Link is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Nintendo's video game series The Legend of Zelda. He appears in several incarnations over the course of the games, and also features in other Nintendo media, including merchandising comic books and animated series. He is one of Nintendo's main icons.
Through The Legend of Zelda series, Link is depicted as a child, teenager, or young adult of the Hylian race, originating from the fictional land of Hyrule. Link often travels through Hyrule, defeating creatures, evil forces, and the series' primary antagonist, Ganon, while attempting to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule. To defeat Ganon, Link usually requires the mystical Master Sword and Light Arrows, or a similar legendary weapon, obtained after many trials and battles. In the course of his journey, he typically acquires various other magical objects or items, including musical instruments and weaponry. Within the lore of the franchise, Link is the soul of a legendary hero that, throughout history, is reincarnated within a seemingly ordinary boy or man when the need arises for a new reincarnation to defeat forces of evil. No definitive blood-connection has to exist between the different incarnations; however, in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the Link within that game helps to establish the kingdom of Hyrule, and he also seems to originate the hero's green garb, while the Link in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is established to have no connection to any previous incarnation. In the Skyward Sword prequel manga published in Hyrule Historia, an older incarnation of the hero who aids the goddess Hylia is shown; however, the hero is not definitively identified as "Link".
Link has made cameo appearances in several games outside of the Legend of Zelda series, including playable appearances in games like SoulCalibur II, Mario Kart 8 and the Super Smash Bros. series.
