Added by ape on 27 Dec 2010 09:14

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Favorite Boss Fights

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Manos: The Hands of Fate - iPhone

Torgo

If you've seen and enjoyed Manos: The Hands of Fate as the cinematic masterpiece that it is, then you'll understand why Torgo has hobbled his way onto this list. The boss fight is beyond easy as Torgo, like his cinematic counterpart, doesn't exactly move very well, so you can just pump him full of lead and eventually he'll let you enter eventhough the master would not approve of it. The icing on the cake? Hearing Torgo's theme from the film like it'd sound on an 8-bit game both before and after you defeat him. Awesome.

ape's rating:

985

7.9

Final Fantasy VIII - PlayStation

Jumbo Cactuar

There's something about the Jumbo Cactuar fight that I just really enjoy. Maybe it's because I like the Cactuar character. Maybe it's because Jumbo Cactuar has a nifty mustache. Maybe it's because this fight can last up to a half an hour. I dunno....But I enjoy battling Jumbo Cactuar every time I play FF8, and I also enjoy the fact that upon beating him, you get the ability to summon the nifty Jumbo Cactuar in future battles.

ape's rating:

277

8.2

Conker's Bad Fur Day - Nintendo 64

The Great Mighty Poo

He's a large pile of poop. He has corn for teeth. He sings through the entire boss fight. I'm not sure how I can leave him off the list. I still remember most of the words to the song he sings, too....I guess that'll happen when you face a boss as much as I did with Mr. Mighty Poo.

ape's rating:

786

8.6

Shadow of the Colossus - PlayStation 2

Every one of the Colossi

Every single Colossi in the game was fun to defeat. Every single one towered over you....Every single one looked unbeatable...But they all had weaknesses and they all eventually fell to a small lad and his horse. It's kind of a nice feeling to know that you're controlling someone the size of the fingernail of one of the Colossi, but you're still able to take 'em down with a little effort.

ape's rating:

363

8.8

Final Fantasy III (VI) - Super famicom and SNES

Ultros

Ultros is one of the reasons I love Final Fantasy III (VI) as much as I do. You don't just face Ultros once, but many times through the course of the game. The battles are alright, but it's Ultros' personality that gets him placed on the list.

ape's rating:

205

7.7

Bubble Bobble - Famicom and NES

Super Drunk

I have yet to play Bubble Bobble with someone who can stay alive during the final battle with Super Drunk. I can't count the number of times I've beaten this game by myself, but since nobody can survive with me, I've never seen the true ending yet. That said, I really enjoy the Super Drunk fight. There's just something about it...It's very simple, but it also requires some decent timing to get through without dying.

ape's rating:

196

8.3

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - PlayStation 2

Matador

The first of the Fiends that you encounter, and my favorite of the bunch. Maybe I just enjoy him so much because he's a skeleton in a matador outfit. Well, tack on the fact that beating him opens to door to battle the other Fiends and the option to get him as an ally via demon fusions and you've got a fight that I look forward to each time I play this game.

ape's rating:

201

7.4

Resistance 2 - PlayStation 3

Leviathan

Just as I was starting to get a little bored in Resistance 2, like I do in most first-person shooters, I found myself battling the Chimera version of Godzilla, Leviathan. While the boss wasn't that difficult to beat (rocket launcher + open Leviathan mouth = eventual victory), it makes it on the list due to my enjoyment of taking down bosses that are much, much larger than I am.

ape's rating:

651

8.7

Metal Gear Solid - PlayStation

Psycho Mantis

He could read me like an open book. He knew that I liked Suikoden and Castlevania. He made my controller move when I placed it on the ground. He knew how cautious or reckless I was. Psycho Mantis was a true psychic...Though, one could beat him fairly easily by moving the controller from slot 1 to slot 2, thus preventing him from reading your mind, Psycho Mantis will forever be one of the most memorable bosses in all of gaming history.

ape's rating:

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

477

8.1

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King... - PlayStation 2

Dhoulmagus

I like this boss for a few reasons. One, I enjoy the character as a whole. Two, by the time you get to him, you've already plugged many, many hours into the game and can easily see this fight being a direct lead-in to the ending of the game....But it's not. In fact this fight is more of a mid-game checkpoint. Three, he is way more powerful than anything else you've encountered in the game up to that point and easily one of the hardest fights in the game....So, it gives you a nice feeling of accomplishment when you finally defeat him.

ape's rating:

8.5

Gunstar Heroes - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive

Seven Force

Gunstar Heroes is a game that's fun to play at all times, whether it be in the level itself or against the boss at the end of the level. Seven Force was seven times the fun, as it was a boss that could change into seven different shapes through the battle. This basically meant that each time you fought Seven Force, you'd very likely be getting a different experience than the other times you battled it. I like variety, which is why Seven Force makes the list.

ape's rating:

1016

8.2

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Nintendo Wii

Morpheel

I can't remember exactly why I liked Morpheel so much, to be honest...But when thinking of Twilight Princess bosses, this is the one that stood out to me and I remember it being one that I enjoyed playing. I plan on going back and playing the game again soon, if/when that happens, I'll go into a little more detail here.

ape's rating:

238

6.6

Mega Man - Famicom and NES

Yellow Devil

Yellow Devil is an example of a boss that I hated the first time I fought him, but grew to love him as time went on. I went from watching Mega Man get murdered rather quickly into the fight to having him nearly getting through the fight unharmed. With a little practice, a fight that seemed impossible became a fight that I could definitely win.

ape's rating:

7.9

Earthworm Jim 2 - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive

Bob the Killer Goldfish

Quite possibly, the easiest boss fights of all-time are against Bob the Killer Goldfish in Earthworm Jim and Earthworm Jim 2. In the first Earthworm Jim, Jim simply knocks Bob's bowl off of a table and that's the end of the fight. In Earthworm Jim 2, it's much more dramatic, even with a Mortal Kombat-like 'FIGHT!' appearing on screen...Only to see Jim pluck Bob out of his bowl and eat him mere seconds later. These fights may not be difficult but they're definitely entertaining, which is why Bob makes this list.

ape's rating:

1234

8.4

Final Fantasy VII - PlayStation

Emerald Weapon

Some folks may think that Ruby Weapon is more challenging. Those folks may not have used the Hades summon in that fight. Emerald Weapon, in my opinion, is the most difficult of all of the weapons...Not only does it have a large amount of hit points, but unless you've got underwater materia, you're also on a time limit. I actually enjoy fighting Emerald Weapon, and the difficulty of the fight also makes me feel good when I hear that victory jingle after the battle.

ape's rating:

165

6.6

Kirby's Dream Land - Game Boy

Whispy Woods

Why is this wimpy, weeping tree on my favorite boss fight list? Because he's awesome, that's why. He's also the most memorable boss from the Kirby games in my opinion. Heck, he even shares the front cover of the first Kirby game with Kirby himself. Whispy Woods may be a wimp, but he's a wimp that I'm a fan of.

ape's rating:

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

693

8.4

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - PlayStation 3

Crying Wolf

I enjoy this fight for a variety of reasons...Needing to locate Crying Wolf in a giant battlefield in the middle of a blizzard, trying to avoid enemy troops at the same time, and the very location that you're fighting in itself (which is where Solid Snake fought another 'wolf' several years earlier)...They all make this my favorite fight in Metal Gear Solid 4. Plus, her back story is pretty fascinating, too.

ape's rating:

464

8.7

Super Metroid - Super famicom and SNES

Kraid

In Super Metroid, you face a Kraid similar-looking to the one you fought in the original Metroid game on the NES...And then soon fight out that it's not THE Kraid and promptly wet yourself upon finding out that you're about to face a boss that won't even fit on the screen. I like every boss fight in Super Metroid, but just remembering the first time that I realized that I had to fight this behemoth...It makes Kraid my favorite boss of the game, for nostalgic reasons, if nothing else.

