Wolf Link is still the best transformation in The Legend of Zelda

In the rare event that a youthful hero clad in a green hat and tunic just won’t do, The Legend of Zelda has been known to make Link undergo an extraordinary change in appearance. It happened as early as the third game in the series with A Link to the Past, where he was morphed into a fluffy, pink rabbit upon first entering the Dark World. Majora’s Mask did this multiple times throughout the bizarre adventure in Termina, turning Link into a Deku, a Goron, a Zora, and even an all-powerful warrior known as the Fierce Deity.

Ranging from amusing to downright fearsome, all of those transformations have a special place in The Legend of Zelda franchise. But as great as any of them are, none can claim to be the single best transformation — that honor belongs to Twilight Princess’ Wolf Link.

If you listen closely, you can probably hear the diehard Majora’s Mask fans rioting as we speak. They can gripe all they want. The fact remains that when it comes to being the most dramatic shift in appearance and function, Wolf Link has everything else in the series beat.

Link’s lupine form can perform a number of unique actions from his Hylian counterpart, including the ability to follow scents, digging short distances underground, tightrope walking, and being able to speak to certain animals. Let it be known that, to this day, it is only through Wolf Link that we Legend of Zelda fans can have a conversation with our beloved steed, Epona.

But Wolf Link is much more than a couple of nifty abilities. He controls nothing like Link’s Hylian self does, or like any version of Link. Being a quadruped creature, Wolf Link’s movement is completely different from a bipedal character. While on all fours, he cannot pivot or circle side to side with anywhere near the same fluidity as a humanoid figure would. Instead, Wolf Link’s movement is linear, moving forward with ferocious speed and power rather than weaving attacks from varying angles or directions. His means of combat largely involve leaping straight at enemies before mauling them in close quarters.

It’s a huge departure from swinging around a sword or utilizing one of several other weapons and items. Transforming into Wolf Link brings many limitations, and that’s exactly what makes playing as him so compelling. The blue-eyed beast is not merely a palette swap or a race-bent version of the chosen hero — he truly feels like a wild animal. In a game where it’s pretty difficult to get a Game Over, the Wolf Link sequences actually ask players to be a little resourceful. There’s a good reason why the Cave of Shadows in Twilight Princess HD may be the most difficult combat gauntlet of them all, making even the Savage Labyrinth and Cave of Ordeals seem tame by comparison.

You cannot drink potions as Wolf Link, nor do you have anything to use as a shield. In fact, you can’t use any items. While Deku Link had his Bubble Blasts to replace the Slingshot, and Zora Link could hurl his fins like the Boomerang, Wolf Link has no such ranged weapons. He’s forced to get right up in his enemies’ faces, going into battle with fang and paw. That said, Wolf Link can still easily close the distance with a powerful bound unlike what his Hylian form is capable of. Then there’s the circle of dark energy that Midna can project around him to lock onto multiple targets at once. It’s an ability that rewards you for being patient and precise. Wolf Link is vulnerable while setting it up, but with the right technique, he can one-hit-KO several enemies in a flash of primal fury.

Some of Wolf Link’s interactions with other characters hit with an emotional note that no other transformation can hope to equal. Even if the Howling Stones aren’t quite as fun as playing a proper instrument, the duets between Wolf Link and the Hero’s Shade within that ethereal realm representing all corners of Hyrule are among the most beautiful cutscenes in the entire franchise. Although he can converse with animals, many NPCs are terrified of his lupine appearance. Upon returning to Ordon Village for the first time after King Bulblin’s attack, he’s unable to interact with any of his distraught friends. He can see their pain, yet he cannot console them. A similar occurrence plays out as he carries a badly injured Midna through Hyrule Castle Town, desperately seeking help while the townsfolk all panic at the sight of him. In these situations, people don’t see the legendary hero, they only see a feral creature.

At least a few animal loving souls like Agitha and Coro appreciate him.

Wolf Link also gets a much larger share of the spotlight than any other transformation. Where forms like Deku Link, Goron Link, and Zora Link are primarily featured in their dedicated chapter before then disappearing until the final stretch, Wolf Link is integral to Twilight Princess from start to finish. Gathering the Tears of Light, fighting minibosses like the Twili Bloat and Death Sword, searching for Poes in the Arbiter’s Grounds, venturing through the Lost Woods, following the scents of the Reekfish and pungent medicine, sensing ghosts to solve puzzles at Hyrule Castle, squaring off with Dark Beast Ganon — Wolf Link is a constant presence in his adventure.

He’s even made appearances beyond the game where he debuted, including games outside of The Legend of Zelda. If you own the Wolf Link and Midna amiibo from Twilight Princess HD, the blue-eyed beast himself can tag along during your journeys through Breath of the Wild’s overworld. He’s a very welcome companion as you explore the wilderness, chasing after other animals to gather food, and fearlessly attacking whatever foes you do battle with. That same amiibo leads to one of the all time great video game crossovers in Animal Crossing: New Leaf on the Nintendo 3DS, where a Wolf Link Villager (who speaks, no less) will move into your town and become one of your friendly neighbors.

Let’s see any other transformation do that.