Ganondorf is one of the most iconic villains to ever grace a Nintendo console. And you can become a pro with him!

Via @ fanbyte

Ganondorf is quite popular among gamers because he appeared in three different Smash games (and he’ll be returning for a fourth). His moveset provides players with plenty of options to keep the opponent guessing with powerful instant-death combos. He’s wreaking havoc in Smash Bros, and is hailed as one of the heaviest hitters in the game!

Strengths & Weaknesses

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Strengths

  • Ganon’s movesets are quite similar to Captain Falcon, albeit a much heavier version.
  • He offers an the incredible amount of damage output from single attacks.
  • His smash attacks can do devastating damage, at the cost of being incredibly slow.
  • His smash attacks can cover a lot of distance, which can make baiting your opponents easier.
  • Can kill squishy characters that are as low as 40%.
  • Has many highlight reel moves that are instant kills if at a certain percentage.

Weaknesses

  • Low jump height can make it difficult to recover from a single mistake or if launched at high percentages from opponents of higher skill levels.
  • He also has a hard time dodging projectiles and dealing with characters with range.
  • His smash attacks can be hard to land if the opponent is good at evading.
  • An experienced player will be able to react to Ganon’s moves due to the slow timing, so outsmarting your opponent takes precedence.

Main Abilities

If you’re convinced that the Evil King is your type of character, then have a look at his high-risk high-reward moveset:

Via @ nocookie
  • Warlock Punch (B) – Channels dark energy into a devastating punch. Difficult to interrupt
  • Flame Choke (Side + B) – Rushes forward to grab an enemy. Grabbed enemies are thrown straight down.
  • Dark Dive (Up + B) – Leap[s upward and grabs opponents, electrocuting and launching them. It can’t be blocked by a shield
  • Wizard’s Foot (Down + B) – Propels forward with a kick charged by dark power. In the air, he plunges diagonally downward.
  • Ganon, the Demon King (Final Smash) – Ganondorf transforms into a boar-like beast, stuns nearby opponents with his two gigantic blades, and then charges forward with full force to the edge of the stage. This move can hit all opponents in Ganondorf’s line of attack.

As can be expected, his abilities are powerful, with many of them having a lot of follow-up potential.

In the Super Smash Ultimate version of the game, Ganondorf differs from previous installments of the game via the use of his sword!

Here are ways you can use this to your advantage:

Smash Attacks

Ganondorf’s powerful Smash attacks involve the use of his sword.

Via @ cloudfront
  • Up Smash – A overhead sword swing from front to back.
  • Forward Smash – A downward sword slash in front, same as Ike’s forward smash.
  • Down Smash – A forward hilt thrust that leads into a backwards stab, similar to Cloud’s down smash.

These smash attacks can potentially end squishy opponent in 2 hits, from 0%, or 3 – 4 moves for heavier opponents. The trick to landing hits is by being unpredictable, and timing them correctly. They are higher-risk since they take a longer time to execute, but the damage output is worth all that risk!

Just take a look at this instant death on a Pichu who was on 40%:

Aerial Attacks

Via @ gamebanana
  • Up Aerial – Spinning backflip kick, similar to Captain Falcon’s up air.
  • Neutral Aerial – Kicks forward twice, similar to Captain Falcon’s forward air.
  • Back Aerial – Spinning back fist.

These aerial attacks can be combo’d together and can be dealt as finishing blows.

If you can successfully combo neutral airs in succession off the sides of the map, you can end an opponent no matter what his health is, because he will be too far gone to make a comeback!

Grabs

You’ll find that Ganondorf has some excellent grabs!

Via @ narvii
  • Forward Throw – Slams your opponent onto the ground, where they bounce high into the air. This is the best grab to follow up with any aerial attack combos.
  • Backward Throw – Throws your enemy behind you where they will be forced to take a tumble. Perfect to create distance to re-engage or if you can throw them off the map.
  • Flame Choke is a fiery (well, duh) grab! More hot details below!

There are many different combos you can do with Ganondorf’s grabs, with his forward throw being the combo starter.

Grabs are an essential part of breaking someone who uses their bubble heavily. While most of your opponents will be busy trying to bubble out of your smash attacks, mixing in grab attacks will throw them off balance – almost literally!

Here’s an example of Ganondorf leading with a grab and ending with an instant death combo:

Highlight Reel Moves

Via Dragon Smash @ Youtube

There are two moves that your enemies will be fearful of if they are as low as 30%, and these are the Warlock’s Punch and the Volcano Kick.

And then there’s using the Flame Choke as a cheese play that’s also instant death if done correctly. I only recommend using this if you are up a life, as you will be sacrificing one of your own.

Volcano Kick (Up Tilt)

Ganon’s Volcano Kick is highlight reel worthy, and can be spectacular — or a straight up disaster!

It’s a kick where Ganon lifts his leg up and stomps the ground, dealing devastating damage to a small area in front of him. This move can only be used when Ganon is on the ground, so it’s a great move to use when you’re edge guarding.

The power up time is similar to the Warlock’s Punch and your opponent can dodge it easily if not performed with the right timing. But when you land it, it’s super satisfying!

Take a look at the Volcano Kick in action:

Warlock’s Punch (B)

Unlike the Volcano Kick which needs to be performed on the ground, you can use the Warlock’s Punch while in mid air. This allows you for more options and can help you get some style points.

You can also turn Ganondorf to the punch the opposite way if you tilt your controller to the opposite side of where Ganon is facing (at the start of the move). You can use this to bait your opponent to dodge to the opposite side of where you are facing.

The key to landing the Warlock’s Punch is to use it in unpredictable situations, like so:

Flame Choke (Side + B)

This is a great move to land and can be used to follow up with other moves, especially smash attacks.

However, if you want some highlight reel worthy clips, then you can use Flame Choke as a game-ender since it’s instant death (for both of you) if used off the map!

Be sure to use it when your opponent is at a medium-high percentage so they can’t escape the grab even if they reacted quickly enough.

This is how it would look like if done correctly:

Most Effective Combos

Via smashbros

It would be hard to showcase Ganon’s combos through text, so we have compiled a list of videos that we thought were great guides to learning to use the character effectively.

1. Simple Bread & Butter Combos by Frenzy Light (ft. MGK):

Below are simple combos you can use to get some damage on your opponent without them being able to react.

2. Pro Ganondorf Guide by Jules Trades:

Jules Trades explains his thought process behind doing certain Ganondorf moves:

3. Most Hyped Ganondorf Combos/Plays by Dragon Smash:

You can pick up many ideas from pro players by watching their highlights:

A Beast of a Brawler

Via @ forbes

Ganondorf is a powerful foe in the Zelda games, and an equally powerful character in Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

He has a large and varied moveset, with some of the most powerful attacks in the game. He can be difficult to play due to his slow movement speed and low jump height, which make him vulnerable when launched offstage or if he misses an attack against a better player. His lack of recovery options also requires careful timing in order to keep from being KO’ed easily.

Sakurai said that Ganondorf was added as “a character that would provide different types of challenges” for veteran Smash players.

However, Ganondorf is one example where this description certainly rings true:

Mastering his skillset will take many hours put into practice, but those who do so will find themselves able to dominate opponents.

He is definitely one of our favorite characters, and if you don’t mind playing a villain like Ganondorf, then he’s the perfect choice for those who have a high-risk high-reward playstyle!