg

)

macattacks10 @ Feb 24th 2006 6:30PM

bv, are you well aware the site that is linked in that picture of yours is the same site that Joystiq links to when you hit the "Read" button?

bob @ Feb 24th 2006 6:32PM

the wolf link from twilight princess!!

C. Grant @ Feb 24th 2006 6:33PM

Seriously bv, you've been around here long enough to know better. Click the read link or the image itself. We get lots of tips from lots of places, like Infendo.

Thanks for the troll though.

jah75157 @ Feb 24th 2006 6:37PM

either you all came to the same conclusion about the t-shirt or ya took the quote from here?

http://kotaku.com/gaming/nintendo/evolution-of-link-156717.php

bv @ Feb 24th 2006 6:43PM

C. Grant
i was commenting about how you said it should be on a shirt...just teasing though!

C. Grant @ Feb 24th 2006 7:14PM

Ha! I didn't even notice the shirt reference when I clicked on the picture you "link"ed. Apologies, bv! I guess we're both really that nerdy!

I tend to think anything I immediately make my desktop image should probably be duplicated on a shirt... not to mention, when's the last time you saw a good Zelda shirt?!

And for the curious: I was indeed thinking of the CDi Link... although I try to do that as infrequently as possible. So I guess the very first comment got it right. So here's your double bonus points: *wiggles his hands* Uh, there.

Boy, would that Link ruin an otherwise cool shirt! For all the other "missing links"--nice call Wonderflex!--all I can say is: nerds!

Seriously though, the guest appearances shouldn't count, Majora's Mask and young OoT link are the same, and the 4swords and Minish Cap links are close enough that I'd accept it (there's only so much horizontal real estate on a T). As for the chronological issues, it's probably an aesthetic decision; "graphical" evolution and all that. I agree those two should be facing right however!

Matt Quinton @ Feb 24th 2006 7:23PM

Err, I know another "missing" link you all seemed to forget... What happened to the one they showed at SpaceWorld (I think that was the show) before the GameCube shipped? Where he look likt OoT's adult link, but with more polygons - still the lighter side of things - not as dark as TP link looks.

Am I the only person who remembers these pics?

JohnnyM @ Feb 24th 2006 7:56PM

of course your missing link from the CD-i Faces of Evil game and Link from his saturday moring cartoon(Scuse me Princess!)

RageOverdose @ Feb 24th 2006 8:03PM

Feirce Deity Link, Goron Link, Deku Link, and Zora Link isn't there. Oh, and actually, Majora Link and Young Link from OoT are different, they have different swords and shields.

CD-i Link doesn't count, Nintendo didn't make them, and he talks. =P

Forgot N64 SSB Link, Soul Calibur 2 Link, SSBM Young Link and Link.

Where's the Link with the blue shrimp shirt? Also, the purplish-Link from the first Zelda, when you entered your name as ZELDA and got the second, harder quest. Oh, and don't forget Dark Link! =D

Oh, and the most important, Gamecube tech demo Link!

breakfast rescue @ Feb 24th 2006 8:09PM

duh, Nintendo Cereal Link is missing!

"we rescued breakfast!"

Babylonian @ Feb 24th 2006 9:41PM

Man, even on reflection, Wind Waker link just seems like the worst idea as far as directions to take the franchise goes. I loved the game, and thought it was gorgeous, but am I the only one who thinks the sudden dive in Link height the timeline takes is just awkward and out of place?

RanHakubi @ Feb 24th 2006 9:53PM

How about the Link from that episode of Captain N, the Game Master?

Henson123 @ Feb 24th 2006 10:26PM

Alright, you nuts.

I win the prize for making it into a t-shirt first, although CafePress will surely have it flagged and removed by this time tomorrow. Still, the challenge wasn't to be able to sell the t-shirts, but just to make one.

Anyway, check out our new creation at
http://www.cafepress.com/joystiqfun

The only reward I ask is that you also check out my REAL videogame-based t-shirt shop, catering specifically to YOUR babies, at
http://www.squirtshirts.com

The Dude @ Feb 25th 2006 1:06AM

Every day I eat lunch and see a dude who where's a jacket with the far left link embroidered on his back with "Olde School" written in script above it. Nice.

Luis @ Feb 25th 2006 1:17AM

Actually the link thats missing would be smash brothers and cdi link
that link is actually minish cap link and not four swords link...

random_hugs_all_around @ Feb 25th 2006 3:20AM

Where's wolf Link?

random_hugs_all_around @ Feb 25th 2006 3:45AM

Also
"evolution: a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)"
If evolution is to be defined as such. Then the CDi Link should not and cannot be included in an evolutionary chart.

WedgeTalon @ Feb 25th 2006 11:01AM

6. Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess.
Posted at 5:41PM on Feb 24th 2006 by DarkSol 0 stars

DarkSol wins the thread and owes me a new keyboard.

Klink @ Feb 25th 2006 12:20PM

Seems like something's out of order here...
Why is minnish cap link before the OOT? that being said, we cn establish it's by quality, not release date, so... Why is TWW link after OOT link? Isn't it widely regarded as a great game, but graphically worse than OOT in many cases?