Link


 * ''For other Links featured in the series, see Link (Disambiguation).

Link (pronounced ) is the name shared by the main protagonists of. There are many incarnations of Link, each possessing the Spirit of the Hero, with some of them being blood related as well. They are chosen by the Goddesses to protect the land from evil whenever deemed necessary. In the majority of Zelda games, their adventures take place within Hyrule, traveling through the land, collecting important items, and defeating a wide variety of enemies while trying to save both Princess Zelda and her kingdom from the clutches of Ganon, Vaati, or other villains.

The first Link was introduced as a young Sword-wielding boy, but since, the identity, appearance, and role of each incarnation of Link has varied from game to game. Many of the Links are given titles to identify them, such as the Hero of Time in and the Hero of Winds in.

Background
In almost all the games (with the exception of, and SS undefined), Link starts his journey as a child or young adolescent Hylian and has not yet been depicted as being older than his late teens at any point of the series. Moreover, he is usually portrayed as having been orphaned at an early age: the only game that mentions Link's mother is Ocarina of Time, who died after she escaped to the Kokiri Forest with Link as a baby from a fierce war in Hyrule, leaving him in the care of the Great Deku Tree. In games such as and, Link lives with his uncle and grandmother, respectively, but leaves his home in order to fulfill his destiny as the savior of Hyrule or another land.

In all games thus far, Link has been descended from the Hylians. In A Link to the Past, Link is said to be the last descendant of the Knights of Hyrule, and as such is destined to rescue Princess Zelda. In many games, he has or earns the Triforce mark on the back of his left hand, either to signify possession of the Triforce of Courage or, in some cases, to simply signify his exemplary courage.

Characteristics
Because Link bears the Spirit of the Hero, all of Link's incarnations each possess an unbreakable spirit. One feature in Link's personality that is greatly emphasized is his courage. He is often depicted as a humble yet brave and courageous boy who steps up to the task of saving the kingdom of Hyrule (and many  others),  a task to which he seems destined. As such, he is often associated with the Triforce of Courage and the goddess Farore: in Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Courage activated when Link stepped into the Twilight, and it protected him from becoming a lost soul, instead turning him into a wolf. He rarely shows signs of cowardice and is always willing to use his strength and valor to save and help those around him, as seen in The Wind Waker where he asks Tetra and her pirate crew to allow him to go with them on their ship in order to save his sister Aryll.

Link does not speak or have any written dialog (other than in two instances in The Adventure of Link, and in The Wind Waker within the Tower of the Gods where Link calls "Come on!" to the Servants of the Tower), which has led some people believe him to be mute; his voice actions are limited to shouts and grunts. In addition, Link does not show signs of a strong and deep personality, nor does he present much of his personal motivations. However, the idea that Link is mute is disproved by his ability to interact with other characters in conversation; for example, in Twilight Princess, Jaggle once states that Link's voice carries well, and in The Wind Waker, Link can be heard using short phrases such as "Come on!" at certain points throughout the game. The true reason for this blankness and apparent muteness lies in Link's own essence: He seems to be the personification of the immersion experience, and in that way he is an extension of the player, a "link" between the player and the Zelda universe. Miyamoto and Nintendo designers themselves pointed out several times that the focus of the series lies in the player's personal experiences and in the concept of "the player being the hero," with Link as his/her avatar.

In that way, he was made blank so the human player can fill him with his/her own characteristics, experiences, motivations, feelings, thoughts and emotions. While he is traditionally known as Link, even his name is chosen by the player. This is in order to allow the player to enter this fantasy world and to have an intimate experience with it, and with those who live in it. So, the intention is for his role in dialog and plot to be filled by the words and thoughts of the player, to some extent. His speech is usually replaced with simple and concise answers that the player can pick.

Link also seems to have a particular fondness for sleeping. Most of the games begin with him oversleeping and having to be woken up by some other character. This seems to be done to show that at the beginning of the game he is a regular boy, while by the end he is a true hero.

Invariably, Link wears a green tunic and a long, floppy green cap, at least for part of each adventure, although the shades of green vary. He also wears different clothes during parts of some Zelda games, most often color variations on his basic outfit (except for the Magic Armor and Zora Armor in Twilight Princess). Physically, Link usually has light-colored hair ranging from light brown to blonde, large eyes ranging from blue to dark, and a medium build. Furthermore, Link dons special gauntlets or bracelets that help him boost up his strength, such as the Power Bracelet or the Golden Gauntlet. In several games, various female characters often comment on Link's physical attractiveness, calling him "cute" or complimenting his great eyes.

Link is also depicted as left-handed in almost all games, with the exception of the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and, which depict him as right-handed, the same hand most people use to hold the Wii Remote and to attack. There is no option for left-handers, but in the GameCube version of Twilight Princess, Link is a traditional left-hander. Arguably, Link is still left-handed in Twilight Princess, proved by the fact that the Wii version is mirrored (just like the Master Quest in ) and that in Link is again left-handed. Currently, Link's "canonical" appearance in Twilight Princess is still as a left-handed version. However, Skyward Sword depicts Link as right-handed and is the only option available in-game.

A peculiarity which Link shares with many video game characters is the uncanny ability to effortlessly carry around many cumbersome items. The concept is known as Hammerspace and allows Link to carry an enormous array of large and heavy items, without the use of a bag of any kind. For example, where does he store the Biggoron's Sword when not in use? And how can wearing the Iron Boots make him any heavier, if he was already carrying them with him? This is addressed in the non-canon cartoon series, The Legend of Zelda, in which in a couple of scenes Link is seen taking items out of a bag, which then "grow" to normal size when taken out so he can use them, and "shrink" when he puts them back into the bag.

Abilities
Link is depicted throughout the series as an impressive swordsman. He usually begins his adventure as an average boy with little to no swordsmanship skills. When trouble arises, however, Link demonstrates a natural aptitude for the ways of the sword and is able to best his enemies easily: in The Wind Waker, Link goes to Orca to learn how to wield a sword in order to help Tetra from the Forest of Fairies. It is further noted by Orca himself that Link's ability to use a sword is firmly present in his veins. As the game progresses, Link becomes known for his swordsmanship as well as his ability to quickly adapt to a wide variety of items and skillfully wield them, such as the Boomerang, the Bow, and the Grappling Hook, among others.

In some games, Link can learn advanced sword techniques and complicated move-sets: in, the Blade Brothers teach the young hero various sword skills by using Tiger Scrolls, and in Twilight Princess, the Hero's Shade shares his knowledge of the sword by teaching Link seven Hidden Skills to help him become more powerful and save Hyrule.

