Home Gaming FFD: What games have the best boss battles?

FFD: What games have the best boss battles?

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FFD02802013

Boss battles in modern videogames tend to be thrown in to video games just because they’re video games, and as such need to end with a bang. Sometimes, they’re done pretty damned well  – or in the case of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, they’re too damned videogamey for their own good. Bioshock’s end boss nearly ruined the whole thing, and Arkham Aslylum’s Joker boss was so out of character that it nearly sullied an excellent game.  We’re not here to discuss instances like those though. Instead, let’s talk about the ones that were good.  

Which videogame bosses, upon defeating them, left you with a broad smile upon your face and a sense of accomplishment?

Was it maybe that bastard Tyrant from Resident Evil, or silent hill’s Pyramid Head? Did kicking Sephiroth’s girly ass make you cry tears of joy? Maybe destroying Lavos and saving the world in Chrono Trigger stands out as one of the finest boss battles in your memory (it certainly does in mine) or perhaps it’s the time you destroyed a mecha-Hitler in some or other old-school shooter about killing nazis.

Killing just about any of the bosses in Dark Souls was immeasurably rewarding too – but if there’s any single BIG BAD Boss Battle that really sits in my head, it’s got to be RAAM from the first Gears of War; killing that smug locust jackass with a torque bow to the head on Insane difficulty put a smile on my face that took weeks to get rid of.

Which games do you think had the best, most rewarding, or most memorable bosses?

Last Updated: August 2, 2013

147 Comments

  1. Melasco

    August 2, 2013 at 10:33

    WOW, BC, Illidan Stormrage. Killing that boss the first time was probably my favourite boss battle ever. Took us a couple of weeks to get the strat down, and then finally late one night dropped him after a 24 minute fight..
    Those were the days….

    Reply

    • That M.I.B Twit

      August 2, 2013 at 12:50

      Yes they were.

      Reply

    • Paul Fouche

      August 2, 2013 at 15:41

      ah the good old days! indeed!! yeah i wont argue there.

      Reply

  2. I am John's smirking revenge

    August 2, 2013 at 10:35

    I totally agree on the Joker Boss battle. I quit so many times during that fight.

    Reply

  3. Warren Ross

    August 2, 2013 at 10:37

    Mass Effect had the most memorable boss encounter of recent times, IMO: first you take down that bastard Saren, THEN you have to go running around on the OUTSIDE of the GIANT SPACE-STATION to attack Sovereign, the baddest ass sentient STARSHIP this side of the Conduit.

    I can still envisage that huge mechanical squid tearing into the Citadel… /win

    Reply

    • Ultimo_Cleric N7

      August 2, 2013 at 10:40

      Yeah man the first ME1 finale was incredible, going oustide of the lift and getting closer and closer to Sovereign while looking at the Citadel all around you. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, one of my best moments in gaming.
      But the ME2 boss Terminator was the only bad thing about ME2.
      And then ME3……Marauder Shields….never forget his sacrifice. He fought for a better ending.

      Reply

      • The Green Min-tern

        August 2, 2013 at 10:53

        Marauder Shields *sniff*, what a guy. Remembering is not enough, he needs to be honoured more.

        Reply

        • DBL_ZA

          August 2, 2013 at 12:00

          Then honour him, we shall!!

          Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        August 2, 2013 at 11:10

        i dunno, the boss fights in mass effect, overall, werent difficult
        but i dont find difficulty and challenging to be particularly important in games, like most others do.
        what mass effect did get right, in all the final missions, was the feel, the experience, the fighting and mood up untill the final fight.
        they just got that so fkucing right.

        marauders shield comic was so good though

        Reply

      • No Longer SIR Twakkus

        August 2, 2013 at 12:43

        I didnt have the DLC so I dont know who he is….

