Fighting Styles: The Art of Link

Ok, lets admit it guys...as Link players we are pretty dang lucky to have 3 great guides for moves, combos, and general strategies for our character. Now the funny thing is, almost all of us agree that Links greatest asset is his amazing flexibility as far as playing him is concerned. Link is very well balanced, and I think over time each of us has developed our own style. Well, in the interests of making Link a better character overall and improving ourselves, I think we should start sharing some of the styles weve developed. Admittedly the best Link players should be able to transition between these styles seemlessly, but lets face it, most of us arent that good. Dont lie. Anyways, for me my favorite style is the tank Link. Often confused with projectile spammer Link (talk to stonecold about that), tank Link uses projectiles to throw the opponent off guard or interrupt their attack. Te key aspect here is that a tank Link will often fail to capitalize on the openings he creates. Instead he waits for the opponent to make it through the screen and meet his two signature moves: Shieldgrab and Shield-upB. Each move covers the option that the other does not. Spotdodge is perfect against the hookshot, but up-B just spikes them away. Shield does nothing against hookshot, but destroys up-B. The key to this style is to not be predictable in your defense, and to string 30-50% combos everytime an attack fails. Failing to capitalize is where this style is weak. This was long, but I hope some of you guys will share too, and maybe we can get a good topic going.

This is exactly how I imagine Link being played. I have often dreamed of being able to play a round of smash and being able to change between styles seemlessly, like switching from Germ-style to Projectile-Spam style to Broken-wall style and to completely throw em off, n00b style. Of course, this is only a dream and I am in no way capable of thinking that seemlessly.

Also, I don't know what my style is ><. Even if I did it would probably suck.

But I like your idea. Thanks for putting it up ^^.

hey don't put yourself down so much (or i'll hurt you lol). I play the quick daring link that doesn't succumb to mind games because he takes them apart while sometimes is to daring and messes his own tricks up

Well i work with more of the 'Tank' style Link but if the occasion calls for it i can switch to projectile spammer or 50 - 50. 50 - 50 is what i use to throw my projectiles around causing more of a mind game really. Like Doc's pills i just send the boomerang, bombs and even arrows sometimes around so my opponent has to dodge around them. Then i spring into 'Tank Link'

For 50 - 50 you really have to master the projectiles though. Most of the time i throw a boomerang down to the ground while im coming down from the air. This ensures a safe landing from either the front or back (depending on where i throw it) The bomb works well if you want to clear you path below you. Your opponent will usually shield and will sometimes release it and allow you to Sword Plant although if he continues to shield i would jump away to avoid a Shield Grab. Learn to use all of your projectiles in unison so you can constantly switch between boomerang, bombs and arrows. Recently i've been using arrows in some of my matches and they actually help if you SHFFL them. You can go into a Fair, Nair or a Dair very effectively from the SHFFL. Anyways in short 50 - 50 is a combination of projectiles to weaken your opponent and confuse them to allow you an opening to go into 'Tank' mode and blast the **** out of them with some grab combos.

I think i'll put this in my guide

Well, I recently made the switch to Y.Link, but as for A.Link: my hardest problem is keeping distance. I want to play defensivle/spam projectiles, but some levels and Link's lack of speed give me problems and force me to play offensively. Y.Link solves this problem, but lacks the monumental Up+B spike and general power/KO moves. Y.Link is really fun, maybe if you guys tried him you can use it to actually improve your Link's projectile game.

NEVAR!!! ADULT LINK FOREVA!!!!

Ahem, sorry about that.

Is there a "sword play" style? Or "blitzkrieg style"? It would just seem like it would fit Link somehow but maybe I'm just inexperienced. I don't have much to go around as far as competition is concerned, after all.

Link and young Link are badasses in their own way

_glook said:

Is there a "sword play" style? Or "blitzkrieg style"? It would just seem like it would fit Link somehow but maybe I'm just inexperienced. I don't have much to go around as far as competition is concerned, after all.

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I think that would apply to the 'Tank Link' extreme SHFFL and Swordplay with a lack of projectiles.

entelegantLozer said:

Well, I recently made the switch to Y.Link, but as for A.Link: my hardest problem is keeping distance. I want to play defensivle/spam projectiles, but some levels and Link's lack of speed give me problems and force me to play offensively. Y.Link solves this problem, but lacks the monumental Up+B spike and general power/KO moves. Y.Link is really fun, maybe if you guys tried him you can use it to actually improve your Link's projectile game.

Click to expand...

**** we've lost another one.

Speaking of Y. Link has anyone thought about making a Y. Link guide. Since i never use him i never had a second thought about it but when i read the first post in this thread it dawns on me. We have 3 Link guides () but no Y. Link guides. I think some Y. Link expert should start on one. That section is lacking and i know there are a lot of Y. Links out there. Just look at the poll. Link is winning but not by much.