Additionally, Link is portrayed as having an excellent physical condition, performing backflips easily as well as being able to best others in sumo-wrestling, as seen in Twilight Princess. However, despite this, Link is usually defenseless without a sword or an item. This is depicted in The Wind Waker, where Link loses his sword after being launched into the Forsaken Fortress and must use his stealth abilities to get it back: if he is spotted by an enemy, he quickly surrenders due to his inability to fight back. Although in some games Link is easily able to pick up large stones or push blocks many times his size, other games require him to use special bracelets or gauntlets to further increase his strength, such as the Power Bracelet or the Titan's Mitt.

As seen in The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, and Ocarina of Time, Link is capable of using magic spells such as Din's Fire provided that he possesses a Magic Meter, which is usually granted to him by a Great Fairy.

Link is also talented in playing a wide variety of instruments. This is first shown in the original, in which the young hero plays the Recorder to open up secret entrances or transport him to various parts in the overworld. Since then, Link has competently played other instruments such as the Ocarina, a pan flute, a guitar, the drums, and a Harp, all of which play a major role in each of the respective games in which they appear. Not only is Link a proficient instrument player: he is also adept in using a conductor's baton to conduct other players.

Skyward Sword
The Link in Skyward Sword is the tenth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and currently the earliest incarnation of Link chronologically to appear in-game.

In Skyward Sword, Link has lived his entire life on the floating island of Skyloft, situated above the clouds. He is childhood friends with Zelda, and they attend the Knight Academy together, where he is often bullied by rival student Groose. Link and the other students prepare for the annual Wing Ceremony, an important part of the initiation of new knights of Skyloft. After the ceremony, Link and Zelda go for a flight together on their Loftwings, when Zelda and her Loftwing are pulled below the clouds during a sudden and unusual storm. That night, Link is visited by Fi, a being sent by the goddess Hylia in order to help him search for Zelda on the Surface. Fi leads Link to the Goddess Sword, and the following day, he ventures to the Surface. On the Surface, Link meets an old woman in the Sealed Temple at the Sealed Grounds. This woman assures Link that Zelda is safe and has embarked on a quest of her own, and that he needs to continue to track her. While searching for Zelda, Link discovers that Zelda is also being followed by two other people: Impa, a servant of Hylia sent to protect Zelda on her quest; and Ghirahim, a self-proclaimed demon lord who claims responsibility for the storm that dragged Zelda to the Surface.

Eventually, Link finally catches up to Zelda with Impa at the ancient Temple of Time, but their reunion is cut short when Ghirahim finds and attacks the duo. Impa holds Ghirahim at bay as Zelda grant Link the Goddess's Harp. He then holds off Ghirahim in order for Zelda and Impa to escape through the Gate of Time, which Impa destroys as soon as she and Zelda are through. Back at the Sealed Temple, the old woman shows Link a similar portal that leads to the same place as the portal at the Temple of Time, and explains that Link needs to strengthen the Goddess Sword in order to use the portal. In order to strengthen the sword, Link must temper it in the Sacred Flames hidden in various places on the Surface. Before he can set out on his new quest, however, a giant beast known as the Imprisoned, which was sealed in a pit outside the temple, breaks its seal and begins to climb toward the temple. With great effort, Link stops it and reseals it before it can reach the temple, and then sets out in order to find the Sacred Flames. After passing the three trials of the goddess, gaining spiritual growth, and transforming the Goddess Sword into the Master Sword, Link returns to the portal in the Sealed Temple. Before he can use portal, the Imprisoned breaks its seal again. Link reseals the creature again with the aid of Groose, who had followed Link to the Surface on his second visit to the Sealed Temple. Link then enters the second Gate of Time and reunites with Zelda, who explains that Link is the goddess's chosen hero, before telling him that she, as Hylia's mortal reincarnation, must remain in a deep sleep to keep the demon king Demise, the true form of the Imprisoned, sealed within his prison. She then informs Link that he must find and use the Triforce to destroy Demise so that she will be able to wake up in their own time.

Link sets out to the Sky Keep and obtains the Triforce, using its might to wish for the eradication of Demise. Zelda is finally released from her duty in the present, but shortly after, Ghirahim abducts her and transports her to the past, planning to resurrect Demise in that time period. Despite Link's attempts to stop him, Ghirahim sacrifices Zelda's soul to Demise, thus allowing Demise to break free of his seal. Link then challenges Demise, who is impressed with Link's courage, and thus accepts the challenge. Ultimately, Link defeats Ghirahim and Demise, and seals the remains of the demon king in the Master Sword. But before being sealed, Demise warns him that his hatred will be reborn as a being to pursue domination of the world, as well as those with the blood of the goddess and spirit of the hero, in a cycle without end. Back in the present, Zelda decides to remain on the Surface, and wonders what Link plans to do. Link smiles, hinting that he, too, plans to stay on the Surface with Zelda and help her watch over the Triforce.

The Minish Cap
The Link in The Minish Cap is the seventh Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the second Link chronologically.

In The Minish Cap, Link is the grandson of Smith, the blacksmith of Hyrule Town. He lives just outside town in South Hyrule Field with his grandfather, and goes to the Picori Festival with his childhood friend, Princess Zelda. During the award ceremony for the festival's sword tournament, the winner, Vaati, shatters the legendary Picori Blade and releases the monsters that had been sealed in the Bound Chest. Princess Zelda uses her power to send the monsters away, and despite Link's attempt to defend her, Vaati turns the princess to stone to prevent her from interfering with his plans. Afterward, the King of Hyrule sends Link to Minish Woods to find the Minish, in the hopes that they can reforge the broken Picori Blade so that it can be used against Vaati. As he travels though the woods, Link meets Ezlo, his companion throughout his quest. Aside from his frequent advice and sarcastic comments, Ezlo grants the hero the power to shrink down to Minish size. Link then shortly meets with the elder of the Minish Village and is told that in order to reforge the sacred Picori Blade, he would need to acquire the four Elements, the embodiments of the sacred powers of earth, fire, water and wind. After finding the Earth Element, Link is then told to bring the Picori Blade to Melari, the elder of the Mountain Minish, in order to reforge the blade into the White Sword.

