Brawler Arsenal

Grounded Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Ganondorf strikes with a tremendously powerful, electrified palm punch. He doesn’t have follow-up attacks for a combo with his neutral attack; it’s just the one beefy hit. It’s his fastest physical attack, and out-damages most fighters’ neutral attack combos with one strike, so it’s a staple for him by default. It has good reach, and if shielded, it’s safe from guaranteed strike counterattacks! If foes are close enough, they can snag Ganondorf by canceling shield with grab, so it’s not totally safe unless well-spaced.

This is a great poke for Ganondorf, useful on offense in a way most neutral attacks aren’t. Even though it’s his fastest swing, it’s not a quick punish choice right after blocking an attack. If foes are close enough, a shield grab is the quickest response Ganondorf can muster.

This move has one glaring weakness: Ganondorf is so big that neutral attack totally misses very small or crouching fighters who are under Ganondorf’s arm. Opt to grab the tiniest brawlers up close, or poke with short-hopping neutral air attack, fast-falling halfway through.

Dash Attack

Hunching to shift his weight, Ganondorf plows forward out of a run with a bruising shoulder check. This lasts a fair bit of time, with max launch acceleration and damage early. A hit late in active frames deals less damage and flips foes over Ganondorf’s shoulder, so be ready.

It’s not fast in general for a dash attack in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it’s almost as fast as Ganondorf’s neutral attack and grab. It’s technically unsafe shielded, but after an early hit, right as he juts his shoulder, Ganondorf’s momentum can carry him clean through. If the opponent shields facing the shoulder, Ganondorf ends up to the opponent’s back, safe from shield grabs and front-hitting pokes. (They might still get him with something that hits on both sides quickly, like some up tilts or short-hopping air moves. At least this checks how much attention they’re paying.)

A blocked hit to their front side at the very end of active frames isn’t too bad either, only vulnerable to guaranteed reprisal from the fastest jabs. But shield grabs probably get you.

Defensive Attacks

Tilts

Side Tilt

Ganondorf kicks straight ahead with a heavy boot kick, dealing the most damage at his foot. As damage piles up on opponents, this kick starts to knock them back low and far. It leaves Ganondorf punishably disadvantaged when shielded, but if you aim to hit with his boot, the sweet spot, the pushback is probably enough to keep him safe. Plus, it dishes out superb shield damage for a side tilt.

It’s a tiny bit slower than neutral attack, but doesn’t whiff over smaller fighters. (This is only good from its max range, against the smaller fighters. They’ll probably jab you three times point-blank before you extend side tilt once.)

Up Tilt

This unique tilt attack is one of the most unconventional moves in the game. Ganondorf begins by holding a leg aloft for a full second, gathering strength. During this time, when wind is kicked up ahead of him, opponents are sucked in toward him, pulled from a distance of about two dashes. At the end of the second of gathering power, his foot crashes down in a powerful, burning axe kick. On hit, this deals incredibly high damage for a tilt attack, and if blocked, it shatters their shield in one blow!

In terms of use, this serves as a kind of slightly faster alternate version of his neutral special (Warlock Punch), an extremely slow, extremely powerful single hit. Both have a gimmick to help mitigate lengthy start lag. For Warlock Punch it’s super armor, while for up tilt it’s the wind suction, which can drag in foes who react poorly. It also makes up tilt useful on the edge of other skirmishes, when a fighter not paying attention to Ganondorf might wander into suction range just in time to get burned by the kick.

Down Tilt

Ganondorf lies low and sticks one leg way out in front. This hits at the same speed as side tilt but with a lower profile for both Ganondorf and the hitbox. At medium-damage percentages and higher, it launches on hit, allowing for immediate air hits or follow-up mix-ups. It’s at a small disadvantage on block, like neutral attack, but only the fastest attacks can hit him back. As usual, with such long limbs, making sure you aim with the extended foot goes a long way toward preventing successful clapbacks.

Smashes

Side Smash

Ganondorf comes a little more heavily armed this time, using a massive greatsword for his smash moves. For side smash, Ganondorf brings his greatsword crashing down in front of him, slashing in an arc from up-back to down-forward.