        Reply

    • Rock789

      August 2, 2013 at 11:00

      Man, you are taking me back to my happy place… LOVE the Mass Effect saga. And ME1’s ending was, by far, the better of the three. Your description is so spot-on – first time you see Sovereign outside the Citadel, destroying the building while you space-walk towards it… EPIC!

      Reply

  4. Ultimo_Cleric N7

    August 2, 2013 at 10:37

    FINALLY beating Shao Kahn in MK3 made me feel like the king of the world.
    The Borderlands final boss almost ruined the game for me.

    Reply

    • I am John's smirking revenge

      August 2, 2013 at 10:38

      Why do they always think bigger is better?

      Reply

      • Ultimo_Cleric N7

        August 2, 2013 at 10:40

        I know, so annoying. Why not just give us a smaller boss with a more meaningful ending.

        Reply

        • I am John's smirking revenge

          August 2, 2013 at 10:51

          Dead Space had the same problem

          Reply

      • Hermann Schwindt

        August 2, 2013 at 11:52

        Speaking of, I still need to finish of Crawmerax from the extra content.

        Reply

    • Trevor Davies

      August 2, 2013 at 10:51

      The Destroyer from Borderlands 1? That was…unepic.

      Reply

  5. Gavin Mannion

    August 2, 2013 at 10:41

    General RAAM in the original Gears… that thing kicked my ass for days

    I can’t think of any other boss right now that was even close to being as difficult but doable

    Reply

    • Ultimo_Cleric N7

      August 2, 2013 at 10:42

      Seth in Street Fighter 4. The king of all Cheap Characters……took me weeks before I finally beat him once.

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        August 2, 2013 at 10:44

        despise Street Fighter.. would never make it to the boss

        Reply

      • DieJason

        August 2, 2013 at 10:47

        Screw Seth. Cheap cheap cheaaaaaaaaaaaap bastard 🙁

        Reply

      • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

        August 2, 2013 at 10:54

        Seth is the worse boss ever created in SF, and that is saying alot after Gill

        Reply

      • Rock789

        August 2, 2013 at 10:56

        Totally agree! And Shao Khan in the new Mortal Kombat – same problem, but on a smaller scale. I pretty much had flawless victories all the way to Shao Khan… And then proceeded to lose again, again and… AGAIN! However, he did have a pattern to him. So one you figured that out, then it was smoother sailing.

        Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 2, 2013 at 10:52

      Shit yeah I remember that! Did that over and over again, and to top it off RAAM really scared the shit out of me! Very intense! Think it’s time for a Gears play through this weekend!! ????

      Reply

  6. Trevor Davies

    August 2, 2013 at 10:41

    Dark Souls recently.

    But the Cyber Demon from Doom brings back good memories.

    Reply

    • Trevor Davies

      August 2, 2013 at 11:00

      Just remembered the final battle in Neverwinter Nights 2, where some of your party switch sides. Did I nearly have a heart attack when Qara did after I’d spent the whole game loading her with offensive spells.

      Reply

  7. Major Commodore 64 Darryn B

    August 2, 2013 at 10:45

    I still think that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance had the best final boss fight sequence in recent memory, even if Geoff’s stupid face disagrees with me. That was a half hour of pure joy.

    Reply

    • Ultimo_Cleric N7

      August 2, 2013 at 10:47

      Ooh, just remembered the Arch Demon fight in DA: Origins. That was also a good one.

      Reply

      • Rock789

        August 2, 2013 at 11:16

        Oh yeah, that was a great boss. Took a bit of tactics to beat (couldn’t just hack ‘n slash it to death), but damn was it fun! Good times… Makes me wanna start up another DA:Origins game.

        Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      August 2, 2013 at 10:47

      That boss was lame, and stupid. A magical nano-powered senator of doom? Oh, piss off. 😛

      Reply

      • Major Commodore 64 Darryn B

        August 2, 2013 at 10:48

        YOUR FACE IS A MAGICAL NANO-POWERED SENATOR OF DOOM!