Once Link gathered the four Elements, he then brings the White Sword to the Elemental Sanctuary hidden within the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. There the blade was infused with the Elements one-by-one, fully restoring the sacred Four Sword - a legendary blade with the power to split one warrior into four. During Link's quest to find the Elements, Vaati had brainwashed the King of Hyrule and used him as a disguise to search for the Light Force. After restoring the blade to full power, Link and Ezlo discover by looking at the sanctuary's stained glass windows that the Light Force has been passed down through Hyrule's princesses, and actually resides within Zelda. Vaati had secretly followed them, and upon discovering their findings, prepared to extract the Light Force from Princess Zelda. Link rushed to her rescue, vanquished Vaati, and used the Four Sword’s evil-banishing power to restore Zelda. With Vaati defeated, the Mage's Cap he used could be used to restore Hyrule. Princess Zelda had put on the cap and wished that all of Vaati’s cruelty would be undone. Due to her righteous wish and the power of the Light Force within her, many miracles happened as a result. With the land saved, Ezlo left Link and ventured back into the world of the Minish.

Four Swords
The Link in is the fourth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the third Link chronologically.

In Four Swords, when Link takes the Four Sword, he is divided into four different Links (Green, Blue, Red and Purple), each with their own style and personality. Working together, the Links must find 3 keys that lead to Princess Zelda, who was captured by Vaati the wind mage. Link travels with Princess Zelda to check on the Four Sword, a legendary blade said to seal Vaati, a powerful wind mage. As the two enter the Four Sword Sanctuary, Vaati breaks his seal, absconding with Zelda in order to make her his bride. As Link comes to, he is instructed by three Fairies to draw the Four Sword, which splits the hero into four copies of himself: one green, one red, one blue, and one purple. Together, the four Links journey across Hyrule to meet three Great Fairies, each of whom gives the Links a key necessary to enter Vaati's Palace. Inside, the four Links defeat Vaati after a fierce battle, sealing him inside the Four Sword once more. With Hyrule saved, the four heroes return the Four Sword to its pedestal, thus merging back into one being.

Ocarina of Time
The Link in and  is the third Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the fourth Link chronologically.

In Ocarina of Time, a young Link has been raised as one of the Kokiri, the children of Kokiri Forest. Unlike the other Kokiri, Link does not have a Fairy companion and is thus shunned by their self-proclaimed leader, Mido. Link has a nightmare involving a princess fleeing from a man who then attacks him. The boy's life changes one day when the Great Deku Tree, the forest's guardian, sends Navi the Fairy to Link with instructions to bring him immediately. A curse has been cast on the Great Deku Tree, and he asks Link to break it. While Link is successful in defeating the monsters inside the Tree, the Great Deku Tree was doomed to die before Link started. He had been cursed by a man named Ganondorf, as revenge for not giving him the Kokiri's Emerald. He warns Link that this evil man seeks the Triforce, and fears a great calamity will befall Hyrule should he seize it. Before passing away, the Great Deku Tree directs Link to Hyrule Castle where he is to find Princess Zelda.

At the Hyrule Castle garden, Link meets Princess Zelda. She believes that Ganondorf is seeking the Triforce. Zelda's description of Ganondorf matches that of the man who killed the Great Deku Tree, as well as the man from Link's nightmare. Zelda asks Link to obtain the three Spiritual Stones so that he can enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce before Ganondorf reaches it, and ultimately save Hyrule. Link collects the other two stones: the first from Darunia, the leader of the Gorons, and the second from Ruto, the princess of the Zoras. Link returns to Hyrule Castle, where Ganondorf is pursuing Zelda and her caretaker Impa on horseback, as in his earlier nightmare. Link attempts to stop Ganondorf, who warns him not to interfere with his plans. After Ganondorf rides off, Link retrieves the Ocarina of Time that Zelda had left behind for him. Inside the Temple of Time, Link uses the Ocarina of Time and the Spiritual Stones to open the door to the Sacred Realm. Through the door, Link finds the Master Sword, a legendary sword forged to destroy evil. As he pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link is sealed away, and Ganondorf appears and claims the Triforce for himself. Seven years later, an older Link is awakened as the Hero of Time by Rauru, the Sage of Light. Rauru explains that Link's spirit was sealed for seven years until he was old enough to wield the Master Sword and defeat Ganondorf, who is now the King of Evil. The seven Sages can imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, but five are not aware of their identities as Sages. Link is returned to the Temple of Time; there he meets the mysterious Sheik, who guides him to to temples under Ganondorf's control. Link defeats the evil lurking in each temple, thus awakening Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa and Nabooru as the Sages. Link also returns to the Kokiri Forest, where he finds that none of his friends have grown up, and most now no longer recognize him. After awakening Saria as a Sage, Link also finds that the Deku Tree Sprout has sprouted as the successor to the Great Deku Tree. He reveals Link's hidden past and explains to him that he is not a Kokiri, but actually a Hylian, orphaned in the wars that raged before Hyrule was united. When Link was a baby, his mother fled with him to Kokiri Forest and, mortally wounded, left him under the Deku Tree's protection. He was brought up as one of the Kokiri and knew no differently.

After the five Sages awaken, Sheik reveals herself to be Princess Zelda in disguise and the seventh Sage. She tells Link that Ganondorf's heart was unbalanced, causing the Triforce to split into three pieces. Ganondorf acquired only the Triforce of Power, while Zelda received the Triforce of Wisdom and Link the Triforce of Courage. Ganondorf then kidnaps Zelda and imprisons her in his castle. The other six Sages help Link enter the castle, where he fights to the evil king's sanctum. There, Link frees Zelda and nearly defeats Ganondorf, but he destroys the castle in an attempt to kill Link and Zelda. After the duo escapes the collapsing castle, Ganondorf emerges from the rubble and engages Link. Using the Triforce of Power, he transforms from his human form into a boar-like monster named Ganon and immediately knocks the Master Sword from Link's hand. With Zelda's aid, Link retrieves the Master Sword and defeats Ganon. The seven Sages then seal Ganondorf into the Dark Realm. The battle now over, Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his original time to live out his childhood, at which point Navi departs. He is last seen when he encounters Princess Zelda again in the Castle Courtyard to warn her about Ganondorf and the future events that would unfold.

Fallen Hero Timeline
The Fallen Hero Timeline is the alternate timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle. This turn of events created the timeline containing A Link to the Past, the Oracle series, Link's Awakening, A Link Between Worlds, Tri Force Heroes, The Legend of Zelda, and The Adventure of Link.

