Ganon's Tower

Appearing in various games of the Zelda series, Ganon's Tower, also known as the Tower of Ganon or Ganon's Castle, is the stronghold of Ganon and is usually the last dungeon Link must travel to in order to save Hyrule and Princess Zelda.

In all of its incarnations, the entrance to Ganon's Tower is blocked by a sort of protective barrier or force field that cannot be shattered until a certain prerequisite is met.

Entrance to the Tower
Ganon's Tower (or Tower of Ganon) is the final dungeon of the game, located in the Dark World. The seal on it can be only broken by the descendants of the Seven Sages, and as such, Link must free the Seven Maidens to break the barrier and reveal the staircase leading to the inside of the tower.

Themes and Navigation
Ganon's Tower consists of a large basement where the Red Mail, map and compass are located; however, all of these items are optional and are not required to complete the dungeon. Link will, however, have to negotiate this floor in order to reach the sub-basement where the Big Key is located. In order to obtain the Big Key and thus the Red Mail, Link must fight the Armos Knights from the first Light World dungeon. Above the ground floor are four floors leading to a balcony where Agahnim waits. Each of the floors are infested with enemies that will try to impede Link's progress, but the young hero is not required to defeat most of the enemies to scale up the tower. He is, however, required to fight the other two Light World bosses again as he ascends, making it necessary to fight all three Light World bosses to complete the dungeon. Most rooms are also filled with deadly obstacles like spikes and conveyer belts, and even the former bosses appearing as minibosses have hazards added to their rooms. Once Link reaches the balcony, he must fight Agahnim yet again where, upon the wizard's defeat, Ganon abandons Agahnim's body and escapes to the inside of the Pyramid of Power.

Entrance to the Tower
Two terms are used to describe Ganon's stronghold in the Nintendo 64 game. It is both referred to as Ganon's Tower and as Ganon's Castle. It replaces Hyrule Castle over the seven years that Link sleeps after he withdraws the Master Sword from its pedestal. Ganon's Castle floats over a large lake of lava, rendering it inaccessible until the Six Sages are awakened and create a bridge of light allowing Link 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 force field that surrounds the spindle is ejected by six barriers that are based on each of the adult dungeons. Above each of the barriers is the symbol that represents the element.

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 about pushing blocks within slippery floor and usage of 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 here.
 * Fire Barrier: It revolves around collection of silver Rupees across a huge room with lava, while Link avoids some obstacles and enemies. The 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 collection of silver Rupees while avoiding Blade Traps, a Light Beam puzzle, and usage of rare items like Bombchu 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 is a long staircase that leads to rooms filled with Dinolfos, Stalfos, and Iron Knuckles which Link must all defeat individually to progress up the tower. At the top awaits Ganondorf, who plays an organ while Princess Zelda remains trapped in a crystal above him. After Ganondorf is defeated, the tower will begin to rumble, forcing Princess Zelda and Link to escape the tower within a time limit. All of the doors of the castle have been blocked, and as such, it is up to Zelda to use her powers and open up each of the exits. The two take a long path that winds in and out of the castle, fighting enemies and dodging falling rocks. Once out, the castle collapses in front of their eyes, where among the rubble Ganondorf appears yet again and transforms himself into the dark beast known as Ganon using the Triforce of Power. Link must defeat the 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 go up 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 lower 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 replenishments 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.

Entrance to the 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 young hero 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 off 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.
 * Forest Haven: 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 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 Arrow, 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 Ganon in a final round.

Just like the rest of Hyrule, Ganon's Tower is flooded after King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule makes his wish using the Triforce.

A Link to the Past comic
Ganon's Tower is also featured in the A Link to the Past comic. After Zelda is rescued from Turtle Rock, she asks for the Maiden's help to allow Link, Roam, and her to enter the pitch-dark tower. Inside, The group is attacked by illusions of Link's past foes, and when Roam attacks a specter of Agahnim that was dangerously approaching Zelda, he is killed, with Ganon afterwards rising from the defeated illusion.

Link attacks Ganon but he is easily thrown back by Ganon's trident. With Ganon distracted fighting Link, Zelda takes up Roam's crossbow as Link is trapped in between the trident. While Ganon mocks Zelda, Link uses the opportunity to slash the evil thief's trident in half and, as he is falling down, the young hero slashes over Ganon's chest, leaving him paralyzed. Zelda begins to ask for the aid of the maidens and fires an ordinary arrow from the crossbow, but as it approaches Ganon, the power of the maidens, Zelda, Link, and Roam, turn the arrow into the Silver Arrow, destroying Ganon. The Triforce rises from his body, and the Essence of the Triforce tells Link that the Triforce is waiting for a new master now that Ganon has been defeated, asking that the young hero touch it with a wish in his heart. As Link touches the Triforce, Epheremelda sadly bids him goodbye, and Link and Zelda are transported back to Hyrule.

Trivia

 * The Forest and Water Barriers of Ganon's Tower in 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 Ice Cavern. This is due to the beta version of each temple being wind and ice based respectively.
 * In Ocarina of Time, Ganon's Tower is the only place in the game where no battle music is played upon encountering enemies or minibosses. A similar thing happens in Hyrule Castle in (except for King Bulblin and a Darknut).
 * In, the ground of the battlefield where Link and Princess Zelda fight Ganondorf has a cyclone insignia similar to that of the Bombos Medallion in A Link to the Past and the Forest Medallion in Ocarina of Time.
 * Bridges of light similar to the one leading into Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time appear in the Tower of the Gods in The Wind Waker.
 * In the A Link to the Past comic and in A Link to the Past manga by Akira Himekawa, Ganon's stronghold is shown to be a massive spiked orb floating in the air, similar in appearance to an urchin, and inside is nothing but an empty black void. However, it is still addressed as "Ganon's Tower".