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Ganondorf FAQ
for Super Smash Bros. Brawl
[email protected]
written by ZEUS/Dumah
Ok, so here's where you start. This guide assumes that you've played brawl
already and have some basic knowledge of the game. For instance, I won't
explain how to move, or duck, or jump etc. This is a character guide for
Ganondorf, and will cover everything I can think of about using this character.
I will post my Brawl FC at the bottom of the FAQ, so if anyone would like to
play, email me, or PM me, and we can play.
Lastly, if you'd like to host this FAQ somewhere else, go right ahead. Just
don't try to take credit for it. And I'd appreciate an email telling me you've
hosted it. Enjoy.
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Table of Contents
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1) Glossary
2) Unlocking Ganondorf (UGA)
3) Pros and Cons (PAC)
4) Overview of Moves (OOM)
5) Combos (COM5)
6) Strategies (STRAT6)
7) Items (ITE7)
8) Levels/Stages (LEVEL8)
9) Closing statements (CLOSE9)
10) User submitted strategies (USER10)
11) Videos (VID11)
12) Brawl FC/Version history/Thanks (ENDFAQ)
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Glossary
-------------------
This is the place to learn the terms I'll use throughout the FAQ. Kind of an
important place to start.
v < > ^ = a direction (vAir means Down Air, >+B means forward + B)
Neu/neu = neutral (meaning just press the given button, nothing else. Ex.
NeuA means just press the A button. NeuAir means press A in the air)
Auto Cancel = a move that is stopped prematurely that allows you to attack
again. This is actually automatic in Brawl. It usually happens with aerial
attacks when you land and have no landing animation, which allows you to
attack again immediately.
IASA = Interuptable as Soon as, is like a cancel. The only difference is the
game doens't do it for you. There are attacks that you can interupt before the
full attack animation is over. This means that you can attack again, part way
through the original attack. You interupt it, as soon as you press another
button.
Spike = an attack that sends the opponent straight down
Knockback = just what it says. When you get hit, you get knocked back.
Super Armor = frames of animation during an attack that makes you impervious
to knockback. You can still take damage, but you dont't go anywhere.
Stale Moves = a pentaly to damage and knockback that the game gives you for
repeating the same moves over and over again.
Priority = an attack that will hit first if collided with another attack.
FS = Final Smash
Spamming = abusing one attack or strategy
Gimped = catching somebody on their recovery attempt with a little attack that
sends them just out of range of the stage for an easy KO.
Camp/Camping = standing on one side of the stage and spamming projectiles, or
waiting there until somebody comes near you
Edge Hogging = hanging off the side of the stage so when your opponent tries
to grab the edge, he/she gets nothing.
Dead weight = when you hit someone into somebody else
Tech or Teching = pressing the shield button as soon as you hit a wall or the
ground to pop up from it immediately
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Unlocking Ganondorf (UGA)
------------------------
So, the way I did it was beating the Subspace Emissary single player campaign.
I saved Zelda and Link and near the end of the game I got Ganondorf to join
the crew. However, people tell me you can play 200 matches or beat the single
player classic mode on Hard or above. At that point, he's a challenger and
you'll need to beat him to get him. Don't worry though, the AI stinks in this
game.
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Pros and Cons (PAC)
--------------------
So here's where the meat and potatos of the guide start.
Pros : Very strong. Ganondorf posesses some of the most powerful attacks in
the game. Making him dangerous at any point in a match as he's capable of KOing
anyone at 30%.
Very heavy. This allows Ganondorf to take a lot of punishment before he
gets KOed. This allows you to stay in the game longer to land a few good hits
to turn the tide.
2 Spikes. He's got 2 spikes that send people straight down, and a few
more then send people at a downwards angle. His vAir stomp is a great spike,
and his v+B has a spike as well. The problem with the second one is just the
first few frames of animation send them straight down. Otherwise the move
launches people straight up.
Multiple IASA attacks. None more useful then his ^Smash, but NeuA,
>tilt, vTilt, vSmash, all have this property to them.
Multiple Auto Cancels. Ganondorf has 4 aerials that auto cancel upon
landing. His vAir, NeuAir, ^Air and <Air all have zero landing animation when
you've done the move right. If you time it wrong though, every one of them has
huge lag on the end, which makes you very vulnerable.
Fast dodges. Some characters roll slow, or dodge slow. Ganondorf seems
to have great rolling and dodging abilities, with less lag in between each of
them.
Great FS. If you can connect with his FS, it's a KO. Some people say
it stinks, but if you do a >+B first (face grab), then hit B, you can't escape
it. Many people just jump the second you break the smash ball, so just wait
until they land or are on the way down.
Lots of dead weight on his moves. Most of Ganon's attacks have the dead
weight property to them. Except for maybe ^+B. This means two things. Every
attack has decent knockback, and can clear out the people around him in 1
attack.
Cons : Slow running, walking, jumping, and attack speed. This is by far Ganon's
biggest con. It's to balance out his power, but it's still slow. It can be very
frustrating at times. As a result, you need to develop great timing to make
Ganon effective.
Very little, or no combo ability. A drastic difference from the Ganon
in Melee, this version relies on few, strong, single attacks to get the job
done. Don't expect to rack up crazy amounts of damage like Meta Knight can
with Ganon. Patience.
Easily gimped. Ganon has an above average recovery, despite what anyone
says (I'll explain that later in the "STRAT6" section). The reason it will
never be better is because you need to take a very strict pattern to
maximize his recovery. Because of this, gimping him can be very easy to do. So
can edge hogging.
Average (at best) priority. There are many attacks in the game that out
prioritize Ganon's attacks. Even his massive Warlock Punch only has ok priority
on it.
Attack lag. Many of Ganon's moves shoot out, and stay out. This is bad.
It's bad because if your attack is perfect shielded, he can actually be grabbed
by the end of the attack. What this means is, if NeuA is perfect shielded,
Ganondorf can be grabbed by his arm, instead of having to be right next to him.
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Overview of Moves (OOM)
-----------------------
I don't know the names of all of his moves. I don't think it's important.
A = straight punch/face palm
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = yes
KO move? = no
damage = 7
>Tilt = "spartan kick" as it's knowm on the internet
knockback = horizonal down
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 13
*This is Ganon's best KO move. The >Smash elbow is in a close second.
The reason is, is that even when it's stale it does good damage and knockback
and has good speed. It's also the primary choice for me out of a dodge, and
when your opponent has snapped to the ledge and they use their get up attack.
Just block and >Tilt and it's an easy KO.
vTilt = low kick
knockback = vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = yes
KO move? = no
damage = 12
^tilt = axe kick
knockback = vertical angle/sideways/down depending on where it hits
dead weight = yes
speed = extra extra slow
IASA = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 27
*This attack can go through walls. Say on Pictochat when the spikes pop up. If
you stand behind the wall and use ^Tilt, you'll still suck people towards you
and the attack will hit them through the wall. I also believe (not 100% sure)
that this attack *clanks* with nothing. So just after the attack is launched
(when his foot is coming down), it will always hit. You may be hit at the same
time and take damage, but the attack itself won't clank.
