@ M9105826: yes, omg I caught that and it just pissed me off. Same with second nes release of zelda. >_<

Everyone else knows this is as ugly as sin right?

DK's all messed up enough, being that he's his own father in the second and third images.
Link's just all over the asdlk;fjasdl;fkj place being different legends from other eras.
And mario had that awesome tan for about two games...
but that's not wrong...

These images suck.

Keatto

@Xsyven:
Seems like they didn't recognize the difference between pre-renders and actual in-game graphics. The Donkey Kong #2 is from the original Donkey Kong Country I think.

Fangeh

Hard to believe that they've come so far.

KM91

which game is the 5th link from the top from?

slappyMCslappy

DK's Brawl model-- by far his most recent and best design, is placed as the third newest.

Wtf?

Xsyven

Very cool.

Benjo

This is the most unscientific chart on the evolution of Nintendo games ever.

ESPECIALLY when the "final" Mario is just a CGI render and not-in game. We might as well use the box art to Super Mario 2 with that line of thinking...WTF am I talking about?

DefDealer

Eight generations of the same characters just rez'd up. I think it's time for a new IP Nintendo. Lets hope we aren't looking at a chart twice as long in 2020.

Nicaraguan

I just went to the WindWaker wiki page. It says the Hero is Link. Is it wrong?

Also - DAMN Wind Waker still looks good after all these years. Sure, the cel-graphics might not be your cup of tea. But it's hard to argue that the game hasn't aged well. It's like playing a cartoon!
The game is coming up on 5 years old... it'd be hard to find a game of equal age that's held up as well visually.

kwan

@KingDavid73: The Mario color change is pretty funny and selectable in Smash Bros. They chose red overalls first so that he was easier to see and didn't blend into the background.

Zoobear

Pretty poor. I don't like how there's a disregard to a choronological evolution. It has Minish Cap Link before the two N64 Links or DK Swing render before the DK RARE render for Donkey Kong. What about the awful N64 DK? Must try harder.

Zoobear

@Jfebs: And we're forced to sift through double comments by people who somehow think what they have to say is just that important.

anoffday

more iconic, not mire iconic. Sorry! Typing with one hand and holding a baby.

stop2

This chart shows what's wrong with the videogames industry. The earlier versions really are better. Much mire iconic.

stop2

Also, Link's Awakening came out after A Link to the Past.

m9105826

@ara: Heh, I actually skipped the post and read comments only. >_< So feel free to ignore that, time to get some coffee.

ara

I think this is supposed to show the "growth" of the characters, so it's out of order and some titles are skipped to gain that effect. Serves as general direction of their evolution.

ara

I've seen more accurate charts. It's more of a scale of quality rather than a display of character evolution.

Demaar

Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned in the past that every 'Link' in the series is the hero Link -- only, some of them are from different generations (which may or may not be related).

[The chronology of this chart is messed-up (A Link to the Past came before Link's Awakening, and Minish Cap came after Ocarina of TIme) -- clarification for those who are confused.]

June

To everyone who is complaining about this not being "important" enough to be on Kotaku. This is gaming blog. If the editors think it's interesting they post it. Not everything on here is a top headline that affects YOU personally. Get over it. Some things are just for fun.

Eltigro

@Hrist: I second your excellent choice sir

Fyren

Also he could had chosen DK Country for Snes instead of the Kart one.

And N64 link in the GCN era?

Not to spurt shit all over the place, but I've seen this done so many times before, so much better.

Malmer

@Gospel X: True, some of those could be left out if we were to go by a one true Link. Also the progression would be totally whacked if we were to go by the in-game time line. We could 16-bit before 8-bit.

Zenlong

The Adventure of Link came out after Link's Awakening.

It's almost impossible to fail, comparing the two, yet they did.

Malmer

This chart sucks. Brawl DK is before Bongo DK? I want to speak to the guy in charge!

Aflack: Likes slushies

@Heartwork: Isn't Link only in the first two games? Then the rest have various Link-like heroes?

Gospel X

As a geek, I must point out that the chart is wrong. The original Donkey Kong is not the current Donkey Kong. It's a later generation Kong, either Junior or later.

