Best "Mirror" Boss Battle?

[crusador90]

Boss battles have always been intended to be a test of the player's skill and knowledge by pitting them against greater foe. However, this boss battle is almost always interesting in both its concept and execution.

What we called the "Mirror" boss, best defined as the boss having a very similar skillset and fighting style to the player character. It doesn't matter whether said boss character is a clone, evil-magical-doppleganger-from-whatever, or a rival character who knows the same moves, you're always going to be in for one heck of a fight as you, the player, must learn to conquer yourself... or the enemy in this case.

Best examples would be the Doppleganger boss fight from Castlevania. (A recurring boss fight throughout the series)

Various boss fights from the Mega Man franchise; including the copy-MegaMan from the first game, Bass in MM7, and Omega Zero.

There's also the Dark Link fight from Zelda II and Ocarina of Time.



What are some of your favorite Mirror Boss battles.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Pretty much "Another Joe"/ "Alastor from Viewtiful Joe and also Henry from No More Heroes. Oh and there's also Zxel from Sparkter.

 

[Shinsei-J]

Kingdom Hearts does a few mirror boss battles and it does them well.
Near the very beginning of the first game you can fight the redonkulously hard Riku (your rival/best friend) as many times as you want.
It's not just a good fight though, it sets up his and Soras character for the rest of the game through this small interaction woven into the gameplay. Then there's the basic "Dark" version that gets a lot of use in this series, being that it's about the nature of people.

I'm sure there's more here that I haven't mentioned but my point is that Kingdom Hearts has a lot of perfect examples of mirror bosses.

 

[AgentLampshade]

I'm beginning to feel like a one-trick pony at this point on this forum, but...

Spoiler

 

[Agent_Dark]

Dark Samus :< In both Metroid Prime 2 and 3, she gives some of the hardest boss fights.

 

[Terminate421]

This video sums it up perfectly:


Ah, the music, the presentation, the fight itself..... (The fight starts at about 1:20)

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I'm beginning to feel like a one-trick pony at this point on this forum, but...

Spoiler

If it makes you feel any better, that's what I was gonna post.

We are the Sons of Sparda of this forum

 

[Fappy]

Dark Link from OoT is probably one of my favorites. I also liked the clone fight in Shivering Isles, even if the AI was beyond terrible at choosing which spells to cast on you/itself.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Well you already mentioned Castlevania's Doppelgangers, but one I really enjoyed fighting was Dimitri in Dawn of Sorrow since you can use any soul you want and he'll mimic it. He starts out with Malachi's soul but can be made as easy or hard as you like.

Another one I like is the 3 Shadows in Secret of Mana despite usually causing some lag (probably due to the Girl and the Boy's Shadows constantly unleashing big special attacks without having to charge up) and being fairly easy for a late to end-game boss fight. An entire party of Doppelgangers that copy your party perfectly would make for a great challenge in most RPGs whether it's Final Fantasy or Dragon Age or whatever RPG you prefer.

Oh, and this is pretty fitting for it:
http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/2012/10/26/443-dark-versions/

 

[hoboman29]

I'm beginning to feel like a one-trick pony at this point on this forum, but...

Spoiler

I counter your doppleganger with Nelo Angelo in the first game who not only has a very similar (to the point of foreshadowing) moveset but actually comes out of a mirror the first time.

Another good one is the secret boss fight in God Hand with yourself (never explained). The reason I like it so much is that it is a pure test of skill as he can kill you in one combo and has too much health to spam out. To me it feels like you have to master the game to beat it.

 

[StashAugustine]

Hasn't been said yet, so Boss in Metal Gear Solid 3. You use camouflage for stealth, she uses camouflage. You use guns, she has the best one in the game. You use CQC, she does too. It's a test of beating the mentor at her own game. Combine that with the music and the story reaching a high point, and you've got one of my favorite bosses ever.

