Written by Pokemonmaster888 on June 5, 2019 Last updated on May 21, 2021

The content here describes the fastest Stage times and strategies for each Stage that I have achieved throughout the Very Easy speedrun, for Classic mode, in Super Smash Bros. Melee. This guide’s information applies specifically to Ganondorf. This guide also applies only to the characters/levels (the playing fields in the game) that I unlocked in my latest plan for this category, which greatly narrows down the content and possibilities out of the potential levels and characters. I am writing in this way to make this resource relevant, as the save file unlockables that people use for this category don’t include many levels and characters that can be obtained. Some of these levels/characters are repeated here, which means that you can’t actually get these set-ups consecutively for a single segment run. This document simply lists the best individual Stage times that I’ve gotten. This material can be used to understand what to play for, and how to play the Stage set-ups when you encounter them. Note that these decimal places may not be exact, as they are from memory. Give or take a couple of hundreths of a second if the listed times are impossible frames. The times written for each Stage are the times that the in-game clock stops at when you complete the Stage.

Stage 1

Ice Climbers on one of their Icicle Mountain levels, where they start very close to you on the same flat platform you are on. Use a forward-air or down-B attack. Time on clock was 04:59.41

Stage 2

Three notable occasions here. The fastest time ever was against Mario & Peach. I beat Mario in the normal fashion, with a forward-air attack. Peach then moves leftward towards the right gap in the Mushroom Kingdom II stage, and my teammate Samus spikes her down, ending the fight. Very rare occurrence. Time on clock was 04:59.26

A second very rare occurrence was battling Kirby & Pikachu. The level is Dream Land. Beat Kirby with a forward-air attack, and Pikachu gets hit by himself in a cluster of bomb blocks, causing him to be knocked out of the level on the right side of the screen. This can also happen with the Kirby & Jigglypuff enemies. Time on clock was 04:58.88

A more consistent (yet still not very consistent, as the two characters don’t really cooperate often) setup is Ice Climbers & Kirby. You spawn on the very left of the level, and they spawn in a close vertical alignment near you, in the middle of the stage. They both move toward you and you down-smash attack both of them. Time on clock was 04:58.88

Stage 3 – Target Test

I’ve gotten 01:58.89 here a bunch of times, and likely got 0.02 seconds faster than this time during my play of this speedrun. However, that 0.02 seconds faster time was not done utilizing a consistent amount of tries.

Stage 4

This situation is against Ice Climbers, on the version of Icicle Mountain where they are slightly below you, to the right of your higher platform. They jump up toward you and you down-smash attack to send Popo off screen to the left. This should be consistent, as the enemy will always come after you in the way you want; you just need to time your down-smash correctly. Time on clock was 04:59.24

Stage 5

Side note: Giant Link is the best character to face in the run, as it allows other beneficial characters in other Stages to still be available. You can beat him quickly. However, said opponent does not result in the fastest Stage 5 time.

Giant Donkey Kong is the fastest character to fight. Use the forward-air attack. Time on clock for him was 04:59.11

Stage 6 – Snag the Trophies

I’ve gotten 01:58.61 here a bunch of times. I may have gotten 01:58.63 numerous times too, but not recently. Down-B attack, then dash and fast fall to complete the Stage.

Stage 7

Peach on Mushroom Kingdom II is the fastest character to defeat, here. Simply up-tilt attack; Peach will walk over to you and get hit by the attack. Do note that the strategy is semi-consistent because it requires Peach to not attack you while you are charging your up-tilt attack. She will get close to you before your attack finishes, and instead of staying still, she will often damage you. Time on clock was 04:58.54

Stage 8

The best time that I can remember is the time in my 00:27.10 IGT speedrun video. It is 04:53.37 against Kirby Team on Fountain of Dreams. This Stage setup is either the best you can get or one of the best, as C. Falcon Team or Mario Team can also be beaten fast. That can be done when they all fall towards you and you execute your attacks optimally. The Stage time listed here is not an optimal time, as significantly better can be done with the proper “movement routing”.

Stage 9 – Race to the Finish

You actually want to air dodge diagonally into the goal here, not try to waveland, as air dodging directly into the goal can save you some hundreths of a second. Time on clock was 00:53.22 (done on December 12, 2020)

Stage 10

I am not sure of my best time here, but in general, the lighter metal characters get beaten faster. I think the time on clock was 04:58.29

Stage 11 – Master Hand

The best Master Hand time I have ever seen is the one in my 00:32.77 IGT speedrun video. That time on the clock was 04:53.96, and the attack pattern Master Hand did there is the best one I have seen for beating him as fast as possible. He did a very similar attack pattern in my 00:27.10 IGT speedrun video, too.