Agreed that someone really needs to make a Y. Link guide. I feel bad for all those players, and yet I know I cant play him well enough to make one of any importance. As far as a "blitzkrieg" style, in my experience there are 2 different extremes of this style. One is the aerial assault Link. This style abuses high priority aerials like uh...all of them, and really tries to take it to the persons face by predicting where they will be after an attack and getting there to land the next blow. The other one I see is the ever popular Swordmaster style. Instead of taking to the air, where being comboed for Link is a very real danger, this Link is still aggressive but stays grounded, taking advantage of the disjointed hitbox and decent priority, as well as the multiple directions Links sword can send someone. The weakeness here is that you are terribly susceptible to grabs and to the fact that some characters can simply overpower you. Aerial assault is easily comboed and can often be outprioritized or caught as he lands by a smart opponent. These are just two more styles, but I know there are more. So feel free to post, I think this can really go somewhere. So far we already have 4 styles...

The best link style has got to be Aniki's- he plays what I call a minimalist style. He dosnt shuffle/wavedash spam/projectile spam trying to use Link like hes Falco or Marth and overcomplicate his game. It seems to me that lot of Link users try these amazing combos with Link and try to use him very quickly- but its not that effective as link is not that fast...... Aniki just grabs, tilts, runs away, grabs, throws a bomb now and then and just seems to pull out the right move at the right time.

You know what I mean? Where THE GERM would pull out an amazing, very difficult combo invloving reverse grabs, downthrows/up tilts/B-airs/Shuffled F-airs, Aniki would just grab his opponent and throw them off the edge followed by an F-tilt and just spike them with up-b or something.

I know Aniki dosnt look that impressive compared to THE GERM or HDL even, his style is not flashy and it dosnt look impressive......... untill you realise that he's playing against Captain Jack or Masashi or some other elite japanese player and winning half the time. I really think that his minimalist approach to using Link is the way to use him right- i mean three stocking Kens Marth? - what other Link player but Aniki could do that? - My link style is based on Anikis and I hope to improve with Link as one of my secondary's this way.

peace out

I wasn’t going to post here but I want to point some things out before this becomes one of those best Link threads again. Firstly every Link player has their own way of using him. There’s is no "correct" way to use Link. There are tactics that work and don’t work, but they have to be molded by the player’s own experience. Doing something "amazing" and "complicated" is every bit as effective as doing something completely straight-forward and simple. The mind games are still in effect. As long as you’re able to cleverly fool your opponent into creating an opportunity for you, it doesn’t matter if you’re going at mach 7 or being sluggish. There are more factors that come into play than simply slow and fast. There are more things such as accuracy, timing, sharpness, reflexes, etc., that add to unpredictability. People may see a few videos of me and say that I may move fast, but that doesn’t mean I move fast all the time. The speed I play Link at changes depending on my opponent’s style and what characters I’m facing. There is no set style to play any given character besides abstract. Abstract is the only way to play a character because you will always be put into different situations that require different speeds and strategies.

As for players in Japan. Keep in mind that player styles make a major difference, and many of the players in Japan have much different styles than how people in other parts of the world play. The number of stock you win by is irrelevant unless it is consistent. A Link player 3 stocks a Marth because that Marth does not comprehend the style of play, but that same Link may very well lose to someone that the Marth player is able to consistently 2 stock. It’s not just about characters, level of players, and speed. It’s about player styles and adaptation. Familiarity also plays a big part as well, because if you understand well your opponent’s style of play (and Aniki knows how all the Japanese elites play) then you’ll be able to perform better, but if you’re just playing someone for the first time and 3 stock them, who’s to say they aren’t better than you? Oh I know, the tournament rankings will show it. When they made it to top ten while you didn’t. Then you find yourself consistently losing to them since they adapted to your style. As abstract as the mind can get, that’s how many factors come into play. Not just speed or the players you have access to. With that, I would say that my style can only be described as abstract. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I guess the best word to describe my link would be flashy. I much perfer the moves that dont necessarily work all the time, but have more style. Such as I would be more likely to edgegaurd with a down tilt than an up b. I just try to incorporate as many different things as I can into every game. I have even been known to throw out the aerial hookshot once in a while. In the end I dont think its always who won but how they did it. But thats just me and I can definatly appreciate all of the styles that Link has to offer.

HDL, I think you hit the key for what this thread is supposed to be. All characters in smash are variant, of that there is no doubt. Each has different strengths and weaknesses, and playstyles evolve from these natural strengths. Thats where Link is fun, because he is extremely well balanced across the possibilities in the game, long to short range, air to ground, Link has some of everything. As some of the posts here have said, the best Link is the adaptable one, someone who can switch it up on the fly to do whatever is needed. Most of us are still trying to achieve this level though, and thats why it might be helpful to have some general blueprints of Link styles for people to add their own flair to. Most of us have seen that more successful Link players use their own style, and people could mistake any of those styles as the "best". That said, I think one of the best ways for the Link community to evolve is to start bringing the different styles together so that people can choose what works for them and then incorporate that into their style. I think all Link players agree that Link has great potential, so lets start showing everyone else what Link can do.

