Summary
Phantom Ganon first made an appearance inThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeas the boss of the Forest Temple and has since become a fan-favorite villain, appearing in multiple mainline titles and a spin-off game. Conjured by Ganondorf to attack Link, Phantom Ganon is most famous for the Dead Man’s Volley mechanic, or as it’s more commonly known - tennis.
In all instances where it appears, Phantom Ganon has a ghostly appearance, hence its name, sharing physical similarities with Ganondorf but still with a design twist. However, some of its appearances stand out much more than others because of their designs and boss fights.
We didn’t include Phantom Ganon’s appearance in Hyrule Warriors as this game isn’t canon and is almost the exact same as its iteration in The Wind Waker.
5Twilight Princess
Twilight Princessis pretty cinematic, with well-produced cutscenes and memorable imagery. The cutscene before the fight with Ganondorf on horseback is particularly evocative, with Ganondorf’s horse rearing before he destroys Midna’s helmet. As Ganondorf charges towards Link and Zelda, an army of ghostly apparitions follows behind him.
The Legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia book calls these iterations ‘Phantom Riders,’ though they bear a striking resemblance to the Phantom Ganon of Ocarina of Time. During the fight with Ganondorf on horseback, he summons the phantoms and commands them to interceptLink and Zeldaon Epona, though they don’t pose much of a threat.
Considering that Twilight Princess' Ganondorf is such a strong villain, it’s a shame that Phantom Ganon isn’t utilized much in this game.
4Four Swords Adventures
Although it is interesting to see Phantom Ganon realized in 2D, its Four Swords Adventures appearance is rather similar to its The Wind Waker counterpart, albeit without its cape. Four Swords Adventures continues Ocarina of Time’s tennis mechanic with four Links working in tandem to defeat Phantom Ganon.
In the Temple of Darkness, Phantom Ganon evens the playing field as it summons three clones to fight alongside it, creating a somewhat hectic battle. Once again, it’s a game of tennis, with the four Links having to hit the ‘real’ projectile to damage Phantom Ganon. Sadly, this rendition of Phantom Ganon struggles to stand out as it’s much too similar to its appearance in The Wind Waker.
3The Wind Waker
The Wind Waker’s Phantom Ganon fits its moniker well, having a ghostly armored appearance, a weathered cape, and a ghoulish black and blue color scheme.
Link’s first encounter with it is as a mini-boss within the Forsaken Fortress. Similar to in Ocarina of Time, the main gimmick is to rally with Phantom Ganon, hitting the ball of energy back and forth until Phantom Ganon is hit, providing an opening to attack. As the rally goes on, the music speeds up, matching the intensity of the situation.
Link faces an onslaught of Phantom Ganons in Ganon’s tower, but is able to fell it with just one Light Arrow after escaping the maze. Though The Wind Waker’s Phantom Ganon has a great design, its second encounter ultimately feels anticlimactic.
2Tears Of The Kingdom
InTears of the Kingdom, Phantom Ganon isa deadly mirage of Ganondorfgiven form by the Demon King’s malicious Gloom - his “very flesh and blood,” as its final in-game description says. Phantom Ganon is encountered as a boss fight in the Deku Tree and in Hyrule Castle; however, your first encounter with it will most likely be after defeating a Gloom Spawn, catching you off guard when you think you’re finally safe.
Phantom Ganon definitely cuts an intimidating appearance, with its emaciated body towering over Link and its glowing eyes piercing all defenses. Although Phantom Ganon’s Gloom weapons can be dangerous if you’re not prepared, fighting it is worthwhile for a chance toobtain one of these weapons for yourself.
An embodiment of Hyrule’s greatest threat, Phantom Ganon attacks without mercy, obeying the will of its evil master, making it second only to the Demon King himself when it comes to the dangerous enemies of Tears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule.
1Ocarina Of Time
Ocarina of Time’s Forest Temple is home to Phantom Ganon - a ghostly apparition conjured by Ganondorf. Described in-game as an “evil spirit from beyond,” Phantom Ganon certainly looks the part, with it being almost exactly identical to Ganondorf, except for its skeletal face and long horns. It rides upon an armored black steed with glowing eyes and red hair, similar to Phantom Ganon itself.
When Link first comes face to face with Phantom Ganon, it appears to be the real King of Evil; however, it quickly sheds its false appearance and flies into one of the paintings on the walls surrounding Link.
Link has to discover which Phanton Ganon in the paintings is the ‘real’ one, shooting Phantom Ganon with his bow and arrow. What follows is a tense match of tennis between Link and Phantom Ganon, a classic boss mechanic in the Zelda series. Once Phantom Ganon is defeated, Ganondorf banishes it ‘to the gap between dimensions’, claiming that it’s nothing compared to the real him.
Ocarina of Time was the first instance of Phantom Ganon appearing, and it set the precedence for its appearances in the games to come.
