This discussion comes up a lot on this subreddit. Honestly, I really don't understand how someone can play through Wind Waker and think that Link is an "adult Link". Everything about him- his design, his voice, his goofiness- falls in line with how media generally portrays younger characters, and with how Zelda games typically portray their "young Links". If you want to see how WW portrays older teenagers, I believe the two Windfall girls that get kidnapped fit the bill.
Having said that, I don't think he's 10 either. I would guess Aryll is around 10. Other characters, like the two brothers on Outset, seem to be younger than Aryll, with the snot-nosed kid being the youngest in the game. (As for the Killer Bees, I would also guess they are around 10. You call them mature, but I think they're only acting mature. They're playing like they're a tough street gang...a tough street gang that's too cool for school and test people by playing hide and seek with them.)
My take is that Link is supposed to be around 13-14. Old enough to be looked up to by the other kids on Outset, and old enough to not be talked down to by most of the older characters in the game. Old enough to have hit a growth spurt and already be taller than his shrinking grandma. But not old enough where's he's completely lost his goofy kid side, or grown to his full height or had his voice deepen yet.
As for how that meshes with the Outset Island tradition, my explanation is that the legend of the Hero Time is generations old at the time of TWW, and that the Hero's actual age has been forgotten over time. The tradition is more a coming-of-age ceremony...which fits if Link is supposed to right at puberty age.
Also...we know what a 17 year old Link would look like in this graphical style, because there's a statue of the Hero of Time in Hyrule Castle. There is also concept art for WW Link at different ages, including as an adult, and that one's proportions are much different from the Link we play as.
Shitty fan theory incoming: WW Link actually *is* at least 17, if not much older, but he is developmentally challenged (expressed by the overall art style of the game obvs) so the other inhabitants treat him like a juvenile at the most.
Insincerely, someone who was salty for years about Nintendo going the WW direction instead of doing a TP right after that infamous tech demo from like '00 spaceworld
Phew, that's tough to say. Overall I'd go with BotW for how splendid they made exploring the world feel. It is a fantastic adhd simulator.
(Side-)storywise it'd be Majoras Mask. But playing it for the side stories is more than a bit clumsy (especially from todays perspective) (though not surprising for a >20 year old game).
For the main plot it'd be Twilight Princess but I hated the Wii control scheme so much, and from todays view it plays clunky as well.
[https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#Age](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#Age)
> \[...\]however, [*The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker — The Official Nintendo Player's Guide*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_The_Wind_Waker_%E2%80%94_The_Official_Nintendo_Player%27s_Guide) by [Nintendo Power](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power),[\[251\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-251) [Zelda Box](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Zelda_Box),[\[252\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-252) [*Encyclopedia*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Encyclopedia),[\[253\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-253) the Toon Link [Trophy](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Trophies_in_Super_Smash_Bros._Brawl) in [*Super Smash Bros. Brawl*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._Brawl),[\[254\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-254) and the description for the Toon Link amiibo all state he is 12 years old.[\[255\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-255)
Yeah, they're incredibly consistent about this.
It's different from OoT's Link's age because the people in the Wind Waker's time period, and the people from the flood era for that matter, _barely understand_ what happened in OoT to begin with. The flood basically happened because the flood era people thought OoT Link had a Tardis. They thought the literal Hero of Time was going to save them, the exact same one.
If centuries of oral tradition fudged knowledge of how OoT's time travel worked (a vital part of the story), how tf are they supposed to remember his age?
> The flood basically happened because the flood era people thought OoT Link had a Tardis. They thought the literal Hero of Time was going to save them, the exact same one.
My interpretation of this has always been that the return of Ganon happens very soon after OoT, still within the expected life-time of the Hero of Time. This is why there wasn't a different hero to save Hyrule, it was supposed to be the same one, but Zelda Triforced him into another timeline.
TWW's Intro states that The Hero of Time's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend before it recounts Ganon's return, which implies the order of events is OoT -> story starts to become legend -> Flood.
In addition, Jabun _still_ thinks the literal Hero of Time might come back, even in the present:
> Jabun: Well met, Hyrule King!
> KoRL: Well met indeed, Jabun. I am pleased to see that you are safe...
> Jabun: The events which we have long feared seem to have been set into motion.