>Smash = elbow
knockback = can be directed either straight, at a vertical angle or at
a low horizontal angle. (requires user to angle the thumbstick during the
attack)
dead weight = yes
speed = slow
IASA = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 24 - 33
*If you perform the >Smash while facing away from the opponent, then you get an
increase in range. It's not huge, but it's nonetheless useful.
vSmash = double low kick
knockback = backwards at a vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = slow
IASA = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 19 - 26
^Smash = Vertical Kick
knockback = vertical
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 19 - 26
*This move has huge IASA frames in it. You can actually input another command,
the second Ganon starts to move his foot back down to the ground. This is the
biggest sucker move he's got to bait people into attacking you. Learn the
properties of this attack very well.
NeuAir = double kick
knockback = vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
Auto Cancel = yes
KO move? = no
damage = 18
^Air = flip kick
knockback = horizontal or downward angle (if you hit at the end of the
flip)
dead weight = yes
speed = above average
IASA = no
Auto Cancel = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 12
>Air = overhand right
knockback = vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = slow
IASA = no
Auto Cancel = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 15
<Air = backhand
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
Auto Cancel = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 16
*If you're running forwards, you can quickly mash < then > and A to turn around
and use this move while still moving forwards. This can be pretty useful but
takes some getting used to. The backhand shoots out, and you keep your forward
momentum going.
vAir = Thunder Stomp
knockback = vertical
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
Auto Cancel = yes
KO move? = yes
damage = 22
B = Warlock Punch
knockback = vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = extra slow
IASA = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 32
B+< = 180 warlock punch
knockback = vertical angle
dead weight = yes
speed = extra slow
IASA = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 35
^+B = Dark Dive
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = no
speed = slow
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 11
^+B punch = Dark Dive punch
knockback = vertical
dead weight = no
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 9
*At the very end of Dark Dive there is a punch. It doesn't do much damage but
it has it uses, particularily when recovering. Even if you know you can't make
it back onto the stage, use Dark Dive anyways. A lot of people like to edge
hog just as extra insurance even though you won't make it back. If you're punch
hits them when they are hanging, you can actually kill them before you fall to
your death. It will knock them into the stage, then backwards at a sharp
downwards angle.
>+B = Face Grab
knockback = down
dead weight = no
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 7
*This is one of Ganon's best moves. It leaves your opponent with only 3 options
after you've performed the move. They either get up and attack, roll away, or
roll behind. If you can learn what your opponent likes to do, then you can
follow up with numerous different techniques. You can for instance, keep using
>+B to chase after them and do more damage. "Tech chasing" can be hard to do
and the safest bet is usually a jab for added damage.
**If you choose to do this move near the edge of a map, be very sure you're
holding the control stick in the opposite direction after the attack is
launched. If you miss your opponent, you'll just fall to your doom. If you hold
back though, you'll fall off the stage but you'll snap to the ledge.
>+BAir = "Ganoncide"
knockback = down
dead weight = no
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 12 or KO
It't called a "Ganoncide" because if you happen to catch somebody in the air
overtop of nothing, then you both go straight down with no chance of recovery.
The only way to cancel this move is to find a stage that allows for it. I'll
cover the stages I know about that in "LEVEL8"
v+B = Wizards Foot
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = yes
damage = 10
v+BAir = Air Wizards Foot
knockback = spike for first few frames, then vertical for the rest
dead weight = no
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = yes for both
damage = 15
v+BAir on ground = earthquake/ground shake, Wizard quake? Call it what you want
knockback = vertical
dead weight = yes
speed = fast
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 8
This attack is done by doing a short hop, then immediately performing a wizards
foot. The result is Ganon barely leaves the ground and the ending animation of
wizards foot is performed.
vGrab = floor smash
knockback = vertical
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 7
>Grab = punch
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 13
<Grab = kick
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 10
^Grab = upwards punch
knockback = vertical
dead weight = yes
speed = average
IASA = no
KO move? = no
damage = 7
Grab Attack = knee
knockback = none
dead weight = no
speed = average
IASA = no
KO Move? = no
damage = 2
Dash Attack = Shoulder tackle
knockback = verticle or backwards
dead weight = ?
speed = fast
IASA = no
KO Move? = not usually
damage = 15%
*This attack has huge range. I mean huge. You can foxtrot and immediately press
A to do the dash attack, and you'll end up travelling about half of Battlefield
during it. That whole animation is an attack. It also makes you move very fast.
It also has some combo ability at certain percentages, mainly Dash to <Air.
This is a very deceptive move that Ganon has, so learn how to use it wisely.
FS = Bad Piggy
knockback = horizontal
dead weight = yes
speed = fast
IASA = no
KO move? = seriously?
damage = 65
*Do not mash B as soon as you break the smash ball! This causes Ganon to use
the Warlock Punch instead. You have to wait a bit before using the FS*
So that's the overview of all of his moves. I didn't add in a priority section
because it would take forever to compare his moves to everyone elses. However
in my experience, just assume your attacks won't have priority over everything.
As you can tell, he's got lots of good properties to his attacks, but they are
slow. Practice makes perfect with Ganondorf.
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Combos (COM5)
-------------
Man, this is going to be a short section.
>+B,NeuA or vTilt
After you've done the face grab, almost every character can be attacked again
with either NeuA or a vTilt. If you choose to do nothing after the grab:
>+B,vAir,^Smash
This combo is deadly. Many people like to do their get up attack right after
you've done face grab. Knowing that, you can time the short hop over the
attack and finish the combo.
vAir,^Smash
Ganons' most well known combo. Works mainly at low percenteges, but it is
unavoidable. The reason is, the vAir is Auto Canceled into the ^Smash with no
pause in between. Learn this one.
vAir, ^Smash, ^+B
This one works at low percentages again, and if your opponent like to hang over
you while they are in the air, the ^+B works great. The reason this one works
is because the ^Smash has the greatest IASA frames I've seen in the game. So
you can ^+B very quickly after they've been hit. Sometimes before they can do
anything.
vAir, NeuAir, >+BAir
This works at low percentages, and is really difficult to perform. Especailly
on somebody who's doing their best to aviod you.
vGrab,^Air
A quick combo that does some decent damage and usually works.
vGrab,^+B
A not so useful combo, but a combo nonetheless.
vGrab,>+B
I've noticed many people like to get away from Ganon, so the majority of people
tend to hold away after being thrown. So >+B is a great follow up.
^Grab,^Air
Difficult to do but again, it can be done.
vAir, >Smash (angled upwards)
Good if your opponent tries to get away from the usual kick that follows.
vGrab, v+B, vAir
Stand in the middle of a map, and vGrab your opponent. Follow it up with v+B,
and you'll end up cancelling the last frames of animation once you cross over
the ledge of the map. This allows you to hit vAir for a spike before your
opponent has a chance to recover. This is very dependant on the stage and the
percentage.
^Air, >Smash
This needs to be done on the ground. Instead of using ^Air and hitting with
the beginning animation, try to jump over your opponent and hit them with the
end of your foot. This will cause them to be stunned for a brief period, and
since your move is auto cancelled, you can use the >Smash immediately after.