Actually PacStrife, I kinda like it. It's like the crazy thing in the bottom of the bag that'll add spice and unpredictability to the match.

And Rad, well put.

My favorite RPG character is Red Mage so I guess it sort of makes sense that Link is my favorite Smash character.

Lord HDL said:

I

As for players in Japan. Keep in mind that player styles make a major difference, and many of the players in Japan have much different styles than how people in other parts of the world play. The number of stock you win by is irrelevant unless it is consistent. A Link player 3 stocks a Marth because that Marth does not comprehend the style of play, but that same Link may very well lose to someone that the Marth player is able to consistently 2 stock. It’s not just about characters, level of players, and speed. It’s about player styles and adaptation. Familiarity also plays a big part as well, because if you understand well your opponent’s style of play (and Aniki knows how all the Japanese elites play) then you’ll be able to perform better, but if you’re just playing someone for the first time and 3 stock them, who’s to say they aren’t better than you? .

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I have to disagree HDL, the fact that Aniki can fairly consistantly beat the highest level players from both Japan and America shows that he is doing something that the other Links are not. Aniki is top ten in Japan and possibly top ten in the world even (Well, he did three stock the world champ) of course being brothers with Masashi helps alot hahaha but really, do you think you could take down CJ, HoshinoKirby, Ken, or any player on that high a level, could any other Link do it? - I dont think so. (And im not having a go at your skill, just making a statement)

And really, his style of play is just so simple that its amazing, Link is not a character that can be used like Falco or Marth with lots of Shuffled Aerials and Grab combos and tech chases etc like a lot of Link players try and do- the fact that Link is considered to be a higher tiered character in Japan and that Link players break the top ten in major tournaments would reflect that Link is used more effectively in Japan.

Peace out

Well, this idea of learning play styles boils over into my previous/current gaming career in UT2k4. This is a huge tournament based game, world-wide. Americans have a very hard time beating the Euros more often than not simply because in Europe, each country/region tends to develop its own play style, so they can learn much more of a variety of styles before playing the Americans. On the other hand, Americans are blind to other styles than their top 10 competitors.

im not a pro young link player...to get say it out aloud. im a falco guy. but i use y.link fairly often just for fun. adult link is awesome too, but i like to take ful advantage of speed and nimbleness (err nimbility...whatever). lots of wall techs, and jumps. and in veryjump in popping a bomb, throwin ga boomarang, or shooting an arrow. I frequesntly run around jumping on this and that platform for almost no apparant reason.

since y.link isnt exaclty hte best for physical damage on others, this works great. projecticle the percentage down and just find openings. sure its annoying to the opponent, but its not easy to be a close range y.link.

when i find an opening - depending on what it is of course - i strike with dair, shffl fair, nair (not too strong but good if it can just easily bink the opponent off the edge of hte stage). hten when i am close after my attack, i try and get a nice dsmash in there to push em off. then the fun begins again. thats what it is, pretty much... jsut plain ylink fun.

Ah yes, the first Y.Link player to venture a post...which is not bad. Im all for some Y. Link styles here too, or maybe another thread since that would be confusing to try to sort through he two types here. To answer entelegant, it is similar except that in smash there are many different styles among the states themselves, much less the countries. Its ironic that these connections are so visible, and Im going to blatantly use this to highlight another Link component: The response Link. One way of playing Link is to simply respond to what your enemy does. This is where those Links who think, "If he uses fair, ill outprioritize him with nair everytime" fall. I'll say right now this is not my preferred style, I'll get into that part of this next post. However, it is still a good component to know. This type of Link style requires extensive knowledge of situational priority battles. The fact is that Link has some very good priority moves, and this style abuses them to counteract anything the opponent might try. Unlike some of the styles Ive mentioned before though, this is not a black and white contrast between response and another style. Response is the middle of the road in this continuum. But ill get into that tomorrow. Im tired. And I have 2 exams tomorrow, so well talk after that.

im a noob in these forums right now (checks post count), but i dont consider myself a noob with link

i dont know how to "classify" my strategy with link but i can explain it . I like to keep my opponent at bay by using a lot of projectiles and damage them as they try to get close to me. When they do get close, i try to use upB or Forward smash to knock them off the edge. from there i usually try to edge guard or at least hit them with a few projectiles as they attemt to return to the edge.

i think my weaknesses are im slow and i dont know exactly when to shield.

what would my style be "classified" as?

