With multiple timelines, a seemingly unlimited amount of games, and the main characters of The Legend Of Zelda being reincarnated into various versions of Hyrule, the character designs also change to fit the story, world, art style, and tone of the games.

Link is usually the most noticeably different throughout the games due to the players getting control of him and seeing things through his perspective (or her in a certain case) on an adventure. So, it’s time to look through the history of Hyrule and determine which versions of Link look the best and which are the more forgettable designs.

14 CD-I Link

It is debatable if these abysmal games by Phillips for their CD-I console even count as true Legend Of Zelda games or not but they still feature the characters of Link and Zelda so it’s an obligation to talk about them.

To quickly sum up: this Link is awful. There’s the in-game sprite which is just okay at best but then the infamous cutscenes play thus resulting in nightmare fuel visuals and sounds.

13 NES/GameBoy

Yes, the original game on NES is the classic title that started the franchise and we wouldn’t have some of the best games ever made without it. So why is the original Link so low here? Well, the game sprite is very basic: it’s a guy in a green hat with a sword and shield.

Not to say the original Link is bad, it’s just not the best. Even the artwork for how Link is supposed to look is nothing special: it’s essentially Peter Pan trying to save the Princess from the clutches of Ganon. This design carries over only with a lack of color in the original Link’s Awakening and Oracle games.

12 Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link

The design for Link in terms of how he’s supposed to look is nearly identical to the NES game but this game improves upon the sprite by giving Link a more human-like design instead of the short and stout look from the original.

This game remains divisive for its drastically different styles of gameplay but it’s because of this gameplay that the game gets to see Link from a better perspective. It plants the seeds for what will blossom into more iconic Links down the line.

11 Link’s Awakening Remake

The remake of this GameBoy classic was surprisingly fun, especially with the new art style it sported. Some didn’t care for the very child-friendly look to everything, including Link but some can also argue that the style fits within the style of the game.

Link’s design in Link’s Awakening is nice, his new design has a charm and cute nature that’s impossible to not smile at. It also perfectly blends the original design of Link with the more modern take that fans are used to.

10 A Link To The Past

This was the beginning of the Link that would become a staple in nearly every game for the future: a warrior’s shield, the green tunic, the blonde hair: it all started to come together here…at least in terms of the character’s design in the artwork.

The sprite featured in the game, however, makes the interesting choice of giving Link vibrant pink hair. Apparently, it was to help the hair not blend in with Link’s face and the background which is fair but…pink? Why not yellow or dark brown?

9 A Link Between Worlds

So take the version of Link from A Link To The Past, port into a 3D character model, fix the color of his hair and that’s essentially what is featured in A Link Between Worlds. It’s the SNES Link but just done even better.

A Link Between Worlds is essentially a true sequel to A Link To The Past and it’s clear that Nintendo cared about fans of that game since the attention to detail in recreating that world is exquisite but they reverted back to a classic design on Link that hadn’t been seen in years.

8 Linkle From Hyrule Warriors

Timelines can create some interesting variations and in the case of this Cucco farmer, reincarnation turned the hero of Hyrule into a woman. However, instead of just being a female copy of the usual Link, she has a very unique design overall.

Linkle features a more poncho-like tunic with a green hood. Instead of a sword and shield, she equips dual crossbows, thigh-high boots, and a compass pendant around her neck. Linkle is a character that some fans are hoping makes a return in the future.

7 Toon Link

Most of the time, a new version of Link will last one or two games before Nintendo decides to change things up for the next game but in the case of Toon Link, this version has spread across multiple games and generations.

This lovable and expressive version of Link first debuted in The Wind Waker then would continue in games like Spirit Tracks, The Phantom Hourglass, and Tri-Force Heroes. The cartoonish art style was criticized when he first debuted but now he’s a classic, even becoming his own character to play in Super Smash Bros. and Hyrule Warriors.

6 The Minish Cap

On the covers and artwork for the game made by Capcom and Nintendo, it’s simply Toon Link but the in-game sprite is much more unique than that. It’s more of a blend of Toon Link, the young Link from Ocarina Of Time, and A Link To The Past.

The animation for the sprite is top-notch, by far the best of the 2D sprite versions of the character. The added character built right into his design in the form of the sentient hat Ezlo.

5 Nintendo 64 Link

A Link To The Past planted the seeds and it was with the Nintendo 64 that Link was revolutionized in The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. Link’s entire design is done really well here with a more fully realized version of the iconic tunic and addition of adult Link.

The simple introduction of a more mature version of Link would create the gold standard that future games would follow. The boy version of Link from Ocarina Of Time would return in the dark and depressing yet beloved follow up, Majora’s Mask.

4 Breath Of The Wild

This one might seem strange but this is not saying that Breath Of The Wild’s Link is bad in any way because it’s not, it’s a fully customizable Link that you can alter however you want via gear and equipment which is something fans wanted for years.

However, if one looks at the base look of Link, the one on all the covers and marketing, it is a cool design but it’s also essentially swapping out a green tunic for a blue shirt which works very well but it’s the equipment that makes Link’s designs more interesting.

3 Twilight Princess

With Twilight Princess taking a much darker and epic approach to The Legend Of Zelda, it was only fitting that the design for Link would follow suit It’s very similar to what fans were introduced to in Ocarina Of Time but the extra details really help this design.

For the Nintendo Wii, Link’s tunic and outfit contain a lot of great details, the longer hat is an interesting touch, and the darker shade of green on his tunic is pleasing. Combine this with a very unique design for his Wolf form and it became a hit.

2 Skyward Sword

The main design for Link in Skyward Sword is essentially the best of two worlds here: elements from Ocarina Of Time and Twilight Princess merge together here with a few new aspects to create a very familiar look for the character.

This fits within the story since Skyward Sword is the first game in the timeline and sets the example for how the heroes and villains will continue to reincarnate throughout eternity. The green tunic begins with Skyward Sword.

1 Link From Hyrule Warriors

Ignoring how one might feel on this divisive spin-off title, the new character designs for nearly everybody in Hyrule Warriors were unique and eye-pleasing: especially Link. Sporting a very stylish blue scarf, this version of Link is the closest the character has gotten to looking like a warrior.

Fitting within his origin as a trainee for the Royal Army. The shoulder guards, the chain mail layer beneath the iconic tunic (which was also in Twilight Princess), and the sturdy leather boots combined with the beautiful animation make this a nearly flawless design.

NEXT: 5 Zelda Clones Better Than The Real Thing (& 5 That Are So Much Worse)