A Link to the Past
The Link in A Link to the Past,, and  is the second Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the first Link chronologically in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

In A Link to the Past, Link lives with his uncle in a house near Hyrule Castle. During this time, the land of Hyrule was plagued by a sudden disaster, until the wizard Agahnim appeared at the court of the King of Hyrule and quelled the upheaval. Named chief adviser to the throne, he soon seized power from the king and kidnapped the six Maidens, descendents of the seven Sages of long ago. The Maidens were taken to the castle tower and never seen again. One night, Link is awakened by a telepathic message from Princess Zelda, who says that she is locked in the castle dungeon. As the message closes, Link finds his uncle ready for battle, telling Link to remain in bed. After his uncle leaves, however, Link ignores his uncle's command and follows him to the dungeons under the castle. When he arrives, he finds his uncle mortally wounded. Link's uncle tells Link to rescue Princess Zelda from her prison, giving him his sword and shield. Link navigates the castle and rescues Zelda from her cell, and the two escape into a secret passage through the sewers that leads to the Sanctuary, where they meet the Loyal Sage. Link is informed that Agahnim intends to open the seal to the Dark World, a realm once sealed off long ago by the seven Sages when Ganon and his army of evil were banished into the Sacred Realm, which became the Dark World. The kidnapped Maidens were sent into the Dark World to open this seal, and Agahnim intended to do the same to Zelda. Link is told by the man that the only thing that can defeat Agahnim is the Master Sword, and the Sage tells him to seek the elder Sahasrahla to learn more.

Link finds the elder near the Eastern Palace. To prove that he is worthy to wield the Master Sword, Sahasrahla sends Link to find the three Pendants of Virtue, hidden in dungeons across Hyrule and guarded by mythical defenders. Sahasrahla becomes Link's mentor, offering him hints and advice at key stages of his journey. After retrieving the Pendants, Link takes them to the resting place of the Master Sword deep in the Lost Woods. As Link draws the sword from its pedestal, Zelda telepathically calls him to the Sanctuary, informing him that soldiers of Hyrule Castle have arrived. Link arrives at the Sanctuary moments after the soldiers have vacated, where he learns from the dying Sage that Zelda has been taken back to Hyrule Castle. Link goes to rescue her but arrives too late; Agahnim sends Zelda to the Dark World which opens the seal. Link then faces Agahnim in battle and defeats him, but fails to kill him as Agahnim teleports Link to the Dark World as well.

To save Hyrule, Link is required to rescue the seven captive Maidens from dungeons scattered across the Dark World. Once the seven Maidens are freed, including Princess Zelda, they use their power to break the barrier around Ganon's Tower, where Link faces Agahnim again. Link defeats him a second time, and Ganon rises from Agahnim's body and flies away. Link chases after him, finally confronting him inside the Pyramid of Power at the center of the Dark World. After a battle resulting in Ganon's demise, Link touches the Triforce and restores both the Dark World and Hyrule to their former state before Ganon intervened.

Oracle of Seasons
In the Oracle of Seasons soon after A Link to the Past, Link is summoned by the Triforce to save the land of Holodrum. Upon his arrival, he is cared for by a young girl named Din who takes him to meet the troupe of performers that she's a part of; however, soon after, General Onox appears and captures Din, revealing that she is actually the Oracle of Seasons who was just disguising herself as a dancer. The seasons soon begin to go out of control now that Din has been kidnapped, and it is up to Link to return Holodrum back to normal. With the help of the Rod of Seasons, Link acquires the eight Essences of Nature scattered all over the land in order to restore the Maku Tree's power and enter Onox's Castle. After the young hero defeats the evil menace and rescues the Oracle of Seasons, peace returns to Holodrum and the order of nature is back to its normal state.

Oracle of Ages
In Oracle of Ages, soon after Oracle of Seasons, Link is again summoned by the Triforce to save the land of Labrynna. Upon landing, he hears a cry for help, and he soon finds that Impa, Zelda's caretaker, is being surrounded by monsters. Link easily scares them off, and Impa asks that he help her search for a woman named Nayru. After finding Nayru, it is revealed that Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, possessed Impa in order to manipulate Link into leading her to Nayru, who turns out to be the Oracle of Ages. Veran quickly takes over Nayru's body, which she uses to alter events in the past to ruin the future. It is Link who, with the help of the Harp of Ages, travels through time in order to rescue the Oracle and restore the ages back to normal. After Link frees Nayru from Veran's possession, the Oracle of Ages teaches the young hero a song crucial to his quest in collecting the eight Essences of Time scattered over the land of Labrynna. Unfortunately, soon after, the Sorceress of Shadows possesses Ambi, the queen of Labrynna in the past, and takes refuge in the Black Tower. Link, with all the Essences in hand, heads over to the sinister tower to defeat Veran once and for all. After this adventure, Link sets sail to an unknown destination aboard a ship.

Link's Awakening
In Link's Awakening, taking place after Oracle of Ages, Link is seen aboard his ship after leaving the land of Labrynna; however, he is soon caught in a deadly thunderstorm which results in the destruction of his ship. His unconscious body is later found by Marin on a faraway island's shores. When he awakes, he discovers that he had miraculously been washed ashore on Koholint Island and makes preparations to leave the island by first finding his missing sword. A mysterious owl then approaches Link and explains to him about a sleeping being on the island, the Wind Fish, and that Link can only leave the island once The Wind Fish has been awoken from its eternal slumber. To awaken the Wind Fish, Link was forced to embark on a long journey and go through many dungeons to retrieve the Eight Instruments of the Sirens.

Link is eventually instructed by the owl to go to the Southern Face Shrine where he discoveries a startling truth about the island. Koholint Island is but a dream of The Wind Fish, whose dreams had been invaded by Nightmares and who is unable to awaken. If The Wind Fish awakes, the whole island shall disappear. Link had apparently been pulled into The Wind Fish's dream world and was now a part of it, and only he can awaken the dreamer. He eventually acquires all eight of the instruments and defeats all of the Nightmares, thus freeing The Wind Fish from their terror. Link is then named the hero of The Wind Fish's dream world by the owl before it disappears, and Link finally awakens The Wind Fish. As the island fades away, Link is forced out by a stream of water and awakens to find himself on a wooden board, back in the ocean. When he looks up, he sees The Wind Fish flying in the sky and smiles. It is unknown what happens to Link afterward, as he no longer has a ship.

