Editing Ganondorf (SSBU)

'''Ganondorf''' ({{ja|ガノンドロフ|Ganondorofu}}, ''Ganondorf'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was officially revealed alongside {{SSBU|Ryu}} and the rest of the returning roster on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018. Like in games prior to {{forwiiu}}, he is [[unlockable character|unlockable]], instead of being available from the [[starter character|start]]. Ganondorf is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #23]].

{{s|wikipedia|Takashi Nagasako}}, Ganondorf's voice actor from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' and ''{{s|zeldawiki| The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}'' (and by extension,  ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''), reprises his role in all regions; rather than re-purposing his voice clips from ''Zelda'' games as per tradition, Nagasako provides brand new voice clips for the first time since 1998, mimicking his portrayal from ''Ocarina of Time'' and succeeding {{s|wikipedia|Hironori Miyata}}'s portrayal from ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'' used since 2006 in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

 

 

 

 

Overall, Ganondorf's issues collectively give him significant problems in the [[neutral game]]: the majority of the roster can outspeed him in almost every degree, his otherwise great endurance is hindered by having incredibly limited recovery options, while his strengthened power does not give him any proper approach or defensive options, resulting in him struggling to make use of his excellent raw power and KO ability. Because of these factors, while the community had high hopes for Ganondorf in the early metagame, his competitive reception plummeted as the metagame evolved and his weaknesses became much more exploitable, and he has sat at the very bottom of the first two official tier lists.

Ganondorf must then be defeated on [[Bridge of Eldin]] (the [[Ω form]] is used in World of Light).

Ganondorf is the epitome of the [[weight|super heavyweight]] archetype: he is the fifth heaviest character in the game and possesses extreme power in exchange for terrible mobility and frame data. Despite his high [[traction]], above average [[falling speed]], and moderately high [[gravity]], he sports the seventh slowest [[walk]]ing speed, the fourth slowest [[dash]]ing speed, the third slowest [[air speed]], the sixth lowest [[air acceleration]], and sixth lowest [[jump]] and [[double jump]] heights. As a result, he is among the least mobile characters in the game, but his high weight grants him exceptional endurance, allowing him to survive at very high percentages and benefit from [[rage]].

Ganondorf's most defining trait is his incredible kill power and damage output. Most of his moves inflict over 10% damage and are capable of killing under 100% with ease, even from the middle of [[Final Destination]], giving him one of the strongest [[punishment]] games in the roster. His forward tilt and down smash are very powerful [[semi-spike]]s, while his [[forward smash|forward]] and [[up smash|up]] smashes are massive disjoints that utilize a large sword to cover Ganondorf. In particular, these two smash attacks can not only hit below the ledge, but the former is generally the third strongest of its kind in the game, having the potential to KO most opponents well below 65% (even at the center of [[Final Destination]]). His [[neutral special]], [[Warlock Punch]], has the most startup out of his entire moveset, but it also deals insane knockback and damage (especially when B-reversed in the air), being capable of [[one-hit KO|instantaneously killing]] middleweights and lighter (if it connects before touching the ground). Ganondorf’s sweetspotted [[down aerial]] and aerial [[Wizard's Foot]] are extremely powerful [[meteor smash]]es that can KO opponents offstage at exceptionally low percents. Thanks to his strength, Ganondorf has among the highest KO potential in the game, as he can rack up heavy damage and KO opponents in very few hits.

Ganondorf's [[shield]]-breaking capabilities are also potent and fearsome. His aforementioned forward and up smashes, Warlock Punch, and aerial Wizard's Foot can bring shields down to a sliver of health, while his Volcano Kick ([[up tilt]]) has [[vacuum]] properties, deceptively large reach, and can shatter shields in a single hit. These options also allow Ganondorf to play [[mindgame]]s to make opponents with low shield health play more carefully around him, as he can punish any mistake extremely hard. As such, mistiming or overusing shields against Ganondorf can be deadly, as his aforementioned powerful moves allow him to capitalize shield breaks.

Despite his power, Ganondorf has excellent combo starters, some of which are potential kill confirms. His down throw can combo into every aerial except down aerial or dash attack up to mid-percentages. His dash attack is versatile; not only does it possess extreme KO power at high percentages, being the third strongest dash attack in ''Ultimate'', but its early hit can potentially lead into [[neutral aerial]], [[up aerial]], or [[Dark Dive]] at early percentages. Even better, it has a late hit sourspot that grants followups into [[neutral attack]], [[forward tilt]], [[grab]], all aerials except down aerial, and grounded [[Dark Dive]], with the latter two options being potential kill confirms at high percentages. Neutral aerial's set knockback on the first kick as well as the late hit of the second kick can lead into neutral attack, grab, forward tilt, down tilt, or dash attack right after landing on the ground. Sweetspotted down aerial's high [[hitstun]] combos into neutral attack, grab, forward tilt, down tilt, every aerial, up smash, or down smash up to middle percentages. Perhaps Ganondorf's best combo starter is grounded [[Flame Choke]], which is is a [[command grab]] that [[meteor smash]]es opponents into the ground, leading into a myriad of followups and reads. These follow ups include, but are not limited to: neutral attack, forward tilt, down tilt, dash attack, grounded or aerial Wizard’s Foot, any smash attacks or aerials, or even another Flame Choke. While Flame Choke can be [[tech]]ed, its low ending lag allows Ganondorf to [[tech-chase]] with the move, with some followups hitting short-distanced techs such as forward tilt covering {{SSBU|Bowser}}'s inward tech, up smash or turnaround down smash on {{SSBU|Snake}}'s inward tech, down tilt on {{SSBU|Inkling}}'s tech away, or neutral attack on all of {{SSBU|Piranha Plant}}'s tech options. Some characters can even be trapped at the ledge, where they move no distance from tech away and are hit during their neutral and inward techs.

