Editing Ganondorf (SSB4)

{{disambig2|Ganondorf's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4|the character in other contexts|Ganondorf}}

|name = Ganondorf

|image = [[File:Ganondorf SSB4.png|250px]]

|universe = {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}

|game = SSB4

|ssbgame1 = SSBM

|ssbgame2 = SSBB

|availability = [[Unlockable character|Unlockable]] (3DS)<br>[[Starter character|Starter]] (Wii U)

|tier = G

|ranking = 52-53

'''Ganondorf''' ({{ja|ガノンドロフ|Ganondorofu}}, ''Ganondorf'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Alongside {{SSB4|R.O.B.}}, he was officially revealed as a playable [[veteran]] on October 15th, 2014, although he was leaked twice prior to his reveal: via [[Leak#ESRB leak|video footage]] from ESRB, and outside the in-game stage boundaries in an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omeOylQYkuU&t=56s official video] (later replaced with a nearly-identical video without Ganondorf).

As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', Hironori Miyata's portrayal of Ganondorf from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}'' was repurposed for ''Smash 4'', with mostly returning voice clips from ''Brawl'', and in addition to some new ones sourced from the game.

Ganondorf is ranked 52nd/53rd out of 54 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the G tier and tying him with {{SSB4|Zelda}}. This is a very slight improvement from his ranking in ''Brawl'', where he was the game's lowest-ranking character. As in previous games, Ganondorf remains as the game's archetypal super [[weight|heavyweight]], boasting high endurance, slow yet powerful moves that can KO foes very early, along with a capable [[edgeguard]]ing game courtesy of hard-hitting aerials. This is further enhanced by the buffs to his mobility, combo game and already high power, in addition to the general changes to game mechanics patching up several key weaknesses he had in ''Brawl''. Altogether, Ganondorf's high power allows him to deal ruthless punishes when the opportunity arises, in addition to being capable of ending stocks with very few hits.

However, Ganondorf still remains significantly disadvantaged by his slow mobility, very sluggish frame data when compared to the cast, and large target, making him exceptionally susceptible to rushdowns, combos and [[projectile]] [[camping]], in addition to giving him a linear [[approach]]. His grab game, outside of [[Flame Choke]], is also very lackluster, while his [[recovery]] is still easily exploitable due to being slow, linear and predictable. Finally, Ganondorf has a fair number of unrewarding moves that can neither combo or KO reliably, despite his overall power.

 

As a result of these factors, Ganondorf still relies primarily on punishes and hard reads, and his weaknesses from ''Brawl'' are still prominent; however, he is commonly considered to fare better against difficult matchups, despite still being poor overall. This has resulted in Ganondorf gaining a low amount of representation in tournaments, in addition to attaining minimal success. Nevertheless, he is popular in the ''SSB4'' community due to his extremely strong, over-the-top, and extravagant punishment options that can easily KO unaware opponents, with a number of dedicated players such as {{sm|Gungnir}}, {{sm|Vermanubis}} and {{sm|Pon}}, some of which even use him as a solo main in tournaments despite his standing on the tier list.

 

* Clear {{SSB4-3DS|Classic Mode}} as {{SSB4|Link}} or {{SSB4|Zelda}} on Intensity 5.0 or higher.

After completing one of the two methods, Ganondorf must then be defeated on [[Gerudo Valley]].

Ganondorf is the epitome of the archetypal heavyweight: he sacrifices speed and mobility for power and endurance, and has a tall frame. Aside from being tied for having the sixth highest [[traction]], Ganondorf's archetype is reflected in his other attributes: he is the fifth [[weight|heaviest]] character, has the second slowest [[walking]] speed, the third slowest [[dashing]] and [[air speed]]s, moderately high [[falling speed]], high [[gravity]] and is tied for the third lowest [[air acceleration]]. However, while he has the third lowest [[jump]] and [[double jump]] heights, he still has the worst total jump height overall due to {{SSB4|Kirby}} and {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}}, the other lower height jumpers, possessing multiple midair jumps to counteract this. As such, Ganondorf is the least mobile character in the game due to his poor speed on both the ground and in the air being ranked among the lowest, as well as having the worst jump heights in the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganondorf has also seen some other quality of life improvements. His slowest but most rewarding moves, such as his up tilt and [[Warlock Punch]], are more powerful and have received some added bells and whistles, making them slightly more useful (although they are still extremely risky). His grab game has been slightly improved, as Ganondorf's grab has slightly more range and his down throw can no be a viable combo starter due to the changes to [[hitstun canceling]]/[[DI]]. One of the most notable changes is that the use of [[Flame Choke]] for [[Ganoncide|Ganonciding]] now consistently KOs the opponent before Ganondorf, allowing it to be used as a guaranteed win if both players in a one-on-one match are on their last stock.

Ganondorf also has some benefits from the universal changes to ''Smash 4''. The removal of [[chain grab]]bing, which heavily plagued Ganondorf in the previous game, improves his survival, while the changes to hitstun canceling/DI, slightly improves Ganondorf's combo potential (notably from down throw). The increase to [[shield]] damage and [[shieldstun]] makes Ganondorf's attacks safer and Ganondorf can break shields more easily, particularly with up tilt. The removal of [[edge hog]]ging also notably improves his recovery and as previously mentioned, Ganondorf can utilise rage fairly well due to his powerful attacks and high weight.