A Link Between Worlds
The Link in and  is the eleventh Link in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the second Link chronologically in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

In A Link Between Worlds, Link dreams that he is in an unknown realm with a familiar character. He is about to engage in battle, but Gulley comes into Link's room and wakes him up from his sleep. In the Blacksmith's Forge, the Captain of the Guard comes to pick up the new sword that the Blacksmith forged for him. But he forgets it as he leaves, and Link is sent to return it to him. Shortly afterward, he encounters Yuga, who has transformed the Captain into a Painting on the Sanctuary's wall after he tried to defend Seres, the Priest's daughter. He then traps Seres herself in a Painting. Using the Forgotten Sword, Link attacks Yuga, but Yuga evades the attack by Wall Merging. Link crashes into the wall and is knocked unconscious. After this, Yuga leaves with Seres' Painting in hand. Link eventually wakes up in his house and meets a mysterious person named Ravio. After telling Ravio about Yuga, Link is instructed to go see Princess Zelda. Asking if he can stay in Link's house, Ravio gives him a strange bracelet in exchange. When Link meets Zelda, she gives him the Pendant of Courage and tells him to go meet Sahasrahla. Once Link does this, he is then told to find Osfala, who is in the Eastern Palace, and is a descendant of the Seven Sages. Sahasrahla worries that Yuga may go after him next. Link meets Osfala at the entrance to the Eastern Palace, but Osfala simply laughs off Link's warning about Yuga, telling the young hero that he is just as powerful as the Seven Sages were. He then leaves to confront Yuga. However, after traversing the Eastern Palace, Link runs into Yuga yet again, who turns Osfala into a Painting, just as he did Seres. Link battles Yuga, managing to best him with the help of the Bow he rented from Ravio. In a fit of rage, Yuga traps Link as a Painting and leaves. However, Link escapes with the help of Ravio's Bracelet and discovers he could now turn himself into a Painting and back at will with the bracelet.

Meanwhile, having collected the Seven Sages, Yuga quickly takes over Hyrule Castle. Link meets Sahasrahla again, who instructs Link to obtain the Pendants of Courage, Wisdom, and Power. Only then will he be able to to wield the Master Sword in order to access the castle. After completing this task, Link obtains the Master Sword and delves into the castle, where he finds Yuga with a Painting of Zelda. Yuga then escapes through a mysterious crack in the wall via his ability to Wall Merge. Link pursues Yuga to the other side, where Yuga has begun the process of reviving the evil Ganon, using the power of the Sages to do so. Once Ganon is resurrected, Yuga merges with him, becoming even more powerful. Link is saved by Princess Hilda and is told he is in the kingdom of Lorule - a counterpart of his own Hyrule. Link is then given a new task - to rescue and awaken the Seven Sages. Upon awakening all of the Sages, Link is granted the power of the Triforce of Courage. After Hilda's failed attempt to steal the Triforce from him to save her kingdom, Link faces off against Yuga Ganon and defeats him. Afterwards, Link and Zelda are taken to the Lorulean version of the Sacred Realm, through which they return home to their own Sacred Realm. There, they find Hyrule's Triforce and wish for the Lorulean Triforce to be restored. After the credits, Link returns the Master Sword to its pedestal.

Tri Force Heroes
In, Link passes through the kingdom of Hytopia on his travels after certain, undisclosed events. He is the same hero from A Link Between Worlds, and dresses differently to hide his heroic origins. While passing through Hytopia, however, he is spotted by an assistant of Madame Couture, who recognizes his traits of having pointed ears, long sideburns, and side-parted hair. According to a prophecy in the land, these are the traits characteristic of the fabled Tri Force Heroes. Link learns that the kingdom's princess, Styla, has been cursed by a witch to wear an irremovable, tacky outfit. Her father, King Tuft, has sent an urgent request to kingdoms far and wide looking for heroes who match the description of the Tri Force Heroes, hoping that they can save his daughter and put a stop to the witch. Link is drafted into the kingdom's Witch-Hunting Brigade, and is paired with two other Links as they venture forth into the Drablands, the witch's domain. The other Links are of unclear origin.

The Legend of Zelda
The Link in The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link is the first Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the third Link chronologically in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

In the original The Legend of Zelda, Hyrule is engulfed in chaos after an army led by Ganon invaded it and stole the Triforce of Power. In an attempt to prevent Ganon from acquiring the Triforce of Wisdom, Princess Zelda splits it and hides the eight fragments in secret dungeons throughout the land. Before the princess is kidnapped by Ganon, she commands her nursemaid Impa to find someone courageous enough to save the the kingdom. While wandering the land, the old woman is surrounded by Ganon’s hanchmen, though a young swordsman named Link appears and rescues her. After hearing Impa’s plea, he resolves to save Zelda and sets out to reassemble the scattered fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom, to become powerful enough to defeat Ganon. Link located the eight underground labyrinths, defeats several guardian monsters, and retrieves the Triforce fragments. With the completed Triforce of Wisdom, Link is able to infiltrate Ganon’s hideout and defeats him with the Silver Arrow. Link picks up the Triforce of Power from Ganon’s ashes and returns both pieces of the Triforce to Princess Zelda, restoring peace to Hyrule.

The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, set six years after The Legend of Zelda, the now-sixteen-year-old Link notices a strange mark on the back of his left hand, resembling the crest of Hyrule. He seeks out Impa, who responds by taking Link to the North Castle, where a door has been magically sealed for generations. Impa places the back of Link's left hand on the door, and it opens, revealing a sleeping maiden inside. Impa tells Link that the maiden is the original Princess Zelda of Hyrule from long ago, and the origin of the "Legend of Zelda". Long ago, Zelda's brother, the Prince of Hyrule, had tried to force her into telling their recently deceased father's secrets concerning the last of the three golden treasures of his kingdom, the Triforce of Courage. Princess Zelda refused to reveal its location, and the Magician, who had accompanied the prince, tried to strike her down with a spell in anger. Zelda fell under a powerful sleeping spell, but the wizard was unable to control the wildly arcing magic and was killed by it. The prince, filled with remorse and unable to reverse the spell, had his sister placed in the castle tower, in the hope that she would one day be awakened. He decreed that princesses born to the royal family from that point on would be named Zelda, in remembrance of this tragedy. Impa says that the mark on Link's hand means that he is the hero chosen to awaken Zelda. She gives Link a chest containing six crystals and ancient writings that only a great future king of Hyrule can read. Link finds that he can read the document, even though he has never seen the language before; it indicates that the crystals must be set into statues within six palaces scattered all over Hyrule. This will open the way to the Great Palace, which contains the Triforce of Courage. Only the power of the combined Triforces can awaken the enchanted Zelda. Taking the crystals, Link sets out to restore them to their palaces. Meanwhile, although Link had defeated Ganon, the remnants of his army remain scattered across Hyrule. They plan to revive Ganon by killing Link and spilling his blood onto Ganon's ashes.

Ultimately, Link restores the crystals to the six palaces, defeating a strong guardian within each one to do so, and enters the Great Palace. After venturing deep inside, Link battles a flying creature known as the Thunderbird, followed by his own shadow guarding the Triforce. After defeating them both, Link then claims the Triforce of Courage and returns to Zelda. The three triangles unite into the collective Triforce, and Link's wish awakens Zelda.

