The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, bringing with it a variety of games for players to engage with on the handheld device. As you may expect, Link is a prominent character among the many games you can find in the Switch 2's expansive catalog. However, you may be surprised to learn that one of Link's appearances is from an exclusive cameo seen in a 23-year-old arcade game.

In an interesting twist, one of the biggest games on the Switch 2's retro listing is not a Legend of Zelda title. While Tears of the Kingdom gets an impressive graphical update on the Switch 2, running at a stunning 60 FPS, Link's prominence in that game is to be expected. One game only ever saw Link appear on the Nintendo GameCube console, alongside arcade cabinets in the early 2000s.

Soul Calibur 2 Features Link As A Playable Character On The Switch 2

Play As An Exclusive Console Character Once Again

Link was one of the most unexpected featured characters in the home console release of Soul Calibur 2, the sequel to the popular 3D arcade fighting game released in 2002. As one of the most popular fighting games of all time, Link was perhaps the most played character in that game for GameCube owners. For the Switch 2, Link once again shows up as a character exclusive to the new Nintendo console.

The Switch 2 port for Soul Calibur 2 features much of the same content as the GameCube version, with Link being on the playable roster through another Nintendo collaboration. Since Link is on the roster of Soul Calibur 2 on the Switch 2, he can be selected for local or online play. Thankfully, Link is part of the base roster, as he does not exist as a hidden character you have to unlock in some obscure way.

Some of the hidden characters in Soul Calibur 2 are Cervantes, Lizardman, and Yoshimitsu, who also appears in many Tekken fighting games. Each can be unlocked through Weapon Master Mode, alongside stages, character weapons, and additional modes.

Other ports of Soul Calibur 2 in the past have never been able to feature Link again on the roster, mainly since those editions of the game have been on non-Nintendo consoles. With the Switch 2 bringing back this popular game yet again, it finally allows players to control Link again in a fighting game. Since Link never appears in another fighting game after Soul Calibur 2, this is a rare opportunity once thought lost to time.

Link Can Be Played In Online Matches For Soul Calibur 2

Make Sure You Have Online Functions For Your Switch 2

One of the biggest benefits of having Link playable again for the Switch 2's Soul Calibur 2 port is the new inclusion of online play. In the original GameCube version of the fighting game, online matchmaking was not conceived yet, so the only way to face other players as Link was through local offline matches. Now, players can pick Link when facing opponents online, expanding the competition this rare cameo has never seen before.

That being said, you need to have purchased Nintendo Switch Online to start searching for online matches. The quality of online matches does depend on Nintendo's unique online systems, which may lack rollback netcode to form strong connections between far-away players. As of this time of writing, it is unclear if the Switch 2's online functionality has been fixed in any way to make online play smoother with a new console.

Soul Calibur 2 comes as a free title for players who purchase the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack deal. This offer includes a library of Switch 2 games with online modes that feature heavier multiplayer than you might expect.

In order to connect with friends who want to play Link in Soul Calibur 2 online, they must also have some version of the Nintendo Switch Online purchased. Connecting with friends in a game is simple once both players have the online functionality required for multiplayer modes. In no time, you and your friend can battle as the Hero of Hyrule against each other in a realm where souls still burn.

Not Every Console Exclusive Soul Calibur 2 Character Is In The Switch 2 Port

PlayStation and Xbox Characters Are Excluded This Time

Unfortunately, exclusive characters from the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox versions of Soul Calibur 2 are not playable in the Switch 2 port of the game. When Link was the sole cameo in the GameCube edition of Soul Calibur 2, other consoles got these characters instead:

• PlayStation 2 - Heihachi Mishima
• Xbox - Spawn

While PlayStation players got Heihachi from the Tekken series of fellow 3D fighting games, Xbox players could play as Spawn, the warrior of hell from the 90s Image Comics, written by Todd McFarlane. Neither version of Soul Calibur 2 got the other character, just as both didn't have Link on their rosters either. While Link has always been considered the "best" guest character of these three, each has their place in the game's history.

Heihachi was included in Soul Calibur 2 as almost a direct reference to the Tekken games, which were created by the same developers. Meanwhile, Spawn lacked his signature cloak and chains in favor of a large battleaxe that he used to fight.

The first re-release of Soul Calibur 2 for modern consoles was back in the 2010s with Soul Calibur II HD Online. This version of the game, available for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, featured Spawn and Heihachi on the same roster, but no Link. This edition of the game was later made compatible with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles as well.

Since Nintendo is using the GameCube port of Soul Calibur 2, it makes sense that Heihachi and Spawn aren't included. However, for big fans of the arcade classic, this is a missed opportunity to bring together all the exclusive characters into one definitive edition of the title.

Even though Spawn and Heihachi will not be playable, the inclusion of Link in this fighting game again for the first time in decades should not be pushed aside. Hopefully, the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature more classic fighting games from the GameCube era as more titles are added to the system post-launch.