All of Ganondorf's aerials are very useful, as they are fast despite their immense power (excluding forward aerial and down aerial), and are guaranteed to knock opponents off the stage even at medium percents, giving him a great [[edgeguard]]ing game. His sweetspotted down aerial is his most damaging aerial and the second strongest meteor smash in the game, and when sourspotted has the second strongest horizontal knockback out of all his aerials (after his sweetspotted back aerial). His up aerial is his lowest damaging aerial, but is his second fastest aerial, can autocancel from a short hop, and its late hitbox is a very potent [[gimp]] with its semi-spike angle and high [[hitstun]]. His neutral aerial has the lowest knockback out of all his aerials, but is his fastest aerial consisting of two hits that naturally combo into each other with damage rivaling his sweetspotted down aerial, while doubling as long-lasting [[sex kick]]s, and has the greatest horizontal reach out of all his aerials allowing it to wall out approaches. His forward aerial boasts good reach in an arc that also hits slightly behind him, while his back aerial is a deceptively fast KO move that can autocancel from a short hop. Aerial Flame Choke is a chokeslam that lacks guaranteed followups, but does more damage than when used on the ground and can still tech-chase. Aerial Wizard's Foot is Ganondorf's only aerial option with vertical knockback, making it a good anti-air that punishes juggles. Finally, Dark Dive is a command grab that does multiple weak electric hits that make it difficult to interrupt, which leads into a very powerful throw that can reverse edgeguard situations, especially when facing away from the stage, while also not causing helplessness and letting him reuse the move; if the grab misses, the move performs an uppercut at the end to deter potential edgeguards.

In spite of his strengths, Ganondorf has glaring flaws. He is highly vulnerable to combos and juggling thanks to his heavy weight, very large size, above average falling speed and gravity, and low air speed, and his slow mobility hinders his approach and ability to close distance or create space. His lack of a projectile or reflector also leaves him susceptible to projectile camping and zoning.

Arguably Ganondorf's biggest weakness is his lack of defensive options, courtesy of the issues within his moveset. To begin, his frame data is very sluggish and among the worst in the game: he has very few moves that are active before frame 9 (these being neutral attack, neutral aerial, up aerial, and standing grab) and some not even coming out before frame 28 (such as forward smash, Warlock Punch, and Volcano Kick), along with many of his moves having extremely high ending lag (most notably all of his smash attacks and all his special moves). As a result of his abysmal frame data, many of his moves are unsafe on shield unless fully spaced, despite his aforementioned shield breaking capabilities. Combined with his poor mobility, Ganondorf struggles to compete with faster characters like {{SSBU|Fox}}, slow projectile users like {{SSBU|Ivysaur}}, and long-ranged characters like {{SSBU|Simon}} and {{SSBU|Min Min}}. This forces Ganondorf's offense to heavily rely on proper spacing and mindgames.

In contrast to Ganondorf's tall size, some of his attacks have poor reach and often have problematic hitbox placements, causing them to have noticeably large blind spots. His neutral attack, forward tilt, back aerial, Dark Dive, and Wizard's Foot, some of which are considered Ganondorf's fastest attacks and best [[out of shield]] options, all suffer from a combination of short reach, short hitbox duration, small hitbox sizes, and/or high hitbox placements. Wizard's Foot and Flame Choke also have their hitboxes end earlier than their animations suggest, while forward aerial and back aerial's hitboxes do not properly match their trails. Neutral aerial's two hits often fail to link properly, especially against grounded opponents, likely resulting in Ganondorf getting punished if he whiffs the second hit, and the second hit itself is difficult to land due to its high hitbox placement. His forward smash, despite its impressive reach, completely lacks any active hitboxes during the downward swing, giving it a notoriously large dead zone above and in front of his head. His up smash has a blindspot directly in front of him, and its rear hitboxes end just above the ground. Ganondorf's numerous blind spots allows many small characters such as {{SSBU|Pichu}} to easily exploit and weave through his attacks, especially when crouching.

Ganondorf's grab game is also lackluster. His grab reach is notoriously short despite his tall stature, and, outside of down throw, his throws have little to no followup potential. None of them are consistently viable KO options either, despite dealing respectable amounts of damage; while his forward and back throws deal passable knockback, even they are rather weak and can't KO middleweights under 200% from center stage, while his up throw lacks KO potential altogether. His down throw, despite being a decent combo starter, loses much of its combo potential very quickly past low percentages. The ability to tech Flame Choke at any percentage works against Ganondorf, as it forces hard reads, and incorrect reads can put Ganondorf in a vulnerable position. Flame Choke also lacks a collateral hitbox, allowing doubles, {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, and {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}} to hit him out of the move.