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          August 2, 2013 at 11:06

          I would love to kill that! Still need to get the game 🙁

          Reply

      • jac7

        August 2, 2013 at 12:11

        That header. In the words of Elton John, “Hold me closer Tony Danza.”

        Reply

  8. DieJason

    August 2, 2013 at 10:47

    Just finished the third level of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, those titan battles are pretty damn epic.

    Reply

  9. Umar Kiiroi Senk?

    August 2, 2013 at 10:51

    Lavos: Chrono Trigger

    The enlightened seven & The Fallen : Last Remnant

    Kalameet : Dark Souls

    Nemesis (For the first time outside police station…STARRRRRS): Resisdent Evil 3

    Guildenstern : Vagrant Story

    Every Beauty & the Beast Boss battle : Metal Gear Solid 4

    Sephiroth: Kingdom Hearts (Have yet to beat)

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      August 2, 2013 at 10:56

      Nemesis On Res Evil 3 was A BITCH! him and his damn rpg!

      Reply

    • RinceThisAndGingerSmite

      August 2, 2013 at 11:40

      I’m sorry, you seem to have forgotten FF8!!!

      Reply

    • Slade Boender

      August 2, 2013 at 13:14

      win for Nemesis, my favourite hands down

      Reply

      • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

        August 2, 2013 at 14:32

        🙂

        Reply

  10. Hugh Lashbrooke

    August 2, 2013 at 10:53

    Darth Malak in KOTOR was ridiculously satisfying to beat as well as Saren/Sovereign in ME1 and Diablo in D2. So much fun and just so satisfying to finish them off. I also thoroughly enjoyed all the boss battles in Rayman: Origins – creative and entertaining right to the end.

    Reply

    • Blazzok

      August 5, 2013 at 11:08

      I have to agree with Diablo in Diablo 2. You VERY quickly realized that Red Lightning is bad for you, and to dodge that at all costs. I was so damn pleased when I killed him for the first time.

      Reply

  11. I am John's smirking revenge

    August 2, 2013 at 10:57

    Killing Fettel in FEAR…lol

    Reply

  12. TiMsTeR1033

    August 2, 2013 at 10:57

    Anyone remember Onimushu Warlords the end boss was flipping madness!

    Reply

    • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

      August 2, 2013 at 10:59

      Fortinbras and his damn lightning

      Reply

  13. TiMsTeR1033

    August 2, 2013 at 10:59

    check this dude out! loved that game! Onimushu warlords was a master piece of a game

    Reply

  14. brad coetzee

    August 2, 2013 at 11:00

    Metal Gear Solid 3 in my opinion still has the best boss battles! Fighting “The End” in a sniper battle in the middle of a russian jungle was epic! Classic cat and mouse…….with thermal goggles. You could hunt him down or just save your game and wait a week for him to die of old age. Or you could snipe him in the beginning of the game(he is somewhere in the backround on an early level) and not have to fight him at all later on!

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      August 2, 2013 at 11:01

      That was great! I killed him second time round early on 🙂 but woah thanks for reminding me on that!

      Reply

    • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

      August 2, 2013 at 11:02

      No other game will have a boss you can kill by waiting a week, reminds me of pyscho mantis too, switching memory cards, MGS has such unique ways of fighting bosses

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        August 2, 2013 at 11:03

        I remember something like that remind me again wasnt it like a hack to kill the dude?

        Reply

        • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

          August 2, 2013 at 11:06

          No they actually tell via Codec to swop

          Reply

          • TiMsTeR1033

            August 2, 2013 at 11:06

            which metal gear is this?

          • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

            August 2, 2013 at 11:07

            First one, well on ps1

          • TiMsTeR1033

            August 2, 2013 at 11:08

            shit I cant even remember that. played it as a kid

  15. CodeName Tailgunner

    August 2, 2013 at 11:05

    The Stadium Level on Duke Nukem was kick ass.