Child Timeline
The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time after defeating Ganon in the Adult Timeline. He warns Princess Zelda about Ganon's actions in the Adult Timeline, which creates the timeline containing Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures.

Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask occurs shortly after Ganondorf's defeat, when Link is sent back to his childhood at the end of Ocarina of Time, beginning a new history in which Ganondorf never rose to power. After leaving Hyrule and riding deep into a mysterious forest in search of Navi, he is ambushed by a Skull Kid who is possessed by Majora's Mask, who steals Link's horse Epona and the magical Ocarina of Time. Chasing the Skull Kid, Link falls into a crevasse and arrives in a world called Termina. He must save this land from the evil of Majora's Mask, which has drawn the moon into a decaying orbit, which will cause it to crash into Termina's capital city in three days. Link uses the Ocarina of Time (reclaimed early on) and the Song of Time, which sends him back in time when he plays it, to relive these three days again and again in order to prevent the disaster. Along the way, Link finds many magical masks of his own, a handful of which allow him to transform. Those masks can turn him into a rock-like Goron, a petite plant-like Deku Scrub, a graceful aquatic Zora, or the powerful Fierce Deity.

Eventually, Link succeeds in freeing the Four Giants, enigmatic deities who can halt the Moon's descent, and confronts the Skull Kid. At this point, Majora, the evil entity residing inside Majora's Mask, abandons its now useless host and retreats into the core of the Moon. Link give chase, and after a long and heated battle against the three incarnations of Majora, the entity is finally defeated and the menacing Moon disappears. Upon returning the now lifeless mask to the Happy Mask Salesman, Link leaves his new friends and continues his journey, while the people of Termina once more celebrate the dawn of a new day. It is unknown whether or not he returned to Hyrule.

During his life after Majora's Mask, up until and after his death, he lamented the fact that he was not remembered as a hero despite saving both Hyrule and Termina, and was unable to pass on his skills and teachings to the next generation. In order to ease his regrets and finally pass on his knowledge, he teaches the seven Hidden Skills to his descendant, the Link of Twilight Princess.

Twilight Princess
The Link in Twilight Princess is the eighth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the second Link chronologically in the Child Timeline branch.

In Twilight Princess, Link is a youth who has been raised as a wrangler outside of Hyrule territory in Ordon Village. His mentor, Rusl, requests that Link go in his place to deliver a sword he has made for the Royal Family of Hyrule. Before Link can go on this journey, his village is attacked by King Bulblin and his band of Bulblins, who carry off the village children. Pursuing them, Link encounters a wall of Twilight blocking the way. A Shadow Beast pulls him beyond the wall into the Twilight, where he is transformed into a wolf and imprisoned in Hyrule Castle's dungeon. Link is soon freed by an imp-like Twili being named Midna. She agrees to help him if he obeys her unconditionally. She guides him to Princess Zelda in the castle tower. Zelda explains that Zant, the King of Twilight, has stolen the light from three of the four Spirits of Light and conquered Hyrule. In order to save the kingdom, Link must first restore the Light Spirits by entering the Twilight-covered areas and, as a wolf, recover the Spirits' lost light. Accompanied by Midna, Link restores the light to the Light Spirit Faron and is returned to his Hylian form. During this time, Link also helps Midna locate the fragments of the Fused Shadow, relics containing powerful dark magic. In return, she helps Link find Ordon Village's kidnapped children. Once Link has restored the Light Spirits and found all of the Fused Shadow Fragments, they are suddenly ambushed by Zant. After he relieves Midna of the Fused Shadow fragments, she ridicules him for abusing his tribe's magic, but Zant responds that his power comes from another source as he uses it to turn Link back into a wolf. He then leaves Midna to die from the world's light forced upon her, prompting Link to bring her to Zelda to help her. Link learns that he needs the Master Sword to return to human form. Zelda sacrifices herself to heal Midna with her power before vanishing mysteriously. Moved by her sacrifice, Midna agrees to help Link find the Master Sword. After finding the legendary blade, Link is cleansed of the magic that kept him in wolf form, transforming it into the Shadow Crystal. Using this crystal, Link is able to switch between both forms at will.

Midna leads Link to the Mirror of Twilight located deep within the Gerudo Desert, the only known gateway between the Twilight Realm and Hyrule. However, they discover that the mirror is shattered. The ghostly Sages there explain that Zant tried to destroy it, but he was only able to shatter it into fragments; only the true ruler of the Twili can completely destroy the Mirror of Twilight. They also reveal that they used it a century ago to banish Ganondorf, the Gerudo leader who attempted to steal the Triforce, to the Twilight Realm when executing him failed. Assisted by an underground resistance group they meet in Castle Town, Link and Midna set out to retrieve the missing shards of the mirror, defeating those they infected. Once the portal is restored, Midna is revealed to be the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, usurped by Zant when he cursed her into her current form. Confronting Zant, Link and Midna learn that Zant's coup was made possible when he forged a pact with Ganondorf, who asked for Zant's assistance in conquering Hyrule. After Link defeats Zant, Midna recovers the Fused Shadows, but destroys Zant after learning that only Ganondorf's death can release her from her curse. Returning to Hyrule, Link and Midna find Ganondorf in Hyrule Castle, with a lifeless Zelda suspended above his head. Ganondorf fights Link by possessing Zelda's body and eventually by transforming into a beast, but Link defeats him and Midna is able to resurrect Zelda. Ganondorf then revives, and Midna teleports Link and Zelda outside the castle so she can hold him off with the Fused Shadow. However, as Hyrule Castle collapses, it is revealed that Ganondorf was victorious as he crushes Midna's helmet. Ganondorf engages Link on horseback, and, assisted by Zelda and the Light Spirits, Link eventually knocks Ganondorf off his horse and they duel on foot before Link strikes down Ganondorf and plunges the Master Sword into his chest. With Ganondorf dead, the Light Spirits not only bring Midna back to life, but restore her to her true form. After bidding farewell to Link and Zelda, Midna returns home before destroying the Mirror of Twilight with a tear to maintain balance between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. Near the end, as Hyrule Castle is rebuilt, Link leaves Ordon Village heading to parts unknown.

This Link sometimes is given the fan nickname "Hero of Light," because his deeds involve restoring light to the land as well as the "Hero of Twilight" as he is spoken of in Twili prophecy as noted by Midna. Despite this nickname, this incarnation of Link is given the title "Hero Chosen by the Gods."