King Kong said:

I have to disagree HDL, the fact that Aniki can fairly consistantly beat the highest level players from both Japan and America shows that he is doing something that the other Links are not. Aniki is top ten in Japan and possibly top ten in the world even (Well, he did three stock the world champ) of course being brothers with Masashi helps alot hahaha but really, do you think you could take down CJ, HoshinoKirby, Ken, or any player on that high a level, could any other Link do it? - I dont think so. (And im not having a go at your skill, just making a statement)

And really, his style of play is just so simple that its amazing, Link is not a character that can be used like Falco or Marth with lots of Shuffled Aerials and Grab combos and tech chases etc like a lot of Link players try and do- the fact that Link is considered to be a higher tiered character in Japan and that Link players break the top ten in major tournaments would reflect that Link is used more effectively in Japan.

Peace out

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First off let’s get something straight. Accessability is different for different people. This part was really just unacceptable: "but really, do you think you could take down CJ, HoshinoKirby, Ken, or any player on that high a level, could any other Link do it? - I dont think so." That is just plain rude because you have no idea how other Link players (or players in general) would do against those players. You can’t say no other Link player would be able to do it when you don’t even know how much experience they have, their background, or their location. That’s not only insulting to me but any other player that has been playing long enough to be confident about their skills.

What you’re doing here resorting to celebrity fanboyism and belittling other people who are probably just as good. You think all these good players that "came out of nowhere" just got good just like that? Hell no, most of them have been playing for a long time, and there are still people like that but are not known yet for whatever reason. You’re also wrong when you say Link is not a character that can be played with a lot of shffled aerials, grab combos, and tech chases, because Link is good at all of those. As a matter of fact Link has one of the best chain grabs in the game if you learn how to get good with it.

So yes even though you say you’re not you are having a go at my skill without knowing **** about it or even myself. And not just me, anyone else that has been putting just as much effort to become confident of what they can do. Aniki has more access to top players than I do. What about Ken’s crew? You would think that since they get to play Ken they should be the very top players in the world right? But no, other players that don’t get as much access to Ken are actually among the best. This goes to show that the players you have access to do not automatically determine how good you can actually get (or are). Aniki plays nothing like Ken has ever experienced when he faces Link players in the U.S., so Aniki 3 stocking him is of no surprise to me. That doesn’t mean he’s automatically better than all Link players, all it means is that he was able to beat someone with the style advantage in his favor. Ken is also just one person. If there was a Link player that couldn’t beat Ken but could beat a whole world of players that Aniki couldn’t, who would be better? The one that can consistently beat more skilled players. And unless you know for a fact that other Link players cannot do so, you cannot automatically dismiss other players as if none of them can compare with the one you want to idolize. Me, Germ, Ricky, is that it? Hell no. There are more Link players you’ve never heard about. Link players that are ****ing good but you don’t hear about them for whatever reason. My reason is that I cannot travel to places often for tournaments because it costs a lot to travel and I can’t afford that. Other people might have reasons such as not being able to attend tournaments, but that doesn’t mean they’re not capable at all.

You have some really awry logic if you’d automatically say Aniki is the best just because of what he did to one person in one match. There are more things to think about than just number of stock. It may be your opinion that he’s the best, but you can’t just say that no other Link can do what he can as if it were fact. You have yet to see what other players are capable of doing. Just wait until they get their opportunities.

I've never heard of Aniki before.

LordHDL is still my God/savior. *Praises HDL*

And that my friend, is what is called getting served.

But seriously, HDL is right though, and while we really do have to give props to some of the best Link players out there, its just doesnt help you to think that one of their styles is the best. There are all kinds of factors that we really dont want to get into right now that we simply cant take into account, so instead of focusing on the successes others have had, lets work on improving ourselves so we can have similar triumphs.

So now that thats over with (I hope...), on to my next aspect of Link strategy. The next category is centered around the response style from earlier, but is more concerned with how you react to the opponent. The obvious counterpart to response is the Goldfish Link. This is the player that walks in and says, "I just worked out the most awesome combo ever, and Im gonna use it!" The combo may be good, but no matter the situation this Link just ignores the opponents actions and goes in for the combo, or whatever his initial strategy is. With Links this mindset is fairly rare although you can see it in snippets from more aggressive Links. The main strength of these players is that they do have a strong plan of attack that they stick to, and as such they are far less susceptible to mindgames than the average player. The flaw however, is that they fail to adapt. Every strategy can be defeated, and if the opponent finds a way then this person is gone unless he can adapt, and in doing so abandon the Goldfish style altogether. A plan of attack is good, an inability to alter it to the situation is bad. Nuff said.