The other major weakness is his poor [[recovery]]. Ganondorf's slow air speed and low jump height, as well as the helplessness-causing Flame Choke and Dark Dive having low speed and resilience, makes his off-stage movement linear and predictable while leaving him very vulnerable to edgeguards and gimps. His recovery specials also work against Ganondorf; aerial Flame Choke can be escaped by button mashing and KOs Ganondorf first when used as a [[sacrificial KO]], while Dark Dive's throw can be [[Tech Check|teched and punished]] in its endlag. As such, it's possible to edgeguard Ganondorf by even intentionally getting hit by his aerial specials, leaving him in a position where his abysmal mobility prevents him from recovering. All of this leaves Ganondorf with arguably one of the worst recoveries in the game.

Ganondorf also has considerable trouble landing safely. Despite his aerials having relatively low landing lag, the aforementioned poor hitbox placements fail to properly defend him from directly underneath, while down aerial and Wizard's Foot have noticeable start-up. While Wizard's Foot is Ganondorf's fastest option to return to the ground and can anti-air intercepting opponents with its vertical knockback, its landing possesses a small and very brief quake along with large landing lag, making it highly punishable.

Overall, Ganondorf's raw power allows him to deal heavy damage quickly and close stocks early, but he has little means to defend himself which forces him to play cautiously, enforcing a bait-and-punish playstyle. His playstyle is a high risk, high reward character: a single mistake can lead to either player losing a stock, even at 0%. He cannot afford to make any careless mistakes himself, where his exploitable recovery allows his opponents to remove his stocks just as early as he can remove theirs.

Ganondorf was infamously a poorly regarded character in [[Ganondorf (SSBB)|his previous]] [[Ganondorf (SSB4)|two appearances]] following his [[Ganondorf (SSBM)|debut appearance]], owing to a myriad of factors such as slow mobility, vulnerability to general pressure (such as rushdowns, zoning and combos), and awful recovery. Most likely due to his low placement in ''SSB4'', Ganondorf has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in ''Ultimate'', but was buffed overall, albeit not enough to raise his tier standing.

Ganondorf's primary strengths, such as his already strong damage output and knockback power, have been further increased since the previous game. Most of his moves deal even more damage, and some of his moves (whether they were already strong or among the weakest in ''SSB4'') are more powerful, like his [[dash attack]], [[back aerial]], [[Dark Dive]], and [[Wizard's Foot]]; notably, dash attack has become as potent as it was in ''Brawl'', whereas Dark Dive and Wizard's Foot have had most of their lost KO power restored from ''Melee''. Forward aerial, a move previously considered inferior to his back aerial, has improved range, making it a far safer KO move.

Ganondorf's smash attacks are now sword swings that possess increased, consistent power as well as larger, disjointed range. Up tilt, notorious for shattering full shields, is easier to land with its faster startup and stronger windboxes, and its sourspot has been strengthened to match its sweetspot. His notoriously weak grab game was also buffed, with his grabs having a longer duration and greater range, and his throws receiving improved utility such as higher power (forward throw, although it still remains rather weak), damage (up throw) or combo potential (down throw). Ganondorf is also heavier, making his already great endurance better.

Ganondorf notably benefits from some of the universal gameplay changes. The increase in mobility (most notably to his [[running]] speed, although it still remains slow), his faster [[jumpsquat]], and the reduced [[landing lag]] on his aerial attacks all improve his very poor neutral game and approach. His faster jumpsquat and landing lag reduction also improve his combo ability, thus further strengthening his damage racking game.

Despite these notable buffs, Ganondorf is not without nerfs, especially toward his hitbox placements and ineffective defensive game. His forward and up smashes, despite having disjointed range, have significantly increased ending lag; up smash has especially lost its ability to bait approaches. His down tilt's vertical angles on its close hitbox make it a much less effective KO option, especially out of [[Flame Choke]]. His up tilt is weaker, and has gained an incredibly weak late hitbox with no KO potential. Hitbox adjustments and/or reductions on his forward tilt, up tilt, back aerial, Dark Dive and Wizard's Foot make them harder to land and further worsens his blindspot issues. Among his biggest nerfs were to his up aerial, which has more startup and its sourspot no longer hits underneath him, thus removing most of its [[gimp]]ing effectiveness and [[lock]] combos, and [[Flame Choke]], as the aerial version is now escapable at low percentages and a "[[Sacrificial KO|Ganoncide]]" now KOs him first. Dark Dive's release also pushes back Ganondorf after he launches the opponent away, though this is counterbalanced by the release having less ending lag.

Despite gaining considerable improvements from the game's engine, Ganondorf is also hindered by some of the universal changes; the universal increase to mobility makes it slightly harder to catch up with some characters. The increased shield drop frames impairs his poor [[out of shield]] options, and the universally increased [[traction]] which reduces shield push makes his attacks, especially his aerials, less safe unless perfectly spaced. The increased [[tech]] window, as well as the restoration of buffering techs during hitlag, makes Flame Choke easier to escape from, and makes Dark Dive much easier for opponents to survive from being launched under the stage and retaliate. Although Ganondorf's heavier weight allows him to survive even longer, he is also easier to combo. The changes to [[air dodging]] are a mixed bag for Ganondorf, as they improve his great edgeguarding ability, but make him easier to edgeguard in return. Finally, the weakening of [[rage]] slightly hinders Ganondorf, though due to his increased damage and power, this change is fairly negligible.

