Ganon's Castle

, also known as Ganon's Tower, or Ganon’s Fortress, is a recurring in .
==Overview==
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====Entrance to ====
Ganon's Castle is Ganon's stronghold and replaces Hyrule Castle over the seven years that Link sleeps in suspended animation after he withdraws the Master Sword from its pedestal. Although its exterior can be explored as early as Link becomes the Hero of Time, the dark castle floats over a large lake of magma, rendering it inaccessible until the Six Sages are awakened and create a colorful bridge of light, allowing Link to enter Inside Ganon's Castle.
====Themes and Navigation====
Within the tower's center is a giant spindle leading up to the top that is blocked off by a surrounding magic seal. The powerful force field that surrounds the spindle is powered by six barriers that are based on each of the adult Dungeons. Above each of the barriers is the Sage symbol that represents the element. At the end of each room lies the source of the barrier's energy, requiring Light Arrows to destroy them and seemingly freeing the respective Sage inside.
Ordered counterclockwise, the routes are:
*Forest Barrier: Actually a wind-themed route, it revolves around collection of Silver Rupees over endless pits ventilated by fans, and a fight against Wolfos.
*Water Barrier: Actually an ice-themed route, it revolves around pushing blocks on a slippery, icy floor and using Blue Fire to melt red ice.
*Shadow Barrier: It revolves around crossing a prolonged chasm by activating some passages and walking through invisible platforms. The Golden Gauntlets are found in this room.
*Fire Barrier: It revolves around collecting Silver Rupees across a huge room with lava while avoiding obstacles and enemies. The Golden Gauntlets are required here.
*Light Barrier: It can only be accessed after the huge boulder blocking it is removed with the Golden Gauntlets, and revolves around exploring various small rooms, each one showing a different puzzle. Notably, the barrier's core is behind a fake wall.
*Spirit Barrier: It revolves around collecting Silver Rupees while avoiding Blade Traps, a Light Beam puzzle, and the use of rare items like Bombchus and Fire Arrows.
There is a secret room under the bridge that contains various Business Scrubs and fairies, which can become helpful as Link dispels each of the barriers in Ganon's Tower. Once the six barriers have been disintegrated, the magical barrier will disappear, allowing Link to make his way up to the tower.
The way up to the castle's inner sanctum is a long staircase that leads to increasingly more dangerous rooms filled with a pair of Dinolfos, Stalfos, and even Iron Knuckles, which Link must defeat individually to progress up the tower. At the top awaits Ganondorf, the Evil King, who is patiently waiting for Link as he plays his own theme song on an organ while Princess Zelda remains trapped in a crystal above him. After Ganondorf is defeated in a heated battle, he destroys the throne room's ceiling in a fit of rage before falling face down, seemingly dead. The tower then begins to rumble, as the villain purposely intends to ultimately make his entire castle collapse to kill his foes under the rubble via his powerful dark magic, forcing Link and Princess Zelda to escape the tower within a three minute time limit. All of the main doors of the castle have been blocked, and as such, it is up to the princess to use her powers and open up each of the alternate exits. The two take a long path that winds in and out of the castle, fighting enemies and dodging falling debris. Once the duo safely make it out, running for their lives, the castle collapses in front of them, with the tower sinking first followed by the rest into the foundation as well. When the destruction ends, Link and Princess Zelda believe they finally achieved victory. However, their archenemy Ganondorf, still alive, furiously appears among the ruins and transforms himself into his true form, Ganon, using the Triforce of Power. Link must defeat the massive beast once and for all to restore peace to Hyrule.
=====Master Quest=====
The mini-dungeons corresponding to each temple have been remixed in the version of the game. Also, instead of two Beamos there are a Blade Trap, two Green Bubbles, two Armos and an Iron Knuckle in the first room. 
*Forest Barrier: The first room is identical. In the turbine room, there are now more Beamos and also an Armos. The Song of Time must be played several times.
