Top 10 Video Game Boss Battles of All Time
Top 10, Top Ten, Top 5, Top Five, Top, List, Countdown, Rank, Ranking, Boss, Boss Battle, Final Boss, Last Boss, Epic, Crazy, Fun, Video Game, video games, Videogame, Videogames, God of War, Cronos, Dracula, Castlevania, Jubileus, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry,
These are the best of the best when it comes to the biggest and baddest. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we’re finishing off our series of the best videogame boss battles with our definitive list featuring the best of all time.
In case you haven’t been following along, we’ve been counting down the best boss battles of 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010s in separate videos. Now that those are out of the way, we’re taking a look at who made the cut on those lists and witling it down to the very best of all time. In order to make it on this list, a game will have had to have placed high earlier on in the series – but if you think something’s missing here, be sure to check out those videos to see if your favourite still made the top 10 in their respective decades.
#10: Cronos
We’ve seen villains that can claim to be larger than life, but none can even hope to come close to this Titan. Serving as both a boss fight and a living level, Kratos not only has to cut his way through hordes of smaller enemies but also try to bring down the most humongous creature in all of Greek mythology. The ever shifting layout not only keeps the tension high but also shows just how insignificant you are compared to the father of the gods, which only makes that final quick-time event all the more rewarding as you grant him a rather gruesome death.
#9: Dracula
Every villain has his beginning, and while his later appearances in the franchise arguably packed more of a punch, Dracula’s first clash with Simon Belmont in the original Castlevania is still a classic boss battle worthy of praise. Able to teleport across the screen and continuously cast Hellfire, players would find themselves frantically using that whip like there was no tomorrow. Later assuming a more demonic form, Dracula would reign down fire from above and try to pin players in a corner. His greatest moments as a boss can be debated, but no one can deny this was definitely a good place to start.
#8: Jubileus, The Creator
Who would have guessed that God would have turned out be something of a jerk? As this almighty deity plans to spread Paradiso’s dominion over both Earth and the Inferno, the only thing standing in its way is the most kickass witch to ever grace video games. Players not only have to avoid being impaled by its hear but constantly adapt their tragedy as Jubileus transforms the environment around them, ranging from lava, to ice, thunderclouds and ever outer space. Of course the crowning moment comes from the final blow as Bayonetta plays her trump card and summons the Demon Queen Sheba, who then proceeds to punch God so hard she is sent flying into the sun. There are no words for how badass that is.
#7: Vergil
One of the two sons of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, Vergil turned his back on his humanity unlike his brother Dante, pursuing the power of his demon heritage no matter the cost. As any true DMC fan will tell you, Vergil is as tough as they come in terms of challenge and will lay the smack down on any unprepared player on multiple occasion. Able to deflect gunfire, teleport all across the stage and even have access to his own Devil Trigger, should he manage to catch you in a chain combo you can kiss your ass goodbye. Despite the difficulty spike, the reward of claiming victory and the bittersweet ending that comes with it is worth all those inevitable losses!
#6: Ganon
In what many consider to be one of the greatest video games ever created, no one can deny the final battle against the villainous Ganondorf more than lived up the epic standards that had been set beforehand. After activating the Triforce of Power, the King of Evil is transformed into a monstrous beast wielding two gigantic swords and one hell of a murderous itch. Initially lacking a Master Sword, players had to rely on their alternative weapons such as the hammer or Biggoron Sword in order to keep him at bay before reclaiming the legendary blade and finally slaying the dark beast. Cinematic, emotional and ever so satisfying, the clash against Ganon will not leave gamer’s minds any time soon.
#5: Mike Tyson
Have you ever wanted to knock out of a former champion boxer? Well, in this surreal gaming experience, you got your chance! As Little Mac’s final opponent, Mike Tyson is dead set on a brutal fist exchange. The first ninety seconds of this fight are infamous due to Tyson launching a series of uppercuts that can immediately knock you to the canvas. Survive that and you’ll have to navigate your way through a series of lightning jabs and unpredictable blows until you eventually connect with a hit of your own. Despite the ridiculousness of actually fighting Mike Tyson, there’s no doubt it made for the 80s most rewarding boss battle!
#4: Ornstein & Smough
No other boss in this unforgiving franchise has even come close to matching the acclaim of this infamous duo. Ornstein is swift with the power to unleash lightning charged projectiles, while Smough is slower but the width and strength of his swings can easily crush you. Depending on which boss you choose to focus your attacks on, you had better be prepared for the second phase of the fight, as the one enemy still standing will absorb their fallen comrade’s abilities. While Bloodborne’s Gehrman is also worthy of praise for the challenge he provided, the nature of this battle and dynamic between the two ensures that the Dragon Slayer and the Execution have set the bar for all that follow.
