Link is One of the Most Enduring Video Game Characters

Over at Den of Geek, an article has been published talking about how Link is one of the most enduring characters in video games. They list the reasons behind their statement during the article and also talk about the differences between Link and certain main characters in other game series.

Aside from owning the coolest hat in gaming, Link’s also one of the few left-handed protagonists in the medium (though this was sadly altered in Twilight Princess in order to accommodate the Wiimote-waving, right-handed majority, and it’s still the case in Skyward Sword), and the occasional utterances he does make immediately inform the player of his youth and inexperience.

It’s this youth and inexperience that makes Link such a sympathetic hero; far from the super-human man-mountains that populate other games, he’s less than indestructible, and part of the series’ appeal lies in his vulnerability and courage in the face of apocalyptic evil.

Too often, videogames place us in the skins of muscle-bound brutes with an almost supernatural ability to kill things with guns, fists or swords. While this is entertaining from a wish-fulfilment standpoint (how many adolescent boys have wished they were a mighty warrior of Conan’s calibre, or a trigger-happy colonial marine out of Aliens?), it’s less satisfying from a dramatic, storytelling perspective. However much damage Marcus Fenix takes in his Gears Of War adventures, we know he’ll simply shake the bullets out of his fatigues and get back up again.

With Link, on the other hand, we’re presented with the ultimate videogame underdog. He really is an ordinary yet brave little guy who wants to save the world, in spite of insurmountable odds. Every time he takes a hit from an enemy, we want him to get back up again, because we want to protect him. We want him to win.

To read the article for yourself, please click here.

I agree with this article. Link is certainly a very enduring character and it is shown very well in the many games that he has starred in over the years. I feel more connected to Link that I would be if I were to play as another character in a different game series. They don’t give me that connection like Link does in the Legend of Zelda series. The way I feel about him when I play any game in the series is perfectly stated in the last sentence of the quote above. I want him to get back up from a enemy’s hit. I don’t want him getting hurt. And most importantly, I want him to beat the living heck out of the bad guys that try to keep him from saving the world from destruction.

What about you guys? Do you feel the same? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below and stay tuned for more Zelda news!

Source: Den of Geek

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