Even for a heavyweight side smash, this is slow, not hitting until a half-second after initiation. The first hitting frame is aimed up-back, but with such a long lead-in time, this is impossible to consistently aim on purpose. It’s more likely to result in an accidental hit sometimes against someone who’s not the primary target.

On hit, the damage and KO potential are amazing, especially charged. Since the sword slashes in an arc forward, charging it can be an intimidating gambit while edge-guarding, waiting for someone to drift back to a stage edge. If it’s shielded, it does enormous shield damage. It’s punishable on block, but the move’s pushback might save Ganondorf. If the opponent’s shield is broken, the disadvantage on block becomes irrelevant.

Up Smash

Ganondorf attacks in a rainbow arc covering first in front, then slashing above and behind. Its angle makes it appropriate for anti-air swings and low-altitude juggles, but not on short notice. It’s not quite as slow as side smash, but it’s below average even for a heavyweight up smash, hitting in a third of a second. Once it gets going, it has the same advantages as side smash: Ganondorf covers a huge area with the sword’s hitbox, which beats out anything in the way. Again, quick defenders can block and strike back and hit Ganondorf before he can shield up, but the strong move’s pushback might gain enough space to protect his end lag.

Down Smash

Crouching down, Ganondorf strikes first in front with a weak hit from the pommel at the base of his greatsword, then drives the blade backward for a strong finish. Victims struck by the pommel are driven back over Ganondorf’s shoulder, so the follow-up stab strikes for a two-hit combo.

This can be a good close-range punisher against laggy, missed moves and shielded attacks. It’s around the same speed as Dark Dive, Flame Choke, and Wizard’s Foot, but with higher damage potential (and shorter range).

As a two-sided attack it’s also decent as a clear-out in free-for-alls. Getting it blocked in front of Ganondorf basically guarantees he eats something strong. Having it blocked behind him is better, but still unsafe.

Grabs

Grabs

Ganondorf’s grab has decent range and pulls in with typical heavyweight speed. It’s a good complement to his neutral attack, dash attack, and hopping neutral air attack. His throw game should include mention of Dark Dive and Flame Choke, special grabs that both lunge toward potential victims, either upward or sideways.

Front and back throws can slam into other combatants near Ganondorf and his throw victim. Up throw punches them up high for potential pressure or hits as they fall. Down throw bounces them off the turf for a juggle chance at lower altitude.

Aerial Attacks

Aerials

Neutral Air Attack

Ganondorf lashes out in midair with two surprisingly nimble kicks back-to-back. Each kick does max damage and knockback early, but persists a few more frames, making aim easy. The second kick hits harder and lasts longer. Together, they make the move perfect for use in both aggressive and defensive hops. Learn the timing to hop or jump to full height, neutral air attack to start kicking, then fast-fall down, covering the plunge. Against grounded enemies, connecting with the second hit of falling neutral air attack lets you combo neutral attack or side tilt immediately upon landing.

Forward Air Attack

This crescent punch in front feels like a jumping smash attack. Ganondorf swings across most forward angles with about a typical side smash’s speed, hitting up-forward first before slashing his hand forward, then down-forward. Depending on timing and angle jumping into enemies, this can hit targets above early, or below late, as long as Ganondorf faces them.

Back Air Attack

This midair backhand swats directly behind Ganondorf, faster and harder-hitting than forward air attack, but with a shorter, less-generous active period and hitbox. This just hits around his hand, and only momentarily. Still, it’s quicker, more powerful, and takes up less of his aerial time, making it better for use during repeated short hops.

Up Air Attack

A spinning aerial kick strikes 180 degrees, from forward to up to back. The forward-hitting portion is the second-fastest aerial move Ganondorf has, hitting slightly slower than neutral air attack’s first kick. When poking at targets higher in the air, up air attack is the move to use.

Down Air Attack

Ganondorf’s downward double stomp hits hard, spiking enemies on clean hits. It takes a lot of precision, kicking downward even slower than forward air swings, and active for only a couple frames. A clean hit is worth it, though, especially against an offstage foe underneath.