Overall, Ganondorf has gained some drastic increases in power that renders his punish and advantage states much deadlier, but at the cost of notable nerfs that further affect his disadvantage, exacerbating his glaring weaknesses and making him even more polarized. Although initially considered to have improved substantially from ''SSB4'', the lack of changes from game updates, as well as various changes made to his fellow veterans both on release and through updates, have caused Ganondorf to fall behind. Said updates have also introduced a bevy of more powerful DLC characters, all of which Ganondorf struggles against in one way or another. Because of this, despite performing better as a standalone character in ''Ultimate'', Ganondorf has not significantly improved from his appearance in ''SSB4'', instead performing worse relative to the rest of the cast.

{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Ganondorf}}

Ganondorf received a mix of buffs and nerfs via in game updates, but has been slightly buffed overall. A majority of these buffs were dedicated to fixing inconsistencies that plagued him ever since previous games.

Update 1.1.0 changed the properties of aerial Flame Choke to always kill Ganondorf first when reaching the blast zone, significantly reducing the effectiveness of [[Ganoncide]]. Update 2.0.0 allowed forward aerial to autocancel out of a double jump, which was infamous in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'' for not cancelling even out of a full hop due to an incorrectly coded timer, and would almost always force him to enter the landing animation. After being absent from patch notes for little over a year, Ganondorf was granted a small but important buff in 11.0.0, which significantly decreased the ending lag of Dark Dive, slightly improving his recovery while making it harder to [[Tech Check]] Ganondorf, a technique that has existed since ''Melee''.

 

Due to his key weaknesses not being addressed from updates and other characters having received more substantial buffs, Ganondorf is considered to fare worse compared to the game’s release, despite receiving more buffs than nerfs throughout his update history.

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|neutralname=Thunder Punch ({{ja|雷打|Raida}}, ''Thunder Hit'')

|neutraldesc=A palm thrust that discharges [[electric]]ity upon landing. Ganondorf's fastest ground attack, with good range, knockback, and fairly low ending lag, with enough power to KO around 145% near the edge and 195% from the center. However, it is among the slower jabs in the game, coming out at frame 7, and its high hitbox placement allows some smaller characters to crouch under it.

|ftiltname=Piercing Kick ({{ja|突破蹴|Toppashū}}, ''Breakthrough Kick'')

|ftiltdesc=A front kick. Above average [[startup]] on frame 10 with high [[semi-spike]] knockback, making it a powerful edgeguarding option against characters with minimal horizontal recoveries, while outright KOing around 140% from the center. However, its range is rather poor, with his neutral attack being able to outreach it, and can be crouched under by some smaller characters. 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. Has [[vacuum]] properties, a disjointed hitbox that can reach past ledges, and its clean hit is incredibly powerful, being infamous for instantly shattering full [[shield]]s and its leg hitbox KOing as low as 45% when near the edge, making it one of Ganondorf's [[edgeguard]]ing options if used wisely. However, while it is the strongest up tilt in the game, it is also the slowest tilt attack of any sort, rendering it only effective for hard reads or covering ledge options. The move has a late hitbox on the height of the explosion that is extremely weak, not KOing until 195% from the center of Final Destination, though it has some niche combo ability.

|dtiltname=Leg Sweep ({{ja|掃脚|Sōkyaku}}, ''Brush Leg'')

|dtiltdesc=A crouching front kick. Above average startup on frame 10 and range makes it a good neutral tool. Also a reliable follow-up and tech-chase out of grounded Flame Choke. While it has powerful vertical knockback on the toe that can KO around 133%, it has more diagonal knockback on the thigh, making it Ganondorf's weakest and most inconsistent tilt attack overall.

|dashname=Iron Shoulder ({{ja|剛肩|Gōken}}, ''Strong Shoulder'')

|dashdesc=A shoulder tackle. Good startup on frame 10 and Ganondorf gains a quick speed boost during the move's duration. The clean hit can combo into up aerial at early percentages, and is able to reliably KO around 120%. The late hit, 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. Also a reliable follow-up and tech-chase out of grounded Flame Choke.

|fsmashname= Mountain Cleaver ({{ja|斬岩|Zangan}}, ''Slashing Rock'')

|fsmashdesc=A lunging, two-handed downward sword slash similar to {{SSBU|Ike}}'s forward smash. The 2nd strongest forward smash in the game, behind only {{SSBU|King Dedede}}'s (and the 5th strongest when applying buffs, behind {{SSBU|Kazuya}}’s (when Rage is active), King Dedede's, Max [[Aura]] {{SSBU|Lucario}}'s and {{SSBU|Hero}}'s (if a critical hit occured)), KOing at 56% from the center uncharged, and at 25% fully charged. Great reach that covers overhead and slightly behind him, and hits slightly underneath the stage, allowing it to hit ledge hangs. However, it is Ganondorf's slowest smash attack, coming out at frame 29 and has 39 frames of ending lag, making it highly punishable if not fully spaced. Deals more than half shield health uncharged and can nearly break them if fully charged. Due to an error in interpolating hitboxes, the move has a large blindspot above and in front of Ganondorf's head. Based on a sword slash Ganondorf performs in his boss battle from ''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''.

