11 Best Versions Of Ganon In The Legend Of Zelda

Ganon has been in the Legend of Zelda games in different ways, and here is a list of all of them and how they compare.

Ganon is the most well-known bad guy from The Legend of Zelda. Since his first appearance in 1986’s The Legend of Zelda, he has been the most common bad guy in the long history of the series. He has shown up in many different forms over the years.

Because each form of The Demon King is so different from the others, there is a lot of talk about which one is the strongest. Here are all of Ganon’s different forms, ranked by how powerful they are.

Game Over Ganon (Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link)

Ganon doesn’t even show up in Zelda II, so this is a bit of an odd entry. Instead, he shows up on the game over screen of the only side-scrolling Zelda game, which is a scary hint that Ganon will take over the country if Link dies.

Ganon was so badly hurt by Link in the first game that he needs Link’s blood to come back to life. The game is mostly about Link’s quest to wake up Princess Zelda. Ganon’s only clear connection to the game’s events are his many minions.

Resurrected Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure)

Ganon doesn’t show up until pretty late in this spin-off of Zelda. Vaati is the main bad guy in Four Swords Adventure. When you finally get to fight this Ganon after you beat Vaati, it’s a pretty exciting fight.

This form of Ganon can teleport Link to the Dark World, and he has a spear attack that can be used like a Boomerang. Some of Ganon’s minions will also show up during the fight. Link can finally stop this version of Ganon by using the Magic Bow that Zelda gives him.

Original Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda)

Ganon makes his first entry in the series in the very first game, and it’s a lot more complicated than you might think. He teleports around the room and throws fireballs at Link. When he stops to rest, Link can attack.

It’s a pretty short fight, though, and if you think about it, it’s not the epic ending you’re used to from The Legend Of Zelda games. But for a first try, it’s more than good enough, and it was a good start for the series’ famous bad guy.

Oracles Ganon (Oracles Of Ages / Seasons)

This form of Ganon is a mega boss, and you can’t fight him until you’ve finished both Oracle games. It definitely makes the fight feel more epic, and it’s a real test. It’s a good “reward” for beating the final bosses in both games.

Ganon can still teleport, and he can also hit with a trident slash, magic projectiles, and a very dangerous stomp attack. Near the end of the fight, he also has a cool party trick where Link’s keys for moving are switched. Ganon can only be hurt by spin strikes if Link doesn’t have the Master Sword or Biggoron’s Sword.

Yuga Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds)

This is one of the more interesting Ganon fights, mostly because it makes great use of drawing, which was the most interesting part of A Link Between Worlds. Link has to hide himself in the arena’s walls so he can chase Yuga and shoot the Bow of Light at him.

Yuga also shoots big energy balls at Link, and Link has to play tennis with him to stop them from hurting him. He can also hit Link with a powerful spear that he can throw at him. It’s a tough but fun battle, and one of the most remembered in the 2D games.

Evil King Ganon (A Link To The Past)

Ganon’s strongest 2D form is made up of five different parts. Each phase makes it harder for Link to beat the Demon King. There is still the ability to throw a trident, but there is also a fire attack that follows Link and some good old-fashioned floors that fall down. There’s even a part where it gets dark in the arena and Link has to light some torches while Ganon keeps attacking.

It’s more of an endurance test than anything else. You’ll move on to the next step by staying alive, not by doing damage, so being able to dodge is very important. The whole game of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past leads up to this fight, and it’s a great way to end one of the best games in the series.

Calamity Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild)

Ganon’s look in 2017 is also almost alien. Ganon in this form was able to destroy Hyrule and take control of Hyrule Castle. Only Zelda’s magic kept the whole country from falling to his evil.

Even when the four Divine Beasts work together, they can only take away half of his health. After that, Link has to deal with a barrage of attacks based on the Blights you meet earlier in Doodle Baseball. At some point, you’ll see Ganon change into his Dark Beast form, and Link will have to use the Bow of Light to break Ganon’s hold on Hyrule.

Gerudo Ganondorf (Ocarina Of Time)

Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time is the first time you’ll fight this version of the character, and it sets up the fights you’ll see in every other game. Ganondorf can hit Link in a number of ways, including with a shockwave, an energy ball, and a beam of energy with many points.

When Ganondorf is defeated, he changes into Ganon and brings down the castles around him. He then knocks the Master Sword out of Link’s hands, so Link must fight the beast without the famous weapon. Ganon will try to attack one last time, but if you stop him and then hit him in the head, this great battle will be over.

Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)

The fight with Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker might be the most unique of all the Zelda games. The Puppet Ganon sequence is a tough and incredibly clever buildup to the big final fight. Link then faces Ganondorf, who is holding two swords and towering over him in a way that makes the end of the scene even more satisfying.

Most fights focus on magic, but this one is different because Ganondorf is a much better fighter. In the beginning of the fight, Zelda helps you, but after Ganondorf knocks her out, it’s just you and him. Ganondorf will throw out a series of attacks that you can’t stop; you can only avoid them. Eventually, Link will give the final blow by stabbing Ganondorf in the head, which turns him to stone.

Dark Lord Ganondorf (The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the most serious game in the series, and the final boss battle represents this. Don’t forget that this Ganondorf has taken over two different worlds and can fight one of the most powerful versions of Link.

Ganondorf and his Beast form are both hard to deal with, and the way Link kills Ganondorf at the end of the fight makes for an epic ending to Twilight Princess and is one of the most remembered moments in the history of the series.

Demon King Ganondorf (Tears Of The Kingdom)

Maybe in a few years, we’ll look back at this list and understand that we put the most recent things at the top. If so, we’ll change the order. But right now, with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom just coming out, we feel pretty good about our number one pick. In Breath of the Wild, players fought the monster Ganon. In its straight sequel, the Gerudo form, players take on the role of the Gerudo.

And man, he looks so different here. Ganondorf’s fight is a three-stage event with many great parts that bring to mind fights from earlier 3D Zelda games. Ganondorf pulls out all the stops in Tears of the Kingdom, both as a person and as the scary dragon he turns into. You’ll need to be ready to do the same.

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