Those are some combos I've found to be useful. The best way to learn some
combos I think is to study the properties of the attacks. If you know the
attacks inside out, finding things to link to them is a lot easier.
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Strategies (STRAT6)
-------------------
So, here is easily the longest part of the guide. Strategies will be broken
down into character matchups, AI strategies, and human strategies. Sit back,
and maybe get something to drink.
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Character specific strategies
-----------------------------
vs Mario :
Mario really has nothing that you can't handle. He's the middle
ground character. His FLUDD can be a real pain for gimping you. So can his
cape. You really have to be wary while using >+B against his cape near edges.
He'll spin you right around and you'll go flying off the edge. So do not use
>+B while getting back onto the stage...ever. Many Mario players like to use
vSmash a lot and fireballs. So try to avoid rolling behind Mario because
chances are it's just a sucker so you'll walk into a smash. Stomps counter that
strategy though. If he's spamming fireballs, just avoid them and wait. That's
it. Camping is a very effective "strategy" in this game, so just out camp the
guy who's camping you. You'll eventually get to him.
vs Luigi :
Luigi has some pretty crazy aerial abilities, so keep to the gound
and block alot. Spartan Kick him a lot and if you're going to pick an aerial
to use, use ^Air. It comes out quick and auto cancels. Keep your distance and
let Luigi come to you. If he starts fireball spamming, short hop, dodge, and
roll around it. On the ground, Luigi isn't much of a problem. Stay patient and
rely on some strong attacks, or >+B to mess his game up a bit.
vs Peach :
She's light, weak, and can be gimped pretty easy. Watch out for her
Toad counter. Your >+B counters that though, so use it. The only thing Peach
has that I've found is that she's quick to dodge after he attacks, and she's
got a few combos that can put a hurt on you. Peach users like to use the float
move as a KO attack. So when she's in the air, you can bet an attack is coming.
She'll be coming to you the whole match. And like most everyone who's got a
projectile, she'll throw the turnip at you and then charge in after you. Use
that pattern to your advantage.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=5S1IVIUT
vs Bowser :
Bowswer is strong like you, a little slower I think, and he also
has a "Bowswercide". He can grab you and you both fly off the stage, so be very
wary while facing a Bowser and you're up 1 stock or close in percentages.
Because Bowser is a big target, more moves of yours can be comboed. Keep Bowser
moving around and focused on avoiding you, instead of attacking. His vSmash is
probably his best smash attack as it lasts a long time. So again, avoid trying
to roll behind him because many Bowsers I've faced like to use vSmash to cover
their tracks to to speak. His fire breath will also be spammed at you, probably
following a short hop. So, you can try to roll behind him if you're close
enough, or you can jump over him and try a stomp. You can also just roll away,
or block. If you're caught in it, hold back.
vs Yoshi :
Yoshi, again has nothing you can't handle as Ganondorf. He's got
his good sides though. You can't spike him because he's got super armor on his
recovery jump. His eggs can really mess you up. And he's got some decent KO
power as well as good aerials. However, you out range him and out power him.
He's an average weight character so you can KO him with relative ease. Even
though he's got super armor, you're ^+B interupts super armor, and unlike in
Melee, it doesn't give you're opponent back his jump. Use that to your
advantage. The last thing to watch out for is his chain grab. He eats you, and
when you come shooting out of his mouth, you'll land with lag and he'll be
there to eat you again. Try to avoid this. Chain grabbing is by far the most
abused move that a character uses. So chances are, the guy you're playing is
only good at chain grabbing, and the rest of his game sucks.
vs Wario :
He's got great aerials as well. But his recovery stinks if he's not
using his bike. So if you can interupt the bike, that's a huge advantage. Use
the face grab a lot against him. He also has super armor on his >Smash I
believe. You're >+B interupts the Wario Bike as well. Wario's bite take
priority over many attacks of yours. So if you can, time a >Smash while he's
standing there with his mouth open. Charge it up as well so when he's done his
move, your elbow hits him.
vs Donkey Kong :
Has got some big power, especially in his punch. But again, he's
a huge target and he's slow as well. You're moves have better properties to
them, so use the ones that are cancelable and have IASA frames, much more then
the ones that don't. You'll have to be evasive as well, as DK can KO you much
sooner then many. I've found DK's attacks have a lot of lag on them. Use that
to your advantage. Stay evasive and time him coming to you. He's got a crazy
wall KO with his throw. Meaning he'll grab you, then run with you off the stage
and turn around so he can throw you at the wall. Unless you tech off the wall,
it's very hard to get back on. His recovery kind of stinks, and can be easily
spiked. If he's camping you, which will probably happen a lot, you'll need to
approach with caution. Try fox trotting to fake him into an attack first. Or
try a Thunder Stomp as a sucker, then use >Smash to interrupt whatever he's
doing.
vs Diddy Kong :
He may give you fits. He's very fast, has good priority, throws
bananas that you trip on, and has a projectile attack. The goal here is to
avoid the close encounters. He'll no doubt be coming to you the whole match so
make sure you capitalize on that. Block alot as well and try to use the
bananas against him. This can be a really hard match. Do not try to attack
right after his dash attack. There's no time to do anything but block some
more. One of the ways to use bananas against him, is to first pick up one of
the nannerz he's thrown and throw it back so that he'll trip on them. Stand
in front of one of them, and use an ^Tilt. The wind will suck him close to you
and the nanner will make him trip so the attack can land. When trying to spike
Diddy, watch out for his >+B I think it is. The one where he flips forwards and
"hugs" you. If Diddy is recovering and he's level with the stage he may try
this attack first. Roll back and >Smash him walking into it.
vs Link :
Projectile man. He's got so many weapons you've got to avoid so
dodging and rolling are huge. When you get close, watch out for his A combo
because that will push you right away so he can spam projectiles again. What
you need to do is time his projectiles and get close. Once there, use something
quick, or block or throw. Once Link is on the defensive, he's at a huge
disadvantge. If you want to get real crafty, when Link throws the Gale
Boomerang at you, dodge it and let it go past you. On it's way back, the
boomerang pulls you towards Link. So you can start a Warlock punch from very
far away, and use the boomerang to pull you close. Most Link players I've
fought will follow the pattern, Bomb-Boomerang-Arrow-attack, or some variation
of that. Sometimes it's boomerang-arrow-attack. So get used to powershielding
and dodging around this.
vs Zelda :
Ok Zelda will give you problems. Her ^Smash destroys everything.