Gospel X

What's with everyone complaining about the lack of "Windwaker Link"? The dude in Windwaker isn't Link!

Heartwork

@Infininja: Ive never noticed that before... but now that i have ill never look at it the same...

Ra on the Moon.

Personally, I always liked the GameBoy Link better than the 3d ones... That was until TP came out.

Link's appearance has changed more than either DK or Mario. Guess that'd be because he's not the same link in most of the games.

Seturon

@Zyzex_Remix:
But Link isn't human. He's Hylian XD.

ChadWardenn

I still think Mario in Smash looks weird. His clothing has become realistic enough that his lack of neck is simply disturbing to me.

Infininja

Love this picture the only thing its missing is Winwaker Link, which to me is very essential.

MXs219

Funny how two Links used were from the same installment of the franchise. Young Link is a predecesser of Adult Link, so I can see why.

ph15h

I LOVE stuff like this!

I do it myself taking a certain character and compairing pictures of them *like Nina Williams from Tekken*. Just to see how they evoloved it's amazing! But the Link on isn't right, they missed Wind Waker.

Sailorcancer

@Krytha: yeah, wasnt into the tie.
reading Nintendo Power back in the 8bit day, Nintendo was developing a game called "The Return of Donkey Kong" or that was how it was listed I think.
Anyway, it never came out and like 7-8years later finally DK country came out and I really had the original DK design in my mind all those years waiting for a new DK game. I bought it the day it came out!

TT

There was really not much difference between Mario Sunshine Mario and Mario Galaxy Mario. Some would even argue that Sunshine Mario looks better than Galaxy Mario.

kirstpo

Yikes! Link without the little green cap is one crazy looking ragamuffin!

brello

That and we keep getting diffrent Links, while outside of handing off the banana torch from Cranky to Jr, it's always the same Mario and Kong.

Kenofthedead

@Hion: You people just don't learn do you?
On topic: Of all them I'd have to say Link has evolved the most, though that's probably true since of the three he's the only true human of them. You can only do so much with a cartoon like human and a stupid ape.

Zyzex_Remix

Why is everyone hating on articles that they don't feel are 'newsworthy'? Cool and informative that this site is, it's also supposed to be pretty light hearted. You can skip the things you don't want to read, and commenting articles you don't approve of is surely a bigger waste of your time!

marcus_ivo

nintendo never seemed to explain why marios colors switched from red overalls/blue shirt to red overalls/ brown shirt to blue overalls/red shirt. surely there werent color issues with using a darker blue on the nes than featured in the sky and sea

bigman88zz

I'm pretty sure the reason they changed Mario's overalls was to make it more easy to distinguish between him and Luigi.

GOOR

I don't want to sound rude, but is there any reason this is so significant that it should be an article on Kotaku?

Hion

@symphony_of_the_night:
What's up with his hair in Link to the Past?? It's totally purple!

sugardeath

Wind Waker Link (or the other antiZER0 in my case) is probably my favorite, even though I've only played Twilight Princess, Link to the Past and Wind Waker in that order.

There's something about him that's: genuine, young, kind, brave, etc. Not like a certain Farm Boy who can do Back Flips, which was kind of odd at the time.

Yes, the last two DKs are out of order.

A little more time could be of use, even though this guy probably didn't expect this to be an article on Kotaku...

AntiZERO

I demand a similar chart for Mach Rider.

...
...Oh, right.

SuperMaxZero

What happend with link's hair color after a link to the past? why he became suddenly a blonde character?
Mario in the last few games keep getting uglier and uglier , whats up with that jean overall? its so weird
Am i the only one that thinks that snes was the best time of this characters?

symphony_of_the_night

I apologize for the use of the word. Two seperate thoughts methinks.

.endejas.

@Jfebs: God damn having to scroll down a page, right?

God forbid you break a sweat.

.endejas.

Darwin Was Right!
...also where is WW link?

Jordie

@TT: You hated the tie? How is that possible? Only love can be had for a naked ape whose only article of clothing is a monogrammed tie!