However, Ganondorf also received noteworthy nerfs, mainly to some of his key moves from the previous game. Ganondorf's forward smash no longer has extra reach when pivoted, removing one of the few approach options he had in the previous game, and making it harder for Ganondorf to whiff punish moves. Ganondorf's dash attack is weaker and has less range, although the late hit is much more potent. Ganondorf's down aerial is significantly weaker and it can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop, significantly hindering its safety and utility despite having significantly less landing lag and greater reach. The move does benefit from the introduction of [[frame canceling]], which does give it greater combo potential when performed, but the very high risk of performing the technique (due to its slow speed to set up and its sheer difficulty to perform) makes the technique extremely impractical, making Ganondorf's down aerial a much less potent move overall. Ganondorf can also no longer perform the Flight of Ganon, which hinders his aerial game.

One of the most detrimental nerfs Ganondorf received was to Flame Choke, his staple move in ''Brawl''. While the move does have increased damage and range, the grounded version can now be [[tech]]ed. This significantly hinders Ganondorf as instead of getting guaranteed followups or at least putting him at a consistent frame advantage for tech chases, this enforces Ganondorf to go for unreliable hard reads, and if Ganondorf reads incorrectly, he can very easily be punished. The move is still highly effective when the opponent doesn't tech but the fact that the move can be teched makes it far less reliable and potent overall.

In some ways, Ganondorf's weaknesses from ''Brawl'' have been amplified. Ganondorf's mobility relative to the cast is even lower as well he has greater dashing speed, many other returning veterans saw even greater increases to their dashing speed, making it even easier for Ganondorf's opponent to rush him down or run away from him. Various returning veterans also walk faster while Ganondorf does not, which does not help him either. Ganondorf's air speed was flat out decreased, now making it among the worst in the entire game (especially when considering the fact that most returning veterans have improved air speed). This both worsens Ganondorf's recovery and it generally makes him even more sluggish in the air, making him easier to chase and avoid while he is in the air.

Despite being one of his most detrimental flaws in the previous game, Ganondorf's recovery has been made even worse (at least on paper). This is not only due to Ganondorf's decreased air speed but the removal of [[armor|grab armor]] also makes Ganondorf's recovery specials even more exploitable. While Ganondorf's faster air dodge and the removal of edge hogging most definitely help him, they do not help him as much as other returning veterans. When combined with numerous other returning veterans having improved recoveries, along with a majority of newcomers possessing solid recoveries of their own, this consolidates Ganondorf's recovery as one of the absolute worst in the game.

Ganondorf's already poor defensive game has become even worse in some ways. While Ganondorf does have better Out of Shield punish options due to his grab/Dark Dive's slightly increased range/higher reward and his jab's slightly faster speed, his Out of Shield game still remains extremely poor as his grab still has very poor range (in addition to having increased ending lag) and his jab and Dark Dive are still fairly slow options. Ganondorf also flat out lost access to his second fastest Out of Shield option (his landing Wizard's Foot), which notably hurts his Out of Shield game, especially from dealing with opponents from behind.

Ganondorf's rolls have more ending lag, making them more punishable and overall worse, but his spot dodge in particularly took a rather major hit. Ganondorf's spot dodge has 2 more frames of startup lag, less intangibility and much more ending lag. Its increased startup lag makes it far worse as a defensive tool as it is much less reliable in pressure situations, while its increased ending lag makes it a lot more punishable. As a result, Ganondorf's defensive Out of Shield options have gone from being fairly solid to among the worst, making him even more vulnerable in frame tight, high pressure situations. On a similar note, Ganondorf still possesses one of the slowest air dodges in the game, and its higher landing lag greatly hinders his ability to land, turning his air dodge into an easily exploitable landing option.

Lastly, Ganondorf overall does not benefit much from the game's universal changes. While the changes to hitstun canceling/DI slightly improve his combo potential, Ganondorf's combo potential still remains very poor overall, while some other returning veterans received much greater combo potential. This means that Ganondorf will still usually only be able to deal one or two hits on his opponent, while they will be able to chain multiple moves together for high damage. This also means that Ganondorf is much more susceptible to combos himself, with his large size and high weight/falling speed/gravity making him a prime target for combos. This also removes [[momentum cancel]]ing which when combined with the introduction of rage, noticeably hinders Ganondorf's endurance.

As mentioned before, the removal of grab armor noticeably hinders Ganondorf, as it makes his grab and command grabs even more exploitable (which especially hurts him while trying to recover) and while the removal of edge hogging and the changes to air dodges do help Ganondorf's recovery, it helps other returning veterans even more, making it even harder for Ganondorf to abuse his solid edgeguarding. Lastly, as much as rage improves Ganondorf's KO potential, his highly exploitable recovery and lack of practical KO setups means that he does not benefit as much from rage as other heavyweights or even some lighter weight characters, and it can naturally work against him by giving his opponent greater KO potential.

Overall, Ganondorf is considered a better and more rewarding character overall compared to how he was in ''Brawl'' as his damage output and KO potential are greater overall and he even has one of the most positive buff:nerf ratios out of the entire cast. However, this has barely helped his standing on the tier list, due to his weaknesses either not being properly addressed or flat out worsened. His mobility is still abysmal and his frame data remains very poor despite being improved. His recovery was flat out nerfed, meaning that it is still highly exploitable despite the changes to [[air dodge]]s and the ledge mechanics. Ganondorf's down aerial and Flame Choke (his two best moves) have also been considerably nerfed, his defensive game is even worse and the changes to the game's mechanics do not benefit him much at all, especially compared to a majority of the cast.

Ganondorf still largely plays a ''Brawl'' esque game, where he largely has to rely on winning neutral (with his neutral being among the worst due to his large size and abysmal speed giving him a ton of trouble approaching), just to get one or two hits (in addition to having one of the worst disadvantage states) while other characters with far superior neutral games gain a much greater reward for winning neutral, while also being in a less exploitable spot when losing neutral. Because of this, Ganondorf still struggles with most of the cast. While his overall matchup spread is not as poor as it was in ''Brawl'', it is still very poor, as he still loses most matchups as most of the cast can still abuse his extremely slow speed and large size to their advantage.

