Website and research by 101Leafy.
A Link to the Past SNES › Boss Fights › Ganon in Pyramid

Ganon in Pyramid

For The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on the Super Nintendo (SNES).

Ganon

Where it is

From the official guides

At last the time has come to settle things with Ganon. Ganon is far stronger than any boss so far and has many kinds of attack. The secret to winning is to keep slashing without flinching and to get to where Ganon will appear before he does. Load the silver arrow with grief for the ones who were sacrificed, thoughts of those who died, and the hopes of everyone, and pierce Ganon!

ファミコン通信編集部責任編集 ゼルダの伝説 神々のトライフォースのすべてがわかる本 (アスキー, 1992), p. 64, translated by 101Leafy

How the fight goes

  1. Ganon has 255 hit points. Of the swords, only the Tempered Sword (4 per hit) and the Golden Sword (8 per hit) hurt him.
  2. After each teleport his hit points pick his next attacks: one set above 160, another from 97 to 160, and a third at 96 or less.
  3. He throws his trident until his hit points are down to 208, and while he does they cannot drop below 208. The bats come next, and while they are out his hit points cannot drop below 160.
  4. Hits only reach him while both torches burn, and never while he teleports. With no torch lit he is mostly not drawn, but he still shows while stunned.
  5. He teleports between 8 spots, 4 near the top of the room and 4 near the bottom, always to the other row. He flies there at up to 2 pixels a frame and leaves an afterimage every 8 frames.
  6. In the first set he starts with his trident, thrown 64 frames in, and teleports. The trident steers toward Link at up to 2 pixels a frame for 112 frames, then flies back to him.
  7. Later in the first set bats of fire gather around him, one every 16 frames, in a ring of 8 places 40 pixels out that turns once every 128 frames. Then they leave the ring one at a time; each waits 35 frames and dives at Link at 3 pixels a frame.
  8. The trident and each bat take 4 hearts from Link in the Green Mail, 3 in the Blue Mail, and 2 in the Red Mail.
  9. Touching Ganon himself takes 8 hearts from Link in the Green Mail, 6 in the Blue Mail, and 3 in the Red Mail, and the shield does not block it. This can only happen while hits can reach him.
  10. In the second set his hit points are set back to 100 at each teleport. 61 frames in he throws a fireball that circles outward around the spot where Link stood, at about 5 pixels a frame.
  11. A hit in the second set makes him jump. When he lands the room shakes for 96 frames and Link cannot move. Then he teleports and one edge of the floor changes.
  12. The floor changes one 16 by 16 tile at a time, one every 17 frames: 12 tiles along the top the first time, then 11 down the right side, 12 along the bottom, and 11 up the left side.
  13. After his fourth round of attacks his hit points are set to 96, and he speaks again.
  14. 208 and 223 frames after that he puts out the two torches.
  15. In the last set he throws a fireball 52 frames in that flies straight at Link at 2 pixels a frame. Hits reach him only during 32 of the set's 104 frames, and no sword hit takes hit points: a hit that lands stuns him instead.
  16. The fireballs of the second and last sets do not hurt Link themselves. Every 8 frames each one leaves a flame that can hurt for 71 frames (39 in the last set), and touching it takes 2 hearts, whatever mail Link wears, and knocks him back.
  17. When the second torch is lit, a hit within the next 64 frames stuns him for 127 frames instead of hurting him. While stunned, only the Silver Arrows hurt him, 24 per arrow.

101Leafy researched the game for how the fight runs and what hurts the boss at each step.

Before the fight

I never imagined a boy like you could give me so much trouble. It's unbelievable that you defeated my alterego, Agahnim the Dark Wizard, twice! But I will never give you the Triforce. I will destroy you and make my wish to conquer both Light and Dark Worlds come true without delay.

Said by: Ganon

The whole scene: Ganon

After the fight

You are doing well, lad. But can you break through this secret technique of Darkness? En Garde!

Said by: Ganon

The whole scene: Ganon

Hints

When Ganon is stunned, give him his last moment with a Silver Arrow! Do you understand, Link?

You are an honest person. I like you. I will give you something important… These are the Silver Arrows. To give Ganon his last moment, you definitely need them! I know I don't quite have the figure of a faerie. Ganon's cruel power is to blame! You must defeat Ganon!

The whole scene: Ganon

What Link wins

The way to the Triforce opens.

Numbers

Hit points255
Damage to Link, Green Mail8 hearts
Damage to Link, Blue Mail6 hearts
Damage to Link, Red Mail3 hearts

Weapons

BoomerangNo effect
Fighter's SwordNo effect
Master SwordNo effect
Tempered Sword64 hits
Golden Sword32 hits
Golden Sword spin attack32 hits
ArrowsNo effect
Hook ShotNo effect
BombsNo effect
Silver ArrowsNo effect
Magic PowderNo effect
Fire RodNo effect
Ice RodNo effect
Bombos MedallionNo effect
Ether MedallionNo effect
Quake MedallionNo effect

Drops

It drops nothing.