ape's rating:

250

Mortal Kombat - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive

Goro

Not all bosses are on this list because I liked to face them. Goro is a boss that I HATED facing. So why is he on the list then, you ask? Because of the feeling you get when you finally beat him. Goro was a boss that made you feel like you actually accomplished something when you finally knocked him out. That feeling makes me consider Goro as one of my favorites.

ape's rating:

115

8.7

Skies of Arcadia - Sega Dreamcast

Grendel, the Green Gigas

Grendel, the Green Gigas is a boss so large, that you had to fight him via an airship...And even the airship looked like a small insect in comparison. This was the first ship battle in the game where I actually had to go in with a strategy...'Cause if you didn't, Grendel would swat you down in a hurry. I liked the fact that I had to use my brain to beat this colossal creature and that simply all-out-attacking it would lead me to a quick death.

ape's rating:

636

8.5

BioShock - Xbox 360

Sander Cohen's Tantrum

Who says a boss fight needs to be one guy? Not Sander Cohen. After having a little tantrum, Cohen sends a small army of Splicers in your direction while a tune from the Nutcracker plays in the background. I probably wouldn't enjoy this nearly as much if it weren't for the ballet music playing as I sent Splicers hurling through the air with shotgun blasts...It just adds to the moment.

ape's rating:

205

Manhunt - PlayStation 2

Piggsy

My friends and I took turns playing through Manhunt the first time I played it...And Piggsy just plain freaked me out. He's a big guy with a chainsaw...And I thought for sure that he'd attack from nowhere and it'd be game over. After teasing his appearance for much of the game, Piggsy finally appears as a boss near the end. Using shards of broken glass to take him down, I eventually put an end to the pantless, chainsaw-weilding madman. And yes, he was pantless...And yes, you could see a silhouette of something hanging between his legs...It gave birth to a quote from my friend that we all still use to this day, "His Jimmy Dean is hanging out!"

ape's rating:

473

8.6

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - PlayStation

Beezelbub

I liked a lot of Symphony of the Night's bosses...But for some reason, I've always liked this boss the most...A decaying carcass from which flies attack you. This also goes with my theme of 'I like to defeat large bosses' as Beezelbub was so large that he couldn't fit in the screen.

ape's rating:

8.2

R-Type - TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine

Level 3

I don't know the name of the monstrous ship, but Level 3 of R-Type is nothing but you fighting it. It's one of those gaming moments from the past that I remember fondly...Battling my way through the level only to realize that the entire level was just a gigantic, side-scrolling boss fight.

ape's rating:

856

8.6

Super Mario World - Super famicom and SNES

Bowser

This boss fight was just plain fun. Tossing those little baddies back at Bowser and watching them clock him in the skull was good times. What made this fight even better was the surprisingly long ending that you're rewarded with for helping Mario finish of his arch rival once again.

ape's rating:

794

8.2

God of War - PlayStation 2

Hydra

I don't think that any game before it or since has had such an amazing way to start the game. The first boss of God of War is this humongous sea beast...Again, the FIRST boss. And it was a fun boss to go against, too. When I beat it, I was left thinking that if the Hydra was the first boss that I encountered, I couldn't wait to see what the rest of the game had in store for me.

ape's rating:

559

7.3

Super Mario Bros. 2 - Famicom and NES

Wart

I still hold Super Mario Bros. 2 close to my heart as my favorite Mario game. I also hold Wart close to my heart as my favorite Mario villain...Yup, I even like him more than Bowser. I think this fight is what solidified my enjoyment of Wart...You have to force-feed him vegetables in order to win. Feed him enough and he apparently chokes to death...Not a nice way to go, I suppose. I still hope for a day when he returns to battle Mario in a platformer-style game again...Though it's very likely a long-shot...Then again, he has been in a game since this one (in a helpful role to Link in Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, where under his Japanese name, Mamu, he teaches Link a song to play on his ocarina), so who knows. Maybe it's not too far-fetched to hope for a little Wart in the next Mario game.

ape's rating:

671

8.8

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - PlayStation 2

The End

What can I say about this fight? It spans three screens and involves you trying to sneak around in a forest to snipe The End, who is also sneaking around the forest trying to snipe you. The fight itself is fun. If you're good, you can end the fight rather quickly...But many people have claimed to have spent over an hour battling The End. Of course, the other reason I love this fight is the alternative way to beat him -- wait a few days (or simply set your PS2's internal clock ahead a few days) and when you start the game back up, you'll discover that The End has died of old age.

ape's rating:

948

8.6

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo 64

King Dodongo

While it's not the first boss fight of Ocarina of Time, it was the first fight that really felt special in my eyes. Little juvenile Link defeating a big, bad lizard using his brains to make up for his lack of brawn. To this day, I still enjoy this boss fight whenever I feel the urge to take up making music with that ocarina again.

ape's rating:

569

7.8

New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Nintendo Wii

Bowser

Well, what can I say? I like fighting giant bosses...And in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the final version of Bowser that you encounter is a massive one that simply plows through the obstacle course that you've got to carefully maneuver your way through. I thought Bowser was the coolest shelled giant since Gamera....Even if a mysterious and conveniently-placed switch is all that it takes to beat him.

ape's rating:

Ghost Lion - Famicom and NES

Hydra

The Hydra boss fight isn't anything special...And may be one of the easiest boss fights in history...IF you know what you're doing. The seemingly unbeatable Hydra can easily be destroyed by summoning the Huge Slug and the Huge Frog during the fight. The Huge Slug, Huge Frog, and Hydra all become deadlocked and eventually all three get destroyed. I just enjoy the concept of this fight as a whole.

ape's rating:

125

7.3

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - PlayStation 3

The Dracolich

Of the three Shadow of the Colossus-style boss fights in Lords of Shadow, The Dracolich was the only one that didn't bore me. In fact, I thought it was fun just trying to discover how in the world to get to the first weak spot. At the end of the fight, you have to climb into the monster's mouth to kill it while it's also trying to breath firey-stuff at you at the same time. It was a neat end to a neat boss fight...And honestly, probably the only boss fight I actually enjoyed during the whole game.

ape's rating:

7.5

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom - Arcade

Red Dragon

Yet again, a giant boss makes the list. This boss fight, much like Goro, is on the list for the satisfaction you get after beating him. Prior to battling the Red Dragon, you're actually warned three or four times that you should probably take an alternate route because nobody has ever beaten him. If you've got an unlimited supply of quarters that you're willing to spend, you can eventually pick away at the Red Dragon's health and slay him...But real satisfaction is teaming up with some friends and laying down a whoopin' on it with losing only minimal lives. It's not easy to do it that way (and even harder to try it solo) but with how seemingly invincible the Red Dragon is, it feels good after its done knowing that you just did something pretty dang difficult.

ape's rating:

3.2

Zombie Nation - Famicom and NES

Statue of Liberty

I honestly have no idea why I enjoy this fight so much. It's honestly nothing special...But the idea of battling an evil Statue of Liberty just seems cool to me...Especially when you're doing so as a giant, decapitated head sporting a skullet.

ape's rating:

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***THIS LIST MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS***

Like the title says, these are my favorite boss fights from all my years of gaming. They vary from bosses that I love to face, bosses that felt great to beat, and bosses that I just plain thought were cool. They're in no particular order right now...Though I may put them in order of preference at a later time.

My favorite boss fights are generally ones that take more than a few minutes to win. I also am a big fan of David vs. Goliath-style battles. Lastly, if the boss is entertaining that will also warrant me considering it for an addition to the list.

Also, I'll just state that that this is a list of my personal favorites, not a definitive all-time greatest list. I'll be adding more to this list as I think of them and/or play new games. Likewise, if you have a favorite, feel free to share it with me via comments and/or private message. I can almost guarantee that I've overlooked at least a few fights that I just plain can't recall at the moment...When I think of them, or if someone reminds me of them, they'll be added as well.