Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is highly favorable for Link whenever arrows, boomerang, and bomb keep Ganondorf walking forward through a scripted path. Ganondorf struggles in projectile exchanges, landing, and recovery, but one callout with forward smash, up tilt, or grounded Neutral B can still erase a stock absurdly early, so the goal is not just building a lead but deleting those reversal windows.
Link does better by refusing to stand still at midrange and instead making Ganondorf choose jump or shield first through boomerang and arrow pressure, then stabilizing the next beat with nair, up tilt, or a pullback step. Bomb is still one of Link’s best tools, but if the handoff gets sloppy and close range begins anyway, Ganondorf can turn that item state into Side B follow-ups or grounded pickups, so bomb control has to stay deliberate.
The frame table shows Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Neutral B, and Down B (1)(2) are all major Up B (7f) punish points. By contrast, Nair, Bair, Uair, Side B, and Up B are not consistent immediate shield-punish spots, so Link should not try to make every blocked move end the interaction on the spot. The more reliable pattern is to stop the entry first, then collect the landing or ledge afterward.
Stocks are most repeatable when Link keeps ledge control with boomerang, bomb, fair, bair, and Up B rather than overchasing offstage. Ganondorf’s recovery is weak horizontally, so once he is forced below or away from ledge, Link can keep the advantage layered without ever accepting the raw power trade in center stage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Link OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 7 | -8 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -17/-16 |
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| Up Tilt | 60 | -14 |
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| Down Tilt | 10 | -12 |
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| Dash Attack | 10 | -13/-11 |
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| Forward Smash | 29 | -24 |
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| Up Smash | 20 | -25 |
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| Down Smash | 15/35 | -39/-13 |
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| Neutral Air | 7/17 | (-7/-7)(-5/-6) |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -7/-7 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -4/-5 |
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| Up Air | 8 | -6/-6/-6/-7/-7/-8 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -9/-10 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 70/80 | -20/-14 |
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| Neutral B (2) | 70/80 | -14/-12 |
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| Side B (1) | 16 | — | ||
| Side B (2) | 16 | — | ||
| Side B (3) | — | — | ||
| Up B | 14 | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 16 | -29 |
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| Down B (2) | 16 | -34 |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use arrows, boomerang, and bomb to stop the straight-line advance, force Ganondorf to jump or shield first, and keep the next beat in midrange with nair, up tilt, and pullback movement.
- After blocking Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Neutral B, or Down B (1)(2), take the listed punish with Up B (7f) first and do not let those heavy swings go unclaimed.
- After blocking Nair, Bair, or Uair, do not force the immediate answer. Cover the landing or pullback instead with boomerang, fair, or bair and win the second touch.
- Keep bomb for ledge pressure and landing traps. Do not hand it over carelessly or leave it at your feet where Ganondorf can turn it into a Side B follow-up or pickup threat.
- Build kills from ledge control, splitting the recovery routes with boomerang, bomb, fair, bair, and Up B, and do not overextend offstage just to end the stock faster.
Actions to Avoid
- Panicking at the threat of forward smash, up tilt, or grounded Neutral B and swinging first into the exact one-read stock loss Ganondorf wants.
- Trying to shield punish every blocked move immediately and getting dragged into landing drift or a renewed Side B scramble after Nair, Bair, or Uair.
- Letting bomb management collapse in close range and giving Ganondorf item-based pickups or Side B conversions that should never have existed.
- Chasing too far offstage after winning neutral and throwing away a ledgetrap that would have closed the stock more safely.