Sword Beam

The Sword Beam is a sword skill that has appeared in various Zelda games, first debuting in the original The Legend of Zelda. It is often utilized by Link wherein, when he is at full health, an attack with his sword will result in a beam of light streaking out and striking anything in its path. It is useful for when one does not wish to engage in close quarters combat or use ammunition like arrows. At times, it can be utilized with any blade; at others, only special blades like the Master Sword will create a Sword Beam when swung. This depends on the game.

Variations
There are various variations of the Sword Beam that have appeared throughout the series.

Sword-Shaped
The most common variation of the sword beam is actually shaped like the blade of the sword it springs from. This type has appeared in several games, including The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.

The sword beam in Four Swords Adventures does not result as a function of Link's full health, but as an extra Four Sword power after Link gains 2000 Force Gems in a particular stage, fully empowering the sword to banish evil.

In Phantom Hourglass, if Link obtains 20 Courage Gems and has Ciela equipped as his fairy, the Sword Beams shot from his sword will become wider.

Circular Swirl
The other, rarer variation, appears as a circular swirl of propelled sparkles, and has thus far only appeared in A Link to the Past and Four Swords. In The Minish Cap, after Link infuses the Four Sword with all four elements, his sword will shoot this beam after performing a Spin Attack.

Even though the Sword Beam appears in the familiar blade-shaped variation in The Minish Cap, the Four Sword's curse-breaking maneuver is visually identical to the swirl variation despite working completely differently.

Crescent-Shaped
In Majora's Mask, when Link is wearing the Fierce Deity Mask, he will be able to shoot out a blue, crescent-shaped beam from his sword. However, this ability can only be used when Z-Targeting, and it consumes Magic Power.

In A Link Between Worlds, Link uses a crescent-shaped projectile after obtaining the Master Sword. Despite the difference in appearance, this Sword Beam functions identically to the circular swirl variation in A Link To The Past

Light Ring
In Oracle of Ages, if the Light Ring is equipped, then the Sword Beam will be performed not only when Link is at full health, but also when he has one or two hearts missing. If Link finds the Level 2 Light Ring, it will also be performed when he has three hearts missing. As with all rings, it can be transferred to Oracle of Seasons if the games are linked.

Peril Beam
A related maneuver is known as the Peril Beam, appearing only in The Minish Cap. It works exactly the same as the Sword Beam, except the beam is shot out while only one Heart Container remains filled, not while at full health.

Skyward Strike
This variation is seen in Skyward Sword. It is performed when Link holds the Goddess/Master Sword aloft and lets it take a moment to charge with heavenly energy. Once the sword brims with energy, Link can slash with the sword to release a crescent-shaped shockwave that follows the arc of the blade. He can also stab to create a focused beam that is reminiscent of sword beams from earlier games. The Skyward Strike is less powerful than a normal attack, and is also necessary to activate certain magical items such as the Goddess Crests, Goddess Cubes, and Goddess Walls.

The Skyward Strike has three different levels of power and ten different directions it can be shot (including the Jump Strike). The first level of power is seen with the Goddess Sword, the Goddess Longsword and the Goddess White Sword. The second level appears once Link tempers the Goddess Sword into the Master Sword. It is faster, more powerful and travels a greater distance than the previous Skyward Strike. The final level is obtained once Hylia blesses Link's Master Sword, creating the True Master Sword. This Skyward Strike has even greater distance, speed and power than previously. In Hero Mode, the Goddess Sword takes on the abilities of the Master Sword, charging quickly and traveling farther, along with firing a disc of energy as opposed to the small crescent wave of the original Goddess Sword. The Master Sword on the other hand now gains the abilitiy to charge instantly upon raising the sword into the air.

Lightning Strike and other variations
During the last battle against the Demon King Demise, a dark emanation keeps the sacred power from Link's Master Sword. However, it does not take long for a thunderstorm to start. If either Link or Demise raise their swords up, lightning will strike their blade, allowing them to send a beam of electricity and stun the other.

During the last battle with Ghirahim in the Sealed Grounds, just predating the battle with Demise, Ghirahim will use an attack identical to the Skyward Strike, but his sword will charge red, and he will only slice either horizontally or vertically. If Link strikes the beam of energy or hits it with a Shield Bash, it will go flying away. However, if he can strike the beam along its edge (horizontal for horizontal strikes, and vertical for vertical strikes), he can send the beam back at Ghirahim. However, Ghirahim will retaliate, inciting the game's only true instance of Dead Man's Volley.

Enemy Beams
Several enemies are capable of also using the Sword Beam against Link, such as the Lynels in The Legend of Zelda. Others include the Blue Iron Knuckle and Fokka in The Adventure of Link, and the Purple Dark Link in the Palace of the Four Sword from the GBA version of A Link to the Past.

Zap
In the animated series, the Sword Beam, referred to as zaps, is the only attack which Link performs with his Crissword, other than using it to parry. The Sword Beams seen in the cartoon are pink, and Link is able to shoot them from his sword at any time, no matter his health. Any monster that receives a zap from the Crissword is sent to Ganon's Evil Jar, including Ganon himself. However, Link cannot use its sword beams to hurt anyone who is not a monster, as shown in "Sing for the Unicorn" when the young hero is unable to damage Sing with it.

The Sword Beams emitted from the Crissword are powerful enough to knock back the person holding the sword. As such, the sword must be held with two hands by beginners until they are able to master it completely.

Requirements to use the Sword Beam
Although in some Zelda games Link can use the Sword Beam with any sword, in others, like The Minish Cap or Link's Awakening, the young hero will have to learn special techniques or acquire specific swords to use the Sword Beam. Below is a table detailing under what conditions Link is able to use this ability with his sword.

Trivia

 * The sword beam that was in the pre-release development period of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time can be found in the debug ROM's gameplay keep. In a Q&A page in 1998, Dan Owsen of Nintendo confirmed that sword beams were in the game.