Meaning every move you've got will be interupoted by it. Ya, I know. So there
is to be little or no vAir while against her. >+B is a great way to start off
everything. So build off of that. Her recovery is alright and many Zelda users
like to appear behind you, or attack you using her ^+B recovery. As a result,
a >Smash is a great way to finish her off. Don't be tempted to attack right
after being attacked, as many of Zelda's moves hit multiple times. Be patient
and learn when the attack has actually ended.
vs Sheik :
The only Shiek has that will give you problems is speed. Shiek is
weak, and light, which makes you very dangerous. Roll, grab, v+B and >+B will
set up everything. You can also use vAir now :) Shiek also has an ^tilt combo
where he/she spams the move 3 or 4 times to rack up damage. It's particularily
useful when you're just respawning.
vs Toon Link :
Just like Link, TL will give you troubles. Avoid the projectiles
and get in close. Then use something quick, or block, or dodge. Many TL
players like to do that downwards stab while right over top of you. Roll out
of the way and >Smash for an easy KO. His boomerang is a far better weapon and
needs to be avoided. Because he's small, he's harded to hit, so using the
vTilt is a great idea to keep him off you. He also has some auto cancel aerials
that keep him moving around. This can be very annoying because they are very
spammable, combined with many projectiles, will give you a hard time. If you're
fighting the projectile TLink, the strategy is pretty much the same and Link.
The aerial TLink requires you to way more evasive and patient.
vs Ganondorf :
In this match, you want to be the quicker Ganondorf. Use the
attacks that keep you moving, and when he gets off the ledge, spike. The
only thing you need to watch out for is the Ganoncide. He will do it, and you
need to avoid it. If his approach is level with the level, he'll probably do it
so stay away from him, or be sure to jump well above him for a spike. If the
approach is low, you can hit him with anything to gimp him. You won't find a
Ganondorf that comes in low, and then does a Ganoncide. Ganon has much better
vertical recovery then horizonal, so it's safe to go after him when he's well
below the stage. Don't fall for the same tactics you use. He'll be suckering
you into attacks like crazy, and he'll KO you in no time flat. If you're edge
hogging him and you get caught in his Dark Dive, he'll send you into the wall
and you'll be sunk. Tech off the wall to survive. Also, do not forget about his
punch at the end of Dark Dive. If that hits you when you're edge hogging him,
you're done. It will send you at a sharp angle backwards, and you may in fact
die before he does. I've won matches in that exact scenario before because of
that move.
vs Kirby :
Kirby has got a viscious chain grab combo so you need to not
be grabbed by him. Secondly, his rock move can be be stopped mid air, so when
you try to go after him to spike, he'll use that, KO you and get back on the
level. So it's more safe to let Kirby float back onto the stage. He's got some
above average power in his hammer, so that is actually a move you need to
watch out for. His >Smash is also good. I don't have too many problems fighting
kiby's. Just stick to your range and use good timing.
vs Meta Knight :
This is a fight that you will have major problems with. MK
has amazing speed, recovery, and power (for his size), he's the best gimper
in the game, almost impossible to spike, and many of his moves chain into
other attacks with no lag. So the goal here is to let MK be aggressive. DO NOT
chase a MK around the map. He has to come to you to win, and since he's got
no projectiles and crazy fast attacks, that is 100% going to happen. The best
way to beat MK is to learn MK. Learn his attacks, and which ones leave him
vulnerable for you to attack in. His tornado must be blocked, same with his
>+B. However, I'm pretty sure your >Smash can interupt both those moves. So
make sure you use them. He is very easy to KO. So the bright side is only few
attacks are required to KO him.
vs King DeDeDe :
DDD has a chain grab. So don't get grabbed
by him either. He is very slow, and very big, so use your "speed" to get the
job done. His waddle dees can be attacked so attack them to get them out of
your way. He's farily easy to spike since he floats real slow, just don't get
caught underneath him because he'll spike you. His aerials as far as I know are
average, so you can control the aerial game. That's a very good thing. Like you
though, he can be very powerful when used correctly so don't get too
confident that you can crush him....because you'll lose. He also has quick
dodges, so expect DDD to dodge a lot and grab you.
vs Samus :
Samus has many projectiles as well, but overall she's not as
much of a threat as Link is. Her attacks seem a little slow to me, and her
recovery is average and very spikeable. Some Samus players like to use the
tether to get back onto the stage, so if you edgehog it, that's an easy ko.
Expect projectile spam.
vs Zero Suit Samus :
This is a harder matchup as ZSS is far more mobile and she
outranges you huge. On the bright side, her tripple A combo leaves her very
vulnerable to grabs. Block them all, then grab, That works every time. Dodge
her stun shot and wait for her to run in after you. Her ^Smash is viscious,
and you need to watch out for her air kick. They both have great priority and
can put a hurt on you. Other then that, the air game is yours. Use the stomps
and dodge the projectiles and block.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FG5ME7XX
vs Fox :
Fox is very fast. So he'll give you problems every time. Just like
MK, you need to dodge a lot and load up on your shots. You have to catch him
coming to you. His recovery is alright, and you'll usually see the >+B more
often then ^+B, so you can spike that. Patience. Fox users, as well as Falco
users, love to fake like they are grabbing the edge, only to use their >+B move
to quickly attack you. So, stand on the edge like you're preparing for a spike
or something, then roll back and charge a >Smash and wait for him to use it. It
will happen, so catch him coming in for an easy KO. Fox has got some good
combos as well. NeuAir to vSmash is a common one, and whether or not NeuAir
hits, expect the rest of the combo to come out anyways.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=1R71NSWB
vs Falco :
Falco is worse in my eyes. His blaster is better, and he's got
a terrible chain throw that will have you seeing red. Avoid the throws, and use
the stomps. >+B is also a great tool against Falco. Against a good Falco player
though, this is always a tough match up. Again, the chain throw is coming, that
is guaranteed. So wait him out. Once you get to higher percentages, expect a
lot of >Smashes. I mean a lot. This is really a newbie character in my eyes.
An overpowered chain grabber with a very spammable projectile. That's Falco.
vs Wolf :
Wolf can also be pretty annoying. His blaster though isn't as
good as Falcos, but it's better then Foxes I think. He's got a very long
forward smash, and the rest of his smashes are strong. He also has at least
2 aerials that auto cancel, which can make problems for you. The key here
is dodge the blaster, and wait for an opportunity, like after his >Smash,
to really put a hurt on him. Luckily, his recovery stinks. When Wolf gets
undeaneath a stage or at a weird angle, it's very hard to get back on. So
use that opportunity to edge hog and spike. Watch out for his ^+B, it's the
best of the Star Fox trio. Blocking usually does the trick. And do not get
over aggressive while spiking him. His >+B if "sweetspotted", will spike you
straight down. His vSmash is also a very spammable move so watch for that. And
his ^Smash is interuptable, just like yours.
vs Pikachu :
Pikachu has a few things that give Ganondorf troubles. First
is a chain grab. Second is the Pika thunder, and third is his vSmash. His
recovery is average, except for his chargeable headbut move. So, what you need
to do is avoid his grabs again, load up on a big attack after you've avoided
Pika thunder, and roll away from him duing the vSmash. The reason is because
that smash lasts a long time, and as a result dodging or rolling behind him
will just cause you to get hit. If you can time it right, the Warlock Punch
and his ^tilt, can be really devestating against a Pikachu player who uses
that thunder too much....
vs Jigglypuff :
Jigglypuff has a decent aerial game that you need to be wary
of. Her rollout move is also pretty strong if you get hit by it. Other then
those two things, I think a good Ganondorf player should do fine against jiggs.
vs Lucario :
Lucario seems to out prioitize Ganon on every level. He's got
a tripple a combo that can be stopped at 2 and followed up by something else.
