Toon Link

Lore & Background

In the world of The Wind Waker, the Great Sea is a vast expanse of water dotted with islands, and its young hero navigates it aboard the King of Red Lions, a ship that doubles as his home and weapon. Toon Link is a child by the standards of Hyrule's heroes, yet he shoulders the same legendary burden: gathering the Triforce, confronting the shadow of Ganon, and restoring balance to a world rendered in bold, painterly strokes. His world is one of wind, tide, and discovery—every island a puzzle, every storm a test of nerve.

In the Smash Bros. multiverse, Toon Link stands apart from his older counterparts. Where other Links are seasoned warriors clad in green, he is a bright-eyed kid with a Fierce Dragon sword and a mischievous grin. His presence on the Battlefield is often played as a statement: speed over strength, creativity over brute force. Fans adore his floaty, darting movement and the way his kit rewards a player who thinks in angles and timing rather than raw knockback.

His relationship to the broader Zelda legacy is one of contrast. He is the same hero, the same quest, but filtered through a lens of cartoonish charm and open-sea adventure. In Smash, he reminds players that the Legend of Zelda is not one story but many, and that a child with a leaf and a bow can hold his own against gods and titans.

Reader's Guide

Name: Toon Link Source Franchise: The Legend of Zelda (The Wind Waker) Unlock: Hidden fighter in Melee and Brawl (earned through match count or in-game discovery); unlocked via match count or finding him on Battlefield in Ultimate.

Neutral Combo: A quick three-hit sword slash—jab, cross, overhead. Fast startup, low damage per hit, but the whole string pops off quickly.

Side Special – Bow: Fires a single arrow that travels in a flat arc. Low damage, great for spacing and punishing opponents at range. Down Special – Deku Leaf: Toon Link hops upward while spinning the leaf, gaining a small vertical boost. Useful for escaping grabs or adjusting aerial positioning. Up Special – Boomerang: Throws a boomerang in an arc; he rides it back to his starting position. His primary recovery, with decent range but a fixed trajectory. Forward Special – Slingshot: Fires a stone in a short arc. Slightly more damage than the bow, shorter range.

Aerials: Forward aerial is a quick sword slash. Back aerial is a spinning sword strike. Down aerial is a downward sword jab. All are fast but low-damage.

Smashes: Forward smash is a horizontal sword swing. Back smash is a wide arcing slash. Up smash is a quick overhead chop. All are fast but deal modest knockback.

Grabs: Short-range grab with a quick pummel. Throws are fast but low-damage.

Unique Mechanics: Extremely low weight makes him very floaty and hard to hit, but also very easy to knock away. Very fast running and air speed. Weak overall damage output rewards creative combos and edge-guarding. The Deku Leaf hop is a unique defensive tool.

Alternate Costumes: Variations on his green tunic, hat, and boots in different color schemes (red, blue, yellow, etc.), plus a few Wind Waker outfit swaps.

Did You Know?

• His extremely low weight and high air speed make him one of the most floaty characters in the series, rewarding players who master edge-guarding and aerial spacing over raw power.
• The Deku Leaf, his down special, is a Wind Waker-exclusive item; other Link variants in Smash do not use it, making it a signature move unique to Toon Link.
• In The Wind Waker, the King of Red Lions is not just a ship—it can transform into a giant sea creature, a detail that fans often wish had made an appearance in his Smash Final Smash.