*sighs* Throwing my hat into the ring here...
Well, I've read the majority of this post, and though I hate to beat a dead horse, I ask that you hear me out:
As far as his name being "Link", Krux, you are allowed to name your character whatever you want. Name him "Nutsack" and his grandmother will fondly call him "Nutsack."
Bear in mind that this is the seventh (real story-driven) game in which this character concept has appeared. Now, I'm no game developer, but it seems to me that one might have a hard time fitting the same single person doing essentially the same thing seven times. I mean, Ganon steals the power of the Triforce, the main character defeats said thief, and peace and prosperity return to the land. Multiply that by seven times and see how many variations of that same formula you can come up with. Nintendo has done a fabulous job by keeping this franchise alive when they could have stopped because they may have felt that they were repeating themselves. Metroid has been a huge success as well, but they keep changing the surroundings and situations that Samus comes across. It's really the same game over and over again, but because they change the story a bit, it feels fresh every time.
Please bear in mind that the "Link" from "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" was not the "Link" from the previous two games. I believe he was that first "Link"'s ancestor of some degree. Mega Man and Mega Man X are not really the same character, either. But does that make all of the "X" games stupid and unsuccessful? Milllions of copies sold, so you tell me.
Lastly, there has been much talk of this game being "for kids." I can guarentee you that this game has too much depth and strategy in it to be easy for a 7-year-old. That's what Rocket Power: Beach Bandits is for.
I'm well aware that there are some closed-minded fools out there who will or will not play a game based solely upon some insignificant detail. I pity those people. We are not gamers for the graphics. We are not gamers for the sound, the style, the characters. While those things make up a game as a whole, they should not make the decision for you. If the game is fun, play it. If you enjoy the game, share it with others. That's why we are gamers, folks. For the entire game, not its parts.
Now I guess I'll get my asbestos shield out, 'cause I just know I'm going to be flamed by some of the aforementioned fools.
~JM