Summary
- Ganondorf's appearances across The Legend of Zelda series are memorable and unique, with each iteration having its own impact and design choices.
- Ocarina of Time 's Ganondorf, while considered the character's worst design, still effectively portrays his menacing presence and physically imposing stature.
- Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker offer contrasting visual approaches for Ganondorf, with the former emphasizing intimidation and darkness, while the latter showcases a simpler and more cartoon-like design with complex characterization. Tears of the Kingdom introduces a new direction for Ganondorf, with a minimal yet powerful appearance that combines simplicity and detail.
The Legend of Zelda villain Ganondorf has taken on several unique designs across the games he's appeared in, and not all of these looks are created equal. As a series that features few direct sequels, The Legend of Zelda frequently puts a fresh coat of paint on its characters. Central figures like Link and Princess Zelda have evolved from 8-bit sprites to sophisticated polygonal models, changing costumes and features many times along the way. Despite his towering status in the series lore, Ganondorf hasn't received as many iterations, but the ones he has taken on are all memorable in their own ways.
Ganon has been the primary antagonist of the Zelda series since the original NES game, but his distinctly humanoid form of Ganondorf didn't appear until the series leaped into 3D with Ocarina of Time. Since then, he's returned three more times in mainline games, appearing in The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess,and Tears of the Kingdom. Ganondorf is always a Gerudo across every iteration and retains certain features associated with his people, but his makeovers are exhaustive in many other ways. None of these designs have been failures, but it's still possible to order them in terms of their overall impact.
4 Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time's Ganondorf may be the character's worst design, but it is much less of an insult to his original appearance than it is a testament to how consistently strong his iterations have been. His Nintendo 64 design humanizes his features while retaining his menace, even when dealing with the limited polygon count of early 3D graphics. Although later appearances make Ganondorf even bulkier, his Ocarina of Time design is physically imposing in its own right, towering over Link and moving with an intimidating certainty.
If anything, Ganondorf's first appearance is simply more basic than later showings, which leaned into specific aspects of his design to enhance his memorability. As the template for every character iteration since, Ganondorf's design in Ocarina of Time got all the essentials right, but that also gives it little that sets it apart from a retrospective view. The elements of Ganondorf's presence in the game that many players are likely to remember mostly come from his presentation in the story, with dramatic cutscene cues setting the tone in a way that had been impossible on 8 and 16-bit systems.
3 Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess' Ganondorf is all about intimidation, doubling down on the menacing aspects of his Ocarina of Time appearance to fit the darker stylings of the GameCube and Wii title. Once again, the game's presentation of Ganondorf in cutscenes and cinematic moments does wonders, making him feel like a hulking monster that would be foolish to defy. His ornate armor enhances this sense of a behemoth foe while tapping into a royal elegance, starkly contrasting with the simple chainmail that Link wears under his standard green tunic in the game.
For fans who prefer a realistic visual direction for the Zelda series, Twilight Princess Ganondorf might just be the peak, as no other games have aimed for the same level of visual detail or the muted color palette that defines his look. However, these strengths also miss out on some of the advantages of simpler designs, giving him a murkier appearance at a distance that mostly relies on bulk to convey a sense of presence. As a figure of pure evil, the Twilight Princess iteration of Ganondorf is unmatched, but there are other directions to take with the king of the Gerudo that are even more interesting to explore.
2 The Wind Waker
Ganondorf's appearance in The Wind Waker is on almost the opposite end of the spectrum as his Twilight Princess design. A cartoon simplicity foregoes attempts at improving detail from Ocarina of Time, and robes make for a much less militaristic appearance than layered plate armor. The strength and power inherent to Ganondorf are captured instead through bold features and clean lines that make for an immediately striking and memorable figure. Place this next to the especially diminutive Toon Link that appears in The Wind Waker, and the duel between Link and Ganondorf makes the Hero of Time seem like a gnat in his presence.
Ganondorf's The Wind Waker design also taps into his complex characterization in the game, which highlights the tragic aspects of the figure and underscores his regal bearing in a manner not seen in other Zelda entries. The visual balancing act between his terrifying presence and this unusual subtlety is a tightrope walked particularly well, standing as an ultimate triumph for a cartoon style that many fans derided when the game was first announced. The Wind Waker's approach also allows for an intensified level of expression, with both his sorrow and rage coming across in memorably stylized emotions and movements.
1 Tears of the Kingdom
The immediate impact of Tears of the Kingdom's Ganondorf was obvious even before the game launched, with initial reveals of his design nearly stirring fans into a frenzy. The lack of Ganondorf in Breath of the Wild was a disappointment for some players, with the more primal force of Calamity Ganon lacking the same level of characterization or story presence that fans have grown to expect from Zelda villains. Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom represents a major change in direction, with an active role in both the past and present of the narrative and a level of expression and dynamism to rival his appearance in The Wind Waker.
This iteration of Ganondorf eschews both heavy armor and elegant robes for a more minimally clothed appearance, with bulging muscles and gold jewelry saying all that needs to be said about his strength and regality. An intricately modeled cel-shaded appearance offers the best of both worlds when it comes to the balance of simplicity and detail, appeasing fans of both directions that the series has taken in the past. Although it may seem early to declare the Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf as the best design that The Legend of Zelda has featured, this bold new take on the iconic villain is a truly striking evolution of his legacy.
Source: Boss Fight Database/YouTube