|usmashname=Heavens Slayer ({{ja|天上斬|Tenjōzan}}, ''Heavens-Above Slash'')

|usmashdesc=An overhead 180° arcing sword slash from front to back similar to {{SSBU|Ike}}'s up smash. Deceptively large vertical reach, reliably punishing airborne or rolling opponents, and its starting frames hit slightly underneath the stage, allowing it to hit ledge hangs. Very powerful, with the sword hitbox KOing opponents around 85%. Deals more than half shield health uncharged and can nearly break them if fully charged. However, it is Ganondorf's second-slowest smash attack, coming out at frame 20 and has 37 frames of ending lag, making it punishable. Has a blindspot right in front of his leg, and its rear hitboxes end just above the ground, meaning it is fully incapable of hitting {{SSBU|Snake}} and {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}} when they are crouching.<ref>[https://twitter.com/MGK_Ganondorf/status/1189105269290106880]</ref>. Thanks to its massive arc, and the fact that Ganondorf's hitboxes lower while he is preparing the slash, it is a potent anti-air, and lets Ganondorf put immense pressure on opponents on platforms. Also a good out-of-shield move against rising aerials or unsafe attacks due to its relatively fast startup.

|dsmashname=Linked Strikes ({{ja|連携突|Renkei Totsu}}, ''Linkage Thrusts'')

|dsmashdesc=Kneels and thrusts the sword hilt forward, then performs a reverse gripped thrust behind himself similar to {{SSBU|Cloud}}'s down smash. The first hit launches opponents into the second, and can [[stage spike]] with ease due to its angle, while the second hit is a semi-spike, making it useful for launching opponents with weak horizontal recoveries off-stage. It hits on frame 15, making it Ganondorf's fastest smash attack, and has rather low ending lag at 22 frames. The second hit by itself KOs around 67% near the edge. The second hit has a deceptively large vertical hitbox to help the two hits connect.

|nairname=Whirlwind Formation ({{ja|旋風陣|Senpūjin}}, ''Whirlwind Array'')

|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 [[sex kick]]s, and the late hits can cause opponents to trip. It has the farthest horizontal reach out of all of Ganondorf's aerials, allowing it to wall out approaches, but the second kick's high vertical hitbox has a tendency to whiff against smaller characters. The first kick has a hitbox on the toe that knocks grounded opponents away and is useful for creating distance, but with no KO power. It starts on frame 7, making it Ganondorf's fastest aerial attack and a decent out-of-shield move. The second kick by itself KOs around 133%. Despite the move's noticeably large blindspot and the two hits sometimes not connecting properly, its extremely high damage and knockback, quick speed and surprisingly long duration make it notorious among the community for its sheer effectiveness in Ganondorf's arsenal.

|fairname=Skull Splitter ({{ja|頭蓋割|Zugai Wari}}, ''Cranium Splitter'')

|fairdesc=An overhand. It has good reach and is very powerful, with the sweetspot KOing middleweights at 104% from center-stage. It also has decent startup and a wide hitbox that starts slightly behind Ganondorf's head. Has the latest autocancel window out of all of Ganondorf's aerials, only canceling when used from a double jump. It also has above average startup lag, coming out on frame 14. It is similar to [https://zeldawiki.wiki/wiki/File:OoT_Link_Fighting_Ganondorf_Artwork.jpg this artwork from Ocarina of time] where Ganondorf tries to punch Link.

|bairname=Backhand Fist ({{ja|裏拳|Uraken}}, ''Backfist'')

|bairdesc=A backfist. Despite the fact that it is even stronger than his forward aerial, it is rather fast, with moderate startup at frame 10, and low ending lag of 24 frames, alongside being able to autocancel from a [[short hop]]. All these factors make it rather useful to wall out approaches and is safe on shield when fully spaced. Second strongest back aerial in the game, with the sweetspot KOing middleweights at 102% from center-stage and at 75% near the edge, and is very likely to take stocks at medium percents if used quickly after a ledge trump. However, it has short reach and very small hitboxes, while its high vertical hitbox and low amount of active frames make it difficult to land on most grounded opponents, particularly those that are crouching.

|uairname=Backflip Kick ({{ja|後転脚|Kōtenkyaku}}, ''Back Turn Leg'')

|uairdesc=A flip kick. Covers a large arc above him that has good coverage and great power, with the clean hit KOing middleweights around 94% near the edge. It also starts on frame 8, making it Ganondorf's second-fastest aerial attack, and can autocancel from a short hop. It deals more damage and knockback when it hits closer to his body. The last few frames of this attack is a [[sourspot]] (often called the Tipman) that [[semi-spike]]s with extremely low horizontal knockback and high hitstun, which is deadly for edgeguarding, especially at the end. However, the move does not hit below Ganondorf, and can only hit opponents standing on the ground with the earliest hitbox.

