Ganondorf is a long—time member of the Super Smash Bros. roster, but he’s one of the characters that needs to be recycled the most. In its current form, its fighting style hardly resembles its canonical characteristic. As one of Nintendo’s most famous villains, Ganondorf deserves a much better representation than what he’s currently showing in the game.
Ganondorf is the main antagonist of the Legend of Zelda series and arguably one of the most iconic video game villains of all time. Like the main character of the series Link, he appeared as a new incarnation in almost every game in the series. He is an expert swordsman and uses magic and can transform into a monster known as Ganon. As soon as Super Smash Bros. Melee added Bowser to the list, it seemed natural that Ganondorf could be unlocked in the same game. Despite speculation about which fighters might join the next Smash Bros., it’s also fair to assume that Ganondorf’s set of techniques needs to be reworked.
Ganondorf’s introduction to the Smash series was a bit strange. In his debut, he was an outspoken clone of Captain Falcon, a character he has absolutely nothing to do with. Despite some minor differences, such as Ganondorf and his movements being slower and stronger, his set of movements was almost the same as that of the Falcon. This prevented him from establishing a unique identity, especially among players who had never played a Zelda game before and therefore were not familiar with the villain. Although Ganondorf has received more unique techniques in recent entries, his special techniques are still Captain Falcon’s special techniques. If the next Smash sequel has a smaller cast, then Ganondorf may need more personality to get on the list.
Ganondorf Needs to Stop Using Captain Falcon’s Techniques in Smash
Looking back at his home series, it can be said that there are many sources that they could delve into for a set of Ganondorf techniques. Although using his sword in his strike attacks is an improvement, the fact that his magic powers are completely absent from his set of strike techniques seems like an oversight. Several games have shown Ganondorf using magic when fighting Link, so it wouldn’t be a dishonest addition to his set. The fact that the Ganondorf incarnation of Smash is still pretty much a modified Captain Falcon seems like a disservice to his character, and he deserves something more suited to his character and role. Smash Bros. needs more variety, and rethinking Ganondorf as a beast throwing magic could work wonders in this regard.
Developers wouldn’t have to functionally change Ganondorf’s role in Smash. The fact that he is a big, slow bully is wonderful, because it corresponds to the aura of premonition of the power that he radiates. However, his current set of movements doesn’t explain much about who Ganondorf really is. Each other character’s set of moves is largely based on their background and gives players an idea of who they are and how they fight. However, Ganondorf in his current state is just a big guy with Captain Falcon’s special techniques. He needs a more correct set of movements to further assert himself in the Smash series. The accurate Ganondorf can even establish himself as one of the best Super Smash Bros. sword fighters. However, establishing its own identity is the most important reason for its remaking.
Adding Ganondorf to Smash was the right decision, but starting him as a clone of Captain Falcon is one of the most questionable moves in the series. As one of the most memorable villains in video game history, Ganondorf deserves more. The Next Super Smash Bros. It has not been confirmed yet, but we hope that it will give Ganondorf a more accurate and suitable set of techniques.
