10 Video Game Bosses That Were DOWNGRADED to Regular Enemies

10 Bosses That were Downgraded to Regular Enemies

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at bosses from video games that later became regular enemies, whether within the same game or a sequel.

The Missionary

“Silent Hill 3” (2003)

The “Silent Hill” series features a ton of twisted bosses that thankfully only show up once. But the Missionary from “Silent Hill 3” is a little different. He appears early on in the game, having been commanded to take the life of Heather Mason’s father before trying to dispose of her. His quick reflexes can be problematic, even able to block bullets. Many more like him show up during the climax at the Order’s chapel. Referred to as Scrapers, these versions are much weaker than the Missionary, but retain the same high speed that can still result in a quick demise if player’s aren’t careful.

Vampire

“Final Fantasy” Series (1990-)

“Final Fantasy” repurposes bosses into enemies fairly frequently. But for this list, we’re going back to the beginning. In the original game, the Warriors of Light square off against a Vampire boss at the end of the Cavern of Earth dungeon, which actually isn’t too hard of a fight. However, the bloodsuckers start appearing during random encounters later in the game. Ever since then, vampires have shown up in abundance throughout multiple entries, usually with different attacks and abilities. However, with the exception of some spin-offs, they’ve mostly stayed as regular enemies. It makes sense, considering the franchise has long since been more interested in creating its own, more unique monsters.

Sheegoth

“Metroid Prime” (2002)

Samus fights a lot of unique creatures in “Metroid Prime,” including shelled, ice lizards whose pissed off mother tries to make her regret it. Players fight Sheegoth in the Chapel of the Elders in order to unlock the Wave Beam. Unlike her children, Mama Sheegoth can only be hurt when her mouth is open after emitting her ice breath. However, upon future visits to the Phendrana Drifts, Samus will just have to deal with Sheegoths on a regular basis as they’ll become recurring enemies. While they won’t have gotten any weaker, Samus will have gotten significantly stronger, making facing them much more manageable.

Cyberdemon

“Doom” Series (1993-)

“Doom” is another series that changes the status of its enemies from game to game, but we’re going with one of the franchise’s most recognizable baddies, the Cyberdemon. This goatlike behemoth with a fondness for rockets appeared as a boss in the first game. But in “Doom II,” it was demoted to a more commonly occurring enemy. It then went back up to boss for both “Doom 3” and the 2016 reboot. However, its last appearance was of the more common variety, in a way. The Tyrants of “Doom Eternal” aren’t exactly the same, but they’re similar in appearance and moveset while the Cyberdemon doesn’t appear at all.

Capra Demon

“Dark Souls” (2011)

Sticking with goat demons, let’s talk about “Dark Souls.” Although it’s an optional boss fight, players can find the Capra Demon early on in the Undead Burg. And, like many other FromSoftware fights, it can be a pretty big pain. One of the problems is the location, a tight spot with little room to maneuver in. There’s also the boss’ canine companions, which if not taken care of immediately, will do everything in their power to make their master victorious. Players can take out their frustrations on a whole pack of them later though, inside the Demon Ruins. Yes, you’ll be stronger, but you’ll also have a lot more room so you don’t get cheaply smashed into oblivion.

Ogre

“Dragon Age: Origins” (2009)

Ogres are mighty creatures in most fantasy. And so “Dragon Age: Origins” kicks off with a bang with its first boss. As you reach the end of the Tower of Ishal, the intimidating Ogre will dwarf your party members in size. But more importantly, you also won’t have much in terms of power to deal with it easily. Thankfully, as you build up your team and the Ogres become a less rare occurrence, you can take appropriate levels of vengeance on them. BioWare actually did the same thing in “Dragon Age II,” making an ogre the first boss before relegating them to regular enemies.

Tripod

“Dead Space 2” (2011)

It’s hard to decide on the most disturbing Necromorph design, but the Tripod from “Dead Space 2” is certainly…alarming. Standing on three legs, it is several bodies stitched together which Isaac has the unfortunate honor of meeting as the first boss. However, as is the case with most survival horror, Isaac builds up the power of his weaponry throughout the game. So, when Tripods start appearing more frequently later in the game, players can lay into them with as much ferocity as they desire. They’re still freakish as Hell, but at least you can keep them well out of reach with enough firepower.

Dodongo

“The Legend of Zelda” Series (1987-)

Like “Final Fantasy,” the “Zelda” series has demoted and promoted bosses and enemies across many games. But again, we’re sticking with the roots. The Dodongo is the second boss you face in the original game, but it later appears in two other dungeons as a regular enemy. While King Dodongo is also the second boss in “Ocarina of Time,” there are multiple smaller ones that are used as enemies. Interestingly, the Dodongo would move back up to a boss in “Oracle of Ages” and “Four Swords Adventures.” But it would be back to a lowly grunt by the release of “Twilight Princess.”

Bloater

“The Last of Us” (2013)

As Joel, Ellie, and Bill are chased through a school full of Infected, they bar themselves inside the gym. But, out of the pan and into the fire, as they say. At this moment, “The Last of Us” introduces its most horrific enemy yet. While there’s no title card or health bar, the Bloater gets a special intro, is fought in an arena, takes a lot of firepower to go down, and, one of the cheaper boss tactics, summons minions. However, you’ll come across Bloaters several more times in packs of Infected. But, except for Ellie’s solo chapter, you’ll have upgraded your arsenal along the way, making them easier to deal with.

Slogra & Gaibon

“Castlevania” Series (1987-2014)

These two “Castlevania” foes are often linked, and have therefore shared a fate of being demoted across the series. They first appeared in “Super Castlevania IV,” being two of the bosses faced right before Dracula, meaning they weren’t easy. Slogra’s deadly leaps could be tough to avoid, Gaibon rained stalactites down on you, and they both loved using fireballs. But they’ve become weaker and weaker ever since. They were the first bosses of “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night,” before appearing as regular enemies later in the game. Since then, from “Curse of Darkness” to “Harmony of Despair,” Slogra and Gaibon have merely been minor obstacles on the way to actual bosses.

Know of any other bosses that were downgraded to enemies? Share them with us in the comments and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!