A good projectile to mess you up, quick smashes and rolls, and decent KO power
and weight. Overall, he's a good character. He's got a big weakness though, and
that's recovery. He's very easy to gimp and edgehog. So when you get him off
the stage, do your best to guard the ledge. Other then that, don't stand right
underneath him when he's in the air, try to block or dodge away. This can
be a dam tough fight if you're chasing or not blocking enough. I hate Lucario.
vs Pokeman Trainer : Squirtle
Squirtle has got lots of speed, and a couple of attacks with
super armor. He's also very light. Admidittly, I've never played a good
P.Trainer so I can't offer hard counters to their moves. Keep dodging around
squirtle and use >+B to slow him down. Squirtle also has some decent aerials,
and you can expect some nervous jumping on his part. You can KO this runt at
around 50% with a >Smash.
Never stand overtop of Ivysaur because of his leaf or needle
blast move (sorry I don't follow Pokemanz to know the names of his moves). That
will no doubt be the first move he'll throw at you and it'll cause 40 to 50%
or so. He's the middleweight so he's an all around charater. His recover sucks,
so make sure you edgehog him for an easy KO. His leaf cutter projectile is ok,
but overall I don't find anything terribly hard about him.
Charizard has some pretty strong moves and a pretty good
spike. He can also glide, which makes him really hard to gimp. As a result,
my strategy, like the other heavy weights, is to stay mobile and use the
attacks that keep you moving. His rock throw and fire breath are moves you'll
be encountering a lot. Roll away, keep moving, easy match.
vs Marth :
Marth can be really good. His counter is amazing, and he's got
great smashes and specials. The advice I have for marth is >+B and aerials.
Your >+B interupts a lot of stuff so use that. And you'll want to get in close
because I think he outranges you on a few moves. Try not to chase him either.
He'll sucker you in, and then do a quick 180 smash or combo.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=XICW7J3H
vs Ike :
He's crazy strong and is capable of KOing you in no time. Do not
get hit by his >Smash. And make sure to block his tripple A combo which is
widely abused. He has super armor on Aether, and his Eruption move so if you
plan on hitting him during those, use ^+B as that will interupt him. His
recovery is terrible and all around he's very slow. So you should stay mobile.
Because of his slow speed, abusing the >+B is a great tactic to rack up
damage.
vs Ness :
Ness has some deceptive strength. His >Smash is really good, so is
his PK Thunder when he hits himself with it. Ness also has PK fire, which is
a widely abused move because it sets up smash attacks and throws, due to the
fact it holds you in place for a short period of time. If that lands, I
usually like to roll away from him because the chances are he's coming straight
for you. He's got 1 or 2 aerials that interput most of what you can throw at
him, so you'll need to have the exact distance to counter. His recovery is
horrible and is one of the easiest to spike. If you can't spike him, just make
sure you intentionally get hit by his PK thunder before it hits him on his
recovery. That will effectively gimp him for an easy KO.
vs Lucas :
Much like Ness, he's got some deceptive strength. The difference
between him and Ness, I think is that Lucas tends to have multiple hits, where
Ness is more single stong attacks. Lucas can rack up damage so be wary of him.
And you also can't gimp him like Ness because his PK thunder hits multiple
times and carries through you, making it useless. So you have to spike him.
His PK fire doens't hold you in place, and he's got a freeze move as well. On
the whole, he's a decent opponent but Ganondorf can take him. The power you
have can KO Lucas in no time. Dodge his projectiles, get close and put a hurt
on him.
vs Ice Climbers :
They have the most terrible chain gran in the game. If you
get caught by somebody who abuses that, you could be in big trouble. So, if
you're fighting somebody who is just waiting at one end of the map, chances
are they want you to attack, so they can block, and the grab you. Luckily you
have >+B to grab them first. So use that. Also, the second you get them
seperated go after the AI IC immediately. KO her the first chance you get. IC
are severly handicapped when you kill one of them.
vs Pit :
Pit has some of the most spammable moves in the game. His arrows,
>+B, NeuA, vSmash are all very fast attacks that can be repeated, some
infinately. Pit's attacks can be very fast, like MK, and he also has little
lag on many moves. As a result, you need to be very evasive and only attack
when you know it's going to hit. Many Pit players (due to low lag on attack)
don't care about missing certain attacks because they can just follow up with
more. And being a slow character, you can get suckered in to attacking when
you shouldn't. So, evasive moves 101, stomps and >+B are all good against Pit.
When he's off the stage, do not go after him. He can glide, and attack out
of the Glide and chain that into something else. You're >Smash out
prioritizes his >+B, so when he uses that, counter. Bank on Pit rolling away
from you after you stomp him or >+B him, so that he can shoot you with arrows.
When he knocks you off the ledge, be ready to dodge his incoming arrows.
vs R.O.B :
ROB is a tough opponent in the right hands. His lazer charges pretty
fast and can put a hurt on you. And he's got a real good recovery, fast strong
attacks, and a second projectile which does good damage. As far as I know, his
aerial game kind of stinks, so you need to command the air. Use the attacks
that auto cancel, and have IASA properties to them. You are stronger then him
so smash attacks are a must. Spiking him is very difficult, so you can almost
rule that option out. Reason is, is while the aerial attacks he's got may be
crummy, his recovery is top notch. He also has a good vSmash which, like both
Bowser and Pikachu, last longer then normal and hits all around them.
vs Olimar :
This little guy can give you hell. His pikmin can interput you,
and he can have a very long throw. He's got super armor on his whistle move
as well. So, since many of olimars moves revolve around the pikmin being
thrown at you, I think you need to stay back some. Luckily your strengh can
kill the pikmin in one or two attacks. So once the Pikmin are gone, Olimar
becomes vulnerable. v+B, >+B are good choices to close distance quickly.
Olimar has a teather recovery, and the less Pikmin he's got, the shorter the
teather is. Once Olimar is running low on Pikmin, you can be sure he's just
going to try and dodge away from you and pull out more. So keep close to him
duing this time and you'll do fine.
vs Captain Falcon :
The Captain has many of the same moves as you, but they
are far less powerful and carry some poor priority on them. But nontheless,
he's got a decent spike and some good launchers, as well as great speed. The
advice I give against him is to block. Many of Falcons attacks I've found
don't have a knockback to them when you're shielding. So, when you block and
he attacks it leaves him real vulnerable. Recovery is average like yours and
is very spikeable. Stay on your toes and you should do fine.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=DXFH3UV0
vs Mr. Game&Watch :
G&W is a force to be reconed with. Forget about air
superiority in this match. It's his. His vSmash and >Smash are crazy strong,
and he's got an instant KO if his gets the right number on his special hammer.
