The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It adds a total of six unique characters, influenced directly from the Zelda franchise, whose skills and powers are accurately replicated within Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Although three out of the six total characters are Link and his variations of Toon Link and Young Link, they still bear significant differences that make some stronger and some weaker fighters. On top of that, all six fighters include unique skills, features, and moves that rank them completely differently, thus making some exceptionally strong, some really weak, and some in the mid-tier. Nevertheless, it is important to note that tier lists are subjective based on rank and that even the worst pick can be a solid option for players with a lower rating who wish to have fun.
Ganondorf
Ganondorf, the primary antagonist in most of the Zelda games, is considered by most players as the weakest fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Although he has strong moves and has a solid KO potential, his speed and recovery weaken him significantly.
He is one of the easiest characters to perform combos to or to edge guard, mostly due to how slow he is. Further to that, his combos seem unnecessarily complicated since he uses a lot of fancy moves to deal even with simple strategies. On top of that, his neutrals are almost useless, and he doesn't have a kill throw. It is often mentioned among players that one has to actually try in order to lose versus Ganondorf; that's how weak he is thought to be.
Zelda
Zelda, the princess who often gets captured by Ganondorf in the series, is considered a solid character overall in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. She has great defensive setups and high zoning potential as well as multiple solid knock-up moves that allow her to set up combos.
However, her setback is her low damage and speed. She can't easily outspeed opponents, and when she does, she can't deal enough damage most of the time. Therefore, if her opponent takes control, it is hard to bounce back. Since Zelda utilizes a very specific playstyle, if the opponent knows how to play against her, it can be extremely difficult to win.
Sheik
Sheik who is presented in the Zelda games as a male character who assists Link, but is in fact a persona of Zelda, makes an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and is considered a high-tier character. She is a very mobile character with great combos and moves that can dish out solid damage like rain drop and up smash. On top of that, she has great edge guarding and is solid in setting up kills which makes her a great fighter overall.
Her main setback is that she requires very long combos in order to perform well, and at times these might be difficult to set up based on the opponent. Her other issue is finishing trades, but unless she faces an opponent with high pressure like Pikachu, she should be able to do short trades and escape with her mobility.
Toon Link
Toon Link is the first of the three variations of Link and is definitely a high-tier character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. His gameplay involves strong and rapid attacks as well as solid edge guarding and good neutral attacks. As an aggressive character, if he can get ahead on the board, it can be hard for the opponent to recover.
Nevertheless, like most quick and strong characters, Toon Link's weakness is his weak defense, combined with the fact that he is a slow faller. These two make him exceptionally easy to juggle and vulnerable against characters who can counterattack consistently.
Link
Link, the protagonist in the Zelda series and a great inspiration for many memes, is exceptionally strong in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, primarily due to wielding a sword. The sword allows his attacks to have longer reach, and combined with his excellent, and almost infinite combos, he is definitely a threat to be reckoned with.
His main move is the use of Remote Bombs, which can dish out significant damage and offer great zoning potential. However, using these bombs too often can make Link predictable, and combined with his bad recovery, could lead to him being punished for his playstyle. Using the bombs properly with the right timing can make the difference between a good Link player and a bad one.
Young Link
Young Link is considered by most players as one of the best characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He is thought of as an improved version of Link since he also has great combos and solid projectiles, but Young Link utilizes those in combination with his very high speed.
On top of that, it is hard for Young Link to become predictable since he has numerous moves and tools at his disposal to choose from based on the situation. His only setback is that, on certain matchups, he can struggle to finish the opponent due to mediocre kill potential, but again this is only for certain few matchups. In any other case, Young Link manages to excel.