*{{change|Ganondorf's design has slightly changed. His head, eyes, nose and ears have been slightly re-proportioned, and he now sports his glowing chest wound from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}''. Additionally, his {{s|wikipedia|epaulette}}s have been slightly redesigned. Lastly, the aesthetic used in ''Smash 4'' has resulted in Ganondorf's attire being slightly more vibrant. Altogether, these changes make him appear significantly more in line with his appearance in ''Twilight Princess''.}}

*{{change|Ganondorf's eye color is slightly subdued, and his cape is now tattered instead of frayed. These changes are unique to ''Smash 4''.}}

*{{change|Ganondorf has received two new [[alternate costume]]s.}}

*{{change|Ganondorf is significantly more expressive. As the corners of his mouth no longer open, he now consistently scowls and has slightly pursed lips when he vocalizes. Numerous actions also result in Ganondorf angrily clenching his teeth, mockingly smirk, and even look puzzled and contemplative.}}

*{{change|[[Darkness]]-based attacks have updated visual effects.}}

*{{buff|Ganondorf [[dash]]es slightly faster (1.16 → 1.218), going from the second slowest out of 39 characters to the third slowest out of 58.}}

**{{nerf|However, his dashing speed is even lower relative to the cast, as most other returning veterans saw a higher increase to their dashing speed than he did and all newcomers (except {{SSB4|Robin}}) have greater dashing speed than him.}}

*{{nerf|Ganondorf's [[air speed]] is slower (0.846 → 0.79), going from the 10th lowest out of 39 characters to the third lowest out of 58. This hinders his already abysmal recovery and makes him even less mobile in the air.}}

*{{change|Ganondorf's [[gravity]] is higher (0.1027 → 0.107835).}}

*{{change|Ganondorf is smaller (model size multiplier: 1x → 0.96x). This makes him slightly harder to hit but reduces his range.}}

*{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to [[shieldstun]] significantly help Ganondorf, as they allow many of his high shield damage attacks to shatter shields more effectively, as well as making his atatcks safer on shield, especially his electric based attacks.}}

**{{nerf|However, this also makes it even more difficult for Ganondorf to utilise his poor Out of Shield options.}}

*{{change|The removal of [[meteor smash#meteor canceling|meteor canceling]] significantly improves Ganondorf's down aerial and Wizard's Foot's reliability (despite the former's reduced power). This however makes his already poor recovery even easier to edgeguard.}}

*{{buff|The removal of [[chain grabbing]] significantly improves Ganondorf's endurance.}}

*{{nerf|[[Roll]]s have more ending lag (FAF 32 → 34), now being one of the slowest rolls in the game.}}

*{{buff|[[Air dodge]] has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 35).}}

*{{nerf|[[Spot dodge]] has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 2-20 → 4-19) and it has more ending lag (FAF 26 → 29).}}

*[[Neutral attack]]:

**{{buff|Neutral attack deals more damage (5%/7%/9% → 6%/8%/10%), improving the near hit's KO potential.}}

**{{buff|The far hit has been moved further forward (z offset: 18 → 19), slightly increasing its range.}}

**{{nerf|The middle and far hits deal less knockback (40/30 (base), 105 (scaling) → (38/30)/(90/90), hindering their KO potential.}}

*[[Up tilt]]:

**{{buff|Up tilt's main hit deals more damage (27%/19%/17% → 28%/20%/18%).}}

**{{buff|The changes to shields significantly benefit up tilt, as the main hit now leads into a guaranteed shield break.}}

**{{buff|The removal of ledge invincibility from ledge regrabs, combined with the introduction of two-framing improves up tilt's edgeguarding potential.}}

*[[Down tilt]]:

**{{buff|Down tilt deals more damage (12% → 13%), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 38).}}

**{{buff|The late hit now launches the opponent forwards (100° → 80°). When combined with dash attack's lower ending lag along with the changes to [[hitstun canceling]]/[[Directional Influence]], this grants it combo potential.}}

**{{nerf|The clean hit deals less damage (15% → 14%), has decreased base knockback (60 → 50), and launches opponents at a lower angle (105° → 70°), hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|The clean hit has a smaller hitbox (7.3u → 7u).}}

*[[Forward smash]]:

**{{buff|Forward smash's far hit has higher base knockback on all angles (30 → 35).}}

**{{nerf|Ganondorf no longer lunges farther when performing a pivoted forward smash, significantly hindering its approach and whiff punishment potential.}}

**{{buff|Upward angled forward smash launches opponents at a lower angle (45° → 40°).}}

*[[Up smash]]:

**{{buff|Up smash deals more damage (19%/22%/22% → 21%/24%/24%), the sweetspot launches opponents at a higher angle (80° → 85°) and both sweetspots have slightly higher knockback scaling (70 → 71), significantly improving its KO potential (now being the strongest up smash in ''Smash 4'', although it is still weaker than the strongest up smashes in ''Brawl'').}}

*[[Down smash]]:

**{{buff|Down smash deals more damage (5% → 6% (hit 1), 12%/14%/14% → 13%/15%/15% (hit 2)) and the second hit has increased knockback scaling (75 → 94), significantly improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|The first hit can no longer be [[SDI]]ed (SDI multiplier: 0.5x → 0x).}}

**{{buff|The first hit's leg hitbox launches aerial opponents at a lower angle (141° → 160°) and has decreased set knockback (80 → 70), allowing it to connect more reliably into the second hit.}}