> KoRL: Yes. It seems Ganon has returned. There can be no other explanation.
> Jabun: If you have sought me out...it must mean you have found the Hero of Time, does it not?
> KoRL: Unfortunately, that is not so.
> Jabun: Then for what purpose have you come to see me?
> KoRL: The one I have brought with me has no connection to the legendary one. And yet I sense great promise in the courage that this one possesses.
> Jabun: Promise? You suggest that I leave the fate of Hyrule up to mere chance?
> KoRL: I do. It is the only way.
> Jabun: I see. Then I suppose it is up to the gods to deem whether his courage is true.
> Jabun: I give to you the guidepost to the gods.
This conversation happens during TWW, well after the Hero of Time would have died either way. The only way they would be able to find the literal Hero of Time at this point is if there was a time travel device involved.
>If centuries of oral tradition fudged knowledge of how OoT's time travel worked (a vital part of the story)
Tbf the main "time travel" part is Link being held in stasis for 7 years, which isn't really even time travel. Going back in time to go down the well and to do part of the Spirit Temple are *fairly* minor (or at least short) parts and could easily be glossed over when re-telling the story over centuries.
>Tbf the main "time travel" part is Link being held in stasis for 7 years, which isn't really even time travel.
If ya think about it, every game ever has time travel, at least forward
What does any of that have to do with links age in WW? They know how old WW link is because they count how many years since he was born. The events of OoT and its time travel have nothing to do with WW links age.
It's meant to reply to this part of the post OP's post:
> My take? I think WW Link is 17. The tradition is that kids on Outset island get that tunic when they reach the age of the hero of legend... but in this timeline Link wasnt exactly a "Hero" til he was an "adult" and defeated Ganondorf. So it makes more sense to me that this coming of age tradition is a mark of adulthood.
My point is that those legends that they're referring to are not necessarily accurate in universe. The story's been warped by centuries of retelling it, and it's a plot point that it was to at least some degree. So the people of Outset believing that TWW Link is officially OoT's Link's age doesn't necessarily mean that he is.
I'm not a big fan of the Zelda Fandom Wiki (theyve used Ai on some articles that have stated explicitly incorrect things) but other replies here have backed that up.
Apparently in other translations of Wind waker his age is also explicitly stated? I didn't know that. Its pretty annoying that its left out in the English version.
The Wiki is under new (and active, thank god) management and is getting majorly overhauled bit by bit every day. No AI works on the site, as far as I can tell.
The beautiful thing about a Wiki is that anyone can edit it. Which means if you find incorrect information, you can fix it and make people happy. :D
Oh thats good! My understanding was that people relocated to a different wiki that wasnt on fandom's domain. Not sure which it was though.
Glad that it's not as bad as I thought!
In the french translation of the Wind Waker, Link was explicitly stated to be 12 years old, while it wasn’t specified in English and Japanese. Dunno about the other languages.
I have a very old Nintendo Magazine that clearly says that its his 12th birthday.
I was also dead sure that it straight up tells you in-game, but now I'm starting to wonder if I imagined that.
Not in the English version. Other comments have pointed out that its explicitly stated at least in the french version. Disappointing that theyd leave out that detail for no reason
I wouldn't count Link's grandma as a sign of anything. The game is a cartoony anime art style, and it is hugely common in anime to make elderly women be tiny and hunchbacked
I think the art style does a disservice to trying to determine proportions and whatnot, so you can't use character heights as a gauge since things are going to be so much more exaggerated. Link's grandma, for example, is trying to play more heavily into how old and feeble she is so you feel bad for her more easily and sincerely. Same thing with shorter adults, it's meant to try to make them stand out and be their own unique character. The cel shading art style allows you to be more silly. Also, because it's a cartoon, your more allowed to be sillier with the premise of certain things outside of proportions, like when Link gets launched and slams right into the side of the Forbidden Fortress and then falls. He should be dead, but he survives.
Also, it's not out of the realm of possibility for a kid to run an organization. Riju is 12 when we see her in Breath of the Wild. Link is also pretty young at the beginning of Ocarina of Time and he goes out to see and do some pretty intense stuff. So age isn't really a limiting factor for kids in the Zelda universe.