He can be very hard to beat, and good strategies are tough to find. The way I
beat G&W is with evasive moves and range. He needs to get very close to you and
many of your attacks are much longer, but on the down side he out prioritizes
you. I also find that >+B is good to work off of. When you land that move, you
need to keep the pressure up and not allow him to get set again. Like Pit and
MK, a few of his attacks have little lag on the end of them so don't get
suckered in. My last strategy against him is to do the opposite of what he's
doing. If he's an air G&W, use the gound (>+B, v+B, >tilt, etc). If he uses
the gound more, use the short hop game. With other characters you can hold
your own by doing the same thing they are. Match air with air, ground with
ground etc. but G&W seems too strong for Ganon in the same areas.
vs Sonic :
Sonic is the cheapest character in the game, especially against
Ganon. Here's the reason. He's got low lag attacks, and many of his moves hit
you (and if he misses), carry right through you, allowing nothing to be
returned as counters. Sonic players will spam those moves until you lose. And
unfortunately, there is no hard counter or sure fire way of beating him. He
will give you troubles no matter what (assuming the player is good). Patience
is the key here I think. And you also need to learn the range he's got on his
attacks, so you can stomp him when he rolls towards you. The air game is yours
as far as I'm concerned. Blocking is also really important.
vs Snake :
Regarded right now as the best in the game, Snake makes you fight
his game, every time. He will run away and use projectiles to get the damage
up, then use one of his very strong tilts or smashes to KO you at low
percentages. So how do you win? When he's placing a mine, >+B is the counter
because after he hits the gound, you can block, and the mine will detonate
and hopefully hit him instead. If he throws grenades, learn to thrown them
back. If he's holding on to the grenade and waiting, >+B again because almost
everything else will end up with you being blown up as well. His aerials stink
(assuming the player is not auto-cancelling some of them)and his recovery is
ok. Most snake players will recover very high on the stage and drop a C4 on
you, so Spiking snake can be very difficult. Learn where he goes after the
recover so you can take him out on the landing. Lastly, he's got a "Snake Dash"
attack in which he pulls out his mortar while sliding across the whole map.
Block it. Snake is broken.
In closing :
In the short form of all that, do not chase your opponent..ever.
Use short hops and quick combos to rack up some decent damage before sending
them off. Remember, you can KO people at low percentages so stop trying to
get them to 100+% before KOing them.
---------------
Against the AI
---------------
Against the AI, Ganondorf is almost impossible to use. Why? Because the AI
is very cheezy and can perfect shield, interrupt, throw, dodge/roll, with
perfect timing. Thus, they can put a huge hurt on you. I don't play against
the AI anymore but here are some quick strategies that can help you.
Strategy 1 - Spike
Every AI character jumps back on the stage with very predictable
patterns. They don't change their approach at all. So you need to spike them
every single time.
Strategy 2 - >+B
They never seem to understand this move. So abuse it. I've found that
most of the time they'll just run into it, or try to block. They won't try
to learn your pattern of using it, which is further proof that the AI function
on inputs and is very mechanical.
Strategy 3 - Fake
I've found that if you intentionally throw an attack that you know
will not hit them, then will immediately try to counter you. Even if you're
across the stage. So try that.
Strategy 4 - Never attack when overhead
This is the most cheezy aspect of the AI. When you get launched into
the air, they will literally stand right underneath you and try to ^tilt or
^Smash you. And they do that with perfect timing. So you need to fall away from
them and then dodge.
Strategy 5 - Attack them in the air
After you launch them, then have a very bad habbit of immediately
dodging. This leaves them open for more attacks right away.
Strategy 6 - Dodge at high percentages
When you get to higher percentages, you can be certain, with 100%
accuracy that an abused >Smash is on it's way. This is where they become very
predictable and drop the whole dodge spamming tactic.
With those tips, best of luck. This game has some of the most terrible AI I've
seen, so you need to meet cheeze with cheeze.
----------------
Human Strategies
----------------
The key to success with Ganon is finding the patterns your opponent uses to
win. Most everybody has them, and recognizing them is crucial to success. An
example of a pattern is, Shoot, dash attack, vSmash, roll away, shoot. I've
played people like this so don't think it doesn't happen.
Strategy 1 - Use the auto cancels and IASA attacks
Most people write Ganon off as crap because he's slow. They don't
understand though, how deceptive his attacks can be. A prime example of a
technique that works quite well is:
^Smash, >tilt
You will find that people will immediately try to attack you after the
^Smash, not realizing that it cancels into anything else. >tilt because it
comes out quick and has good damage and knockback. Another example is:
^Air, >tilt
Like the previous example, ^Air auto cancels which allows you to attack
again immediately. This will almost always work, and even if it's blocked, the
>tilt has knockback.
Both of the first attacks are basically suckers. They allows a window of
opportunity for counters against you that is very small and very hard to time.
It will almost always allow for you to hit them, or they will do nothing, which
is also a good option.
Strategy 2 - combos
Combos like vAir, ^Smash is great for getting damage up. Don't
abuse it though because it becomes very predictable. >+B, NeuA is a great
combo that does 15% damage or so. A few of those and the opponent is in range
for a KO.
Stragegy 3 - Mix up the timing
Unlike the computer, people get accustom to how you attack, or
recover, etc. So, every so often you have to mix up the timing on your attacks.
For example, if you always jump after the opponent after you've launched them,
chances are they will dodge your incoming attack. They'll do that without even
thinking about it. The next time you launch them, don't do anything and they'll
probably dodge anyways. This will open up huge possibilites for you.
Strategy 4 - Edge guard
Ganon has a very underated edge guarding game. The is quite
possibley the only safe place to use both ^tilt and NeuB as effective
weapons. Most of the time, you'll probably be going after the spike. However,
every so often, allow the person to get back to the ledge unharmed. Time them
so that when they approach, your ^tilt is already charging. When they get the
ledge, your kick comes down and it's a KO. The distance is very deceptive as
well. Many people will first try to get up and attack you, but you need to be
just far enough so that they miss, and the wind draws them closer to you. This
tactic really messes people up. They have very few options duing this time.
Either they do nothing and use the "ledge invulnerability" so nothing happens,
drop and then jump back up, or jump over you. That's it. This technique forces
them into a pattern. This is probably the most effective thing Ganon has while
edge guarding.
Strategy 5 - Do not chase
If you're chasing your opponent, it's suicide. Ganon is too slow
to be an effective chaser. Against the projectile guys, you need to roll around
the attacks, but not chase after them. Flyers like Pit and MK are never to be
chased.
Strategy 6 - Evasive moves
Learn how to dodge properly with Ganon. That's really all that
needs to be said. Ganon is played with patience, and even though he can absorb
lots of damage, it's always better not to be hit. As a result, your
opponent will be attacking and you can take advantage of the lag in attacks
and recovery.
Strategy 7 - Throw Spike combo
When near the edge and at low percentages, shield first. It's a
safe bet that an attack is coming to try to knock you off the ledge. Grab out
of your shield and throw them backwards, and immediately follow up with a
vAir spike. This isn't 100% foolproof, but it can cause a very easy KO.
Strategy 8 - Drop Spike
If you choose to edge hog somebody (hang on the edge), you can
quickly drop off and vAir, then get back on again. Time the vAir spike with
the recovery of your opponent which will 90% of the time be underneath you,
because they will try to hit you off the ledge.