Four Swords Adventures
The Link in is the sixth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the third Link chronologically in the Child Timeline branch.

Concerned that the seal which keeps Vaati in the Four Sword may be weakening, Zelda and the rest of the Seven Maidens summon Link and open the way to the shrine of the Four Sword to investigate. However, Zelda and the other maidens are captured and imprisoned by Shadow Link. Despite the fact that it will release Vaati, Link is forced to draw the Four Sword from its pedestal in order to split himself into four and have the strength to go and rescue the maidens. The Links save all seven of them and collect the four Royal Jewels, which they use to reveal the Tower of Winds. When he followed Shadow Link down to the Four Sword Sanctuary, he pulled the Four Sword splitting him into four like in the original Four Swords, but when he pulled the sword Vaati was released from the seal once again. After the Links saved Zelda and the maidens, got the four Royal Jewels from different heroes of Hyrule, and defeated Vaati, Zelda and the Links fought against the dark lord Ganon and, with the help of the Seven Maidens, seal him within the Four Sword and restored peace to Hyrule. The sword is then returned to its sanctuary and sealed there, and the Links are combined into one again.

This incarnation of Link is given the title "Hero of Light," due to the hero's courage and being the only one who can free Hyrule from darkness.

Adult Timeline
The Adult Timeline is the timeline that follows Link being sent to the Child Timeline after the Hero of Time defeats Ganon in the final battle. Ganondorf is sealed within the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages but, with Link sent back in time, the world is left without a Hero. This turn of events created the timeline containing The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.

The Wind Waker
The Link in The Wind Waker and is the fifth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the first Link chronologically in the Adult Timeline branch. Link appeared similar to the Four Swords and The Minish Cap incarnation with blonde hair, dark eyes and an infantile face.

After the valleys of ancient Hyrule are flooded in a deluge, Ganondorf's power is mysteriously tamed for ages before his dark energy begins to be felt over the Great Sea. Link lives on Outset Island on the Great Sea, the region above Hyrule after it was flooded by the gods to prevent Ganondorf from conquering it. Link is given the green tunic and hat on his birthday to commemorate the Hero of Time, but an attack by the Helmaroc King in which his sister is kidnapped starts him on a whirlwind adventure. Link quickly sets sail and acquires the King of Red Lions in his quest to recover Aryll after she is kidnapped by the Helmaroc King and taken to the Forsaken Fortress. Instead of simply rescuing his sister, Link is drawn into a sequence of events that eventually puts the fate of all the islands of the Great Sea in his hands. Once again, Ganon has appeared with limited power. Link is pulled into the conflict between the island inhabitants and Ganondorf's increasing presence as he, with the help of the Wind Waker, races to recapture the ancient power of the Triforce and the Master Sword before Ganondorf's true power is realized.

Eventually the King of Red Lions sees fit to grant Link the title Hero of Winds in honor of his ongoing struggle with the forces of evil. In the final showdown Link defeats Ganondorf for good, stabbing him in the head with the Master Sword. The King of Hyrule's wish with the Triforce was to give Link and Princess Zelda a future, and at the end of the game they set out to find a new land to be the next kingdom after Hyrule.

Phantom Hourglass
The events of Phantom Hourglass takes place months after Ganon's defeat at the end of The Wind Waker. Link is a child sailing with Tetra and her crew in search of the Ghost Ship. When they find it, Tetra jumps aboard but is kidnapped, so Link goes after her but instead falls into the sea. Link is awakened on Mercay Island by a fairy, and they set out on a journey to find Tetra. Link and Ciela traverse the World of the Ocean King, rescuing the Spirits of the Ocean King and Tetra, and forging the Phantom Sword which can slay Bellum, the devil behind all this misfortune. At the end of the game, Oshus returns Link, Tetra, and Linebeck to their world, thanking them for their help.

Spirit Tracks
The Link in is the ninth Link appearing in the The Legend of Zelda series, and the second Link chronologically in the Adult Timeline branch.

In Spirit Tracks, taking place many years after the Hero of Winds found the new Hyrule, Link is a child who lives with Niko in Aboda Village. He is an apprentice of a master engineer, named Alfonzo, who has helped him in order to become a Royal Engineer. When Zelda presents Link with a certificate for this achievement, she also gives him a letter, telling him to meet with her, to discuss her suspicions over the mysterious Chancellor Cole as well as the disappearing Spirit Tracks. When Link sneaks Zelda out of the Castle, they meet up with Alfonzo, who escorts them to the Tower of Spirits by train. However, as the Spirit Tracks begin to fade, they crash, and are then ambushed by the chancellor, who attacks the trio. Link and his master are knocked unconscious while Zelda's spirit is separated from her body, which is seized by Cole's apprentice, Byrne. Link awakes back in Hyrule Castle to discover that Zelda is now a ghost and that Link is the only person who can see her. After visiting Anjean in the Tower of Spirits, he agrees to help her in defeating Chancellor Cole and recover her body in the process.

After Link and Zelda travel up to the Tower of Spirits to recover a Rail Map, a Phantom Knight attacks him, but Zelda charges at the Phantom just in time to take control of its body. After this, Link and Zelda begin their journey to restore the Tower of Spirits and the Spirit Tracks, traveling across the overworld using the Spirit Train that is granted to Link by Anjean. Whenever Link returns to the Spirit Tower to obtain another Rail Map, Princess Zelda possesses a Phantom's armor in order to aid the young hero. As the pair continues to travel, Link and Zelda establish a close friendship as the two get to know each other better.

Once Princess Zelda recovers her body from Malladus with the aid of Link, the two together face up against the Demon King, who has now taken over Chancellor Cole's body. Together, Link and Zelda deal the final blow on Malladus using the Lokomo Sword, and shortly after, Anjean and the rest of the Lokomos depart towards the heavens. As they leave, Anjean entrusts Princess Zelda to watch over the land, asking Link to help her as well. Link and Zelda are then seen holding hands as they witness the departure of the Lokomos. Unlike other instances where Link departs from the land after having saved it, the young hero stays in Hyrule to fulfill Anjean's request, where he continues to be either an engineer or a warrior, depending on which Link chose. This is witnessed when Princess Zelda gets up from her seat in her office and waves out the window after having heard either a train's whistle or the clanking of swords.

Breath of the Wild
In, Link awakes from a deep sleep in the Shrine of Resurrection and is guided by a mysterious voice to take the Sheikah Slate and embark to the outside world, told that he must "shine upon Hyrule once again." He then exits the Shrine and is free to explore Hyrule. Outside the Shrine, he finds an Old Man who later informs him that the Calamity Ganon was a source of many evils 100 years ago, until it was sealed in Hyrule Castle, which has been able to contain it for the past century. The Old Man also mentions that the Calamity Ganon is close to breaking free, giving Link a task in saving Hyrule.