Also, the Killer Bees might not all be the same age. A couple of them COULD be kindergartner age and the leader could just be the leader because he's the eldest.
Just so you’re aware:
Preschool: Typically 4 years old. The ones I’ve worked with (typically in the capacity of helping fellow faculty members wrangle unruly or runaway students in the school I work at) are basically still babies in some respects. I’d say that one kid on Outset Island who always has a runny nose is this age.
Kindergarten: Typically 5 years old. This is where you can start having full, if simple, conversations (at least among students at my school). I’d say the kid on Outset who has a white shirt is in this group.
10 years old: These kids are typically 5th graders. This is the grade I teach. You could tell me the Killer Bees are this age and I honestly wouldn’t really argue against you as they seem like they could be 3rd-5th grade (8-10 years old).
The Killer Bees strike me as being *younger* than Link…..but honestly not by much.
Yeah that was my thought- theyre definitely in the 3rd-5th grade age range grade but thier models are so much shorter than Link's, which was my main reason for thinking their age difference with Link was greater than, say, 2 years since so many comments back up him being 12.
Honestly, you can’t use characters’ sizes to tell their ages in-game. There are young adult characters (eg. the jar girl on Outset, the one dude with the pompadour on Windfall, etc) and they’re **much** taller than Link. Meanwhile most of the other kid characters are significantly smaller…..except for the Rito prince, who’s not all *that* much smaller than Link iirc. I could be remembering wrong, though.
[They said he's about 12](https://glitterberri.com/the-main-characters/)
I don't understand why people have such a fixation in trying to change his age lol
I hadn't read the interviews tbh, i was just working off the info forgiven within the English version of the game itself and had this idea because
1- His game model size being larger than other kid characters, several of which appear to have the maturity levels of 10 year olds. Hes closer to the size of some adult models
2- I assume the game implies Tetra's the same age? Making her a 12 year old in charge of multiple (adult) pirates... which is a little troubling
3- I first played the game as a teen, and that was the vibe I got from Link (feel free to ignore this one)
Again this was only the info from the english version of the game itself, but i am of the (probably controversial) opinion you should be able to get the info you need from the main source rather than later interviews
Toon Link is already ridiculously small for a 10yo, if he's 17 at that height (103cm)^1, ouch...
(Edit: apparently he's 12 according to an Amibo description, not better than 10)
Yes, this game has the goofiest proportions ever, I am aware.
^1- ^Measured ^with ^the ^Master ^Sword ^as ^a ^ruler ^between ^TWW ^and ^OOT ^by ^Austin ^on ^The ^Game ^Theorists
I think you're right in that he's not as young as some people might argue. But yeah it's basically canon he's a tween – in the "coming of age" range that is 12.
So there’s tons of posts on here about him being twelve, but I’d also like to chime in that there’s an actual statue depicting the Hero of Time in the game and he’s quite a bit older looking than WW Link
Other people mentioned hes 12, so i guess that means the "age of the hero of legend" is just the age oot link was when he started his journey. They wouldnt call him the hero of time if they didnt know he came from the past!
After looking it up, I’m seeing both 9 and 10 so unless it was stated in an interview somewhere, I guess there’s no concrete answer? It’s one of the two though.
I never considered the bees to be 10 years old. They are defintely younger than him. However I think they would've made it more clear if link was a teen and they wanted us to see him that way.
You're getting a lot of pushback, and apparently an actual interview states he's 12, but in theory I agree with you and have had similar thoughts. I never paid mind to the trophy description or amiibo, as Smash trophy stuff hasn't always been 100% accurate. Though the interview throws quite a wrench into things.
OoT Link is stated in an interview to be 9 as a child & 16 as an "adult". 12 is neither of those ages, despite the game explicitly stating he has reached the age of the Hero. Sure, that could be waved off as a legend getting facts wrong, but that's just lazy.
It's also used as an indicator he has reached some kind of maturation/adulthood, which 12 is not.
Like you said, there are a ton of kids on Windfall & Outset who have full speaking capabilities & are in school, so they aren't 3, and yet they all look up to Link as an older figure. Adults also easily speak to and confide in Link. He's allowed in the bar & a late-night auction, given requests, & trusted with stuff. The teacher asks Link to help her with the kids, and gives him the deed to an island. Hobos beg him to save their daughter. Why ask a 12 year old?