Now I said that response is in the middle of the continuum, so what does that leave for the other end. My friends, meet the amazing Psychic Link! Ok, not all that impressive, but this style is horribly effective in certain cases. Psychic Link knows what his opponent will do. Oh yes. In fact, this Link always seems to be preparing the right attack or defense even as you are moving in for the kill. He knows! Ok, he doesnt really know, but he does have a good idea of what the options are in the currnt scenario. Psychic Link obviously has to know the abilities of himself and his opponent well. Very well. You could say that these players are playing both sides of the game at the same time. If the opponent is predictable enough, this Link destroys all opposition. So what could counter this all powerful mystic? Umm...when hes wrong? Yeah, often a Psychic Link is so sure that an opponent will do one thing that he will launch a sub-optimal attack because he is sure it will hit, the penultimate example being the hookshot. If you hit you can start some of Links most damaging combos. If you miss, you feel the hurt of some of their most damaging combos. This Link falls to an unpredictable opponent that will use a "sub-optimal" battle plan simply because its good for the situation. Pros: Has a deep knowledge of the game, and uses this to have attacks ready for the probable action of the opponent. Can leave opponents reeling with no hope of recovery. Cons: You can be wrong, And that is a very bad thing for good ol' Laggy Link. Thats it for now, but lets see some more strategies guys, or start talking about how youve incorporated one of these styles into your Link.

King Kong said:

I have to disagree HDL, the fact that Aniki can fairly consistantly beat the highest level players from both Japan and America shows that he is doing something that the other Links are not. Aniki is top ten in Japan and possibly top ten in the world even (Well, he did three stock the world champ) of course being brothers with Masashi helps alot hahaha but really, do you think you could take down CJ, HoshinoKirby, Ken, or any player on that high a level, could any other Link do it? - I dont think so. (And im not having a go at your skill, just making a statement)

And really, his style of play is just so simple that its amazing, Link is not a character that can be used like Falco or Marth with lots of Shuffled Aerials and Grab combos and tech chases etc like a lot of Link players try and do- the fact that Link is considered to be a higher tiered character in Japan and that Link players break the top ten in major tournaments would reflect that Link is used more effectively in Japan.

Peace out

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There is no "best" style of using Link. Everyone plays differently and has their own strengths and weaknesses. If you were to play every Link in the entire world you could not judge who is "best". Being the "best" in your eyes seems to be whoever can defeat the most high level players. Many Links can play better against one sort of character or style than another one can. Maybe Aniki can 3 stock Ken but maybe Ken can 4 stock some guy that beats Aniki. You have to realize that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and to say that one Link is better than another Link is just insulting. All players have the potential to become elite. Saying that someone like the GERM, Aniki, Kubuu, Chu, Zarelid, or even Lord HDL are the greatest Links in the world and could own everyone so their styles have to be the "best" is an unfair statement. Many of them have put countless time and effort into the game to make their play styles as great as they can be. Also you have to consider the rising stars. Many Links are on their way to becoming elites and may soon achieve your 'fan praise' Links styles are not about what is "best" or what can K.O. top elite players. It is how you can adapt your character to specific situations and deal with them while keeping your cool and trying your best to win and have fun.

In short, Link styles vary all across the globe and it is unfair to say one style is the "best" when you haven't seen everything and you haven't taken the time to realize that some players have great potential and maybe they just aren't devoted enough to the game to become elites.

Hah- HDL I said those things cos I knew you'd get really defensive about them- sorry but I felt like stirring (lets say your temper is kind of ledgendary and I wanted to test it for myself), anyways theres nothing like a little firendly flaming...... But yeah, props up for serving me- very nice

Anyways, my point is that Aniki, with his more minimalist style of Link playing performs at a much higher level and places higher in tournements that other link players (And I dare venture to say) would not perform as well in. And of course I wouldnt base my opinions about someone based on one match- Aniki performs well against a whole heap of elite people, not just Ken (and for the record- Ken three stocked aniki back) and places highly in japanese tournaments.

And no, beleive it or not im not a fanboy hahaha, i couldnt care less about about Aniki or who the best Link is, I just know that you Link players are a stubborn bunch, and i've always wanted to get in on the flaming that always goes down in this forum hahaha (I love it when people get worked up over video games hahaha)

I just see a Link a player acheiving things no other link has and make a logical connection that he's doing something that the others arnt, I remember Wes coming onto this board once and saying that he's never played a better Link than Aniki- you have to be open to the possiblity that I might be right.............. And I think we could all learn a little from his style anyways.

Anyways man, i was a bit of a jerk, sorry, but i couldnt help myself.

peace out

Dont you hate double posts?

Peace out

Why is it bad to get worked up over video games? I mean, it's our hobby that we dedicate a lot of time too. How exactly is that a bad thing? I'm sure there are other hobbies people get worked up over as well and no one really complains about how it's pointless. Are you saying we're not allowed to care about our hobby and what we like to do?

Ah yes, stereotyping. That makes it so much easier to take you seriously. I will admit when I know I am wrong, thank you very much.

And I actually have to say, it's sort of lame just to say something to get someone riled up. I forgot what you called that, someone who likes to cause trouble for the sake of it is called...

Anyway, that's not what I was going to post. Is anyone keeping track of all these and putting them together? I have webspace so I guess I could compile these together later. Unfortunatly, I have to work out real life issues but I could eventually get around to it. If anyone cares that is.