|dairname=Thunder Drop ({{ja|落雷蹴|Rakuraishū}}, ''Thunderbolt Kick'')

|dairdesc=A double foot stomp. It discharges [[electric]]ity upon landing. It was the most powerful [[meteor smash]] in the game before the addition of {{SSBU|Byleth}}. If hit with the lower half of his body, it can KO grounded opponents under 115%, and can KO any character starting at around 15% offstage. 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. Ganondorf's slowest aerial move at frame 16. It does not start launching grounded opponents upwards until 10%, although Ganondorf can follow this with a jab.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|grabdesc=Reaches out with his left hand. Despite Ganondorf's tall stature, it only has average reach.

|pummelname=Grab Knee Kick ({{ja|つかみ膝蹴|Tsukami Hizageri}})

|pummeldesc=A knee strike. Slow but strong.

|fthrowname=Sturdy Thrust ({{ja|剛突|Gōtotsu}}, ''Strong Thrust'')

|fthrowdesc=Lifts the opponent and hits them with an uppercut. One of the highest damaging forward throws in the game and tied with up throw for Ganondorf's highest damaging throws. KOs around 150% near the edge.

|bthrowname=Rear Kick ({{ja|衝脚|Shōkyaku}}, ''Piercing Leg'')

|bthrowdesc=Throws the opponent behind himself and hits them with a sidekick. Decent knockback and can set up an edgeguard. Ganondorf's strongest throw, KOing around 145% near the ledge.

|uthrowname=Jaw Breaker ({{ja|顎砕|Gakusai}}, ''Jaw Smash'')

|uthrowdesc=Lifts the opponent overhead and hits them with an upward palm strike. Tied with forward throw for Ganondorf's highest damaging throws. High base knockback and low knockback growth make it unsuitable for follow-ups while preventing it from KOing until 240%.

|dthrowname=Dirt Drop Crusher ({{ja|地割落|Jiwariraku}}, ''Earth Splitting Fall'')

|dthrowdesc=A one-handed body slam. An extremely useful combo starter, capable of setting up into dash attack, neutral aerial, forward aerial, [[reverse aerial rush]] back aerial, up aerial, or [[Wizard's Foot]] at 0% to medium percentages. Additionally, its back aerial combo becomes a KO setup at higher percentages.

|floorfdesc=A leg sweep performed from a flare, an acrobatic technique used in breakdancing and gymnastics.

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

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

|ssdesc=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. On the ground, the move has [[super armor]] as Ganondorf holds his opponent in the air, and its low ending lag allows follow-ups into neutral attack, forward tilt, down tilt, or dash attack, but the opponent can [[tech]] and enforce [[tech-chase]]s. 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, however opponents can escape by button mashing if their percentage is lower than Ganondorf's, and Ganondorf himself will always lose if he and his opponents are on their last stocks. Due to functioning as a [[grab]], it bypasses shields and counterattacks, while it can also be used for a short-ranged horizontal recovery option due to it grabbing edges. Moderately slow startup of 16 frames and surprisingly poor reach as the grab box does not even cover Ganondorf's hand.

|usdesc=Leaps upward and, upon coming into contact with an opponent, latches onto them and discharges electricity before launching off of them with a dark explosion. The throw is very powerful, KOing around 89% near the edge, making it somewhat risky to edgeguard should he land it while facing away from the stage. Should Ganondorf successfully land a grab, he is not rendered [[helpless]] and can use it again. If the grab misses an opponent, Ganondorf will perform a dark magic-infused uppercut that does weak knockback. Covers a very small amount of horizontal distance, but a decent amount vertically making it a sub-par [[recovery]] move. The move also has noticeable ending lag (25 frames) after a successful grab, making it possible (though relatively difficult) to [[tech]] against a wall and punish Ganondorf with good timing. Decent startup at frame 14 making it a decent out-of-shield but has a high grab box placement that frequently whiffs smaller opponents on the ground.

|dsdesc=A dark magic-infused flying kick. On the ground, it has good damage that beats most weak projectiles and high knockback that KOs around 93% near the edge. In the air, Ganondorf flies diagonally downward and performs a powerful [[meteor smash]] during its startup, while its late hit launches opponents vertically instead. A small shockwave is formed around Ganondorf when he lands on the ground, which does 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 moderately slow startup (16 frames), moderate ending lag (26 frames), very high [[landing lag]] (45 frames), very small hitboxes, and is extremely risky to use off-stage.

|fsdesc=Uses the [[zeldawiki:Triforce|Triforce of Power]] to transform into Ganon, his boar-like demonic form. Immediately upon transforming, Ganon performs downward slashes with his swords and then charges straight ahead. The downward slashes at the start are extremely powerful [[meteor smash]]es, usually making it a guaranteed KO against opponents who are not on solid ground. Meanwhile, the charge appears to have high base knockback but very little knockback scaling, resulting in it KOing most characters at low percents when used near the ledge of Final Destination, but conversely, not KOing when used on the center, even at 100%, ironically for a Final Smash.

*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''.

 

*'''Up taunt''': 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. Resembles his transformation into Ganon before the final battle in ''Ocarina of Time''.

*'''Side taunt''': Punches his right hand into his open palm in a threatening pose and scoffs, with electricity emitting from his hands afterward. When the electricity is emitted, his cape will flow as if being blown by the wind.

