2c. If neither, do either of them have safe approaches in this match-up?
Yes, both. Ike is Shorthopped nair and (I believe) short-hopped fastfalled fair, Ganondorf is reverse uair.
Is SH Nair really that safe ? I've punished it out of shield multiple times...
V
3. Does the approaching character(s) have approaches that are safe on prediction and/or multiple safe on block approaches that require a DIFFERENT reaction on prediction? Are any of these approaches kill moves?
No, the reactions are the same, shield.
Ike's Fair is a kill move.
Well, we can get out of range, and use SS FSmash / Gerudo.
Conclusion: Ike's advantage, the other info should tell us by how much.
Well, i don't see how Ike has the advantage. Moreover, Ganon has more attacking (not safe, but it's your job to mindgame) and defensive options.
5. Who has aerial superiority?
Ike, long disjointed hitboxes and the fact that he outranges Ganondorf in the air pretty much universally makes this true.
Except Ganondorf being below him.
Well, Ganon's Uair vs Ike's Fair > Ganon's Uair wins, faster.
Ganon's (retreating) Tipman > Ike's Nair i think.
Ike's Nair might be faster than Ganon's moves, but doesn't have much range. However, Ike can be attacked before / at the very beginning of Nair, or after.
Ike's Bair > Every ganon's aerial option, but doesn't have much range neither.
> Conclusion : Ike has range OR fast aerials, so Ganon can win in the airs if he predicts a bit.
But in theory, Ike has a slight advantage.
6. Who has a better gimp game?
Because of better effective edgeguarding, this goes to Ike. Ganondorf has the tipman... but Ike's hitboxes, especially his up-b, make it pretty much impossible to use, and dair doesn't have the range to reliably gimp in this match-up.
O_O WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ?
Ganondorf wins at gimp game easily... Tipman just destroys Ikes.
Dair is good too.
Both Ike's Side B and Up B are a lot punishable. Side B... With it, ike should never get back on stage. You can even jump to Ike, spotdodge, and watch him falling to his death...
Up B is more difficult to punish, but with Tipman, you send Ike out of range for recovering.
And you can edgehog it.
Ganondorf is less easy to punish. Side B is scaring, Up B can be edgehogged, but can also catch Ike in the airs, has a hitbox at its top.
> Conclusion : Ganon wins.
7. Who gets the opponent to percents that they can reliably kill quicker overall?
Again, Ike. Superior spacing game, his great Jab combo, and longer range should allow him to overall get Ganondorf to higher damage quicker.
I don't agree. You seem to like Ike's range. But it's pretty easy to go trough (Dash Attack, Wizkick, Gerudo, DTilt). Once you're there, you should give Ike a run for his money : Gerudo, Dair combos, Boucing Combo eventually).
Furthermore, Ganon seems to have better killing options, and is less easy to edgeguard. (so the"percents they can reliably kill" should be superior)
> Conclusion : Ganondorf advantage.
8. Who has better spacing and zoning tools?
Again, Ike. Can Space and Zone with fair, Jab combo, up-b, etc.
Well... Ganon's Dtilt, Wizckick, SH retreating Uair / Bair, FH Nair to DJ, Gerudo, SS FSmash are good spacing tools (though some of them are more punishable).
> Conclusion : Ike advantage.
Overall, 55-45 Ganondorf for me. He has less range, but can rivalise in the airs, has good attacking and defensive options, better combos, can get Ike off stage pretty easily (Gerudo follows-ups, FTilt, Wizkick), and gimp him easily (althought it is way harder when Ike is below the stage, using Up B)
That could turn into a 50-50 easily, but this is definitly not Ike's advantage imo. (i'm waiting for ike mains opion of course).