    Reply

    • Rock789

      August 2, 2013 at 11:06

      “I’ll rip your head off and @#$% down your neck”. Classic Duke line! 🙂

      Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      August 2, 2013 at 11:07

      OH YEAH! all those missiles! to kick his eye ball!

      Reply

      • CodeName Tailgunner

        August 2, 2013 at 11:09

        Strafe strafe strafe strafe strafe strafe strafe strafe stafe. Need more bullets run run run run.

        LOL, I just remembered the “cheerleaders” man that was awesome

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          August 2, 2013 at 11:11

          and the strip club press space bar and she showed the boobies, hell back in those days the pool table alone was EPIC! was like the balls! such Physics

          Reply

          • I am John's smirking revenge

            August 2, 2013 at 11:14

            It’s nothing compared to the fish swimming away though. That stuff is just next level.

          • TiMsTeR1033

            August 2, 2013 at 11:24

            i laugh the fish Ai ends up having glitches like fish going threw walls and rocks and shit! then will be EPIC FAIL hehehe

  16. The Green Min-tern

    August 2, 2013 at 11:06

    It’s not so much a boss-battle but one of the most rewarding things I can remember was getting a “gold”/ 3 batarang rating on the combat challenges and the “use all combos and weapons” achievement in Arkham Asylum.

    Reply

    • Hermann Schwindt

      August 2, 2013 at 11:44

      I agree, I always had to have a beer down to relax and calm down if my multiplier was broken in the fight, espescially the extreme challenges. Still the sense of achievement was worth it when I got the platinum on both AA and AC.

      Reply

  17. Jonah Cash

    August 2, 2013 at 11:10

    All the bosses in Metal Gear Solid 1…. They were each brilliant in their own way!!!

    Reply

    • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

      August 2, 2013 at 11:11

      Grey Fox was my favorite! also the saddest …… 🙁

      Reply

      • Jonah Cash

        August 2, 2013 at 11:18

        I loved Sniper Wolf!! I would marry that lady!!! (Don’t tell my wife…..)

        Reply

        • That M.I.B Twit

          August 2, 2013 at 11:21

          Psycho Mantis was freaky thou.

          Reply

        • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

          August 2, 2013 at 11:24

          Oh man, I remember I never had the sniper racket to stabilize the aim!..meh

          Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        August 2, 2013 at 11:19

        what about vamp from MGS 2 he was a strange one, but epic scene firsrt time you see him

        Reply

        • Jonah Cash

          August 2, 2013 at 11:20

          Come to think of it all the bosses in all the MGS games were pretty epic in their own way!!

          Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        August 2, 2013 at 11:21

        you know what i need to play flippin MGS 4! hell i dont even know the bosses on that game! 🙁

        Reply

    • That Super Twit

      August 2, 2013 at 11:11

      YES!!!!!!!!

      Reply

  18. Tbone187

    August 2, 2013 at 11:13

    Man, you are dead right about Raam…Struggled with him for ages…Very rewarding indeed.The boss battles in MGS are awesome although Rockman/Megaman bosses used to be amazing back in the day…

    Reply

    • Weerwolf

      August 2, 2013 at 15:29

      Was just going to say. Anything in Monser Hunter. Those were some great battles. I remember killing the Akantor for the first time. That was pretty damn difficult.

      Reply

  19. Maskmoth

    August 2, 2013 at 11:14

    My most memorable boss battle was Wolfenstein 3d final boss, you opened the
    door and there he was looking all crazy and bulky!!