**{{change|The first hit's leg hitbox launches grounded opponents at a slightly higher angle (141° → 140°).}}

**{{buff|The first hit's foot hitbox launches opponents at a lower angle (140° → 154°) and has increased set knockback (90 → 108), allowing it to connect more reliably into the second hit.}}

**{{buff|The first hit's body hitbox has increased set knockback (70 → 80), making it slightly safer if it connects.}}

***{{buff|Because of this, the second hit now pushes shielding opponents away from Ganondorf rather than dragging them towards him, making the move safer, especially when combined with its increased shieldstun.}}

***{{nerf|However, this also makes it easier for the opponent to recover.}}

*{{buff|All aerials have less landing lag (22 frames → 17 (neutral), 32 frames → 22 (forward), 22 frames → 19 (back/up), 35 frames → 26 (down)).}}

*[[Neutral aerial]]:

**{{buff|Neutral aerial's second hit has less startup lag (frame 20 → 17), with the move's total duration being subsequently reduced (FAF 45 → 42).}}

**{{buff|The first kick's leg hitboxes (and the foot hitbox against aerial opponents) have drastically lower knockback scaling (100 → 30) and they have altered angles (55°/60°/65° → 55°/70°/100°), which along with the second hit's lower startup lag, makes neutral aerial connect much more reliably at higher percents.}}

**{{change|The first kick's foot hitbox has increased base knockback against grounded opponents (30 (base), 100 (scaling) → 50/110) and now uses weight-independent knockback. This improves its spacing potential, but hinders its already poor ability to link into the second hit.}}

**{{buff|The second kick deals much more damage (7% (clean)/5% (late) → 12%/9%) and has increased knockback scaling (100 → 106), restoring a chunk of its KO potential from ''Melee''.}}

**{{buff|The clean second kick has larger hitboxes (4.3u/5.7u/6.2u → 7.8u/7u/6.5u) and the foot hitbox has been positioned further out (y offset: 5 → z offset: 6.5), significantly improving its range.}}

**{{buff|The late second kick's foot hitbox is larger (4.3u → 6u) and it has been positioned further out (y offset: 5 → z offset: 6).}}

**{{nerf|The first kick deals less damage (11% (clean)/7% (late) → 7%/5.25%). This completely remove the KO potential of the leg hitboxes and the foot hitbox against aerial opponents when combined with their lower knockback scaling, as well as making them much less safe on hit.}}

***{{nerf|In addition, the foot hitbox against grounded opponents only received full compensation on its knockback for the late hit, hindering its clean hit's KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|The late second kick's near hitboxes are smaller (5.7u/6.2u → 5.3u/4.5u).}}

*[[Forward aerial]]:

**{{buff|The sourspot deals more damage (15% → 17%) and knockback (30 (base), 80 (scaling) → 20/93), significantly improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|The sweetspot deals more damage (17% → 18%).}}

**{{change|The sweetspot has less base knockback but more knockback scaling (48 (base), 83 (scaling) → 20/93).}}

***{{buff|This combined with its higher damage improves its overall KO potential.}}

*[[Back aerial]]:

**{{buff|The sweetspot deals more damage (16% → 17%) and knockback (28 (base), 85 (scaling) → 40/89), significantly improving its KO potential.}}

**{{change|The sweetspot has a higher hitlag multiplier (1x → 1.2x).}}

**{{change|As with most back aerials, back aerial now always launches opponents away from Ganondorf.}}

*[[Down aerial]]:

**{{buff|The introduction of [[frame canceling]] greatly benefits down aerial due to its very high hitlag, improving its combo potential when combined with the changes to hitstun canceling/DI, especially since it is one of the few meteor smashes which still cannot be teched by grounded opponents.}}

**{{buff|The sweetspot is positioned lower (y offset: 3 → 1), improving its range.}}

***{{nerf|However, this does also make the sourspot easier to land, hindering down aerial's edgeguarding potential against opponents recovering high.}}

**{{change|Down aerial's sourspot now launches opponents horizontally (270° → 361°). This improves its onstage KO potential and grants the move spacing potential but hindering its edeguarding and tech chase set up potential.}}

**{{nerf|Down aerial has a shorter duration (frames 16-20 → 16-18).}}

**{{nerf|Down aerial has lower base knockback (30 → 20).}}

**{{nerf|The sweetspot deals less damage (22% → 19%), considerably hindering its KO potential.}}

***{{buff|However, this does also improve its combo potential at higher percents.}}

**{{nerf|Down aerial can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Ganondorf's lower short hop. This significantly hinders its reliability as a combo tool (due to the much greater difficulty/risk of frame canceling), as well as its safety.}}

**{{buff|Pummel deals more damage (2% → 3%).}}

**{{buff|Up throw deals more damage (4% (hitbox)/7% (total) → 7%/10%).}}

**{{buff|The changes to [[hitstun canceling]] improves down throw's combo potential.}}

**{{buff|Floor attacks have less startup lag (frame 20 (front)/19 (back) → 16/17).}}

***{{buff|The second hits also have less startup lag (frame 26 (front)/28 (back) → 23/21).}}

**{{buff|Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, without full compensation on their knockback scaling (50 → 48).}}

**{{nerf|Front floor attack launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 48°).}}

**{{change|Ganondorf has a new back floor attack, a somersault kick.}}

**{{nerf|Edge attack deals less damage (10% → 8%).}}

**{{nerf|Trip attack has less intangibility (frames 1-8 → 1-7).}}

**{{nerf|Non reversed Grounded Warlock Punch deals less damage (32% → 30%), launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 50°) and it has much more base knockback but much less knockback scaling (30 (base), 100 (scaling) → 120/42). While this does give the move more knockback at lower percents, this also considerably hinders its overall KO potential.}}