#3: Psycho Mantis
Never has breaking the fourth wall left such a profound effect on video games as a whole. The first member of the FOXHOUND unit that Snake encounters on his mission to save hostages on the island of Shadow Moses, this telepath made it very clear he was unlike any other boss that the 90s had ever seen. He wasn’t just able to possess other characters, he was able to possess your Playstation! Reading memory cards, able to predict your movements unless you switched your controller port, even made you think your television had crashed, Psycho Mantis truly took us on a mindtrip the likes of which many have tried to replicate, but none can hold a candle to!
#2: Mr Freeze
We already knew that The Dark Knight had one of the greatest villain rosters in any medium, but who would have thought that one of them would make for such an exceptional boss battle? Players found themselves presented with an unexpected challenge as after landing a hit, Mr Freeze made it impossible to repeat the same move, forcing you to switch motifs and use the environment around you to break apart his ever-adapting power suit. Whether its stealth takedowns or using various gadgets, you’ll find barely a moment to breathe asit won’t be long before Gotham’s coldest villain is hot on your heels. We never felt more like the World’s Greatest Detective then we did right here.
Before we get to our pick for the #1 boss battle of all time, here are a few honourable mentions.
El Gigante
Every one of the Colossi could take a spot on our list due to their variety in both environments and mechanics, but ultimately it was the Fifth Colossus that just nudged ahead of the rest. We had just about gotten use to climbing gigantic beasts and exposing their multiple weak-points both on foot and atop our eternally loyal steed Agro, but that all got turned on its head when we had to slay a Colossus midair. With the ever shrinking grip metre accompanied with heart-stopping aerodynamics, the result was a boss battle that was as exhilarating as it was nerve-wracking. Throw in a pang of guilt for killing such a marvellous creature and you what we believe is the best boss battle of all time.
10 entries is painfully limited when talking about all the great bosses that we’ve overcome throughout the years, so be sure to check out the other videos in this series to see more! After that, if you still think we forgot something, be sure to let us know in the comments section, and for more great videos every day, be sure to attack the weak spot on the subscription button for massive damage.
In case you haven’t been following along, we’ve been counting down the best boss battles of 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010s in separate videos. Now that those are out of the way, we’re taking a look at who made the cut on those lists and witling it down to the very best of all time. In order to make it on this list, a game will have had to have placed high earlier on in the series – but if you think something’s missing here, be sure to check out those videos to see if your favourite still made the top 10 in their respective decades.
#10: Cronos
“God of War III” (2010)
We’ve seen villains that can claim to be larger than life, but none can even hope to come close to this Titan. Serving as both a boss fight and a living level, Kratos not only has to cut his way through hordes of smaller enemies but also try to bring down the most humongous creature in all of Greek mythology. The ever shifting layout not only keeps the tension high but also shows just how insignificant you are compared to the father of the gods, which only makes that final quick-time event all the more rewarding as you grant him a rather gruesome death.
#9: Dracula
“Castlevania” (1987)
Every villain has his beginning, and while his later appearances in the franchise arguably packed more of a punch, Dracula’s first clash with Simon Belmont in the original Castlevania is still a classic boss battle worthy of praise. Able to teleport across the screen and continuously cast Hellfire, players would find themselves frantically using that whip like there was no tomorrow. Later assuming a more demonic form, Dracula would reign down fire from above and try to pin players in a corner. His greatest moments as a boss can be debated, but no one can deny this was definitely a good place to start.
#8: Jubileus, The Creator
“Bayonetta” (2010)
Who would have guessed that God would have turned out be something of a jerk? As this almighty deity plans to spread Paradiso’s dominion over both Earth and the Inferno, the only thing standing in its way is the most kickass witch to ever grace video games. Players not only have to avoid being impaled by its hear but constantly adapt their tragedy as Jubileus transforms the environment around them, ranging from lava, to ice, thunderclouds and ever outer space. Of course the crowning moment comes from the final blow as Bayonetta plays her trump card and summons the Demon Queen Sheba, who then proceeds to punch God so hard she is sent flying into the sun. There are no words for how badass that is.
#7: Vergil
“Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening” (2005)
One of the two sons of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, Vergil turned his back on his humanity unlike his brother Dante, pursuing the power of his demon heritage no matter the cost. As any true DMC fan will tell you, Vergil is as tough as they come in terms of challenge and will lay the smack down on any unprepared player on multiple occasion. Able to deflect gunfire, teleport all across the stage and even have access to his own Devil Trigger, should he manage to catch you in a chain combo you can kiss your ass goodbye. Despite the difficulty spike, the reward of claiming victory and the bittersweet ending that comes with it is worth all those inevitable losses!