SSBUGanondorfIdle1.gif|Ganondorf's first idle pose.

SSBUGanondorfIdle2.gif|Ganondorf's second idle pose.

*'''Left:''' Turns to his left, flips his cape, and pumps his fist, showing the back of it. Resembles the way Ganondorf beckons Link into his battle in ''Ocarina of Time''.

*'''Right:''' Flips his cape before crossing his arms while laughing; reminiscent to the cutscene that plays after Link pulls the Master Sword in ''Ocarina of Time'', and ending with a sinister grin.

[[File:ZeldaSeriesVictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|A flourished and abridged remix of the theme that plays when [[Link]] obtains a [[zeldawiki:Triforce|Triforce Piece]] in ''{{iw|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda|Game}}'' and has since become the main theme of ''The Legend of Zelda'' series.]]

==In [[competitive play]]==

===Most historically significant players===

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

 

*{{Sm|Gungnir|Japan}} - A pioneer in Ganondorf's metagame known for creating the "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ56AEjrkzo Gungnir Combo]". He seldomly competes offline, with his only notable appearances being 2nd at {{Trn|NUMASUMA 8}} defeating {{Sm|Ly}} and 33rd at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 9}}. However, he is well-known in Japan's online metagame, regularly performing well on [[Smashmate]] and ranking as high as 5th on the [https://smashmate.net/record/37/ 14th] Smashmate SP ranking.

*{{Sm|Komegura|Japan}} - One of the two best Ganondorf players in the post-pandemic metagame. He is best known for being the only Ganondorf player who was able to place higher than 33rd at a major, doing so by placing 25th at {{Trn|UltCore}}. He also notably upset {{Sm|Jagaimo}} at {{Trn|Kagaribi 7}} to place 33rd. These two results remain the best solo-Ganondorf major performances of all-time.

*{{Sm|Litany|Canada}} - The best Ganondorf player in Canada. Placed 13th at {{Trn|The Amuka Smash Cup}}, 65th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}}, and 97th at both {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Jw}}, {{Sm|Smokk}}, and {{Sm|tamim}}. Currently ranked 2nd on the [[York Region Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|York Region Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Major|USA}} - One of the two best Ganondorf players in the post-pandemic metagame who is best known for his regional performances. His 7th-place finishes at {{Trn|Cascadia Clash 2023}} and {{Trn|Lacombe Dome The Movie}} remain the only top 8 placement from a solo-Ganondorf main at a C-tier or above outside of sandbagging. In addition, he has placed 9th at {{Trn|ALOHA BEACHES}} and 17th at both {{Trn|Daddy's Den X Supreme}} and {{Trn|Keep It Chill 4: Furret's Fiesta}}, defeating {{Sm|Scend}} and {{Sm|Mr.E}} at the latter two events.

*{{Sm|Rickles|USA}} - The best Ganondorf player in the world in the early metagame. He was the first successful Ganondorf player at [[PGR]]-ranked events. He is best known for placing 65th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}}, where he defeated {{Sm|Lima}} and {{Sm|Rivers}}, as well as a variety of Midwest regional and superregional events, including 9th at {{Trn|Frosty Faustings XII 2020}} and 17th at {{Trn|Smash Out 2019}}. He has not been as active since then, although he notably placed 33rd at {{Trn|Riptide}}.

===Tier placement and history===

Public opinion on Ganondorf during ''Ultimate''{{'}}s early months was high due to improvements to his flaws from previous games, with some players comparing him to his [[Ganondorf (SSBM)|''Melee'' self]]. This positive opinion was supported by {{Sm|Nairo}}'s surprise yet successful usage of the character against {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}} at {{Trn|Collision 2019}}, which led many players to believe that Ganondorf was viable, or at least better than what he was in the previous two games.  

 

However, this positive perception did not last long as more players realized Ganondorf still has severe difficulty in approaching, recovering, and escaping disadvantage. This especially was problematic in ''Ultimate'', as the general fast pace of the game's engine meant that many characters can easily outpace and overwhelm Ganondorf. In addition, Ganondorf lacked any fast, long-ranged options, leaving him incredibly vulnerable to camping. All of his weaknesses were compounded with how Ganondorf mostly received minor changes in patches while other low-tier characters received significant buffs. Finally, Ganondorf's playerbase remains one of the smallest, if not the smallest, in the game, and even in spite of efforts such as {{Sm|Rickles}} in the early metagame and {{Sm|Komegura}} and {{Sm|Major}} post-pandemic, Ganondorf results remain incredibly scarce after Nairo's Collision 2019 run, especially at a major level. Although he is significantly better than his ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' iterations, many players consider Ganondorf to be the absolute worst character in the game, especially as many other low-tier characters such as {{SSBU|Little Mac}} and {{SSBU|King K. Rool}} had more success than Ganondorf. As such, Ganondorf has been ranked dead last on the first two tier lists, and is the only character ranked in the E- tier on the second tier list.