*Fire Barrier: Most platforms are moving or either rise or sink when Link stands on them. There are two big rocks now, and the Silver Rupees are in places that are difficult to reach.
*Water Barrier: In the first room, there are several stalactites that fall from the ceiling, and the blue fire is surrounded by a pillar of water. Curiously, there is a lone Dead Hand's hand that is used to "reveal" the location of a switch hidden inside a wall that lowers the pillar of water when hit. In the second room there are three Keese, each one is different. There is a Silver Rupee puzzle and more red ice.
*Shadow Barrier: There are now some invisible platforms and a Beamos. The Golden Gauntlets are no longer found here, and Fire Arrows are required to solve some puzzles.
*Spirit Barrier: In the first room, instead of Silver Rupees there are some stone thrones blocking access to a switch. Some Fire Keese and a Torch Slug are found here, and there is an eye on the wall that if shot, makes an Iron Knuckle appear so the thrones can be destroyed. In the second room there are now Green Bubbles, ReDeads and Gibdos. There are several suns, just like in the original version. However, one makes a Wallmaster appear, others make chests with replenishment appear and the last one makes the chest with the Golden Gauntlets appear. The sun required for opening the door is blocked by the Spirit Symbol on the wall and only a small portion of it can be seen.
*Light Barrier: In the first room, there is a puzzle involving torches that must be lit quickly to make a chest appear over the door. The next room is the same, but instead of having to collect Silver Rupees, it is now required to activate a switch while avoiding the boulder and a Beamos. In the fake barrier room, there are no enemies, but there is a switch that gives access to the last room hidden inside a torch.
=====Small Keys=====
*In the original, there are two small keys in the light section.
*In Master Quest, there are three in the forest, shadow, and spirit sections.
=====Minor Enemies and Traps=====
File:OoT Armos Model.png|Armos
File:OoT Beamos Model.png|Beamos
File:OoT Boulder Model.png|Boulder
File:OoT Blade Trap Model.png|Blade Trap
File:OoT Business Scrub Model.png|Business Scrub
File:OoT Dead Hand's Hand Model.png|Dead Hand's Hand(Master Quest only)
File:OoT Dinolfos Model.png|Dinolfos
File:OoT Fire Keese Model.png|Fire Keese
File:OoT Freezard Model.png|Freezard
File:OoT Gibdo Model.png|Gibdo(Master Quest only)
File:OoT Green Bubble Model.png|Green Bubble
File:Guillotines.jpg|Guillotine(Master Quest only)
File:OoT Ice Keese Model.png|Ice Keese(Master Quest only)
File:OoT Iron Knuckle Model.png|Iron Knuckle
File:OoT Keese Model.png|Keese
File:OoT Like Like Model.png|Like Like
File:OoT ReDead Model.png|ReDead
File:OoT Red Bubble Model.png|Red Bubble
File:OoT Icicle Model.png|
File:OoT Stalfos Model.png|Stalfos
File:OoT Skulltula Model.png|Skulltula
File:OoT Torch Slug Model.png|Torch Slug
File:OoT Wolfos Model.png|Wolfos
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====Entrance to Ganon's Tower====
Ganon's Tower is the last dungeon in and is located underneath the Great Sea in the now-forgotten land of Hyrule. Link gains access to it after the Master Sword retrieves its full power and the Triforce of Courage is complete. When these two conditions are met and Link goes back to Hyrule Castle to ensure the princess's safety, he realizes that Ganon kidnapped her and fights two high-class Darknut soldiers. Afterward, the Hero of Winds goes outside and breaks the barrier that made Ganon's lair previously inaccessible.
The path to Ganon's Tower is full of enemies such as Peahats, Moblins, and even Darknuts, although they can all be easily avoided. Some chasms have to be crossed with the Hookshot as well.
