The Legend of Zelda Link Figure Reivew

It's been a long time since there's been an actual Link action figure released, but 2011's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword spawned not one, but two different figures of the hero with one name. Originally slated to release last year in the U.S. but delayed for various reasons, Max Factory's Figma Link finally arrived this January. It may be more than two years since The Skyward Sword graced the Wii, but the wait has definitely been worth it for this figure.

Right out of the box, it's easy to be enamored with this Figma. While Link has been captured in statue form plenty of times over the past decade, a reasonably priced figure has eluded fans seemingly forever. Max Factory has done an incredible job bringing the Hyrulian hero to life, and you'll want to start playing with Link immediately. Given the price point of Figmas (typically in the $60 range), you might scoff at the idea of messing with such a valuable piece of plastic. Once you get Link out of his protective casing though, it's impossible to not start posing him in action stances where he's brandishing the Master Sword. There's even some swoosh you can add to show the sword has just been swung. If you've never really posed a figure before, the back of the box has plenty of suggestions and familiar looks to guide you.

It helps that Link has a lot of articulation and his tunic, while sculpted, is flexible enough to give ample dexterity to the figure. While you could stand Link up on his own, Figmas come stands that allow you to get really crazy with the poses. Want to show Link jumping around? You can elevate him without fear of him falling to the ground. Very few figures are capable of such dynamic posing, but that's all part of the allure of the Figma line. You've even got two faces (one stoic, one screaming) and hair styles (one still, one showing a bit of movement) to craft a different look to suit whatever mood you're in. There are also five sets of hands included, which bring the range of posing possibilities to a whole new level of intricacy.

Additionally, Link comes with his Master Sword (and sheath) as seen in Skyward Sword and his trademark shield. It would have been nice to see a few other accessories included like maybe a bomb, the grappling hook or even Link's bow. That said, Link is best known for the sword and shield, so it makes sense to focus on those armaments. While the sword and shield are detailed extremely well (there's even ribbing on the hilt and a triforce etched into the blade), the shield is one of the most frustrating accessories we've seen included with an action figure. It should be easy enough to get the handle and strap on Link's arm, but because of the tiny movable pieces in the handle, it's a real pain to get in place. Every little movement seems to make the grip or the strap pop out of place. Once you finally do get it situated, we suggest not moving whatever arm you have it attached to afterwards. Otherwise you'll be refitting the shield all over again.

Beyond that though, there's little to complain about when it comes to this figure. The paint job is spot on, even throughout all the accessories. It's really a testament to Max Factory how closely this Link resembles his in-game counterpart. Now that we finally have a Link to call our own, we're more than thrilled with the result. If only we could get someone to create a Zelda based on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, we'd be set. Hopefully that'll happen one day, and hopefully the wait for the next Link action figure won't be quite as long.

The Max Factory Figma Link is available in limited quantities at specialty shops now for ~$50-60. This figure was purchased for review.