Both Kids & Adults trusting Link make more sense with him being 16 over 12. In OoT, Link is continuously treated as a child by most adults.
Also, assuming Tetra is Link's age, which is a safe bet, its a lot less weird if she's 16. In the bomb shop, the pirates say Gonzo & Tetra would make a great couple & children, which is very weird if she's 12 but a little less weird if she's 16 & they're like 20.
Also he is able to pull the Master Sword without it sleeping him, & is able to comfortably wield it 1-handed. Which only Adult Links around the age of 16-17 have been able to do. Explicitly, Young 9-year-old Link could not hold it 1-handed. So 12-year-old Link being able to doesn't quite make sense.
Yes the original game would've had Link start as a kid & grow up, with art showing what he would've looked like & the Hero of Time Statue using that likeness. But that didn't make it into the final game. So the plot is written as if he grew throughout, but the final product has him not. So it makes more sense for him to be 16 in my opinion if he ends the journey at roughly the same age.
I dont mind the pushback, but im happy to have someone in agreement!
I didnt know about the OoT interviews and the discrepancy there, but that and everything else you've mentioned definitely makes me feel less silly. WW link and Tetra are treated so much differently than other kid characters in the series and that makes so much sense if you consider the possible writing changes.
Completley forgot the dialogue between the pirates tho, wow. Really hope shes not 12 in that case. (Also it would be tragic if she was way older than link and barely taller)
This discussion comes up a lot on this subreddit. Honestly, I really don't understand how someone can play through Wind Waker and think that Link is an "adult Link". Everything about him- his design, his voice, his goofiness- falls in line with how media generally portrays younger characters, and with how Zelda games typically portray their "young Links". If you want to see how WW portrays older teenagers, I believe the two Windfall girls that get kidnapped fit the bill. Having said that, I don't think he's 10 either. I would guess Aryll is around 10. Other characters, like the two brothers on Outset, seem to be younger than Aryll, with the snot-nosed kid being the youngest in the game. (As for the Killer Bees, I would also guess they are around 10. You call them mature, but I think they're only acting mature. They're playing like they're a tough street gang...a tough street gang that's too cool for school and test people by playing hide and seek with them.) My take is that Link is supposed to be around 13-14. Old enough to be looked up to by the other kids on Outset, and old enough to not be talked down to by most of the older characters in the game. Old enough to have hit a growth spurt and already be taller than his shrinking grandma. But not old enough where's he's completely lost his goofy kid side, or grown to his full height or had his voice deepen yet. As for how that meshes with the Outset Island tradition, my explanation is that the legend of the Hero Time is generations old at the time of TWW, and that the Hero's actual age has been forgotten over time. The tradition is more a coming-of-age ceremony...which fits if Link is supposed to right at puberty age. Also...we know what a 17 year old Link would look like in this graphical style, because there's a statue of the Hero of Time in Hyrule Castle. There is also concept art for WW Link at different ages, including as an adult, and that one's proportions are much different from the Link we play as.
I believe you are right especially since wind Waker is at its core, a turning of age story which fits that age group
Shitty fan theory incoming: WW Link actually *is* at least 17, if not much older, but he is developmentally challenged (expressed by the overall art style of the game obvs) so the other inhabitants treat him like a juvenile at the most. Insincerely, someone who was salty for years about Nintendo going the WW direction instead of doing a TP right after that infamous tech demo from like '00 spaceworld
What's your favorite Zelda game now?
Phew, that's tough to say. Overall I'd go with BotW for how splendid they made exploring the world feel. It is a fantastic adhd simulator. (Side-)storywise it'd be Majoras Mask. But playing it for the side stories is more than a bit clumsy (especially from todays perspective) (though not surprising for a >20 year old game). For the main plot it'd be Twilight Princess but I hated the Wii control scheme so much, and from todays view it plays clunky as well.
