Links

The Links, also known as the Four-Who-Are-One, refers to a group of characters who are the result of Link after he is split into multiple copies of himself. In, and , Link is split into four copies. In, there are only three Links. In and, the Links are featured only in the games' Battle Modes.

The series has used the Links for games that include multiplayer and co-op gameplay, with the exception of The Minish Cap, where Link is only briefly split to solve certain puzzles and fight enemies. In multiplayer modes, each player takes control of a Link. In games where single-player mode is offered, the player can switch control between Links.

Four Swords
The Links made their first appearance in Four Swords. After leaving to investigate the Four Sword, which seals the wind mage Vaati, Princess Zelda is captured by Vaati after he reveals himself. Link is unable to help her and is knocked out, later reawakened by the Great Fairies. Link is split into four after he pulls the Four Sword out of its pedestal by the Fairies' urging. Now tasked with saving Zelda, the Links must work together to get to where she is being held and rescue her from Vaati's Palace of Winds.

The Links travel across the land to several stages, fighting enemies and collecting Rupees along the way. They compete against each other to collect as many Rupees as possible, but also cooperate with each other to accomplish tasks. At the end of the stage, depending on how many Rupees in total were accumulated, the Links receive a Great Key from the stage's Great Fairy and are then ranked by how many Rupees each Link collected. The Link with the most Rupees is awarded a Medal of Courage.

The Links eventually reach the Palace of Winds and defeat Vaati. His body is absorbed back into the Four Sword, and Zelda is freed from his hold. With Vaati again imprisoned and the Links' destiny fulfilled, the Four Sword glows as it returns Link to his former self. The Four Sword is then returned to its pedestal.

If there are only two or three players, Link will only be split into two or three Links, respectively. In 's single-player, only two Links are used. The player can choose the tunic color of the second Link and switch between the two to complete tasks.

Four Swords Adventures
In the Hyrulean Adventures mode in Four Swords Adventures, Link is again split into four copies of himself upon drawing the Four Sword. Link is called by Zelda to investigate the Four Sword's seal, after dark clouds sweep over Hyrule. However upon opening the Four Sword Sanctuary's portal with the aide of the Shrine Maidens, Shadow Link emerges from the opening as Zelda and the Maidens are captured and encased in dark crystals. Link follows Shadow Link into the Sanctuary, where he willingly draws the Four Sword from its pedestal to combat Shadow Link, despite the risk of freeing Vaati, and splits into four. The removal of the blade subsequently releases Vaati, who then sends the Links flying away by a twister.

The Links awake to the voice of Kaepora Gaebora in Lake Hylia, who tells them that Zelda and the six Maidens have been captured by evil forces. However, due to Vaati's magic, the Four Sword has been robbed of its former power to vanquish darkness. He informs them that they must collect Force Gems to return the blade to its full strength, only then can they find and rescue the Maidens and Zelda, before finally facing Vaati. Like in Four Swords, the Links work together and also compete to collect as many Force Gems as possible, as opposed to Rupees. At the end of every stage are Dark Barriers that must be dispelled, by collecting enough Force Gems to strengthen the Four Sword. After completing a stage, the Links are then ranked by how many Force Gems they have collected.

In a single-player game, the Links can group together to form preset Battle Formations (Cross, Wide, Long, Box), to aide in solving puzzles, pushing blocks, fighting enemies, and performing other tasks. Although the Link donning the green tunic is the default leader, the option exists to use any Link to lead the others.

In a Shadow Battle, the Links instead fight each other in a competitive match.

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap during his adventure, Link empowers and reforges the Picori Blade into the White Sword, with the Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind Elements. Upon the addition of each new Element in the Elemental Sanctuary, Link gained the ability to split into a new copy of himself at certain multi-colored tiles. The other three Links would disappear upon taking damage or touching walls. Each of the resulting clones were apparitions wearing the exact green tunic. The tiles set the formations in which the clones would aid Link in fight bosses such as Gyorg Pair and Vaati.

Tri Force Heroes
In Tri Force Heroes, there are only three Links: green, blue, and red. They are used in the game's multiplayer, and cooperate with each other to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. In single-player, there is only one Link and two dolls that can be controlled and switched between. The Links can stack on top of each other as a Totem to reach higher elevations, allowing them to solve different puzzles and fight enemies.

The Links arrive to help a Princess, who has been cursed to wear a horrible outfit she cannot take off.

Battle Modes
The Battle Mode versions of the four Links serve only as Nintendo's manner of delivering a multiplayer, by using Link as the fighter for each player.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, the Links appear only in the game's Battle Mode. This two-player mode uses only the red and blue tunic colors and players are assigned randomly. While playing as Link, certain cloning items can be picked up to generate another exact copy which will run in the opposite direction, potentially luring the Phantoms away.

''Spirit Tracks
The Links also make an appearance in Spirit Tracks' Battle Mode, and are used to differentiate up to four different players.

Four Swords manga
In the, each Link has his own personality: Green is focused and motivated, Blue is hotheaded and aggressive, Red is innocent and optimistic, and Violet is calm, cool, and collected.

Trivia

 * Each of the four Links' tunics match with one of the colors of the Elements used to forge the Four Sword.
 * Although Link's clones in The Minish Cap retain the green tunic when he splits, using a Charm has the effect of changing the original Link's tunic to either red, blue or violet, depending on the type. These colors are reminiscent of the Links' tunic colors in Four Swords.