Smash Brothers digs deep into the celebrated lore of Nintendo. Half the fun of playing Smash is unearthing every reference, nod, and homage buried in the myriad stages and assist trophies. No opportunity to celebrate the legacy of the world’s most beloved publisher is wasted, and there’s even quite a bit of history contained in the costumes and colorations of the Smash Brothers characters. Here are seven stories behind some of the more interesting palette swaps and special outfits.
Dark Link
Dark Link’s origins go waaaaay back to the oft-misunderstood NES masterpiece, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. I still remember being a little kid and defeating the huge “final” boss at the end of the epically-difficult Great Palace and heading outside to claim the Triforce, only to be attacked by my own shadow! Since that first appearance as the big bad, Dark Link has evolved into a staple of Zelda storytelling, from a mysterious opponent in Ocarina’s Water Temple to a fever-dream nightmare in Twilight Princess.
Source: IGN.com Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 7 Awesome Costume Origins