The character of Linkle was first pitched as an addition to the original Hyrule Warriors on Wii U. She was planned to be Link’s sister at the time but this created some issues. When fans first set their eyes upon the concept art for this young woman dressed strangely similarly to Link, they wanted her added. The fans let the developers know, and played a huge roll in Nintendo reconsidering the inclusion of Linkle in Hyrule Warriors: Legends for the 3DS. The folks at IGN interviewed Zelda series Producer Eiji Aonuma and Koei Tecmo Producer Yosuke Hayashi to find out what they have to say about Linkle, her background, and her future. Eiji Aonuma had the following to say about Koei Tecmo’s original pitch of the character:
“Koei Tecmo first proposed the Linkle character as Link’s little sister for the Wii U version of Hyrule Warriors. However, we felt this conflicted with the concept of Aryll from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the only character we had ever had appear as Link’s sister, so we decided not to include that version. In Hyrule Warriors Legends, though, the proposal was to include Linkle not as Link’s sister, but as a girl with heroic aspirations. This was a totally new and unique background for the franchise, and we thought she would add to the game’s diversity, so we decided to include her in this game.”
Koei Tecmo Producer Yosuke Hayashi was asked about Linkle being a “female Link”, and in response he gave some background information about her:
“Linkle is a young woman who lives in a small village in Hyrule and cares for Cuccos. She has aspired to be a hero since she was little, and believes that the compass she received from her grandmother, which has been passed down for generations, is the symbol that proves it.”
He also had a few things to say about Linkle’s enthusiastic personality, and her strong desire to help others.
“She is boundlessly cheerful, and her kind but naive personality means that she always stops to help those in need. When she hears that Hyrule Castle is under attack by monsters, she sets out on a journey to save the realm from crisis. Linkle’s sense of direction is not the best, however, so she ends up visiting locations all across the land before she arrives at Hyrule Castle. Her desire to help others in need gets her tangled up with all kinds of other characters along her journey, and they end up traveling together.”
Zelda series Producer Eiji Aonuma also talked about the huge response they received from fans on the topic of Linkle, and how this led to her inclusion in the upcoming 3DS game, Hyrule Warriors: Legends:
“We had a great response from fans, especially outside of Japan, who saw Linkle in the Hyrule Warriors premium-box booklet and wanted her to be included in the game. Seeing that reaction, Hayashi-san and I talked it over and decided that we would definitely like to include her in the next title. I’m really glad we got the chance to do that with Hyrule Warriors Legends.”
He also talked a little bit about Linkle’s future, and the core Zelda franchise itself:
“I had a chance to give feedback on Linkle during development, but the satisfying action of using a crossbow, which we developed for the spin-off title Link’s Crossbow Training, was implemented this time completely by Koei Tecmo. It may feel a little different from other titles in the franchise, but she doesn’t feel out of place at all in the world of the Zelda games. I’m sure we will keep her in mind when thinking about future titles.”
Thanks to both Producers taking out some time from their busy schedules to talk to IGN, we know a little bit more about Linkle. Could she appear in the upcoming Zelda U? It’s indeed possible, but probably not the most likely scenario. The easiest way to incorporate her without having to change the existing game too much might be to give players the option to play as either Link or Linkle at the start of the game.
On the other hand, adding her as Link’s sister could possibly cause issues with the game’s existing setup as far as Link’s family and characters go, but only the developers know for sure if that is the case. Another possibility would be to make her the playable character in something similar to Hero Mode, but a little different from the main game since you’re following her story or something. Linkle could also just appear as a character you meet during your adventures at some point, but I think many fans would rather her be playable than just an NPC somewhere. Here’s Linkle’s latest trailer:
Regardless, I for one wouldn’t be against seeing her appear in a core Zelda game in the future. Some of Zelda‘s many fans out there might appreciate the ability to play as a female hero rather than a male. There are a lot of possibilities here, but as I said I wouldn’t hold my breath for her to appear in Zelda U, but it is certainly not impossible. Either way, this is some very interesting information on Linkle. I look forward to her debut in Hyrule Warriors: Legends!
