During yesterday’s Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Linkle, a brand-new character with a striking similarity to the game’s protagonist Link, would be coming to Hyrule Warriors Legends. Hyrule Warriors Legends is the 3DS re-release of Hyrule Warriors (T for Teen), a Wii U game that combines The Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors.
Linkle with her two crossbows.
Linkle is being described as a “female Link” by many online, but she is actually a brand-new character with a unique story, separate from Link. We don’t know too much about her yet, but we do know that she’s from a small village and that she fights with dual crossbows. Her signature move is called a Spin Kick, and she has a bubbly and energetic personality. You can also spot her wearing a compass around her neck.
Linkle as she appears in the Hyrule Warriors book.
This is not the first time that Zelda fans have heard of Linkle. She first appeared in an art book for Hyrule Warriors over a year ago. She was a proposed character who didn’t make it into the final version of that game, for one reason or another. In that book, she’s described as “Female version of the hero Link. Created to be like a little sister to Link.”
We don’t know for sure if Linkle is Link’s little sister, but it would sure explain the resemblance.
Hyrule Warriors features a ton of female playable characters, which is fantastic. Having women characters in games, especially women with well-rounded personalities, is a great way to help real girls and women feel welcome.
But it’s important to remember that Hyrule Warriors is not part of the main Zelda canon, meaning it doesn’t have an official place on the complex Zelda timeline. There’s no knowing if Linkle will ever return to a Zelda game.
I sure hope she will. I started playing Zelda games when I was about 6 years old, and if Link had been a girl it would have made a big difference to me personally. It would have legitimized my interest in the series and made me feel a little more at home when talking with other gamers, especially boys. Video games are for everyone—Linkle is one small step in the right direction.