**{{buff|Reversed Warlock Punch deals more damage (35% (grounded)/38% (aerial) → 37%/40%).}}

**{{buff|Aerial Warlock Punch deals more damage (35% → 38%).}}

**{{buff|Grounded Warlock Punch now grants super [[armor]] from frames 11-65 for the normal version and frames 21-67 for the reversed version, slightly increasing its safety.}}

*[[Flame Choke]]:

**{{buff|Flame Choke deals more damage (9% (grounded)/12% (aerial) → 12/15%).}}

**{{buff|Grounded Flame Choke has more range (z offset: 4.5 (grounded)/4.2 (grounded and aerial) → 7.2/7.5).}}

**{{buff|Aerial Flame has more range (z offset: 6.5 → 7.5).}}

**{{buff|[[Ganoncide]] always KOs the opponent before Ganondorf, instead of at the same time or after, meaning Ganondorf will always win if he lands a Ganoncide on the opponent's last stock.}}

**{{change|Aerial Flame Choke is now a [[stall-then-fall]] and removes all forward momentum, making it easier to steer backward, but covering less distance forward. While this makes off-stage Ganonciding easier, it makes returning to the stage and attempting to Ganoncide while facing the ledge much harder.}}

**{{nerf|Grounded Flame Choke can now be [[tech]]ed, significantly hindering its [[tech-chasing]] potential, removing its guaranteed followups and forcing Ganondorf to rely on hard reads.}}

*[[Dark Dive]]:

**{{buff|Dark Dive's far grabbox has marginally increased range (z offset: 13.65 → 13.7).}}

**{{buff|The loop hits deal more damage (1% → 1.2%).}}

**{{buff|The throw deals more damage (7% → 9%) and has increased knockback scaling (82 → 90), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{bugfix|[[Hitstun cancelling]] now properly applies to opponents released by Dark Dive.}}

***{{buff|This prevents opponents from being able to attack Ganondorf after he releases them, making it much safer to use.}}

**{{change|Dark Dive has a new animation, in which he grabs his opponent with one hand instead of two.}}

**{{nerf|The removal of grab armor removes the minimal protection Dark Dive provided. When combined with this also applying to Flame Choke, this hinders Flame Choke's safety and recovery potential.}}

*[[Wizard's Foot]]:

**{{buff|Grounded Wizard's Foot deals more damage (12%/10% → 14%/12%), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|Grounded Wizard's Foot's hitboxes are positioned further out (z position -3/-2/2 → 0/-3/6), significantly increasing its range, with the hitboxes now actually matching the kick.}}

**{{change|Grounded Wizard's Foot has a slightly different animation: the kick is slightly higher (although the move still hits at the same altitude), and Ganondorf enters a three-point landing pose when the move ends.}}

***{{nerf|However, this also prevents Ganondorf from immediately being able to double jump, use his aerial options or immediately land with Wizard's Foot.}}

***{{nerf|The changes to the animation transition frame along with the changes to the [[buffer]] system also removes [[Flight of Ganon]], hindering Ganondorf's already subpar air game.}}

**{{nerf|Ganondorf can no longer immediately land with Wizard's Foot after jumping, removing its use as an Out of Shield option.}}

**{{nerf|Ganondorf can no longer use Wizard's Foot at an edge to get the aerial ending animation on the ground which overall hinders the move as the aerial ending animation is shorter.}}

***{{nerf|This especially hurts the move on moving platforms as Ganondorf could previously instantly land on moving platforms to get quickly get out the landing hitbox which along with the removal of [[platform canceling]], hinders its utility on moving platforms.}}

*[[Beast Ganon]]:

**{{nerf|Beast Ganon deals less damage during its charge (45% → 40%), removing its [[one-hit KO]] ability.}}

**{{change|Beast Ganon's animation has slightly changed. He now triumphantly poses, as if roaring, upon transforming back into his Gerudo form. The move also has a purple tint added in the background.}}

**{{bugfix|Ganondorf no longer briefly goes into his bind pose whenever he returns from the attack.}}

Ganondorf has been significantly buffed via game updates. Update [[1.0.4]] started with making aerial Flame Choke no longer be techable like the grounded version, while update [[1.1.0]] greatly strengthened his previously ineffective down smash, and all aerial attacks have been improved overall; possessing either less landing lag, better hitbox placement, or more damage. The changes to the shield mechanics in updates 1.1.0 and [[1.1.1]] gave Ganondorf the biggest, albeit indirect, buffs yet by enhancing his already excellent shield breaking capabilities and making his hitlag heavy attacks significantly safer on shield. However, this came with the weakening of his own already small shield, necessitating and encouraging a more offensive playstyle with fewer flaws in defending. Update [[1.1.3]] strengthened [[Dark Dive]], which was previously considered one of the weakest and most situational moves in the game (although it is still one of Ganondorf's weakest moves), and made reverse Warlock Punch safer to use with the addition of armor, among other moderate buffs.

