I just can't help but feel like we're being forced to "settle" with Toon Link. Especially when I see people justifying him with "he's kind of almost different"... And the vast amount of Zelda options makes this especially noticeable IMO.
But if there is a Zelda Newcomer, I won't end up being mad about his inclusion. If there isn't though... I'll be very disappointed, again.
I'm surprised that your favorite Zelda game is one of the few Impa-less ones.
But I do agree that Wind Waker is
amazing.
One of the most amazing things about Wind Waker is how unique it was from anything else titled "Zelda" at its time.
It's very different from the rest of the series (except its sequels)
So where is that in his moveset? I think they could have done Wind Waker better with another character, but they could have easily made something amazing out of just Toon Link. There are so many missed out options, once again, it's like we're settling for him.
It seems a bit insulting to the Zelda series to have the list of characters be 2 Links, 2 Zeldas, and 1 Captain Falcon, and I think there is a lot of room for improvement.
One thing that would have greatly reduced hate for Toon Link, is if they had just called him Young Link and considered him a veteran. The design upgrade was barely more drastic than Link to Link (or the others), and the moveset changes from game to game have been much more drastic than Young Link to Toon Link. Zelda losing Sheik for the Phantom is an example, and when Zelda changed her look from OoT to TP in Brawl, they didn't call her a newcomer named "Darker Zelda" and have her fight alongside OoT Zelda as separate characters.
Toon Link is just as much his own Link, as OoT Zelda is her own Zelda from TP Zelda.
I think it's easy to forget this because of tradition and speculation or whatever it might be, but looking at what we have right now from a Zelda series perspective makes little sense. Even if it was likely from a Smash Bros series perspective.
All I'm expecting is a new Final Smash. If I can't even have that, then I'm giving up on Toon Link.
I can't really blame Toon Link for what happened to him though, he had all of the potential, it was the development team that made him become a poor choice. When I see proof of actual effort going into making Toon Link, I might reconsider my thoughts on him. (Final Smash please?)