Ganondorf fights against the heroes and protagonists of various series.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{CharHead|Mario|SSBU|hsize=20px}} and {{CharHead|Luigi|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[New Donk City Hall]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Underground Moon Caverns}}''||

|2||{{CharHead|Fox|SSBU|hsize=20px}} and {{CharHead|Falco|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Lylat Cruise]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Star Fox|Return to Corneria - Star Fox Zero}}''||

|3|| {{CharHead|Shulk|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Gaur Plain]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Xenoblade|Time to Fight! - Xenoblade Chronicles}}''||

|4||{{CharHead|Marth|SSBU|hsize=20px}}, {{CharHead|Ike|SSBU|hsize=20px}}, and {{CharHead|Roy|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Coliseum]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Fire Emblem|Lords-Showdown}}''||

|5||{{CharHead|Palutena|SSBU|hsize=20px}} and {{CharHead|Pit|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Skyworld]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Destroyed Skyworld}}''||

|6||{{CharHead|Zelda|SSBU|hsize=20px}} and {{CharHead|Link|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Great Plateau Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Calamity Ganon Battle - Second Form}}''||

Ganondorf was one of the many fighters that fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat. He is unlocked in the [[Sacred Land]] in [[The Dark Realm]] on the top of the land which makes up the Triforce of Power. This land can only be accessed after interacting with the Master Sword (just after the {{SSBU|Cloud}} unlock). Unlocking Ganondorf will briefly reveal the Triforce of Power in the center of the map before disappearing to reveal [[Ganon]]'s castle and his boss battle.

{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

!style="width:5%;"|No.

!style="width:5%;"|Image

!Name

!Type

!Power

!Stage

!Music

|23

|[[File:Ganondorf SSBU.png|center|64x64px]]

|{{SpiritType|Attack}} <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>

|10,700

|[[Bridge of Eldin]] ([[Ω form]])

|''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Death Mountain}}''

{{clr}}

Ganondorf's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Ganondorf has been unlocked. Unlocking Ganondorf in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Additionally, Ganondorf makes appearances in various primary spirits, including a few as [[Ganon]].

SSBU spirit Ganondorf.png|175. '''''Ganondorf'''''

SSBU spirit Ganon.png|191. Ganon

SSBU spirit Ganondorf (Twilight Princess).png|220. Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)

SSBU spirit Beast Ganon.png|221. Beast Ganon

SSBU spirit Calamity Ganon.png|243. Calamity Ganon

|{{SpiritTableName|Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)|size=64}}

|''The Legend of Zelda'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} (160 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Calamity Ganon|size=64}}

|''The Legend of Zelda'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Dark Mind|size=64}}

|''Kirby'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Andross (Star Fox 64 3D)|size=64}}

|''Star Fox'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Black Shadow|iw=fzerowiki|size=64}}

|''F-Zero'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Jagen|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Ashnard|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} (80 HP)<br>•{{SSBU|Charizard}} {{Head|Charizard|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Purple}} (80 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Walhart|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Violet}} (160 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|[[Coliseum]] (hazards off)

|{{SpiritTableName|Garon|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Purple}} (160 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Hades|size=64}}

|''Kid Icarus'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Reaper & Reapette|link=y|size=64}}

|''Kid Icarus'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Purple}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}×8

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Sigma|size=64}}

|''Mega Man X'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Violet}} (160 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|[[Midgar]] (hazards off)

|{{SpiritTableName|M. Bison|size=64}}

|''Street Fighter'' Series

|•Reflect {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} {{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Violet}} (180 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Nyna|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

The Legend of Zelda artwork.png|Artwork of all ''The Legend of Zelda'' fighters, as posted on the official Legend of Zelda Twitter account.

SSBUWebsiteGanondorf6.jpg|Performing [[Ganon, The Demon King]] on Arena Ferox.

GanondorfWarlockPunchSSBU.png|Using Warlock Punch on {{SSBU|Sheik}}.

KazuyaTW.jpg|{{SSBU|Kazuya}} fighting Ganondorf on [[Mishima Dojo]].

===Fighter Showcase Video===

*Despite now being based on his ''Ocarina of Time'' appearance again, Ganondorf's unlock battle takes place on [[Bridge of Eldin]], which is from ''Twilight Princess''.

*''Ultimate'' is the first game where Ganondorf has voice clips specifically for ''Smash'' as opposed to re-purposing them from the ''Zelda'' series. This also applies to {{SSBU|Link}}.

*Until the release of ''Tears of the Kingdom'', neither ''Zelda'' game whose bases served as the redesigns for Link and {{SSBU|Zelda}} in ''Ultimate'' featured Ganondorf with a humanoid form. This is especially most noticeable during [[Media:What is Zelda canon.jpg|their brief cameos]] in {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s and {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}'s reveal trailers.

*Despite reverting back to his ''Ocarina of Time'' design in this game, Ganondorf is the only returning ''Zelda'' character from ''SSB4'' (excluding {{SSBU|Toon Link}}) to have his ''Twilight Princess'' design directly referenced in this game, as a spirit.

*Ganondorf’s extreme power has become a popular meme within the community, most notably associated with his forward smash (humorously nicknamed as "Doriyah" by the community, based on his exclamation during the attack), as well as his general ability to take stocks before his opponents despite being at much higher percentages than they are.

*In [[World of Light]], despite being able to transform into Ganon, the Demon King, Ganondorf is awakened before having to fight his monstrous form. This is unlike {{SSBU|Bowser}}, who is fought in his [[Giga Bowser]] form and is awakened after the battle.