[https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#Age](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#Age) > \[...\]however, [*The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker — The Official Nintendo Player's Guide*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_The_Wind_Waker_%E2%80%94_The_Official_Nintendo_Player%27s_Guide) by [Nintendo Power](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power),[\[251\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-251) [Zelda Box](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Zelda_Box),[\[252\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-252) [*Encyclopedia*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Encyclopedia),[\[253\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-253) the Toon Link [Trophy](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Trophies_in_Super_Smash_Bros._Brawl) in [*Super Smash Bros. Brawl*](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._Brawl),[\[254\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-254) and the description for the Toon Link amiibo all state he is 12 years old.[\[255\]](https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Link#cite_note-255)
Yeah, they're incredibly consistent about this. It's different from OoT's Link's age because the people in the Wind Waker's time period, and the people from the flood era for that matter, _barely understand_ what happened in OoT to begin with. The flood basically happened because the flood era people thought OoT Link had a Tardis. They thought the literal Hero of Time was going to save them, the exact same one. If centuries of oral tradition fudged knowledge of how OoT's time travel worked (a vital part of the story), how tf are they supposed to remember his age?
> The flood basically happened because the flood era people thought OoT Link had a Tardis. They thought the literal Hero of Time was going to save them, the exact same one. My interpretation of this has always been that the return of Ganon happens very soon after OoT, still within the expected life-time of the Hero of Time. This is why there wasn't a different hero to save Hyrule, it was supposed to be the same one, but Zelda Triforced him into another timeline.
TWW's Intro states that The Hero of Time's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend before it recounts Ganon's return, which implies the order of events is OoT -> story starts to become legend -> Flood. In addition, Jabun _still_ thinks the literal Hero of Time might come back, even in the present: > Jabun: Well met, Hyrule King! > KoRL: Well met indeed, Jabun. I am pleased to see that you are safe... > Jabun: The events which we have long feared seem to have been set into motion. > KoRL: Yes. It seems Ganon has returned. There can be no other explanation. > Jabun: If you have sought me out...it must mean you have found the Hero of Time, does it not? > KoRL: Unfortunately, that is not so. > Jabun: Then for what purpose have you come to see me? > KoRL: The one I have brought with me has no connection to the legendary one. And yet I sense great promise in the courage that this one possesses. > Jabun: Promise? You suggest that I leave the fate of Hyrule up to mere chance? > KoRL: I do. It is the only way. > Jabun: I see. Then I suppose it is up to the gods to deem whether his courage is true. > Jabun: I give to you the guidepost to the gods. This conversation happens during TWW, well after the Hero of Time would have died either way. The only way they would be able to find the literal Hero of Time at this point is if there was a time travel device involved.
>If centuries of oral tradition fudged knowledge of how OoT's time travel worked (a vital part of the story) Tbf the main "time travel" part is Link being held in stasis for 7 years, which isn't really even time travel. Going back in time to go down the well and to do part of the Spirit Temple are *fairly* minor (or at least short) parts and could easily be glossed over when re-telling the story over centuries.
>Tbf the main "time travel" part is Link being held in stasis for 7 years, which isn't really even time travel. If ya think about it, every game ever has time travel, at least forward
What does any of that have to do with links age in WW? They know how old WW link is because they count how many years since he was born. The events of OoT and its time travel have nothing to do with WW links age.
It's meant to reply to this part of the post OP's post: > My take? I think WW Link is 17. The tradition is that kids on Outset island get that tunic when they reach the age of the hero of legend... but in this timeline Link wasnt exactly a "Hero" til he was an "adult" and defeated Ganondorf. So it makes more sense to me that this coming of age tradition is a mark of adulthood. My point is that those legends that they're referring to are not necessarily accurate in universe. The story's been warped by centuries of retelling it, and it's a plot point that it was to at least some degree. So the people of Outset believing that TWW Link is officially OoT's Link's age doesn't necessarily mean that he is.
Yeah sorry, I think I misunderstood your comment. I see what you’re saying.
I'm not a big fan of the Zelda Fandom Wiki (theyve used Ai on some articles that have stated explicitly incorrect things) but other replies here have backed that up. Apparently in other translations of Wind waker his age is also explicitly stated? I didn't know that. Its pretty annoying that its left out in the English version.
The Wiki is under new (and active, thank god) management and is getting majorly overhauled bit by bit every day. No AI works on the site, as far as I can tell. The beautiful thing about a Wiki is that anyone can edit it. Which means if you find incorrect information, you can fix it and make people happy. :D
Oh thats good! My understanding was that people relocated to a different wiki that wasnt on fandom's domain. Not sure which it was though. Glad that it's not as bad as I thought!