#6: Ganon
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)
In what many consider to be one of the greatest video games ever created, no one can deny the final battle against the villainous Ganondorf more than lived up the epic standards that had been set beforehand. After activating the Triforce of Power, the King of Evil is transformed into a monstrous beast wielding two gigantic swords and one hell of a murderous itch. Initially lacking a Master Sword, players had to rely on their alternative weapons such as the hammer or Biggoron Sword in order to keep him at bay before reclaiming the legendary blade and finally slaying the dark beast. Cinematic, emotional and ever so satisfying, the clash against Ganon will not leave gamer’s minds any time soon.
#5: Mike Tyson
“Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!” (1987)
Have you ever wanted to knock out of a former champion boxer? Well, in this surreal gaming experience, you got your chance! As Little Mac’s final opponent, Mike Tyson is dead set on a brutal fist exchange. The first ninety seconds of this fight are infamous due to Tyson launching a series of uppercuts that can immediately knock you to the canvas. Survive that and you’ll have to navigate your way through a series of lightning jabs and unpredictable blows until you eventually connect with a hit of your own. Despite the ridiculousness of actually fighting Mike Tyson, there’s no doubt it made for the 80s most rewarding boss battle!
#4: Ornstein & Smough
“Dark Souls” (2011)
No other boss in this unforgiving franchise has even come close to matching the acclaim of this infamous duo. Ornstein is swift with the power to unleash lightning charged projectiles, while Smough is slower but the width and strength of his swings can easily crush you. Depending on which boss you choose to focus your attacks on, you had better be prepared for the second phase of the fight, as the one enemy still standing will absorb their fallen comrade’s abilities. While Bloodborne’s Gehrman is also worthy of praise for the challenge he provided, the nature of this battle and dynamic between the two ensures that the Dragon Slayer and the Execution have set the bar for all that follow.
#3: Psycho Mantis
“Metal Gear Solid” (1998)
Never has breaking the fourth wall left such a profound effect on video games as a whole. The first member of the FOXHOUND unit that Snake encounters on his mission to save hostages on the island of Shadow Moses, this telepath made it very clear he was unlike any other boss that the 90s had ever seen. He wasn’t just able to possess other characters, he was able to possess your Playstation! Reading memory cards, able to predict your movements unless you switched your controller port, even made you think your television had crashed, Psycho Mantis truly took us on a mindtrip the likes of which many have tried to replicate, but none can hold a candle to!
#2: Mr Freeze
“Batman: Arkham City” (2011)
We already knew that The Dark Knight had one of the greatest villain rosters in any medium, but who would have thought that one of them would make for such an exceptional boss battle? Players found themselves presented with an unexpected challenge as after landing a hit, Mr Freeze made it impossible to repeat the same move, forcing you to switch motifs and use the environment around you to break apart his ever-adapting power suit. Whether its stealth takedowns or using various gadgets, you’ll find barely a moment to breathe asit won’t be long before Gotham’s coldest villain is hot on your heels. We never felt more like the World’s Greatest Detective then we did right here.
Before we get to our pick for the #1 boss battle of all time, here are a few honourable mentions.
El Gigante
“Resident Evil 4” (2005)
Yellow Devil
“Mega Man” (1987)
Photoshop Flowey
“Undertale” (2015)
Hitler
“Wolfenstein 3D” (1992)
Magma Dragoon
“Megaman X4” (1997)
#1: Avion the 5th Colossus
“Shadow of the Colossus” (2005)
Every one of the Colossi could take a spot on our list due to their variety in both environments and mechanics, but ultimately it was the Fifth Colossus that just nudged ahead of the rest. We had just about gotten use to climbing gigantic beasts and exposing their multiple weak-points both on foot and atop our eternally loyal steed Agro, but that all got turned on its head when we had to slay a Colossus midair. With the ever shrinking grip metre accompanied with heart-stopping aerodynamics, the result was a boss battle that was as exhilarating as it was nerve-wracking. Throw in a pang of guilt for killing such a marvellous creature and you what we believe is the best boss battle of all time.
10 entries is painfully limited when talking about all the great bosses that we’ve overcome throughout the years, so be sure to check out the other videos in this series to see more! After that, if you still think we forgot something, be sure to let us know in the comments section, and for more great videos every day, be sure to attack the weak spot on the subscription button for massive damage.
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