*{{buff|Forward, back and up throws have less [[hitlag]] on their hitboxes (2x → 1.5x (forward/back)/1.6x (up)).}}

*{{buff|Neutral aerial deals more damage: 7% (hit 1 late) /9% (hit 2 clean)/5% (hit 2 late) → 8%/10%/7%, its knockback has altered: 20 (base)/100 (growth) → 0/130/90 (hit 1), 100 → 120 (growth, hit 2), its second hit's hitbox sizes increased: 4.3u/5.7u/6.2u → 4.5u/5.7u/7.4u and its angles altered: 55°/60°/65° → 55°/70°/100°. This makes its hits connect together better at low percentages while retaining its KO power.}}

|neutraldesc=A palm thrust. All hitboxes except for the sourspot (the body hitbox) discharge [[electric]]ity upon landing. Ganondorf's fastest ground attack, with good range, knockback and fairly low ending lag. Despite Ganondorf's overall raw power, its non-sweetspotted damage outputs and set-up are among the weaker ones in the game, though its sweetspot has enough power to KO around 155% near the ledge. A decent [[out of shield]] option.

|ftiltdesc=A front kick. Good [[start-up]] with high [[semi-spike]] knockback, making it a powerful edgeguarding option against characters with minimal horizontal recoveries. However, its range is rather poor, with his neutral attack being able to outreach it. Based on the kick used by himself and other large, sword-wielding enemies in ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''.

|utiltname=Volcano Kick ({{ja|爆裂蹴|Bakuretsushū}}, ''Exploding Kick'')

|utiltdesc=A delayed axe kick that produces an explosion. While it is the strongest up tilt in the game, its immense 81 frames of starting lag make it the game's slowest standard move, thus an extreme "high risk, high reward" option. Although weaker and slower than a Warlock Punch, it has [[vacuum]] properties on frames 6-70, a disjointed hitbox that can reach past ledges, and is still incredibly powerful, with the sweetspot being infamous for instantly shattering full [[shield]]s and KOing at very low percentages when near the edge, therefore becoming one of Ganondorf's best [[edgeguard]]ing options if used wisely.

|dtiltname=&nbsp;

|dtiltdesc=A crouching front kick. Good start-up and range, making it a decent out-of-shield. Also deals powerful, mostly vertical knockback, allowing it to KO at high percents. It can also be used as a follow-up to a grounded Flame Choke, however most characters can tech or DI out of it with precise timing. It also has noticeable endlag.

|dashname=&nbsp;

|dashdesc=A shoulder tackle. Ganondorf gains both a quick speed boost during the move's duration. The sweetspot is able to reliably KO around 140%. The sourspot, while lacking any KO potential, has combo utility due to its long lasting hitbox and weak knockback that can combo into any of Ganondorf's aerials at varying percentages, with the follow-up into up aerial striking the entire cast between 70%-90%.

|fsmashdesc=An elbow thrust. It can be angled and emits [[darkness|dark magic]] upon landing. Relatively slow start-up and high ending lag, but its extreme knockback is capable of KOing under 80%. Hitting closer to Ganondorf deals slightly higher knockback, but the damage output remains the same. When uncharged, it whittles a shield down by more than half of its health, while it can nearly break them if it is fully charged. While it is based on {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}}'s forward smash, it is also very similar to a move Ganondorf uses in the final battle of ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'' as part of a sword combo.

|usmashname=&nbsp;

|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|24}} (foot/leg), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|21}} (body)

|usmashdesc=A stretch kick. Has some start-up, but has good vertical reach and deceptively low ending lag because of its [[interruptibility]], so it can be used to bait opponents. Notably, it is the strongest up smash in the game when sweetspotted, with his foot being able to KO opponents under 100%, and it is thus useful for hard punishing aerial approaches. Also has deceptive horizontal range due to a small hitbox being positioned directly in front of him. Deals more than half shield health uncharged and can nearly break them if fully charged.

|dsmashname=&nbsp;

|dsmashdesc=A mid-level roundhouse kick followed by a back kick. The first hit has low knockback to [[natural combo|naturally combo]] into the second hit, which has the most damage and knockback. However, there is a hitbox on Ganondorf's thigh that causes it to not connect together properly, as it launches opponents out of the combo. Ganondorf's weakest smash attack, but fastest in terms of start-up, hitting on frame 15. Despite this, it is one of the most powerful down smashes in the game, being the second most powerful down smash (behind max [[aura]] {{SSB4|Lucario}}) and can KO at around 100%-115% without rage. Can be used to punish a [[roll]] and if used near an edge, the first hit can [[stage spike]] opponents if positioned correctly.

|nairname=&nbsp;

|nairdesc=A back kick followed by a roundhouse kick. The first hit's overall weak power allows it to combo into the second kick, which has higher damage and KO power. Both kicks act as short-lasting [[sex kick]]s, and the late hits can cause opponents to trip. While the first kick has a hitbox on the toe that knocks opponents away and is useful for creating distance, the rest of the first hit's hitboxes are ineffective for spacing due to its extremely low damage, which make it unsafe even if landed. Moderate [[landing lag]] if not used with a [[jump|full hop]]. The second kick KO's Mario at the center of Final Destination at 133%.

|fairname=&nbsp;

|fairdesc=An overhand. Very powerful, with the sweetspot KOing middleweights at 104% from center-stage. Also has decent start-up and a wide hitbox that starts slightly behind Ganondorf's head. However, while it has decent ending lag (interrupts on frame 45, being one frame faster than {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}}'s forward aerial), it has moderately high landing lag. Additionally, it cannot autocancel even from a full hop due to a programming error (which also occurred in ''Brawl'').

|bairname=&nbsp;

|bairdesc=A backfist. Despite it being even stronger than his forward aerial, it is rather fast, with decent startup, low ending lag and moderate landing lag, alongside being able to autocancel from a [[short hop]]. All these factors make it rather useful to wall out approaches. The sweetspot KOs middleweights at 101% from center-stage and at 75% near the edge, making it very likely to take a stock at medium percents if used quickly after a ledge trump. However, it has short reach, while its high vertical hitbox and low amount of active frames makes it difficult to land on most grounded opponents, particularly those that are crouching.

