Guides / The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo Switch 2)
Ganon's Tower & Final Confrontation
Ganon's Tower forms the central spire of Ganon's Castle where Link ascends to confront Ganondorf, escapes the collapsing structure, and faces Ganon in the final battle amidst the ruins.
Getting there: Inside Ganon's Castle, complete the elemental barrier rooms (Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit, and Light) and destroy each core with Light Arrows to break all six seals, dissipating the central barrier to open the door into the central inner tower.
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Before you leave
- •Completing the game triggers the ending sequence and credits, requiring a previous save reload to continue side quests.
- •Do not stand directly in front of the Iron Knuckles without room to evade, as their battleaxe strikes deal extremely high physical damage.
- •Falling debris still hurts, so keep moving with Zelda rather than lingering under it.
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Items
0/2Route
5 steps- 1
Preparing for the Ascent. Clear the six trial rooms and lift the outdoor monolith for Double Defense before ascending
- 2
Climbing the Tower Landings. Ascend the central inner tower landings, defeating Dinolfos, Lizalfos, Fire Keese, and Iron Knuckles
⚠ Do not stand directly in front of the Iron Knuckles without room to evade, as their battleaxe strikes deal extremely high physical damage.
- 3
The Summit Duel with Ganondorf. Duel Ganondorf at the summit using sword volleys and Light Arrows to stun him
- 4
Escorting Zelda Down the Collapsing Spire. Escort Princess Zelda down through the collapsing spire and protect her from enemies
⚠ Falling debris still hurts, so keep moving with Zelda rather than lingering under it.
- 5
The Final Confrontation Amidst the Ruins. Defeat Ganon amidst the ruins by targeting his tail tip and delivering the final blow
⚠ Be sure all desired side quests are complete before striking the final blow, as completing the game triggers the ending sequence and credits, requiring a previous save reload to continue.
Key fights
4| Fight | Watch for | Weaknesses and resistances | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staircase GauntletDinolfos, Lizalfos, Fire Keese, Iron Knuckles | Agile sword strikes, aggressive movement, extremely high physical damage, and wide cleaves with massive battleaxesTactics: For Dinolfos and Lizalfos, lock-on, bait out attacks with shield guarding, and counter-attack with sword slashes or power strikes. For Iron Knuckles, bait vertical axe swings, step back to avoid impact, then move in to strike while the weapon is stuck in the floor, maintaining mobility when armor sheds and their speed increases. | ||
| Great King of Evil GanondorfGanondorf | Floating projectile magic, dark energy salvos, and slam attacks that destroy surrounding floor tilesTactics: Strike back his energy orb using the Master Sword (dead man's volley) until he is stunned, then immediately fire a Light Arrow to paralyze him completely. Jump to the center platform while incapacitated to execute sword combos. Retreat to stable outer platforms when he charges large energy attacks that knock out floor blocks. | ||
| Collapse EscapeHostile spawns | Debris, falling structures and locked gates requiring Zelda to unseal (the remake dropped the original's escape timer)Tactics: Stay close to Princess Zelda, defend her from remaining hostile spawns, and descend the stairways without lingering. | ||
| The Final Duel: GanonGanon | Twin greatswords, sweeping strikes, and massive reach (Link is initially separated from the Master Sword at the beginning of the battle)Tactics: Evade sweeping sword strikes by rolling between his legs or targeting his backside. Target the illuminated tail tip using Light Arrows, Megaton Hammer, or secondary adult blades until the fire barrier drops to recover the Master Sword. Stun Ganon's head directly with Light Arrows, circle to strike the tail, and deliver the final Master Sword strike to trigger the Sage seal. | Concludes the main story; triggers the victory sequence with Princess Zelda, the banishment of Ganon into the Sacred Realm, and the game credits |
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The full walkthrough text
Ganon's Tower forms the central spire of Ganon's Castle where Link ascends to confront Ganondorf, escapes the collapsing structure, and faces Ganon in the final battle amidst the ruins.
1. Preparing for the Ascent
Inside Ganon's Castle, clear the Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit, and Light elemental trial rooms and shatter their cores using Light Arrows to break all six seals and open the door to the central tower. Ensure you collected the Golden Gauntlets inside the Shadow trial room before heading up. If you exit the castle, you can lift the massive monolith outside with the gauntlets to visit the Great Fairy of Courage at her Great Fairy’s Fountain and claim the Double Defense upgrade to halve all incoming damage.
Tip: Double Defense significantly reduces incoming damage during the upcoming gauntlet and boss fights.
2. Climbing the Tower Landings
Enter the central inner tower and ascend the winding staircases, cutting through the combat landings between floors. Lock onto the Dinolfos and Lizalfos, using your shield to bait attacks before countering, while swatting away nuisance Fire Keese. On the upper landing, confront the two armored Iron Knuckles by dodging their heavy vertical axe swings, counterattacking while their battleaxes are stuck in the floor, and staying mobile once their armor sheds and their speed rises.
Tip: Step backward to safely dodge the Iron Knuckles' vertical cleaves before moving in to strike.
3. The Summit Duel with Ganondorf
Before entering the summit, smash the pots placed outside the door to collect recovery items and magic jars. Step inside to find Ganondorf playing a pipe organ and Princess Zelda trapped within a crystal prism above the central raised platform. Play dead man's volley by knocking his energy orbs back with the Master Sword until he staggers, then instantly shoot him with a Light Arrow to paralyze him before leaping onto the center platform to unleash sword combos.
Tip: Fall back to the stable outer floating floor sections whenever Ganondorf readies large energy charges that knock out floor blocks.
4. Escorting Zelda Down the Collapsing Spire
With Ganondorf defeated, join the freed Princess Zelda as the structure begins to fall apart. Unlike the original, the remake gives this escape no timer. Follow her closely through the collapsing corridors and stairwells, protecting her from hostile spawns along the escape route. Wait for her to unseal locked gates as you descend, making sure not to linger as debris drops around you.
Tip: Stay right next to Zelda so you can immediately fend off hostile spawns as soon as they appear.
5. The Final Confrontation Amidst the Ruins
Emerge onto the ruined castle grounds, where Ganon emerges from the rubble and knocks the Master Sword from your grip behind a fire barrier. Evade his twin greatsword sweeps by rolling between his legs or targeting his illuminated tail tip with secondary adult blades, the Megaton Hammer, or Light Arrows; you can also smash surrounding rubble for hidden recovery items and magic jars. Once the fire drops, retrieve the Master Sword, stun Ganon's head with Light Arrows, slash his tail, and deliver the final Master Sword blow to allow the Sages to seal him away.
Tip: Search the rubble around the perimeter if you run low on health or magic during the fight.
The short version
What matters
- Completing all six elemental barrier rooms with Light Arrows to gain access to the central spire of Ganon's Castle.
- Acquiring the Golden Gauntlets from the Shadow trial room to lift the outdoor monolith for the Great Fairy of Courage's Double Defense upgrade.
- Smashing pots before the summit and rubble in the final arena to keep your health and magic jars topped up for Light Arrow attacks.
- Striking Ganondorf's energy orbs with your sword and using Light Arrows to stun both Ganondorf and Ganon.
Common mistakes
- Losing track of Princess Zelda during the tower collapse: she opens the locked gates, so stay with her.
- Forgetting to roll under Ganon's massive reach while disarmed of the Master Sword instead of targeting his illuminated tail tip.
- Expecting to resume side quests post-game without a prior save file, as finishing the final duel immediately triggers the credits.
24 facts on this page · 0 checked · 24 still being checked · from theguardian.com, zeldawiki.wiki, youtube.com
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