Special Moves

Specials

Neutral Special: Warlock Punch

Ganondorf crouches low, gathering dark energy for a long time before unleashing a scathing magical punch. The start lag for this special punch is even longer than for up tilt, over a full second. Ganondorf has super armor while charging the punch, though, allowing him to absorb attacks without flinching, which helps with connecting with this move.

Warlock Punch has an easier version of the common special-reversing trick, often crucial for some fighters to properly aim neutral specials and up specials under duress. Start up Warlock Punch, then tap toward Ganondorf’s back. This must be done early, but nowhere near as instantly fast as a typical special-reversal, because this is built in. Doing this turns the dark lord around while powering up the punch even more, delaying the eventual hit by another sixth of a second but amping up damage and knockback.

If you’re going to use Warlock Punch, you might as well use the full-powered one, so make a habit of aiming it away from desired targets, then immediately redirecting it early during start lag. If this has an ideal time to go for it, it’s almost certainly in edge-guarding scenarios. Either aim a Warlock Punch directly at the edge where foes might drift/up special past, or back off a bit and aim a Warlock Punch for where they might roll or jump forward after ledge-hanging.

Side Special: Flame Choke

The evil king rushes forward, covering about two dashes’ worth of territory, grabbing anyone in the way to follow up with a flaming body slam. It’s slow compared to the average grab but generous when you consider Ganondorf rushes forward for a fourth of a second.

Damage on the slam is a bit higher air-to-air than ground-to-ground. Like with Bowser’s special grab, grabbing someone and slamming them offstage isn’t a winning idea. Ganondorf will be KO’d first, and (in party battles) whoever touched the throw victim before Ganondorf gets KO credit. Keep Flame Choke aimed onstage.

Victims can try to shake out before being slammed, but the more damage they’ve accumulated, the less likely they’ll be successful.

Up Special: Dark Dive

Ganondorf surges upward, fist glowing with dark power. If someone’s in the way, he grabs them and bounces off with high damage and knockback. Think of this as the XXL version of Captain Falcon’s similar up special! This is also a bit like Flame Choke aimed upward, gaining about as much altitude as Flame Choke travels laterally. Ganondorf’s ascent can be directed away from the standard up-forward path by holding left or right just after input.

This is a somewhat risky juggle tool for grabbing at tumbling targets (if you miss, you’re helpless until landing). In his grab game, it also works together with Flame Choke and normal grabs to make him scary to be around up close. Midstage, mixing between Flame Choke and Dark Dive should rapidly deter careless short hoppers.

Up special is also Ganondorf’s main recovery tool. Ganondorf is bulky enough to be difficult to punt far offstage, but when enemies are successful, you need Dark Dive to make a play back onstage.

Down Special: Wizard’s Foot

This heel slide burns with dark power. On the ground this is like a sliding dash attack, while in the air it’s like a dive kick. Like dash attack, it can push through someone blocking the beginning, sliding Ganondorf well past them and probably messing with their attempt to punish. On the other hand, sliding to hit late in the attack is disadvantaged, but surprisingly safe, unless they’re close enough to shield-grab out of blocking.

Unlike dashes or many other sliding special moves, there’s nothing stopping grounded Wizard’s Foot from skating right off a stage edge, so be ready to recover suddenly should you overshoot (perhaps on purpose, at someone about to return to the stage!).

The air version plunges diagonally, a powerful hit against anyone airborne in the way. An early Wizard’s Foot hit can meteor smash foes, giving an alternate downward angle for spikes alongside down air attack. If the ground is close enough, there’s a slightly weaker launching hit upon landing, giving this extra purpose diving at standing fighters.

Whether on the ground or in the air, Wizard’s Foot has a lengthy active period, making it lenient for aiming. Wizard’s Foot cannot be special-reversed. Make sure Ganondorf is facing the correct direction before input!

Final Smash: Ganon, the Demon King

Revealing the full scope of his power, Ganondorf swells to huge size and smashes two enormous swords down before him. He then rushes forward with a super-sized tackle move. Anyone in front of Ganondorf is in serious trouble when this Final Smash is set off.