Strategy 9 - Ganoncide
After you're up 1 life or are getting killed in percentages, try
using a Ganoncide. As I mentioned before, you need to have a very predictable
recovery with Ganon to get the most out of him. This means you're easy to spike
and gimp. The only way to stop that from happenning is to fake like you're
getting back on the stage, and quickly >+B the aggressive attacker who's
trying to KO you. One or two of those, and that will guarantee make your
opponent back off from you, allowing you free access back onto the stage.
Strategy 10 - Edge Hog the Teather
Character like Olimar and ZSS have teathers to get back on the
stage. If you edge hog them, you'll get hit by the teather, but it will not
grab onto the ledge. Easy KO.
Strategy 11 - Fast attacks at high %
At high percentages, many of Ganondorfs moves are KO moves. Don't
waste your time with a smash attack that will leave you open and overkill your
opponent. The >tilt is an amazing KO move at higher percentages. Use that
or other fast attacks to finish the job. Alternatevely, use the big smashes
to rack up damage, then finish the job with something that's strong enough.
Strategy 12 - Control the middle
Control the middle of the stage because you've got the longest
distance to travel to be KO'd overall. That means it will take even more to KO
Ganon. This allows you to stay in the game much longer.
Strategy 13 - v+B after being launched
v+B is a much better option when high in the air and you're being
followed by somebody. The reason is, v+B either sends them straight down, or
straight up. If it's straight up then you can get a very low percentage KO.
Strategy 14 - the ^+B Gimp
By far the most dangerous strategy, and not one to be used often.
During the opponent recovery, jump after them and use ^+B after they've used
their second jump. The reason is, your ^+B does not allow them to recover their
jump and can cause just enough knockback to gimp them. You however have a
deceptive recovery afterwards because you spring off of them into air, and you
can use another ^+B to get back onto the stage. If you miss however, you're
sunk with no chance of recovery.
Strategy 15 - Foxtrot fake
Foxtroting is when you quickly smash forward, then do it again,
and again. The result is you're character stutter steps forwards. May sound
pretty useless, but at certain distances a little tap can get you into perfect
poisition for a smash. Your ^Smash can also be canceled into a foxtrot. It is
also a very effective technique against those guys who like to camp and wait
for you to do a move. That little stutter can sometimes get them to act first
and leave themselves open.
Strategy 16 - ^Air semi-spike (sometimes called Tipman spike)
If you hit at the end of ^Airs animation (the flip kick), then
you end up sending your opponent at a sharp downwards angle. It isn't a spike
though. This can be used when somebody has just snapped to the levels edge,
and you know he'll come up with an attack. You can jump over his attack and
just catch him, sending him downwards. It's also good for when you are edge
guarding or chasing after somebody who's trying to get back on the stage. It's
a little less dangers then a spike because you can actually end up fast falling
with a spike (vAir) and not recover yourself.
Strategy 17 - >+B Recovery attack
You can hit >+B right after using jump when you've snapped to the
ledge of a level. This will cause the >+B to be very close to the ground, and
is capable of hitting anybody in the game. If you don't time it right though,
you'll just fly overtop of everybody....
Strategy 18 - Proper Recovery
Do not get complacent when recovering with Ganon. Meaning do not
use the same approach every single time, because you are very easy to edge hog.
What you need to do to stop would be edge hoggers, is to take slightly longer
to use your ^+B recovery, because your opponent will time your usual ^+B with
and edge hog and use the invincibility frames of hanging to kill you. But, if
you mix up the timing very slightly, you'll either get to the ledge before he
gets there, or you'll wait out the ledge invincibility and hit him with Dark
Dive or the punch at the end of it. This is very important to remember.
Strategy 19 - Do no approach a chain grabber...ever
Chain grabbers are banking on using their highly unbalanced chain
grabbing "skills" to gain the edge on you. They'll do this by rolling behind
you, or waiting for you to approach them so they can block and grab you. They
also throw some little attack out and then block immediately after, so they can
sucker you in. So in either situation, do not under any circumstance approach
a character that has a chain grab. They HAVE to come to you to get their crummy
move to work. Always wait for their move first. It's the only way to avoid
chain grabbing. Why? Because chain grabs only work to a certain percentage. So
once you get to around 60% for most characters, the grab sends you too far
away for them to get to you. This means, they will not waste any time hitting
you, when they can just chain grab you for a free 60%. The grab is coming, 100%
guaranteed. So wait and let them do something. I don't care if you have to wait
5mins. Do nothing. It doesn't matter.
------------
Items (ITE7)
------------
Many brawlers like to play with items off, to remove any chance of
luck determining the outcome of the match. I personally don't care. I like to
play with items on every now and again, usually on low.Since every item in the
game, is fair game, complaining about luck to me is pointless because you
could have easily gotten the B-bomb before me. As a result items need a
section in this FAQ.
This section will go through SOME of the items that I think are particularily
useful playing as Ganon.
The Fan :
Mash the A button to your hearts content to rack up damage very,
very easily. Once at the desired percentage, vTilt for an easy KO.
Poke Ball :
You'll be fighting for these things with every one. Once you get it
make sure that you use moves that either hold people in place, or knock them
into the pokemon. >+B or ^+B are good options.
Assist Trophy :
This really goes without saying.
Smash Ball :
So does this.
Mushroom :
A huge Ganon is a huge target. So put on your evasive shoes and
load up on a big hit. If you're edgeguarding, ^tilt has enormous range.
Pitfall :
You throw it and it holds people in place. Use that, then NeuB for
an easy KO.
The Hammer :
Fight for this pretty aggressivly, even though you can be hit with
it. If you get it, try not to just mindlessly walk into people. If you're
against it, you can interupt it with a good >Smash. Lastly, if you have it
and are hit off the stage, franticlly mash A+B to drop it.
The Golden Hammer :
Just like the normal hammer, except if you mash A you can float
with it.
Bumper :
Has great KO power when you throw it at somebody. If you're at a high
percentage, and your opponent low, throw it behind you. When you get smacked
off the screen, you could be hit into it and it'll send you back onto the
stage.
Home Run Bat :
Not because you can KO somebody with 1 hit (that's very hard
to do against people), but because you can throw it and it has great
knockback. Also, when edgeguarding you can throw it straight up to guard
anything above you, so you can worry about spiking.
Smoke Ball :
I know, useless. But I've managed to KO somebody with some moves
while using this weapon that would've not normally hit. Get a smoke ball
attached to you, and gets lots of smoke around you by running around or
something. This actually disguises your attacks pretty well and a >Smash could
be something that lands because you're opponent isn't expecting anything.
So that's the short list of what are some good items. Obviously, most of the
items give you a big advanatage, except in my opinion ones like the beam sword
because Ganon swings it really weird and it can actually hurt you more. Just
pick those ones up and throw them. Another good strategy is to guard the good
items. Most people will franticly try and get them first, but if you're there,
they become really obvious in their attack plan. Use that to your advantage to
score a KO without wasting an item.
----------------------
Levels/Stages (LEVEL8)
----------------------
So, some levels are good for Ganon and some aren't. Here are some levels and
strategies to using them I've found are pretty good.