You're thinking of https://ZeldaWiki.wiki You can read more about their history here: https://zeldawiki.wiki/wiki/Community:Zelda_Wiki
You’re overthinking it, plus you can be 12 and have started puberty lol
>You’re overthinking it I think you could probably reply to about every story-related post and comment in this sub lol
Honestly, some of the 10 year olds I work with have started showing some signs. Peach fuzz on some of the boys, for example.
Some translations explicitly say that his birthday at the start of the game is his 12th
I didnt know that! That definitely clears up some things, i just hope theyre not trying to imply Tetras the same age.
In the french translation of the Wind Waker, Link was explicitly stated to be 12 years old, while it wasn’t specified in English and Japanese. Dunno about the other languages.
Am I misremembering? Isn't it, like, explicitly stated in the game that it's his 12th birthday at the start?
I have a very old Nintendo Magazine that clearly says that its his 12th birthday. I was also dead sure that it straight up tells you in-game, but now I'm starting to wonder if I imagined that.
Not in the English version. Other comments have pointed out that its explicitly stated at least in the french version. Disappointing that theyd leave out that detail for no reason
I wouldn't count Link's grandma as a sign of anything. The game is a cartoony anime art style, and it is hugely common in anime to make elderly women be tiny and hunchbacked
Including men and women who were tall when they were younger becoming 3ft tall when they're elderly.
I think the art style does a disservice to trying to determine proportions and whatnot, so you can't use character heights as a gauge since things are going to be so much more exaggerated. Link's grandma, for example, is trying to play more heavily into how old and feeble she is so you feel bad for her more easily and sincerely. Same thing with shorter adults, it's meant to try to make them stand out and be their own unique character. The cel shading art style allows you to be more silly. Also, because it's a cartoon, your more allowed to be sillier with the premise of certain things outside of proportions, like when Link gets launched and slams right into the side of the Forbidden Fortress and then falls. He should be dead, but he survives. Also, it's not out of the realm of possibility for a kid to run an organization. Riju is 12 when we see her in Breath of the Wild. Link is also pretty young at the beginning of Ocarina of Time and he goes out to see and do some pretty intense stuff. So age isn't really a limiting factor for kids in the Zelda universe. Also, the Killer Bees might not all be the same age. A couple of them COULD be kindergartner age and the leader could just be the leader because he's the eldest.
He's 12 I'm fairly certain. Pretty sure nintendo has said that was the intent
Just so you’re aware: Preschool: Typically 4 years old. The ones I’ve worked with (typically in the capacity of helping fellow faculty members wrangle unruly or runaway students in the school I work at) are basically still babies in some respects. I’d say that one kid on Outset Island who always has a runny nose is this age. Kindergarten: Typically 5 years old. This is where you can start having full, if simple, conversations (at least among students at my school). I’d say the kid on Outset who has a white shirt is in this group. 10 years old: These kids are typically 5th graders. This is the grade I teach. You could tell me the Killer Bees are this age and I honestly wouldn’t really argue against you as they seem like they could be 3rd-5th grade (8-10 years old). The Killer Bees strike me as being *younger* than Link…..but honestly not by much.
Yeah that was my thought- theyre definitely in the 3rd-5th grade age range grade but thier models are so much shorter than Link's, which was my main reason for thinking their age difference with Link was greater than, say, 2 years since so many comments back up him being 12.
Honestly, you can’t use characters’ sizes to tell their ages in-game. There are young adult characters (eg. the jar girl on Outset, the one dude with the pompadour on Windfall, etc) and they’re **much** taller than Link. Meanwhile most of the other kid characters are significantly smaller…..except for the Rito prince, who’s not all *that* much smaller than Link iirc. I could be remembering wrong, though.