Styles are just a fad. You have to adjust to a certain way of play in order increase your chances of winning. You wouldn't play the same way against a Fox as you would a Samus would you, and vice versa? You have to adjust the way you play according to how effective and predicable the "style" is against whoever. You can't just label how someone plays because for the most part the incorperate many ideas and tactics.

Now, that's my opinion on how Link should be played. Smart. Styles do exist, but really mixing up the ideas of each style and fitting it to the right situation is ideal. You can't exactly camp in one spot and spam projectile and "tank" when your opponent is close, then knock him/her away and expect your opponent not to figure a way around that style.

You may not think of it the same way, so let me put it like this. HDL is right about looking at background. All these popular Link players we all know incorporate these ideas, but due to their competition they will tend to lean more toward certain aspects of Link abilities cause they work against their competition yet still will have the ability to do all other styles. Few examples (not 100% so don't think this is absolutely true; just theories):

The GERM: From what I seen, his crew plays fast and in your face. So The GERM adapted to what he's exposed. He became more close range combat and fast since most of his fights lead him to close range and are fast. He just decide to keep the battle there. However, he still has the basic concepts of other "styles."

Aniki: Really, I just think he's precise. And he likes to keep it short and simple and goes straight for what works. No questions asked. Since he's exposed to so much competition with different characters, he just knows what he should do and tries as humanly possible do what Link can to win. So fitting the right style to the right situation and character as best he could.

It's okay to mimic the good Link's out there. You will learn styles and set ups and methods and it will improve you skill. But their comes a point where your have to wise up. The real Link style is to play....SMART.

I find it slightly amusing that the more respected posters in the Link forum are all saying the same thing over and over. Its a good reality check, and we understand that there is no one style that will lead to your ultimate ownage of the smash universe. We all agree that an adaptive Link is best. Its been said quite a few times so far. However, I think its useful to sort of lay out the toolbox for the community by highlighting some of the more popular styles and breaking down strengths and weaknesses. Knowing these can lead to you being a better player because it gives you the key advantage of knowing your options in any given situation. Also, using a style is similar to setting a basic gameplan. Sure it might have to change in order to be viable, but to be honest I think its better to walk into a match with some idea of what you could do rather than just let them have the first stab at defining the match. Which is where we come into the next little debate.

Ok, I've posted a few styles and all now, and hopefully any newer to medium Link players are getting the idea that yes, each of these styles is useful in its own way. Each style has significant pros, which are then balanced be equally significant cons. The obvious thing to do is to simply analyze your opponent, then select a style based on what will benefit you most in the situation. If your opponent seems slow to engage, whip out some aerial assault on his face. If he is being overly aggressive, play the tank and exploit your opportunities. If hes being so predictable it makes you cry, go ahead and be a little psychic. Like I said, this is the obvious way to use these styles. I never said it was the best, just the most obvious. Now if we want to playat a higher level, were gonna have to combine what weve learned.

In my first post I mentioned that my preferred style is tank Link.This is, in essence, just a combination of projectile spam and response styles. I use projectiles to cover for the lack of pressure that a response style can produce, and I use the response style to answer the close up situations in which projectiles just arent efficient. The two styles flow well together and combine to form a new one. But lets get more in depth on the weaknesses here. Obviously, anyone that can break the projectile barrier easily is nullifying fully half of the style. And simply responding is not the best idea when good ol' Laggy Link is in close quarters, especially at low percents when a strong attack may not even clear the enemy from the immediate threat radius. Lets see, whos fast and has minimal trouble breaking a projectile barrier? Hmm...Fox and Falco come to mind swiftly. Im not looking for advice here, im just showing that while Link has few natural counters (all of one), his styles have their own weaknesses to characters. Ironically, last tournament I went to I had not yet developed my aerial priority game well. Guess who I got destroyed by? Foxes and Falcos. It was not pretty. Due to a failure to adapt, I gave them an unfair advantage. There are other factors to why I got creamed, but this is the most relevant. So while its good to have a style you excel at, be ready to abandon it if the match calls. If I ever see you playing a tank game against ICs, I will be sad. That, and youll prolly lose. But thats not the point. Know your weaknesses, and know how to cover for them. This is the key to advancing your Link.