====Themes and Navigation====
Once inside the tower, Link will find himself in a room with five doors. The main door leading deeper into the tower is initially blocked off by a magic seal. As such, the young hero must explore the areas behind the four remaining doors. Each area is based on one of the four main dungeons, and they all require the extensive use of its respective main dungeon item. In clockwise order, the routes are:
*Dragon Roost Cavern: It revolves around crossing a large sea of lava. There are several items that are helpful for that purpose, including Deku Leaf, Grappling Hook, and Ice Arrows.
*Forbidden Woods: It revolves around crossing an endless pit with the help of movable platforms and tongue-shaped elevators.
*Earth Temple: It revolves around running through a prolonged passage guarded by undead enemies. Occasionally, the young hero must find a way to keep some switches pressed.
*Wind Temple: It revolves around crossing a wind-operated obstacle while dodging an airborne Wizzrobe. Items like Deku Leaf, Iron Boots and Hookshot are required.
At the end of each mini-dungeon, Link must once again defeat its corresponding boss (rematch) in order to dispel a part of the barrier (respectively, Gohma, Kalle Demos, Jalhalla and Molgera). Once all of the four bosses have been defeated, the seal blocking off the door to the inner part of the dungeon will be broken.
Next is a puzzle room of sorts where Link can both open a quick exit to the Forsaken Fortress and enter a maze where Phantom Ganon confronts him incessantly; in the end, the young hero finds the Light Arrow upgrade, which defeats Phantom Ganon once and for all. This causes the phantom to leave its sword behind that Link must use to bust open a brick wall, leading to a room with a long flight of stairs infested with Moblins and Darknuts. After dispatching each of these enemies with the help of the Light Arrows, Link pushes past a large door and enters an extremely high and wide room where Princess Zelda sleeps on a bed, guarded by Ganondorf. Here, Link fights Puppet Ganon, who transforms into multiple shapes in 3 phases. After victory, Link climbs the room to finally reach the fortress's roof to fight Ganondorf in a final round.
Just like the rest of Hyrule, Ganon's Tower is completely flooded after King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule makes his wish using the Triforce.
=====Minor Enemies and Traps=====
File:Blade Trap TWW.png|Blade Trap
File:TWW Darknut Figurine Model 2.png|Darknut
File:TWW Green Bokoblin Model.png|Green Bokoblin
File:TWW Keese Figurine.png|Keese
File:FloorSpikesWW.png|Floor Spikes
File:TWW Mighty Darknut Figurine Model.png|Mighty Darknut
File:TWW Miniblin Figurine Model.png|Miniblin
File:TWW Moblin Figurine Model.png|Moblin
File:TWW Molgera Larva Figurine.png|Molgera Larva
File:TWW Morth Figurine Model.png|Morth
File:TWW Peahat Figurine Model.png|Peahat
File:TWW Poe Figurine Model.png|Poe
File:Purple ChuChu TWW.png|Dark ChuChu
File:TWW Red Bubble & Blue Bubble Figurine Model.png|Red Bubble
File:TWW ReDead Figurine Model.png|ReDead
File:TWW Stalfos Figurine Model.png|Stalfos
File:TWW Wizzrobe Figurine Model 2.png|Wizzrobe
==Trivia==
*In early development, Ganon's Castle was originally going to be the only setting for Ocarina of Time, with the game structured similarly to Princess Peach's Castle in Super Mario 64, and various different rooms in the castle itself serving as the dungeons. Although the original plot was scrapped in the final release, the Forest Temple has leftover elements, with the dungeon's architecture resembling a castle unlike all other Temples and the six paintings in the boss room where Phantom Ganon comes in and out actually shows Ganon's Castle in the background.
*When Link enters the tower section of Ganon's Castle and Ganondorf is heard playing his theme song on a pipe organ, the music grows louder as the hero goes higher up toward the throne room.
*Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time 3D has a different design from the original game where it has gargoyle statues on its sides and the overall structure appears more demonic with spikes and closer to a fortress, similar in akin to Bowser's Castle in the Super Mario franchise.