Link can choose to go to each of the four Shrines of Trials on the Great Plateau and acquire a Rune at each one that will grant him special abilities for the Sheikah Slate.

Link is afflicted by amnesia, as he is unable to remember anyone from prior to his rest in the Shrine of Resurrection. At some point, he meets a man who deems that he is ready to learn what happened 100 years prior.

Other Appearances
Link is also featured in other media, including comics based on the games, animated shows, and the. Unlike the games in the main series, Link has actual dialogue in many of these appearances instead of being a silent hero.

Link has also made several cameo appearances in various games and other media.

Other Heroes of Hyrule
Besides the Links that appear in the games, the back story to some of the games feature additional unnamed heroes of Hyrule who have a similar appearance to Link.

Goddess's Hero
In Skyward Sword, it mentions that there was another hero long time ago, who was Hylia's chosen hero. It is only known that Her Grace gave the Sailcloth to her chosen hero long ago.

War of the Bound Chest Hero


The back story of The Minish Cap, tells of the War of the Bound Chest. During the War of the Bound Chest, the Hero of Men, a hero clad in green clothes but lacking Link's traditional green hat, arose to fight the demons attacking the world. This story of the War of the Bound Chest is depicted in a series of stained glass windows beneath the Elemental Sanctuary. One of the stained glass windows depicts the Hero of Men receiving the Picori Blade and the Light Force from the Minish, while in the other, it shows the hero confronting the monsters that were attacking Hyrule.

Hero of the Four Sword
The back story of Four Swords describes how prior to the events of the game, Vaati attacked Hyrule kidnapping young girls. The knights of Hyrule fought bravely against Vaati, but could not defeat him. A lone traveling boy appeared wielding the Four Sword. The boy's sword split his body into four and they defeated Vaati and sealed him away into the Four Sword. After defeating Vaati, the boy vanished into the forest, leaving behind his sword. The people of Hyrule built the Four Sword Sanctuary protect the Four Sword and its seal on Vaati.

According to, this hero is known as the Hero of the Four Sword and is not the same hero who appears in The Minish Cap or Four Swords, but is another hero who appears in between the two games. Hyrule Historia describes him as someone about whom little is known, but he appears to be the descendant of the hero who previously defeated Vaati in The Minish Cap.

Hero of Light
In, a game for the Satellaview, the avatar characters of the BS-X replace Link as the central heroes, who could be male or female depending on the player's settings, and become known as the Hero of Light. Six years after the events of A Link to the Past and during Link's absence, Hyrule's long peace comes to a sudden end as Princess Zelda suffers from reoccuring dreams of evil to come. She and Aginah then witness a flash of light in the forest and upon arriving to investigate, find an unconscious youth and bring him or her to rest at Sahasrahla's old hideaway. Zelda senses that the youth may be endowed with the power of courage, and believes that he or she may be the Hero of Light.

The young hero was then given the task to locate several stone tablets and eventually learns that though Link had defeated Ganon previously in the last game, his spirit had lived on through his malice. Ganon had learned of and coveted the power of the Hero of Light, and had subsequently managed to summon the hero into Hyrule, hoping to obtain the hero's power to be fully reborn. Once Ganon was defeated, the Hero of Light returned the Master Sword they had used to its pedestal and returned to where they had came from in a flash of light.

Age
In the "Iwata Asks" feature for, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that in Ocarina of Time Link is 9 as a child and 16 as an adult. This directly conflicted the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Official Nintendo Player's Guide, which stated that Link was 10 as a child. In the same feature, Miyamoto stated that Link is about 12 in The Legend of Zelda and about 16 in The Adventure of Link. According to Hyrule Historia, Link is 10 in The Legend of Zelda and 16 in The Adventure of Link. According to The Official Nintendo Player's Guide, Link is 16 in The Adventure of Link.

At the start of The Wind Waker, Link is given the Hero's Clothes to wear on his birthday, which are to be worn by the boys of Outset Island upon reaching the same age as the Hero of Time was when he set out on his journey. Taking into account the age of the Hero of Time revealed in the "Iwata Asks" interview, the Hero of Winds would be 9 years old when he set out on his journey; however, the Toon Link trophy in, the Nintendo Power guide for The Wind Waker, Zelda Box, and the description for the Toon Link amiibo on the official Nintendo website all state he is 12 years old. The difference in ages can be attributed in-universe to the corruption of information pertaining to the Hero of Time in the hundreds of years that passed between the events of Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker.

Shortly after the release of Twilight Princess, in an interview with Nintendo Dream Aonuma stated that Link is 16 years old in the game. According to Hyrule Historia, Link from Skyward Sword is seventeen and a half years old.

Trivia

 * Shigeru Miyamoto has said that Link's green tunic and hat were inspired by 's version of.
 * In The Adventure of Link, Link appears to speak when he finds the Mirror in Saria Town, saying "I found a mirror under the table." Link also appears to speak while inspecting the fireplace in the Hidden Town of Kasuto, saying "Looks like I can get in the fireplace."
 * In A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, The Minish Cap or any other sprite-based game of the series when Link faces east, he swipes his sword as if he were right-handed, due to Link's sprite being flipped horizontally; this also happens when Link does the Spin Attack while facing east, spinning the opposite direction to what he normally would.
 * In A Link to the Past, due to the limited color palette of the SNES, Link's hair appears as pink.
 * Using the Iron Boots in the pool in the Lakeside Laboratory and comparing to the measuring graph, Link stands 1.7 m (5'7") tall as an adult in Ocarina of Time.
 * Early screenshots of Majora's Mask show Link with an item resembling a Mask of his adult face. This has led many to believe that an adult version of Link was originally planned to be in the game. However, the Mask is not present in the final version and was likely replaced by the Fierce Deity's Mask. Concept art for an adult Link also appears in the Hyrule Historia book, with the explanation that his inclusion may have been a prototype for the Fierce Deity form. Further supporting this is that Fierce Deity Link's model and animations are based on Link wielding Biggoron's Sword as an adult in Ocarina of Time.
 * Since the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess is the Hero of Time, this makes Twilight Princess the first game to feature a Link having proper conversations on his own as opposed to simple responses chosen by the player or utterances during gameplay, as well as having two Links meet in canon content that are of different eras.

Etymology
Link's name comes from the fact that, during development of the original The Legend of Zelda, he was the link between the past and the future, which was the original setting for the game.