|uairname=&nbsp;

|uairdesc=A flip kick. Covers a large arc above him that has good coverage and great power, with the clean hit KOing middleweights at 100% near the edge. It also starts on frame 6, making it Ganondorf's fastest aerial and his fastest starting move overall. Deals more damage and knockback when it hits closer to his body. The last few frames of this attack is a [[sourspot]] that [[semi-spike]]s with extremely low horizontal knockback and high hitstun, which is deadly for edgeguarding, especially at the end. The sourspot can also [[lock]] at any percent, making it one of Ganondorf's few combo tools. Has little ending lag with moderate landing lag, and can autocancel with a short hop.

|dairname=&nbsp;

|dairdesc=A double foot stomp. It discharges [[electric]]ity upon landing and is the most powerful [[meteor smash]] in the game if hit with the lower half of his body, with grounded opponents being KO'd under 120% while being unable to tech the move. There is a [[sourspot]] on his shoulder that hits horizontally with less damage, but is still stronger than his forward and back aerial at higher percentages, though not as effective as when hitting with the meteor smash hitbox off-stage. Has surprisingly little ending lag, but moderately high landing lag unless used with a full hop. It does not meteor smash until 10%, making it very unsafe at low percentages, although it is capable of chaining into itself at very low percentages. All hitboxes have [[transcendent priority]], meaning that it cannot cancel out projectiles.

|grabname=&nbsp;

|grabdesc=Reaches out with his right hand. Despite Ganondorf's size, it is one of the shortest reaching grabs in the game, to the point of almost requiring him to be physically touching his opponent. His pivot grab has better range, but suffers from ending lag.

|pummelname=&nbsp;

|fthrowname=&nbsp;

|fthrowdesc=Lifts the opponent and hits them with a {{s|wikipedia|short straight-punch}}. One of the highest damaging forward throws in the game. Decent knockback that is good for setting up down aerials meteor smash, though it does not KO until 189% near the edge.

|bthrowname=&nbsp;

|bthrowdesc=Throws the opponent behind himself and hits them with a side kick. Decent knockback and can set up an edgeguard. Ganondorf's strongest throw, KOing 31% earlier than his forward throw, though its moderate ending lag means it has severely less combo potential in comparison.

|uthrowname=&nbsp;

|uthrowdesc=Lifts the opponent overhead and hits them with an upward palm strike. High base knockback, but low knockback growth prevents it from KOing until 245%. It is not reliable for follow-ups, but it can be used for DI mix-ups, mindgames and start juggles against characters who have a hard time dealing with juggles, though this can be difficult to do so due to Ganondorf's physics.

|dthrowname=&nbsp;

|floorfname=&nbsp;

|floorbname=&nbsp;

|floortname=&nbsp;

|edgename=&nbsp;

|edgedesc=Performs a backfist while climbing up. Has a very long range and can even occasionally [[stage spike]] enemies near or at the edge behind him.

|nsdefdmg=30% (ground), 37% (ground reverse), 38% (aerial), 40% (air reverse)

|nsdefdesc=Winds up his left arm while charging dark magic and then performs a powerful, dark magic-infused backfist. Ganondorf can rotate 180° by turning in the opposite direction during the charging period to deal more knockback and damage, at the cost of slightly more startup. It also receives a damage and knockback bonus if used in the air, with these bonuses being stackable. As a result, an aerial reverse Warlock Punch is powerful enough to [[one-hit KO]] any character at the ledge with enough rage and break any shield not at full size, while the grounded version can OHKO certain lightweight characters near the ledge. When reversed, it can KO middleweights at a mere 16% with no rage. The grounded version has [[armor]] until just before the punch, though the aerial version does not.

|nsc1desc=Wields the {{s|zeldawiki|Sword of the Six Sages}} and performs a reverse gripped thrust. Deals less damage overall than Warlock Punch when sourspotted, but has greater range, faster start-up, and a powerful sweetspot at the blade's tip. Has armor until just before the thrust, unless used in the air. Deals greatly increased shield damage, with the sweetspot being able to instantly shatter a full shield. All hitboxes have [[transcendent priority]].

|nsc2desc=The backfist is faster and produces a large explosion of dark magical energy, giving it more vertical range, transcendent priority, and less ending lag (though it is still notably large due to its faster start-up). The explosion, however, is a large sourspot, with Ganondorf's fist being the only sweetspot in the move. As a result, it deals extremely weak knockback that does not KO until past 300%.

|ssdefdesc=Lunges forward with his hand extended out and infused with dark magic. Upon contact, he grabs the opponent's face and blasts them with a pulse of dark magic that drops them onto the ground. The opponent can [[tech]] the hit to avoid guaranteed follow-ups, though the move can be [[tech-chase]]d due to having minimal ending lag. In the air, Ganondorf grabs onto and descends in order to {{s|wikipedia|chokeslam}} them to the ground, or to the lower [[blast line]] in a [[suicide KO]] if used off-stage. Much less unwieldy than in ''Brawl'', as Ganondorf will always win if he and the opponent are on their last stocks. Due to functioning as a [[grab]], it bypasses shields and counterattacks, while it can also can be used for a short-ranged horizontal recovery option due to it grabbing edges. When Ganondorf grabs his opponent, he gains armor on frame 17-40.

|ssc1desc=Upon contact, Ganondorf blasts the opponent into the air after grabbing them. Hits twice, with the second hit dealing vertical knockback while also launching bystanders. Has actual, good KO power, but at the cost of combo potential, range and speed. It also has more starting lag and ending lag.