Battle Field :
The key to success here is controlling the bottom flat surface.
If you don't, you'll be forced to the platforms and you are pretty much
limited to avoiding damage. Try to knock your opponent onto the platforms,
because when they land, it they don't tech then it's a free hit which can lead
to a KO. Mix up your spiking and edge guarding as well. You can actually stand
on the side platforms and jump off and use a Wizards Foot to edge guard. Even
though you'll hit them straight up instead of down, it's a good move that has
decent priority and can still do some damage. Variety in your attacks is good.
Final Destination :
There's no real key here to success. The only thing I would
mention is that because the level sticks out of the ends a bit, do not get
caught underneath. You won't snap to the edge like many other levels, instead
you'll get trapped under the edge and fall to your doom. This level is more
designed for campers with projectiles. There's nothing to get in the way of
them shooting you, so you'll need to get good avoiding projectiles here.
Smash Ville :
My favourite level. Because the platform moves, it's ok to land
on it because you're not in so much danger. But again, control the flat
surface. This level seems to be pretty small on both the sides and top, so
that makes things much easier for Ganondorf to KO people.
Yoshi Island :
A pretty basic level with 1 platform. It's a big platform though
so there's room to work once you get on it. It's also low, so you can actually
jump and stomp somebody while they are on it. It's a small stage though, so
be sure you roll and dodge alot. Also, because it's got some dips in it, your
vAir may get messed up and not cancel properly. You may need to jump a little
higher then normal for your stomps to be effective.
Delfino Plaza :
If you can time the stage shifting right, you can actually
Ganoncide somebody, and cancel it so that they die buy you land on something.
It's a pretty low chance of that happenning, but it is possible to do and it's
an instant KO. Also, there is lots of water around so when the opponent gets
in it, spike them. Even if you don't kill them immediately, when they float to
the top it's very easy to spike them again. Get very good at this. When the
level shifts to where your on the big yellow stage, try to stay on the top part
as well. You're ^tilt can hit people underneath you so you can try to add in
a few of those when not edgeguarding.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FG5ME7XX
Halberd :
There are a few obsticals around this stage but none that should
give you too many problems. A large platform in the middle, and flat gound make
this a good level for Ganon. Knock them into the obsticles and follow up with
strong moves. Watch out for flyers because they can actually come underneath
the entire stage and knock you off of it. Also, make sure you are right at
the edge when recovering with ^+B or >+B. Otherwise you'll miss the edge and
fall down. Like Delfino, the stage moves and if you don't snap to the edge
you'll just fall down. But, you can actually Ganoncide somebody when you are
halfway through the stage itself (when you're flying around). This can be very
deceptive, as you'll be almost underneath the stage, but you'll still be able
to grab sombebody and drag them down with you.
Luigi's Manson :
This is a good level for Ganon I think. Try not to chase
people around the map so much because it's big. Just always try to stay
underneath your opponent. The sides are small as well. This level helps against
projectile spammers as the house itself usually ends up taking all the hits for
you. This can be a great counter pick stage for you.
Green Green's :
A very small level, in every direction. So if you're going
to play on here then make sure you're wearing your dodgeing cap. This can also
be good though because now you don't have to chase anybody around anywhere, and
the blocks making camping very difficult. You can also cancel you Ganoncide
here if you're lucky enough. It doesn't actually cancel, more like you're
opponent gets screwed. When you do >+B close enough to the edge, your opponent
drops straight down (like normal) but instead of hitting the ground then snap
to the edge. So what happens is, is your Ganoncide snaps them to the edge, but
the blocks have filled over which pushes them off the ledge, and traps them
under the stage.
Those are some of the levels I feel Ganon excells at. In general, try to stay
away from huge maps like New Pork City, or maps that move fast and have many
obsitcles (like Mute City). The reason I feel this way is because you do not
ever want to chase people around the map with Ganon. You're just way too slow,
so this means that big maps are ideal for fast characters that camp. You'll
almost always lose to that.
*NOTE*
The levels which I've seen/done/had done to me, a Ganoncide be cancelled on
are:
Delfino Plaza - timed when the level lowers to the patio (the one with the
umbrellas)
Brinstar Depths - when the lava is just coming up, and you Ganoncide down
Green Greens - through the blocks that drop down.
Norfair (the one with the lava, not the level that flips around) - almost the
same as Brinstar
It's almost total luck to get these to happen, so don't bank on it being a
useable strategy.
---------------------------
Closing statements (CLOSE9)
---------------------------
This part of the guide is the summary. Ganondorf is slow and powerful. So that
means you need to dodge a lot, and get good at timing your opponents. You can
also play into the fact that he is deceptively fast by using the attacks that
cancel and have IASA frames to them.
Sucker your opponent into you. ^Smash, >tilt is a great combo because the Smash
is a set up for a quicker attack which lands 90% of the time.
Keep the levels small and do not chase your opponent.
Edge guard with ^tilt, and mix up the timing with spikes.
If you do those above things, then you'll have success with Ganon. Play to his
strengths first, not his weaknesses.
And lastly, I'm not claiming to be the best Ganondorf, but I'll probably give
anyone a run for their money. So while this FAQ has some useful info, it's
not everything there is to know about Ganondorf. You'll have to play as him
to find out everything.
----------------------------------
User submitted strategies (USER10)
----------------------------------
If you have something you'd like to contribute, email me and I'll put it in
here. Make sure the email has something to do with this guide in it's title,
otherwise it'll get deleted. Also please give the name you'd like to appear in
the guide so I can give you credit for it. If it's obsecne, I will not include
it.
--------------
Videos (VID11)
--------------
There are videos strewn throughout the FAQ, but use this so you don't have to
go searching for them.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=5S1IVIUT - ZEUS (Ganon) vs Loki (Peach)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FG5ME7XX - ZEUS (Ganon) vs Chaos (ZSS)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=DXFH3UV0 - ZEUS (Ganon) vs J DUB (C.Falcon)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=XICW7J3H - ZEUS (Ganon) vs KDUBB (Marth)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=1R71NSWB - ZEUS (Ganon) vs RED (Fox)
-------------------------------------
Brawl FC and Version history (ENDFAQ)
-------------------------------------
Version 1.0 - First copy complete and ready for Gfaqs.
Version 1.01? - Updated some attack values, added in a new strategy, added the
levels which Ganoncide is capable of cancelling, added a new combo, and gave
thanks to supercheats for hosting it
Version 1.02 - Added in multiple strategies for specific characters, some minor
spelling errors, some new general strategies as well, and some new combos.
Version 1.2 - Added in new levels, fixed some spelling, expanded strategies in
both character specific and general stategies, added a couple of new moves I
missed,added videos, made a videos section, added in some new combos
My Brawl FC is : 1375 6917 4451
Thanks :
To me for learning Ganondorf even though I was severly disappointed
with him at the beginning.
To GameFAQ's for hosting it
To supercheats.com for hosting it
To my opponents who dummied me while I was Ganondorf, so I could get
better
To everyone in the videos
To Smashboards
===============================================================================
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