Within Zelda lore, Link is the soul of a legendary hero that, throughout history, is reincarnated within a seemingly ordinary boy or man when the need arises for a new warrior to defeat the forces of evil. Over the course of the series, he appears as a child, teenager, or young adult of the Hylian race originating from the fictional kingdom of Hyrule. He has been rendered in both 2D and 3D form and has been traditionally depicted in his signature green cap and tunic, carrying a sword and shield. Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, Link has made multiple appearances in a variety of incarnations. He also features in other Nintendo media, including merchandise, comic books and an animated television series.
Link was introduced as the hero of the original 1986 The Legend of Zelda video game and has appeared in a total of 19 entries in the series, as well as a number of spin-offs. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
He is the mascot of the franchise and one of Nintendo's main icons. Link is a fictional character and the protagonist of Nintendo's video game series The Legend of Zelda.