|ssc2dmg=1.2% (loop, 9 hits), 5% (last hit)

|usdefdesc=Leaps upward and, upon coming into contact with an opponent, latches onto them and discharges electricity before launching off of them with an explosion. Covers a very small amount of horizontal distance, but a decent amount of vertical making it a sub-par [[recovery]]. If Ganondorf successfully lands this move against an opponent, he is not rendered [[helpless]] and can use it again. Ganondorf will perform a dark magic-infused uppercut that deals weak knockback if the grab misses an opponent. It has the weakest knockback out of all of Ganondorf's moves (not counting Flame Choke's set knockback, which has combo potential to compensate) and does not KO until 170%, though it does KO slightly earlier when near the edge and also functions as a decent out of shield move.

|usc1desc=Leaps upward and, instead of latching onto the opponent, performs two dark magic-infused swiping punches. The punches can chain into each other, dealing very high knockback at moderate percentages and enables it to KO much more reliably than Dark Dive. Due to the increased horizontal reach and the armor frames on the move's start-up, it is considered one of Ganondorf's most effective recovery alternatives.

|usc2desc=Leaps upward twice, but can only grab opponents during the start of either leap. The grab animation is significantly sped up, but its KO power is even weaker than Dark Dive, as it only KOs at 400%. The jumps together cover slightly more vertical distance.

|dsdefdesc=A dark magic-infused flying kick. Deals decent damage and knockback, but has considerable ending lag. In the air, Ganondorf flies diagonally downward and performs a powerful [[meteor smash]] during its start-up, while its late hit launches opponents vertically instead. A small shockwave is formed around Ganondorf when he lands on the ground, which deals a small amount of knockback. Deals relatively high [[shield damage]] in the air, bringing shields to a sliver of their health if all of its hitboxes connect. Slows down significantly on impact with anything, has considerable [[landing lag]] and is extremely risky to use off-stage.

|dsc1desc=Slightly jumps into the air before performing a blue-colored, dark magic-infused flying kick that travels farther but is slightly weaker. The grounded version has very little ending lag, enables Ganondorf to vault over most projectiles and is a true combo out of down throw until medium to high percentages. The aerial version moves at a 45° angle downward, making it great for horizontal recovery and avoiding juggles if he is launched. The aerial version can also be used more freely for edgeguarding. Both versions deal less damage, while the aerial version cannot meteor smash and has significantly reduced vertical KO power, though its overall utility outweighs these downsides.

|dsc2desc=A magenta-colored, dark magic-infused flying kick that travels faster, farther and pierces opponents without slowing down on impact. The aerial version travels straight down, can still meteor smash, and its landing shockwave launches opponents behind Ganondorf. However, it has slower start-up and ending lag, with a more obvious purple "flash" at the beginning which makes it easier to anticipate.

|fsdesc=Transforms into Ganon, his demonic beast form and rams into the opponent. Opponents too close upon its activation are buried, whereas those otherwise will be [[paralyze]]d if they are in front of him.

 

|desc=Emerges from a portal of dark magic. Based on how {{iw|zeldawiki|Phantom Ganon}} emerges from similar dark portals in his boss fight in ''Ocarina of Time''.

|desc-up=Floats in the air and then curls into a ball while spinning before opening up from his curled position and striking a pose while laughing.

|desc-down=Unsheathes the Sword of Sages, grunts, looks at it while sporting a mocking smirk as the blade's tip pulses with dark magic, then sheathes it.}}

|desc-3=Crosses his arms while laughing, then looks toward the screen with a stern expression. This references a scene in ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''.

''See also: [[:Category:Ganondorf players (SSB4)]]''

*{{Sm|Gungnir|Japan}} - The best Ganondorf player in Japan. Placed 17th at {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Taiheita}} and {{Sm|Earth}}.

*{{Sm|Rickles|USA}} - One of the best Ganondorf players in the world. Placed 9th at {{Trn|Rebirth X}}, 13th at {{Trn|Frosty Faustings IX}}, and 49th at both {{Trn|2GGC: MkLeo Saga}} and {{Trn|2GG: Hyrule Saga}} with wins over {{Sm|tyroy}} and {{Sm|k9sbruce}}.

==In Solo Modes==

In All-Star Mode, Ganondorf is fought in Stage 5 in the 3DS version (if he has been unlocked) or Stage 3 in the Wii U version alongside {{SSB4|Pikachu}}, {{SSB4|Ness}}, {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}}, {{SSB4|Sheik}}, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}}, {{SSB4|Charizard}}, {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}, and {{SSB4|Cloud}}.

==={{GameIcon|SSB4-U}}[[Event Match]]es===

====Solo Events====

====Co-op Events====

SSB4 Ganondorf Screen-3.jpg|Ganondorf about to use [[Wizard's Foot]] on {{SSB4|Palutena}}'s [[Reflect Barrier]].

SSB4 Ganondorf Screen-6.jpg|Using Wizard's Foot on {{SSB4|Robin}} and {{SSB4|Marth}}.

SSB4 Ganondorf Screen-7.jpg|Leading {{SSB4|Toon Link}}, {{SSB4|Ness}}, and {{SSB4|Villager}} across a road.

*When Ganondorf uses [[Ganoncide]] on an opponent with one stock left, he will usually still emit his KO voice clip despite not being KO'd.

*Of all the veterans that retain their voice clips from ''Brawl'', Ganondorf, {{SSB4|Link}} and {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}} are the only ones to not make use of knockback voice clips that weren't used in-game in ''Brawl'' despite having them.

*Ganondorf's NTSC crowd chant is very similar to the one in ''Melee'', where the crowd eerily drags out the second part of his name.