As I make my way through the Ocarina of Time remake, I find myself floored by just how much the game did for The Legend of Zelda as a whole. Obviously, it brought the franchise into the realm of 3D gaming, establishing it immediately as a leader in the emerging space, but it also set the foundation for countless tropes, motifs, and symbols that are still used in modern Zelda releases.

Among these key elements is, of course, the manifestation of the protagonist Link in three dimensions, which went on to inform the way the character looked, moved, and acted for basically every Zelda until Breath of the Wild. The character has seen some interesting deviations over the years, but has never lost his grip on the masses, and Link's iconic looks are a key part of that. Still, some iterations are better than others.

Contemporary Zelda games have abandoned many core tropes and concepts of the franchise's past, but these are ones that could be due for a return.

The Link that we see in A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening are one and the same, and you can tell because they share the same shoddy fashion sense. This was before Nintendo fully realized certain parts of the character’s design, like the all-green cap (this one has a garish gold band) and a tunic that’s more of a collared shirt than a vest.

This Link also dons a long-sleeved undershirt while keeping his legs bare, a look that, in addition to being unappealing, is somewhat distracting.

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