Regarding SMBX Link

[raekuul]

So with MaGLX2 having a character assignment gimmick, discussion has come up regarding Link's validity as a character. It seems to be a highly divisive topic, really, with some people thinking that Link is the bane of all existence and should be removed from the engine altogether, while others (like myself) think he's a pretty cool guy and doesn't deserve as much hate as he gets.

What are your thoughts?

[KobaBeach]

the latter

i'll be honest i'd like to design a link/sheath stage sometime
i blame me having played actraiser 2 and chiki chiki boys recently

[sedron]

I've spoken a lot in the planning thread about how I don't like Link.

However, that doesn't mean I think he should be removed or anything so drastic. I can handle Zelda 2 in small doses, and a lot of people do genuinely enjoy him in the game. I think, barring using the engine to make a 100% Link/Sheath game, he's best used every once in a while. Shaking up gameplay can be a good thing, even if it isn't the best (see: a lot of the gimmick levels in Mario Galaxy 1 and 2.)

[ano0maly]

It's really because SMBX isn't a balanced game. It threw one non-Mario character in and then development stopped. That's taking a single step to show that this isn't necessarily a Mario game and then quitting the project.

[Tenlade]

I loved zelda 2 as a kid, so I'm a bit biased towards the guy. I actually like Sheath as a character too, but I think she needs a bit of tweaking to her sprite and levels need a really different approach for her.

[Kapus]

Link is not my preferred character, but I do find him to be fun and interesting. Levels designed around Link specifically or at least with Link in mind tend to be rather fun as well.

I love hoarding a bunch of bombs.

[Alice]

I like playing as Link and I'd like to see someone use LunaDLL to make a more classic Zelda 2 styled romhack. (Yes I know, SMBX doesn't do romhacks, it's easier to understand just calling them hacks though.)

[Weird Goonie]

I like playing as Link but I'll often choose Mario in SMBX episodes since levels not built specifically for Link are often impossible to complete.
I remember one level in a recent Tower of Bias allowed me to get to the very end but then I was met with a dead end since I was Link.

[Doctor Shemp]

Link is a pain to build compatability for, since what's hard for him can be very easy for the others and vice versa. See spike pits for example. However, a level built specifically for Link can be very fun. My view, which seems to be a pretty common one, is that a level should either forbid Link or be Link only, otherwise the difficulty of the level is too variable. Admittedly SMBX can often be a case of working out which character is best for a level - do you need spin jumping or floating more, for example - but Link generally varies it too much.

[Xalnop]

Can I vote for hating Link but liking Sheath?

[ano0maly]

no

[LovelyPenguin]

I don't really like Link in SMBX because his play style is just so drastically different from anything you'd expect in a Mario game. I guess if there was a level built exclusively around his mechanics it could be good, but I generally roll my eyes when I'm forced to play as the little green elf.