I've always paid close attention to Link's movesets throughout the series. Link's movements and responsiveness really add to his character and fits with each game.
The Hero of Time is a sufficient sword fighter who's a bit awkward and unrefined like a novice but has physical agility and dexterity far ahead of his counterparts which not only makes sense as a showcase for the new 3D console but also for a kid who grew up in a forest and had more time to devote to athletic pursuits than swordplay. The Hero of Time even gets more athletic in Majora's Mask when he ads some nifty somersaults to his jumps for no other reason than because it looks cool. He's also the series' fastest climber.
The Hero of Twilight, meanwhile, is a young man well trained in swordsmanship and horseback riding whose physical dexterity is sorely lacking. He's clearly spent more time in the saddle than on foot. Seriously, dude, forget vines. You climb ladders like a grandma! But his swordplay is second to none compared to his counterparts and when he slips into a saddle - man - watch him take off! And all those years of manual labor on the ranch have made him a natural sumo wrestler fit to challenge even the Gorons! Seriously, dude is ripped.
The Hero of Winds is a freakish monstrosity whose small stature makes him a natural sneak fit for hiding under barrels like some sort of creepy gremlin and whose hideous mutations grant him strength enough to bash armored giants twice his size across the room and throw heavy planks of wood with enough force to demolish boarded up walls despite his minuscule stature.
And Skyward Sword link is a chubby lipped doughboy who flails his sword around like a spastic twit and can barely walk a straight line, much less climb anything without becoming exhausted after a few feet. A seven year old could walk laps around him and the dude can't even step onto uneven terrain without getting exhausted to the point of fainting from the exertion within seconds flat. He can't keep his bloody Loftwing under control as he hangs on for dear life while it flaps about all over the sky with a mind of its own. The only thing Skyward Sword link excels at is falling and he can't even do that gracefully.