An example of successful adaptivity is a match I had against StoneColdLink. Link ditto, of course (my favorites). I started off with my usual tank style, whereas he played a very dedicated projectile spammer. Very dedicated. And hes pretty dang good at using the style too,so his focus was beating my tank. The fatal flaw of a pure camper though is their unwillingness to take people on in close quarters. Even in a Link ditto a dedicated spammer will most likely retreat if you charge him. So I changed styles to a very aggressive aerial and projectile style, using my projectile including the arrow to stop his and clear the path. He did try to run, so the match was him running and me chasing. Id say we traded about the same number of hits with each other, but I was more likely to turn a hit into a combo starter, while he was more worried about getting me out of threat range unless he knew I could be killed easily. In this manner I managed to win in a close match. Just an example, but it shows that changing your style can take a disfavorable matchup and turn it around for you. Next time Im going into the wonderful world of character matchups and the metagame, and why you should care who your opponent picks. More than you already do. And no, this will not be an "if they pick Sheik, change chars" post...you'll see. In the meantime, lets see some action as far as you guys explaining your ideas on effective style combinations, or new styles we havent addressed, or even some analysis on styles from someone else. Because I know some of you reading this have ideas to contribute, you just havent for some reason. So lets hear it.

i disagree with buzz i enjoy arguments on smashboards lol keep doin wutcha do

It’s funny how he says he’s trying to get me upset, but all he’s really doing is making me laugh. Especially with that "legendary temper" bit. Where the hell did you get that one? I can easily guarantee that if people think I have a temper, much less a "legendary" one, they really don’t know anything about me as they think they do. I don’t know where you got such misinformation, but if you could do me the favor of not believing anything you hear/read about me without learning from the source, then that would be most glorious. What you’re doing is provoking someone by triggering arguments, flaming, and disrespect. If memory serves that would be against forums rules. If memory serves it would be plain wrong regardless.

Now to add something to the mix. I’m sure people like playing one way and then throwing them off by switching strategies and such. One thing that works for me sometimes is the C Stick switch up. I mainly use A to do my stuff, with a little C Stick incorporation here and there. However I notice that whenever I play with the C Stick exclusively, my manner of play changes a lot. It’s like a completely different person started playing Link. The thing is since I’m accustomed to that type of control I have no problem with the change, but the opponent gets thrown off. Sometimes in the middle of the match I might change my control scheme so as to fit the situation. I might switch back and forth a few times in one match, depending on how my opponent plays. This makes it considerably harder for them to adapt. If any of you are having some difficulty adapting or switching up strategies, I recommend you familiarize yourself with these schemes of control and see if it affects your decisions.

King Kong said:

Anyways, my point is that Aniki, with his more minimalist style of Link playing performs at a much higher level and places higher in tournements that other link players (And I dare venture to say) would not perform as well in. And of course I wouldnt base my opinions about someone based on one match- Aniki performs well against a whole heap of elite people, not just Ken (and for the record- Ken three stocked aniki back) and places highly in japanese tournaments.

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I know that I don't have much authority on the boards and given my lack of input, I'm probably taken less seriously than other posters. But I think I have enough smash knowledge to atleast say something worth reading. (BTW, I am from gamefaqs. Sorry if my knowledge is too n00bish for yall)

King Kong, you keep saying that Aniki plays his Link with a minimalist style of play. That he never charges forward, tech chases, shuffl'd his aerials, etc. Instead he waits patiently and then grabs, tilts, and eventually use a KO move. Yeah . . . well, i dont' know where you got that from; but from what I've sen, that's not how Aniki plays at all.

Aniki's style leans more heavily towards a combination of Tank Link and a subtle version of "blitzkrieg" Link. Contrary to your analysis, Aniki does tech chase, shuffl'd, use grab comboes, etc. on his opponents; and he often plays an "in your face" fighting style. And from what I've seen, Aniki's more analytical than most players.

Aniki's great at anticipating movements. He knows where people are planning to move to, where they'll tech to, where they'll try to trap him. But rather than letting this knowledge goes to waste, Aniki will either break their guard or chase after them and catch them with, say, a D-smash-> 2x Shuffl'd Uair-> KO on the return. He also knows Link's movements and limitations so he alternates between ground attacks, Shuffl'ds, and projectiles to optimize his output. Aniki's style of play mirrors the Tank fighting style because he uses his Boomerangs and bombs to trip up the opponent. He knows exactly where he wants his boomerang to go, and he usually gets people off guard and KOs them then. It mirrors the blitzkreig style because he often rushes forward and racks up damage with his sword. The guy knows how dangerous Link's power is, and isn't afraid to muscle out the opponenet. And rather than Shields -> Up-Bs, he often uses Shuffl'd F-airs and U-airs along with F-tilts and D-smashes.

Anyways, Aniki's style isn't so much defensive as it is methodical. Aniki's style relies more on his knowledge of his opponent and his link, and then using the knowledge to win. His link doesn't rush in blindly hoping to combo, and it doesn't weapon spam. He's also not a little ***** and sits around waiting till someone comes up to his so he can land a hit. Aniki is just another analytical player among many others. Sure he has an impressive record, but should he be known as the best? I don't think so.

Now, given that Aniki's Link usually plays agaisnt other Japanese players and most of my vids are of him against other Japanese players along with the regular American exceptions. Knowing this, I think it would be that Aniki would be at more of a disadvantage when he plays against an unknown with his own unique style. Since he's so **** methodical, if someone with the right mindgames or a new strategy comes a long, I doubt Aniki can hold himself for long unless he adapts to it quickly. And seeing as how most of my vids don't show Aniki being as malleable as the Radnortuws wants Link to be, I think he'll have a tough time.