    Will most probably be much easier to beat him now

    Reply

  20. MacMeister998

    August 2, 2013 at 11:17

    The Battles that comes to mind is Star Ocean The Last Hope’s Final Boss : Satanail very very very long battle
    Ratchet and Clank’s Chairman Drek without the use of R.Y.N.O as it cost 150000 Bolts and there were just no time to get it

    Reply

  21. Maskmoth

    August 2, 2013 at 11:17

    Coolest boss ending was duke nukem 3d kicking the boss’s eye over the goal

    Reply

  22. Rock789

    August 2, 2013 at 11:21

    Love the Elder Scrolls series. And they’ve had some EPIC boss battles. In Morrowind, you had to face Dagoth Ur. And in Oblivion, you first faced Mankar Cameron in a painted world, and then took on Mehrunes Dagon himself – a Daedric god.

    Ok, now I feel like firing up Skyrim again. Argh! Damn this ‘work 9 – 5’ thing we all have to do!

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      August 2, 2013 at 11:23

      At least some fridays I leave early….. some…. I still need to get Skyrim want it soo bad! but finishing back log of games first

      Reply

      • Rock789

        August 2, 2013 at 11:24

        Yup, clear out that backlog first. Once Skyrim is begun, it can never be stopped! Trust me – it’s a MAJORLY addictive game! But so damn worth it!

        Kinda envy you coz you get to experience it for the first time. 🙂

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          August 2, 2013 at 11:28

          lol It was actually like non existant in shops for long time… So hence why i dont have it. Same as Halo 4 when i wanted to get it was all sold out 🙁

          Reply

    • I am John's smirking revenge

      August 2, 2013 at 11:25

      Replaying Skyrim for the third time now. My girlfriend starting it now for the first time. I have a feeling our relationship is going to be very quiet for the next couple of weeks.
      Probably months

      Reply

      • Rock789

        August 2, 2013 at 11:27

        Pretty much… Prepare for some long silences… 🙂 But it’s awesome you have someone to share that with. My last girlfriend simply didn’t get why I love games like Skyrim so much.

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          August 2, 2013 at 11:31

          i shot myself in the foot got wife to play xbox with fable 3 then i got bored of fable and traded it in now she dont play nothing 🙁

          Reply

          • Rock789

            August 2, 2013 at 11:34

            Ouch… Well, perhaps you can get Fable Anniversary when it comes out as a “Sorry I ruined gaming for you” present. 😉 🙂

      • TiMsTeR1033

        August 2, 2013 at 11:28

        no sexy time for you! 🙂

        Reply

        • I am John's smirking revenge

          August 2, 2013 at 11:39

          Oh. So no change then.

          Reply

          • That M.I.B Twit

            August 2, 2013 at 12:44

            I know the feeling. My wife plays PC games too. HAHA!

    • Warren Ross

      August 2, 2013 at 11:46

      Yeah, forgot about those, awesome boss battles that drew heavily from the fact that the lore throughout the game built you up to those confrontations. 🙂

      Reply

  23. Zubayr Bhyat

    August 2, 2013 at 11:38

    Thief: The Dark Project did it for me hey. Sure you couldn’t fight him off, and if you were spotted you were guaranteed instant death. The sense of satisfaction…well that was worth it.

    Reply

  24. ALKi1234

    August 2, 2013 at 11:38

    RESi code veronica X….the boss battle in the plain.died way to many times to admit.

    Reply

  25. RinceThisAndGingerSmite

    August 2, 2013 at 11:43

    I loved FF8. My first playthrough I just went at it, didn’t do side missions etc. When I got to her, I spent two hours healing my team as she wrought havoc on me. I just COULDN’T kill her. I think I just have sunk a further 10 in repeatedly trying. Gave up. Deleted my saved games. And started fresh. Next time she was dead in less than 10 minutes. I cried I was so fucking happy!

    Reply

  26. silverscorpio

    August 2, 2013 at 11:43

    Final Fantasy 7. Sephoroth took me 1 hour to take out.

    Reply

    • RinceThisAndGingerSmite

      August 2, 2013 at 11:43

      What you needed was Knights of the Round 😉

      Reply

      • silverscorpio

        August 2, 2013 at 11:47

        Yeah, I did not have it. Still I gave my healing magic a good go for it money and Bahamut Zero was really tired afterwards. I beat him but what a fight. Will always remember it.

