The dark villain of Hyrule has been reincarnated throughout the multiple timelines to be an almost constant threat to the realm, thus causing the need for Link to keep being reincarnated as well to face off against him.
Ganondorf (or Ganon) has gone through a multitude of designs over the years, changing between a green-skinned Gerudo in some eras & a bipedal pig in others. Most versions of the character remain iconic and imposing for a villain, but there are some less effective than others: which are the best Ganons and Ganondorfs? Which are the absolute worst?
11 Ganon From The CD-I Games
Coming up with a completely new design for Ganon was a bold move for these games and it would be one done before Ocarina Of Time. However, where Ocarina Of Time succeeded in creating a menacing lord of darkness, The Faces Of Evil and The Wand Of Gamelon fail to convey what Ganon even is.
He’s a robed creature that looks like a mix of a dog and an orc. Combined with his ridiculous voice acting, it’s easily the worst Ganon by far.
10 Calamity Ganon/Dark Beast Ganon From Breath Of The Wild
This is the perfect example of too much going into the design of a character. The build-up to Ganon is great with much promise that this was going to be the Ganon to end all Ganons. This was definitely not the case for fans who considered Ganon one of the only weak portions of an overall fantastic game.
Not only does Ganon swap between two giant monster forms but both forms are way too busy and feel out of place in a Legend Of Zelda title. Dark Beast Ganon was superior since it brought Ganon back to the pig-like design of old.
9 Ganon From The NES/GameBoy Games
The design for Ganon seen in the original game in the NES and the Oracle games on GameBoy are nearly identical to each other except for the better quality sprites on the GameBoy.
This was the first Ganon that established himself as a demonic pig-like creature and it definitely works for the first attempt at creating an iconic villain for what would become one of gaming’s biggest franchises.
8 Ganon From A Link To The Past
This version of Ganon essentially takes the simpler design from the original game and amplifies it with more details in the character’s armor and features. The 16-bit graphics of the SNES help make Ganon look even more imposing this time around.
It’s a simple case of not fixing what isn’t broken which is surprising seeing how almost every other aspect of Hyrule and its character got revamped for A Link To The Past.
7 Ganon From Four Swords Adventures
With an upgrade in size and graphics, Four Swords Adventures by far the biggest, most evil, and best 2D version of Ganon in the multiple timelines. Much like in the original and A Link To The Past, it’s a case of build-up leading to a satisfying reveal.
It helps that this version of Ganon is written to be more like the Ganondorfs featured in the games around the same time. Dark, menacing, combined with an exquisitely detailed sprite that features elements from the past while new elements lead to this being one of the more underrated Ganons.
6 Yuga/Ganon From A Link Between Worlds
Most of the characters in A Link Between Worlds have designs lifted straight out of A Link To The Past but with Ganon, Nintendo decided to give the character another upgrade by giving him a red mane similar to his Ganondorf incarnations and tattered warrior garb.
This game also features a different take on Ganondorf in the form of Yuga, an evil sorcerer who features the green skin and red hair. However, instead of the usual armors that Ganondorf is known for, Yuga wears a dark robe and cloak similar to the CD-I version.
5 The Imprisoned/Demise From Skyward Sword
This is where the curse of forever reincarnating darkness began: with the form of a scaly entity made of pure evil causing the destruction of Hyrule and forcing its people into the sky with the help of the Goddess. This villain creates the hatred that will spawn the likes of Ganon and Ganondorf.
The Imprisoned form of the villain is not that impressive and comes off as goofy in some moments but then he finally evolves into the character of Demise. His scaly skin, fiery hair, and massive sword make him one of the scariest Ganondorfs ever created.
4 Ganondorf/Ganon From Ocarina Of Time
The first incarnation of Ganondorf ever created ended up being a revolutionary one because after Ocarina Of Time came out, Ganondorf became the new standard for the character and it shows why.
The dark green skin, the red hair, the armor, and the golden yellow eyes lead to Ganondorf stealing the story every time he appears: he just oozes menace and imposition. The same goes for his final transformation into the final boss, Ganon, which is probably the scariest version of the pig-like creature in the series.
3 Ganondorf/Ganon From Hyrule Warriors
The best way to describe this version of Ganondorf is to image if he was being portrayed by Jason Momoa. Ganondorf is massive in Hyrule Warriors and combined with his new heavy armor, it leads to him being imposing enough that it can make one not want to get on his bad side.
The design itself is essentially a perfect mixture of Ocarina Of Time, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess merged into one and it works; a love letter to the many Ganondorfs of the past. The same can be said for his Ganon form which looks like it could rival Godzilla in a future movie.
2 Ganondorf/Puppet Ganon From The Wind Waker
In a game where every character and most of the minions are designed to be cute and child-friendly, most of the bosses feature some genuinely threatening designs and Ganondorf is no different.
Ganondorf’s look is not too different from Ocarina Of Time but the added large robe and the new swords are perfectly designed to give Ganondorf a mysterious presence. The build-up also helps in making Ganondorf more menacing. His multiple forms as Puppet Ganon are also effective since it’s jarringly creepy in design, especially if one suffers from Automatonophobia.
1 Ganondorf/Ganon From Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess features the best incarnation of the iconic villain of the series by taking what Ocarina Of Time and The Wind Waker did so well, amplifying them, and then injecting the new darker edge of Twilight Princess in there for good measure.
At first glance, Ganondorf resembles what looks like a normal Gerudo man but he just has to appear on the screen for one second and his presence silences everything. The all-black armor and cloak mixed with his cold stare make for an appearance that’s simple yet effective: it rivals the likes of Darth Vader. As for his Ganon form, it too is an effective version of the creature: a threat that strikes fear into the hearts of Hyrule’s people.
NEXT: 5 Zelda Clones Better Than The Real Thing (& 5 That Are So Much Worse)