Krytha

I know many hated the graphics but I liked the game play around Wind Waker. Where is the Wind Waker Link?

outofmind23

Now let's have a chart showing the evolution of image compression quality over the years.

This one would probably be around "1998".

Seiru

They need a CDi Link ... man... Nintendo characters are sellouts. Mario is Missing, Time Machine, Teaches Typing, Paint.... and link in his cartoon days... and DK in his bongo feaver.. and they all play random sports that make very mediocre games...

I secretly hopes Master Chief goes the same way....

Master Chief cart racer.... Final Fantasy and Bomberman did it.. so I can dream.

KingDavid73

Mario's colors have been completely inverted... he used to have a blue shirt w/ red overalls, now its a red shirt w/ denim... weird.

KingDavid73

Aren't the third- and second-to-last Donkey Kongs in the wrong order? I know, it's nitpicking...

EmTeeZ

@AcerBandit: That's what Rare says, but I don't know if I want to believe something that stupid. After all, in Mario vs. DK, the current DK kidnaps Pauline.

Doctor_Hair

@KingDavid73: Of course he's gotten grumpy. His sales keep going down.

thinkfreemind

@rhugghed:
(^_^)b

Brian Ashcraft

Green Yoshi? Being ridden by SMS Mario?!

It's true he's really in thar, it's all TRUE!!! You people just havent looked hard enough!

Raynre

@Kirbytheslayer: No Disassemble:

Even if that's true, I still think Wind Wake Link looked better than the second-to-last link in that chart.

NeoAkira

@Ashcraft: Man, sorry about the McDonald's post. The 'Jap' thing. I didn't know it was a racist slur. Please forgive my ignorance. Posted my apologies there.

On topic: yeah, Donkey Kong with the wife beater FTW!

rhugghed

What? No N64 Smash Brothers, with Link's pick ax nose?

tnx3

How out of order can you possibly get?

Blinkstale

@Jfebs:
Now you know how we feel about comments like yours. And look, you double posted — GOOD JOB!!

Brian Ashcraft

Eesh, the last couple DKs are pre-rendered.
How bout a non-Bongo DK game Nintendo?
Please?
Just for me?
Didn't think so.

TheCleaningGuy: is Maximum Risky!

You guys do recall that Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong, right? The current Donkey Kong is actually Junior.

AcerBandit

This is a chart of progression of quality, not game.

Some sequels actually had crappier versions than the originals. It was weird.

Kirbytheslayer: No Disassemble

where's CDi Link? He just wonders what Gannon's up to.

KingDavid73

I suppose it is mildly interesting, if poorly made. A perfect example of why I have to sift through three entire pages of Kotaku each day, ecause a ton of crap like this is posted alongside more important things.

Jfebs

That pic of Link at the end is horrendous. 'nuff said.

Saith17

@okenny :): ...And it won't look any better than this: [Kotaku]

okenny :)

I really loved DK country what an amazing game that was but hated that tie and the character design when it came out. was that a Rare design or nintendo?

TT

I suppose it's mildly interesting, even if it's poorly made. This is the sort of crap that makes me have to sift through three new pages of Kotaku each day.

Jfebs

Whoa Mario's nose it keeps on like growing dude.

GUNDAM-RX-78-2

These are always fun, I like it when they include the caption of where each capture was from.....then creeps like me can go dig out the rest of the games missing and make captures for those versions of the characters.

tripl333

Heh, pretty cool. But aww, no Wind Waker Link? Sheesho.

Cool to see that Mario is pretty much the same guy after all these years. His character model just gets more detailed, is all.

Saint Anima: Kotaku's Poetic Massacre

Actually, in Super Mario Kart, it was Donkey Kong Jr, not Donkey Kong.

Doctor_Hair

@Hrist: Isn't that Donkey Kong Jr.?

catsoup

I am not sure the pope would approve of this. hahaha

ArchMemnoch

What, no Celda Link?

EnigmaNemesis

Clearly if this continues, Mario will give me nightmares :(

okenny :)

what happened to DK's big goofy smile? apparently he's gotten grumpy over the years.

KingDavid73

I love Donkey Kong in the wife beater from the original Mario Kart.

Hrist