 

[bug_of_war]

Hmm, this isn't exactly the 'Mirror' battle you suggested, but it is kind of a literal mirror battle. I'm talking about The Darkness boss battle with Darkness Jackie. The idea of the battle is that you give up all your powers gained throughout the progress of the game and have to fight Darkness Jackie by

Spoiler

not actually fighting him at all. You have to listen to the spirit of your girlfriend tell you how to beat the Darkness, but she doesn't say exactly how to defeat the Darkness. She says things like, "You can't fight him, so don't" and it clues you into the idea of this battle is more a battle of control than a physical one.

So yeah...I really think this was the best 'mirror' battle I've had. It doesn't exactly fit the definition you gave, but it is somewhat close.

 

[Dood]

I'd have to say Snake vs Ocelot at the end of MGS 4.

http://youtu.be/1_lIdiMM0Tc

That was one of the best boss fights ever two men that have spent most of their lives fighting each other, ending it all in one final battle bringing them to and past their breaking point down to their last bit of strength and finishing it with pure willpower.

 

[Lunar Templar]

I'm beginning to feel like a one-trick pony at this point on this forum, but...

Spoiler

but its a good trick.

OT: the above, is one.

Omega Zero is another.

up until it turns into a monster I'd say the SA-X from Fusion is pretty good as well

 

[NeutralDrow]

I'm beginning to feel like a one-trick pony at this point on this forum, but...

Spoiler

Ooh, is that from the new one? Or from the fourth? I haven't played the former, and I haven't done the Bloody Palace mode in the latter.

Actually, my answer is DMC-related, too. It might be debatable as a true "mirror" battle, but I still nominate the second Dante vs. Vergil fight in DMC3. Specifically, the last third of the battle (by which he starts using Yamato in addition to Beowulf), when he basically fights like Dante: two melee weapons, ranged attacks, and devil trigger abilities.

 

[MPerce]

Fiend Ryu in Ninja Gaiden Black. Pure epicness.

 

[Raggedstar]

The final boss from Okamiden. I'll post it in a spoiler.

Spoiler

Okamiden was pretty meh to me, but after that hideous repeating of boss fights, we get something with a bit of meat in it! Shadow Sun (my nickname since he doesn't have an official name, but I guess that's Kageterasu) is the mirror of Chibiterasu and is trying to be the Yami fight from the first game...with a moderate level of success with all things considered. Decent challenge, a lot of spectacle (for the game at least), and an adequate answer to Rising Sun. It was the highlight of the game. His design is pretty badass too

 

[FoolKiller]

You are all very wrong. Obviously the correct answer is the Prince of Persia. Its the true mirror battle and where all this originated from.

 

[uzo]

I'd have to go with shadow Link from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

You'd just gotten past the Angel of Death and you thought everything was done - you could see some old dude with the triforce of courage and then *ffzzap* your shadow leaps away from you and starts attacking like lightning.

That bastard was hard to beat, and remember - it was Nintendo hard, not quicksave/quickload hard.

EDIT:

You are all very wrong. Obviously the correct answer is the Prince of Persia. Its the true mirror battle and where all this originated from.

Zelda II: 1987; PoP: 1989. Mind you, the old school PoP's were freakin' awesome too. As was Karateka.

 

[xPixelatedx]

You are all very wrong. Obviously the correct answer is the Prince of Persia. Its the true mirror battle and where all this originated from.

If we are talking about video games specifically, then that is a tad incorrect. Prince of Persia first came out for the Apple Computer in 1989. Zelda II came out 1 year before that (two if you count the japanese release). The last boss of Zelda II was the first appearance of Shadow Link; a mirror version of yourself with the exact same move-set. That is also who I am using as my answer to the original poster.

Zelda II just happens to be my favorite one.

I'd have to go with shadow Link from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

Zelda II: 1987; PoP: 1989.

I can't believe you ninja'd me while I was typing, bravo sir, bravo.