Games that know how to do boss fights

[Daystar Clarion]

I've been playing a lot of Metal Gear Rising lately, and while it may not be as complex as, say, Devil May Cry 3 or Bayonetta, it's a very solid hack and slash title that deserves some love.

It's very over the top, to the point of ridiculousness at times, but it seems very self aware of of this, which makes it all the more endearing.

One thing this game has managed to nail completely, at least in my opinion, are boss.

Each boss fight I have encountered so far has been intense, made only better by the soundtrack.

in fact, I think the one key element that separates a good boss fight from a mediocre one is the soundtrack


My top games when it comes to boss fights, beside MGR, have got to be Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry 3.

It's no coincidence that the boss fights in those games were also notoriously difficult at higher levels


Here are a few of my favourites boss music tracks/videos.

I love this theme, just the tone for competitive rivals


Possibly my favourite, you fight Vergil twice again after this one, but nothing sets the tone of the game quite like this

This was also an awesome fight, Raiden is up against a Ray, nothing special, until about 1.03 in the soundtrack, where Raiden catches it's fucking arm and proceeds to run across missiles and shit. Very awesome

Share your favs

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

And here I was gonna suggest that Bayonetta has some awesome boss battles.

Seriously, this is fucking awesome, and it's one of my favorite boss battles from that game.


I guess fighting Hades in God of War 3 was pretty fun too. I enjoyed that fight and I like what they did with it, and as well as for most of the battles in GOW3 like the one with Hermes and Poseidon.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Since you've already mentioned Platinum, I'll say Bayonetta. The bosses start slightly OTT, and build from there until you are literally punching out god with your hair. They are masters of absurdity and I love them for it.

Also the Metal Gear Solid games have definitely had some of the best boss fights as well. A particular favourite of mine was facing The End in Snake Eater, but there are plenty marvellous boss battles there.

 

[endtherapture]

Dark Souls and Wind Waker.

Great boss fights. Also Arkham Asylum/City, especially the stealth Mr Freeze boss fight.

 

[spartandude]

excuse me

Spoiler

Oh look a dragon. shall i run up to it and stab away at its ancles? NO! im going to jump on to it and climb my way to its throat while it takes off into the air trying to shake me off and my mage is blasting fire at it.

No other game has given me something like that non scripted

 

[Sniper Team 4]

The Ninja Gaiden series on the X-box. The very first boss fight showed you just what you were in for.

However, I think the original Kingdom Hearts had some epic boss fights--especially in the Coliseium. Reaching the end of the Hundred Tier tournament and wondering who the final boss is because it's not Hades. And then you see it for the first time. Or when you do the two optional battles for the first time in that game. The Ice Titan was bad enough when it showed up because you knew it was going to be rough. But then, to walk into that OTHER optional boss fight. Oh man...

 

[Euryalus]

Well Metroid and Zelda have always had some pretty kick ass boss fights. I'm particulary found of the ones Found in Metroid Prime, Wind Waker, and Majora's Mask.

My favorite boss in Metroid Prime, and this is difficult to choose so don't crucify me, has got to be the Omega Pirate. Not only was he difficult (at least he was at the time), but he was just so menacing as well. The culmination of the Space Pirate's research into Phazon. Very tense boss battle he was. He could turn invisible so you had to keep switching between visors to see him, plus he could heal himself and summon not so minionish minions as well.

Spoiler: Omega Pirate Metroid Prime

The greatest battle in Wind Waker has got to be the very final one. Just you and a now crazy ganondorf swordsman. The atmosphere was incredible and really helped to make link feel like he was in a final showdown. The music was neat too

Spoiler: Ganondorf finale Wind Waker

The bestest battle in Majora's Mask was definitely Goht. He wasn't particularly difficult, and his theme music wasn't particularly good, but he was just so damn fun to fight. You had to roll around in a goron ball chasing after him and dodging obstacles in order to damage him. The room was basically a circular racetrack. Loads of fun

You can also shoot him with fire arrows from the entrance as he runs past if you're lame XD

Spoiler: Goht Majora's Mask

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Dragon's Dogma does boss battle pretty damn well. Especially the dragon.

Ōkami also deserves an honorable mention. I enjoyed each and every boss fight that game has to offer, which isn't something I get from many games anymore.

 

[Beat14]

I really really enjoyed the bosses from Castlevania Symphony of the Night. Hell I enjoyed meeting most new enemies in that game. Only played it for the first time about 2.5 yrs ago.

That inverted castle. I was .01 percent off full completion

Only reason I want my xbox back

 

[AVeryClassyCat]

In terms of the feeling of a boss battle, I think the Jenova battle on the ship in FF7 was pretty excellent. I remember all of that game's boss battles clearly, and I think the boss death animation and sound effects were super satisfying.

Skyrim's first dragon fight was mega easy, but that song and the first time you absorb the soul and stuff was crazy epic.

Bayonetta has been mentioned, and I agree 100%. Those boss fights were amazing! Especially the final bout against Jubileus:

 

[Sack of Cheese]

Shadow of Colossus, seeing as the whole game is about boss fights. Also, Dark souls and Bayonetta!

 

[Tanis]

Shadow of the Colossus:
While it's pretty much ONLY boss fights, they're all pretty good to freaking amazing.

 

[Terminate421]

You cannot talk about boss fights without even mentioning the Metroid Prime series, from bosses that are puzzles to the most badass fight:

 

[Maximum Bert]

I was going to say Shadow of the Colossus as well but since that has already been said Ill pick another I do find it strange however personally I though DMC3 wasnt very good including the boss fights while the bosses in Bayonetta were pretty poor although the game was solid but thats irrelavent I suppose.

So I would say Okami FFVII and Punch Out to name three did boss fights well but loads nail it to be honest more so than the ones that miss imo.

 

[NeutralDrow]

I have fond memories of Zelda bosses, and I'm of the opinion that Twilight Princess gets them the best. They're rarely difficult, but their functionality, creativity in design, and the amount of effort put into sheer presentation more than makes up for that. The <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-lciW3qhbM>Stallord fight alone would raise my opinion high, but all of them together push it into the stratosphere.

 

[Phlakes]

Skyward Sword rocked most of the boss fights, most notably the Ancient Cistern one.

It's a big ancient robot thing with six arms, stuck to the floor. The first form is pretty straightforward, he attacks, you dodge and rip off one arm at a time. It gets a bit more complicated when he starts throwing things. Then he gets up and pulls out a giant sword for each hand. Holy shit.

And if you're experienced with video game bosses, your first thought it "I am going to be using those".

So you dodge lots of giant swords, rip off more arms, pick up one of the giant swords, use it to chop his legs off in one swing, break the newly-formed cage around his weak spot, and start doing massive damage.

So satisfying.

Also most of the one-on-one sword fights are really awesome.

 

[scarfacetehstag]

Hotline miami really goes up there for me. The bosses weren't especially amazing, but they were really hard and timing specific, you actually felt accomplished when you beat them finally. The sniper in COD:WaW on vetren also goes up there for those reasons.

 

[themind]

Shadow of Colossus, they are all boss fights.

 

[cerebreturns]

Metal Gear Solid
Devil May Cry
Final Fantasy 6
Chrono Trigger
Diablo 3 (I said it)
Dragon Age
Dungeon Siege 1 (especialy the last boss, wow)
WoW