Awesome comment HDL, this really is effective in playing differently than your usual style. Pretty good assessment of Aniki, Pirate. Aniki definitely uses his knowledge of his opponents to his advantage, and allows him to cut away extraneous pieces of his gameplay.

I think since I havent yet, now is a good time to go over what makes a good projectile Link aka spammer. Honestly, a good spammer will catch flak for his playstyle. Just ignore them. If they cant break a projectile screen...they need to work on it, not force you to change. Anyway, I think the most effective method is to fire 2-3 shot bursts of your 3 projectiles. The key here is to cover the 3 most effective ways that they can approach you: Jumping, running/wavedashing forward, and standing still until the danger has passed. If you can cover these major places, opponents have little option but to keep par as far as advancing unless they get smar and find ways to break thorugh. If this happens, you have almost no choice but to bust out the sword. Projectiles are almost strictly worse in close quarters for Link. Dont try to be a hero, just get him out of the danger zone and resume, with adjustments to cover the new route. Now this style finds issues against really good powershielders (and I mean really good, cause they cant stop them all with that), as well as reflectors like fox and falco's. Another weakness is fast characters that can break through in your down periods while the boomerang is out and you have no bomb. Also, obviously anyone that can find a way to break the barrier is in a good position. And despite what some may say, it is possible to break projectile barriers with any character, especially if youre not afraid to get hit once or twice. Well, next time Ill break down some characters.

One more note...this style is the easiest to alter for combination with other styles. When all is said and done, Link's projectiles are extreely useful, and even the most aggressive Link will usually be seen opening with a bomb in hand. Pure spam leaves little opportunity for kill, but combined with other styles it can greatly improve your game if you know the basics. If youre thinking that your projectiles arent very effective, play a round only using them, and you should pick up on the routes and all quickly. You'll lose the match, but the experience is worth it.

Actually, from the videos I've seen, Aniki tends to really like the projectile spam method. Maybe that's just me though.

yea..i know i don't post here much, but i play link alot actually.

My Link playing style is more about being cautious as possible. I do alot of falling sex kicks (hitting with the furthest distance possible), alot of times from a DJ if the oponent is jumping towards me, too.(DJ OVER them then fall on top)
I focus on reverse WD hookshots, but i don't do alot of chain throwing. i prefer to just upthrow into uptilts, or shuffled upairs. To my logic, i get the same damage with alot less risk. From a distance i always pull a bomb out then quickly double jump-throw, then hurl the boomerang upward right before i land on the ground, then shuffle a F.air keeping a possible hookshot in mind.
The only time i get crazy aggressive is when they're by a ledge, in which case i shuffle sex kicks, dash attack, and UpB. If they're off the level i 99% the time pursue w/ a sex kick off the level then recover back. I hookshot and UpB about half and half, but i attempt bomb jumps anytime its applicable. I get it like 1/2 the time.

My style with Link is a mix of his pojectiles and melee attacks. Using the boomerang and bombs to entrap the enemy and distract them then get close to place them into a combo. SHUFFling Nairs and Fairs and Bairs to rack up the damage then knock them to the edge where they are in range of Link;s spin attack right where they hit the sweetspot and fall into their doom. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

50 - 50 BABY!! I need a better name for that

Oh! I finally figured out what my style is!

It's called "button mash"! It's not really effective though...

Link button mashers are awesome to watch...but I digress.

Ok, ill admit it, today i have little to no important info to share because ive been screwing around with a .0 version and doing crazy glitch madness. Bomb rain is top tier! However, i think ill add some notes about specific points that dont come up much in Link discussion. Most of these apply to any style so listen good.

Ok, for all you aerial assaulters, and anyone that has enjoyed a nair war this should be well known. The heoght you want to hit people with aerial attacks differs based on whether they are on the ground or in the air. If they are on the ground, you usually want to hit them with the attack from as low an altitude as possible. Its easy for a grounded opponent to get you from the bottom, or at least avoid the attack and then punish you. Generally you want your aerial coming at their torso or lower. This gives you better position offensively to outprioritize them, and defensively. Now in terms of aerial battles, you want to be higher than them. To the side some yes, but having the advantage of altitude is key here. Most of Links attacks are based around the lower portion of his body in the air, so by being higher you can be out of range of their attacks and still in range for yours. Note that these are merely general guidelines, do not always go by this because there are numerous exceptions.

Another thing: you know how swords and disjointed hitboxes can "tink" off each other? Avoid that. Links attacks generally dont come out fast enough from the stun to beat your opponent. Ive seen some people attempt to abuse hits like this, and thats fine. Just dont do it with Link.

I'll do more later, and then I'll be gone until after Bomb hopefully with new insight, so there you are.