Shadow Link Battle

are a game mode in. It allows players to trade A.I.-controlled ALBW: versions of their ALBW: via the Series: feature of the Nintendo 3DS for the purpose of battling one another.

Setup
NaN Shadow Link Battles become available once ALBW: has obtained a ALBW: and proceeds to speak to ALBW: in ALBW:, who oversees the ALBW:. ALBW: excitedly describes the mode as a way to interact with the people we pass by in our daily lives, adding that there's nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing the mode, and goes on to explain how it works.

To begin, ALBW: is tasked with creating a profile for a ALBW: version of himself that will be transmitted to other players via Series:. The ALBW: is given the same equipment, quest items, and number of NaN Heart Containers as ALBW:; essentially ALBW: only needs to select up to two items from his current inventory that the ALBW: will take into battle. The profile for this ALBW: also displays ALBW:'s chosen name, the number of challenges he has completed, the bounty, which is the amount of NaN Rupees awarded for defeating the ALBW: and a measure of its abilities and difficulty, and the Player name, which is the nickname of the Nintendo 3DS console from which the ALBW: originates.

This ALBW: profile does not automatically update itself when ALBW: acquires new equipment or NaN Heart Containers, so ALBW: must speak to ALBW: and perform the setup again in order to update the ALBW:.

Series:
Once the setup is completed, Series: will be activated for and will continue to function even after the game is closed. ALBW: will commemorate the occasion by planting the ALBW: near ALBW:. Series: occur when two or more Nintendo 3DS systems, with wireless communications enabled, pass nearby and electronically "tag" one another. A successful tag is indicated by the system's status light flashing bright green, along with a notice in the Notifications menu.

In order to import these tags from the system's memory into, ALBW: simply needs to visit ALBW:, where signposts signifying each newly-arrived ALBW: will appear at the ALBW:. Each signpost displays the corresponding ALBW:'s name, bounty, number of challenges completed, Player name, and a description of the randomly-selected location where the ALBW: awaits. Its equipment, NaN Heart Containers and chosen items are left a secret until the ALBW: begins.

Once Series: functionality for has been enabled, it can only be disabled through the Nintendo 3DS System Settings app. Alternatively, one could choose to avoid Series: by turning off wireless communications. Up to three NaN Shadow Links per copy of can be transmitted in a single Series:—one for each saved game, provided that none of the saves are copies of another. The ALBW: can hold up to 20 signs at a time, while the Nintendo 3DS can store another 20 Series: for in its queue. ALBW: can choose to banish any ALBW: from the game by pressing the Y button while reading its corresponding signpost.

Battle
When ALBW: encounters a ALBW: in the overworld, he must speak to it and then choose to review the rules of the battle, view the list of challenges, or begin the battle. ALBW: can only bring the two items set to the Y and X buttons into the battle, and cannot change items mid-battle. The competitors will be transported to one of five arenas, roughly based on the ALBW:'s location, and the battle begins instantly. The ALBW: is controlled by A.I. and will utilize his ALBW:, ALBW:, and items in a tactical manner. The first fighter to deplete his opponent's ALBW: will win the battle, though either can be revived if they are carrying a ALBW:. Battles are fought under a 3-minute time limit; if neither ALBW: has defeated the other by this time, then the one who dealt the most damage to his opponent is declared the winner.

If ALBW: wins the battle, he will be awarded the ALBW:'s bounty in NaN Rupees. Any ALBW: that ALBW: has lost or items expended during the battle will be replenished afterward, regardless of who wins. If ALBW: is defeated, any rented items won't be reclaimed by ALBW:, and the loss will not count toward ALBW:'s "Times defeated" counter.

Bounty
The bounty for each ALBW: is scored based on the quality of that ALBW:'s equipment, the quest items he possesses, and the efficiency of the chosen items he brings into battle. In addition, each full ALBW: beyond the starting three adds 10 points to the bounty; having all 20 NaN Heart Containers therefore adds 170 points.

The minimum bounty for a ALBW: is 50, with the maximum being 999. The size and color of each signpost in the ALBW: reflects its bounty. Items that have no bearing on NaN Shadow Link Battles, such as the ALBW:, ALBW:, and NaN Pendant of Virtues, do not count toward the bounty.

The bounty value of each item is as follows:

Challenges
Challenges, also known as records and medals, are a series of 50 achievements ALBW: can earn by fulfilling certain conditions while competing in NaN Shadow Link Battles. They range from winning set numbers of battles, to using specific items in battle, to other challenges such as winning within a time limit or without pressing certain buttons. Newly-achieved challenges are tallied after each successful battle, and it is possible to achieve multiple challenges in a single battle.

Completing a challenge involving a Nice item will also complete the challenge for the regular version of that weapon, therefore no challenges are permanently missable. In order for the challenge to count as completed, the item must damage or otherwise make contact with the ALBW:. Likewise, a ALBW: must deflect at least one of the ALBW:'s attacks for its challenge to count as completed. The challenge "Win after using ALBW:!" requires ALBW: to ALBW: during the battle, which can only be achieved in certain arenas.

After all 50 challenges have been completed, ALBW: can speak to ALBW: to find out that he is only the second competitor to achieve the feat—the first being ALBW: himself. He will then be given the opportunity to battle ALBW:, who possesses all the strongest equipment, 20 NaN Heart Containers, and two random Nice items, despite carrying a bounty of only 5 NaN Rupees.

Sky Arena
An arena that is held in the sky and features the Royal Crest in the middle of the stage. While there are no traps, ALBW: and ALBW: can fall off the edge.

Forest Arena
A clearing in a forest, featuring grass that can be cut for NaN Hearts, NaN Bees, and NaN Fairies. There is also an ALBW: tree in the center, where ALBW: and ALBW: can eat NaN Apples to regain health.

Fire Arena
The arena is a grated metal platform over a lake of lava, where jets of lava will burst up and through the floor at random. ALBW: can use ALBW: to freeze the lava and use ALBW: to ALBW: into the resulting column, making the Fire Arena one of the two possible arenas to complete the "Win after using ALBW:!" Challenge.

Ice Arena
The arena is a platform made of ice, with breakable ice tiles in the center and several NaN Bumpers near the edges. Both NaN Bombs and the ALBW: are capable of breaking the tiles, which can be used as a trap.

Desert Arena
The arena is covered in sand, making it possible to use the ALBW: to create sand pillars which can be ALBW: into using ALBW:. NaN Devalants will emerge from the sand, creating sinkholes that the competitors can fall into.

The Desert Arena is the rarest of the arenas; fights usually occur here only if the ALBW: is encountered in the ALBW:.

Pre-Generated NaN Shadow Links
Occasionally, a signpost will appear in the ALBW: without having met another player by Series:. This occurs once every five cumulative hours of gameplay, as long as Series: is enabled. These signposts represent NaN Shadow Links that come from a supposed Player named Shade and are selected at random from the following list of 20 pre-generated characters, coming in a variety of bounties and item selections.

Trivia

 * The music that plays during a ALBW: is an orchestrated remix of the Palace theme from.