*The Forest and Water Barriers of Ganon's Castle are the only ones not to stay akin to its temple theme. Instead of having forest and water-type challenges, they instead incorporate wind and ice elements, the water barrier having rooms similar to that of the . This is due to the developmental version of each temple being wind and ice based respectively.
*Although Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time is also known as "Ganon's Tower", it and the one from the Wind Waker are completely different architectures. Ironically, the Ganon's Tower from A Link to the Past has the Wind Waker counterpart reuse a similar structure.
*In the original N64 version of Ocarina of Time, colored energizes can be seen flowing on the exterior of the castle during the escape, and in the cutscene where it collapses, they fade out and turn gray.
*When viewed from the World Map in Four Swords Adventures, the Temple of Darkness resembles the original design for Ganon's Castle.
*The Forest, Spirit, Shadow, and Fire Barriers had doors with bars in the original and Master Quest.
*The Water Barrier had doors with bars in the original and one locked door and another door with bars in Master Quest.
*The Light Barrier had two locked doors and one door with bars in the original and Master Quest.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:Ocarinaganontower.jpg|Ganon's Castle artwork from 
File:Ganoncastleoot.jpg|Ganon's Castle map from 
File:OoT Ganon's Castle intro.png|Link before Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Link entering Ganon's Castle.png|Link on the Rainbow Bridge leading to Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Link lifting giant stone with Golden Gauntlets.png|Link lifting a pillar of granite using the Golden Gauntlets inside Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Link in Ganon's Castle.jpg|Link in the inner sanctum of Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Link in Ganon's Tower.png|Link in the staircase leading to Ganondorf's throne room in Ganon's Castle
File:Princess Zelda Crystal.jpg|The throne room of Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Ganondorf Dead Man's Volley.png|Link vs. Ganondorf battle in the castle's throne room in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Ganon's Castle escape.png|Link and Princess Zelda running for their lives to escape Ganon's Castle moments before it collapses from Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Ganon's Castle crumbling down.png|Ganon's Castle collapsing in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Ganon's Castle destruction.png|The castle's destruction in Ocarina of Time
File:Ganon OoT battle2.png|The final battle against Ganon at the remains of his destroyed castle in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT3D Ganon's Castle Lava.png|The magma lake underneath Ganon's Castle from 
File:OoT3D Ganon's Castle.png|Ganon's Castle from 
File:OoT3D Ganon's Castle Gargoyle.png|Gargoyle in Ganon's Castle from 
File:OoT3D Ganon's Castle 2.png|Link before Ganon's Castle in 
File:OoT3D Rainbow Bridge 2.png|Link on the Rainbow Bridge leading to Ganon's Castle from Ocarina of Time 3D
File:OoT3D Ganon's Castle Aerial.jpg|Ganon's Castle collapsing from 
File:OoT manga Ganon's Castle artwork.png|Ganon's Castle in the Ocarina of Time manga by Akira Himekawa
File:OoT manga Rainbow Bridge.png|Link using the Rainbow Bridge to enter Ganon's Castle in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Link running up Ganon's Castle.png|Link running up the staircase of the castle's tower section in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Ganon's Castle throne room.png|Link inside the castle's throne room in the Ocarina of Time Akira Himekawa manga
File:OoT manga Ganondorf attacks Link.png|Link fighting against Ganondorf in the castle, in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Ganon's Castle collapsing.png|Ganon's Castle collapsing in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Ganon's Castle destruction.png|The castle's destruction in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Ganondorf transforms into Ganon.png|Ganondorf angrily rises from the ruins of his castle before transforming to Ganon, in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:OoT manga Princess Zelda and Navi assisting Link against Ganon.png|The final battle against Ganon on the castle's remains from the Ocarina of Time manga
File:Ganon's.gif|Ganon's Tower map from 
File:GanonsTower.png|Ganondorf and Link atop Ganon's Tower in 
File:OoT3D Himekawa Promotional Manga 1.png|Link dueling against Ganondorf in the castle, from the Ocarina of Time 3D promotional comic