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Link vs. Link
Published: 2011-07-27 22:48:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 86846; Favourites: 4249; Downloads: 1514
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Description
While graphics have improved over the years, Link's design has taken some definite steps backward. At least when I looked at those chunky pixels, I imagined a cool scrappy kid elf, and not the androgenous pretty boy that Nintendo's designers want him to be now.This was done for the Avalanche blog "Legend of Zelda" tribute for the 25-year anniversary of the first game.
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Comments: 504
Oh I SO flippin' agree. This is great. Love both the Links you did here, but I definitely grew up in the chunky-pixel scrappy kid Link era, so he's definitely my favorite. 
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I love how you shaded the sword!
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Haha, I can't say that I agree with your point of view, even though I'm not one of the people who jumped on the bandwagon post-OOT. Even in the manuals of the NES games, Link was depicted as human sized, so meh. (I still have a working NES whoot! XD)
But still, gnome-Link is hilarious. I feel like Toon Link's design draws more from the dumpy pixel figure we used to know, while pretty Link was what they would have designed him as if the technology allowed it in the beginning. Still, the upcoming Skyward Sword Link is ridiculously feminine-looking. XD
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I remember seeing this picture around the front-page-ish area a while back and disagreeing with it, I still do now. I mean I like the art but...
I grew up with OoT and Majora's Mask, they were pretty much my life. And as a kid I wasn't sitting there thinking "wow he looks really girly" I was thinking "This is so magical and amazing and I could just play forever, never let this game end"
He doesn't even really look girly to me now ANYWAY. xD Just looks like a classic teenage character- which I assume he's supposed to be in most games. If you want androgynous, go look at Final Fantasy.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT I love the shading on this like... a lot. The coloring is the type of style I've been aspiring for. >:I
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Oh, man. This is gold! 
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Hahaha! Awesome! 
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Beautiful artwork. Congratulations on the DD.
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Old school link kind of reminds me of this one:
[link]
Except, he'd be asking Gannon to do the roar.
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Too much pretty boi; not enough scrappy action.
I support the short one on the left
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New Link is like "O no u didn't" xDD
Love the expressions! :>
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I always thought the Link from the Link to the Past instruction booklet illustrations (which was already similar to the NES illustrations) was "Link". Kind of goofy, a bit gangly. Long nose. OoT's intense/dark/adult link sort of went against that, and I have always resented that that's become the defacto Link.
So I sort of agree with you there!
But then I kind of hate the whole backlash against "androgynous pretty boys", so uh. Yeah.
In any case, fantastic illustration, especially texture use. You really got your concept of old-school Link across.
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I actually like Link's design now. He's not the stereotypical bulky, muscle bound, masculine hero that used to be glorified. Besides, his design is appropriate for his age. He's just a teenager, after all.
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I'd rather see muscle man then twig pick kill off a hug boar monster
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>_> No shit.
And yes .-. yes they are....
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[link] ((link)%20AND%20(by%3Agenzoman))&qo=1
You're welcome.
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YES I saw this~! Before XD omg~! Why does he not look like this.
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Go play Duke Nukem then.
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I do.
OMG YES, I must draw Duke Nukem Killing LINK~!
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Good point, and I do like him better than most heroes in games today for that reason.
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Heh I see your point
But I must say, I like me some pretty boy zelda, really
Your artwork is awesome, either way
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It's one of those, "It's funny because it's true" things.
All of us in the 22 - 27 age range grew up on the NES and we will always remember as everything from
back then being far superior.
Gaming is taking some strange twists and turns these days due to it becoming main stream. The industry is sadly stagnating and we will probably never see the amazing titles of the days of old.
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you made 'new' link's face amazing.
now i wish he really DID have that unique of a face X'D
aaaaa i like all Zelda games.. not for how 'sexy' link is, but because i like the series.
to be honest, i actually like Majora's mask/wind waker, not really twilight princess.
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I'm with you, brother. Brown haired Link was MY Link.
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I always imagine him (no matter what game) as this strong, young son-of-a-peasant-or-farmer with a taste for adventure and a heart of gold. (For appearance, see: "Peasant", "Farmer", and "Young")
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The newer Links are way too pretty. He looks like a girl in Skyward Sword for crying out loud! He looked best in Ocarina of Time, or the ones before that.
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okay, that look and pose you gave the "new" link... OMG, so great!
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Majora's Mask Link was definitely the best Link for me.
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Seconded. Coincidentally also my favourite game out of the series
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Not only does he look the best, he does cartwheels and backflips instead of regular jumping! Haha mine too! Awesome
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Yes exactly! Why just 'hop' over a gap when you can cartwheel over it like a boss. I feel the urge to start up my N64 now
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Haha like a boss indeed XD and now I feel I must do the same (I'll never forget putting on that Fierce Deity Mask!)
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When I first got that mask I felt SO special. Especially because the Goron trial inside the Moon (I sure hope no one else is reading this, I don't want to spoil things XD) was so frustratingly difficult the first time round and I was so proud for having made it through! I did almost slam down my controller in anger at some point haha.
But then I was rather sad to discover the mask was useable in boss fights only. It was still amazing though!
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I KNOW! I was screaming my head off it was so awesome! Majora was so hard and then I used the mask and he became a joke I felt so powerful! (Whoever hasn't played MM shame on them they deserve to have it spoiled! XD). Yeah and they had those portals everywhere that would make you start again if you rolled over them, and it was so long, that you'd memorize it by the time you completed it
Yeah that sucked. But it taked down the first boss (Odolwa?) in 4 hits! One of the gaming higlights of my life!
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