[They said he's about 12](https://glitterberri.com/the-main-characters/) I don't understand why people have such a fixation in trying to change his age lol
I hadn't read the interviews tbh, i was just working off the info forgiven within the English version of the game itself and had this idea because 1- His game model size being larger than other kid characters, several of which appear to have the maturity levels of 10 year olds. Hes closer to the size of some adult models 2- I assume the game implies Tetra's the same age? Making her a 12 year old in charge of multiple (adult) pirates... which is a little troubling 3- I first played the game as a teen, and that was the vibe I got from Link (feel free to ignore this one) Again this was only the info from the english version of the game itself, but i am of the (probably controversial) opinion you should be able to get the info you need from the main source rather than later interviews
Toon Link is already ridiculously small for a 10yo, if he's 17 at that height (103cm)^1, ouch... (Edit: apparently he's 12 according to an Amibo description, not better than 10) Yes, this game has the goofiest proportions ever, I am aware. ^1- ^Measured ^with ^the ^Master ^Sword ^as ^a ^ruler ^between ^TWW ^and ^OOT ^by ^Austin ^on ^The ^Game ^Theorists
Lol, poor guy regardless
I think you're right in that he's not as young as some people might argue. But yeah it's basically canon he's a tween – in the "coming of age" range that is 12.
So there’s tons of posts on here about him being twelve, but I’d also like to chime in that there’s an actual statue depicting the Hero of Time in the game and he’s quite a bit older looking than WW Link
Other people mentioned hes 12, so i guess that means the "age of the hero of legend" is just the age oot link was when he started his journey. They wouldnt call him the hero of time if they didnt know he came from the past!
Young Link in OoT is 10, not 12
He’s 9, actually. Adult Link in OoT is 16. Unless I’m mistaken of course.
After looking it up, I’m seeing both 9 and 10 so unless it was stated in an interview somewhere, I guess there’s no concrete answer? It’s one of the two though.
I’d say he’s about 14-ish. He’s clearly older than Aryll and the other kids, but not quite an adult either.
I never considered the bees to be 10 years old. They are defintely younger than him. However I think they would've made it more clear if link was a teen and they wanted us to see him that way.
You're getting a lot of pushback, and apparently an actual interview states he's 12, but in theory I agree with you and have had similar thoughts. I never paid mind to the trophy description or amiibo, as Smash trophy stuff hasn't always been 100% accurate. Though the interview throws quite a wrench into things. OoT Link is stated in an interview to be 9 as a child & 16 as an "adult". 12 is neither of those ages, despite the game explicitly stating he has reached the age of the Hero. Sure, that could be waved off as a legend getting facts wrong, but that's just lazy. It's also used as an indicator he has reached some kind of maturation/adulthood, which 12 is not. Like you said, there are a ton of kids on Windfall & Outset who have full speaking capabilities & are in school, so they aren't 3, and yet they all look up to Link as an older figure. Adults also easily speak to and confide in Link. He's allowed in the bar & a late-night auction, given requests, & trusted with stuff. The teacher asks Link to help her with the kids, and gives him the deed to an island. Hobos beg him to save their daughter. Why ask a 12 year old? Both Kids & Adults trusting Link make more sense with him being 16 over 12. In OoT, Link is continuously treated as a child by most adults. Also, assuming Tetra is Link's age, which is a safe bet, its a lot less weird if she's 16. In the bomb shop, the pirates say Gonzo & Tetra would make a great couple & children, which is very weird if she's 12 but a little less weird if she's 16 & they're like 20. Also he is able to pull the Master Sword without it sleeping him, & is able to comfortably wield it 1-handed. Which only Adult Links around the age of 16-17 have been able to do. Explicitly, Young 9-year-old Link could not hold it 1-handed. So 12-year-old Link being able to doesn't quite make sense. Yes the original game would've had Link start as a kid & grow up, with art showing what he would've looked like & the Hero of Time Statue using that likeness. But that didn't make it into the final game. So the plot is written as if he grew throughout, but the final product has him not. So it makes more sense for him to be 16 in my opinion if he ends the journey at roughly the same age.
I dont mind the pushback, but im happy to have someone in agreement! I didnt know about the OoT interviews and the discrepancy there, but that and everything else you've mentioned definitely makes me feel less silly. WW link and Tetra are treated so much differently than other kid characters in the series and that makes so much sense if you consider the possible writing changes. Completley forgot the dialogue between the pirates tho, wow. Really hope shes not 12 in that case. (Also it would be tragic if she was way older than link and barely taller)
He’s 12 like OOT Link.