        Reply

  27. RinceThisAndGingerSmite

    August 2, 2013 at 11:44

    I also loved the boss for Dead Space 3, was pretty damn cool.

    Reply

  28. Ghostwolf83523

    August 2, 2013 at 11:47

    That b*tch at the end of the Baldur’s Gate 2 expansion, Amellysan. 6 hours later, and I still hadn’t beaten her…

    Reply

  29. Gustav Willem Diedericks

    August 2, 2013 at 11:50

    Diablo in Diablo II. My brothers and I played together, and it took us probably 1.5 hours to take that demon down when we first encountered it.

    Reply

  30. Thats_how_I_Troll

    August 2, 2013 at 11:53

    I must say till this date the most satisfying boss kill for me was the final boss on vagrant story on PS one. Did any of you guys ever played Vagrant Story?

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      August 2, 2013 at 13:30

      YES! Yes I did.

      Reply

      • Thats_how_I_Troll

        August 2, 2013 at 13:32

        Damn I enjoyed that game, weird that there was never a remake of it…. Did you ever finish the final boss?

        Reply

  31. CodeName Tailgunner

    August 2, 2013 at 11:54

    The last missions in Wing Commander 4 and Wing Commander Prophecy were also pretty epic, where you had to destroy the enemy carrier // Warp Gate thingy. Very stressful and also fulfilling when successful. Not that these can actually be considered bosses.

    Reply

  32. Shard14

    August 2, 2013 at 12:01

    Sa-Matra – Star Control 2,
    Illidan Stormrage in WoW was awesome too.

    Reply

    • That M.I.B Twit

      August 2, 2013 at 12:43

      Upvote for Illidan.

      Reply

      • Sageville

        August 2, 2013 at 12:49

        Bin there done that, no t-shirt….

        Was a very cool boss fight though.

        Reply

  33. Mr. Lamprecht

    August 2, 2013 at 12:41

    Dungeon Siege III’s final boss was quite epic. I nearly threw my dog through the TV on a few occasions… Not my proudest moment, for sure.

    A few of the bosses in Enslaved were also demonically hard.

    Reply

  34. flenters

    August 2, 2013 at 12:41

    Shadow of the Colossus

    Reply

  35. Mr. Lamprecht

    August 2, 2013 at 12:44

    That bloody alien orb thingy in the original Tomb Raider on that ridiculously small platform was also a great boss.

    Reply

  36. Nathan Horne

    August 2, 2013 at 12:57

    The 2nd last boss battle in God Of War 2 – those two sisters of fate were quite difficult to beat.

    Most of the Metal Gear Solid boss battles are quite memorable, especially Psycho Mantis and Sniper Wolf (MGS), The End (MGS 3) and Screaming Mantis (MGS 4).

    Reply

  37. Axon1988

    August 2, 2013 at 13:01

    Dark Souls, the gaping dragon. He wasn’t the toughest boss. But I really enjoyed the entrance he makes. A unique approach to a dragon fight.

    Reply

  38. thesuperbeast

    August 2, 2013 at 13:17

    Metal Gear Solid, Psycho Mantis was one of the best boss battles ever

    Reply

  39. Alex Hicks

    August 2, 2013 at 13:32

    Surprised nobody mentioned the developer level in candy box … 😉

    Reply

  40. ForXx

    August 2, 2013 at 13:43

    Anyone ever play Heavenly Sword? King Bohan was an awesome character (played by Andy Serkis) and just as good a boss battle!

    Reply

  41. Gustav Minnie

    August 2, 2013 at 15:17

    This bad boy.

    Reply

  42. James Roberts

    August 2, 2013 at 16:32

    Every single boss in Croc.

    Reply

  43. Rags

    August 4, 2013 at 00:01

    Shredder in TMNT 3. 🙂

    Reply

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