Ganondorf


 * For fighter info, see Ganondorf (SSBM) and Ganondorf (SSBB).
 * "Ganon" redirects here, for his final smash, see Beast Ganon

Ganondorf (ガノンドロフ, Ganondorofu) is the main antagonist in the The Legend of Zelda video game series. His first appearance was as his beast form known as Gannon (ガノン, Ganon) in the original The Legend of Zelda game. However, his beast form is refered to as Ganon in later games. The name "Ganondorf" was first mentioned in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with the villain making his first appearance as Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Since then, the name "Ganondorf" has been used to refer to his human form, while "Ganon" is used for his monster form, the only exception being in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, though at times the names were used interchangeably in said game. In either case, he has been Link's arch-enemy since day one.

Ganondorf has appeared as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee and appears again in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Character Description
Ganondorf was originally introduced in the original The Legend of Zelda game as Gannon. Here, he was established as a power hungry monster who had kidnapped Princess Zelda for her piece of the Triforce, but was destroyed by Link at the end of the game. Since then, collecting the Triforce and conquering Hyrule has usually been Ganon's main goal in the series. He has appeared or been mentioned in nearly every Zelda game, with four exceptions: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass,  Legend Of Zelda Spirit Tracks and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Note that in Phantom Hourglass, he was included in the prologue, describing the events from Wind Waker, in which Ganondorf appears.

Ganon's appearance has changed over the course of the series. In his first appearance, he appears as a monster whose facial features are like that of a pig's with turquoise skin (though it will change to red at one point, which is the cue to hit him with the Silver Arrow), while in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, he has blue skin and turns silver when weak to the aforementioned Silver Arrows. In Ocarina of Time, Ganon's skin is dark green and he has yellow eyes (and so far, this and Twilight Princess are the only games to depict Ganon with a tail). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, in a departure from previous games, features a quadrupedal Ganon for the first time, and appears as more of a boar than a pig. In games that include the Penguin Ray item, he, when zapped, takes on the form of a penguin.

In his first appearance as Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it is revealed that he is the only male in the Gerudo Tribe, born every 100 years. All Gerudos are identified by their noticeably darker skin (which may be due to living in the desert) and red hair. He is seen wearing armor in both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, while in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker he appears to be wearing sorcerer's robes.

Ganon is the primary villain in most of the Zelda games, with his schemes usually involving kidnapping Princess Zelda, conquering the land of Hyrule, or obtaining the Triforce (sometimes all three). Therefore, he has never been a playable character in any Zelda game.

Unlike most of Nintendo's other famous villains, such as Bowser, Ganondorf is a cunning, intelligent, and an extremely powerful character. In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf accomplishes something that Bowser (and many other villains) struggle with--he conquered the world. Thus, Link had to build up his strength so he could take Hyrule back from Ganondorf, who had ruled for seven years by that point.

Whether he appears as Ganondorf or as Ganon (A Link to the Past's game manual gives him the name Ganondorf Dragmire which is a name which hasn't appeared before or since), Hyrule knows that it will be facing an incredible evil that only Link and Zelda can stop.

As a playable character

 * Main article: Ganondorf (SSBM)

Ganondorf makes his first appearance in the Smash Bros. series as a secret playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee. He can be unlocked after completing Triforce Gathering or by playing 600 VS. matches.

Ganondorf is considered a clone of Captain Falcon due to their similar moves, though he does have a few notable differences. Overall, Ganondorf is slower, but more powerful. Ganondorf's neutral attack is a single jab instead of being an infinite jab combo like Captain Falcon's. The most notable difference is that they have different f-airs, as while Captain Falcon has the famous knee, Ganondorf has a flying punch, also referred to as the Skull Crusher. The primary statistical difference between the two is that Ganondorf's f-air is not as powerful as the knee, but it has no sourspot, along with greater reach. Ganondorf is also heavier, making him more difficult to KO horizontally than Captain Falcon (though Captain Falcon's faster falling speed gives him greater vertical endurance).

Trophies
By tradition, Ganondorf as a playable character is featured on his personal three trophies. His normal trophy is acquired by beating the Classic mode with Ganondorf on any difficulty, and his Smash Red and Smash Blue trophies are acquired the same way by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively.

His normal Classic-mode trophy reads as follows:


 * Ganondorf
 * Said to be the sole man born to the Gerudo tribe in a hundred years, Ganondorf aspired to conquer the world. He plundered a piece of the sacred Triforce from the Temple of Time when Link pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. With the Triforce of Power in Ganondorf's possession, Hyrule was plunged into darkness until Link and Zelda defeated the fiend.
 * The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, 11/98

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Ganondorf reappears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a secret playable character, once again unavailable from the start, and uses his Twilight Princess appearance, though somewhat stockier. Some of his attacks have changed from his Melee set and have undergone large aesthetic changes, while his other attacks are similar to their Melee counterparts. In Brawl, his attacks are noticeably more sluggish and have less reach. His jumping ability, walking/dashing speed, and his air speed have been hindered, which hinders his mobility rather severely. His rolling dodges, once on par with Captain Falcon's (from whom they were inherited), are now slower and gain less distance.

Beast Ganon also appears as Ganondorf's Final Smash. Once the Smash Ball is retrieved and activated by the player, Ganondorf immediately transforms into the Twilight Princess rendition of Beast Ganon. In beast form, he stomps his front legs on the ground, immobilizing any foes in his wake, pounding them down into the earth, making them unable to perform any actions. The beast then charges straightforward into the direction he was last facing when the Final Smash was activated.

Trophies
Ganondorf has a trophy that is awarded each time the Classic Mode is completed with Ganondorf on any difficulty. See Beast Ganon for the trophy description of Ganondorf's Final Smash:

Ganondorf
''A man who wants to use the power of the Triforce to conquer the world. In Twilight Princess, he gives strength to the Twilight King, Zant, and tries to change the land into a world of darkness. He possesses Zelda, transforms into a magical beast, and attacks Link. In the end, however, Link deals him a finishing blow and defeats him.''
 * Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
 * Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)

Ganondorf (Wind Waker)
''The king of evil. Ganondorf aims to collect the Triforce pieces and rule the world. Already in possession of the Triforce of Power, he secures Zelda and her Triforce of Wisdom, thus luring Link to his castle. However, he is ultimately defeated by Zelda's Light Arrows and Link's Master Sword.''
 * Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2003)

Trivia

 * Ganondorf and Sheik are the only playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series that do not have a playable appearance in any other video game (though Zelda is playable in Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks).
 * In both Super Smash Bros. games that he appears in, his worst matchup is vs Sheik; in Super Smash Bros. Melee it is 20:80, while in Super Smash Bros. Brawl it is 0:100.
 * In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Ganondorf also has 0:100 matchups against Ice Climbers, and Olimar.
 * While performing his Down Taunt, Ganondorf pulls out the execution sword he stole in Twilight Princess from the ancient sages. Although it is inaccessible as a fighting tool in-game, hacking the game would provide a mock means of doing so.