Top 10 Really Easy Bosses in Really Hard Games

“Nioh” (2017)

Picture this: you’re about to go head-to-head with a legendary samurai - what do you think of? Swords clashing, a test of speed, and heavy armor, right? None of that matters when facing against the yokai of Honda Tadakatsu. Your first instinct would be to charge in and fight him, but what if we told you you can basically insta-kill him without ever having to touch him? Simply destroy the three crystals around the battlefield, and he’s done for.

“Contra” (1987)

We know we're cheating a bit on this one - it is the first boss, after all - but this is “Contra” we're talking about, infamous for its insane levels and even more insane boss fights. The Wall is not only one of the most iconic bosses in gaming, but it is one of the easiest in the franchise. Equipped with only two blaster cannons and a sniper at the top, you and a friend can easily put the Wall out of commission. The sniper can be killed quickly, and once one of the cannons is gone, the Wall becomes more of a picket fence.

“Shovel Knight” (2015)

Just the look of this guy screams, “I'm an egotistical jerk”. Despite being the most royal out of the Order of No Quarter, a fight with Pridemoor Keep’s ruler is like a fight with the Black Knight. We're not saying this is a bad boss fight, it's just that King Knight doesn't really do much. His lunges are short and slow, and the fanfare confetti isn't much of a screen sweeper. As long as you keep bopping on his head, you can defeat King Knight and emerge unscathed. King Knight seems to have a more diverse moveset in the “King of Cards” prequel expansion - maybe he was just tired during our encounter?

“Fallout” (1997)

Holy hell, what is that thing?! Sorry… The evil mutated brain trope has been used for some memorable boss fights, but on the other hand, how many of those have been easily defeated through speech checks? Yes, the Master, a diabolical brain responsible for forming the Mutant Army who has access to gatling lasers, can be defeated through a nice chat. If you manage to convince the Master to abandon his plan, he’ll trigger the nuke in the Vault and kill himself. Of course, we’d prefer the more challenging approach; engage in mortal radioactive combat!

“Final Fantasy X” (2001)

The “Final Fantasy” franchise has had many bosses that have caused us to break controllers or shout obscenities. However, if you’re looking for a finale that’s smooth sailing (aside from spamming life potions on Evrae Altana), the not-so-epic final fight with Yu Yevon should suffice. With the game providing you with an “Auto-Life” feature, it's practically impossible to get a game over! But, this also makes us wonder: what’s the point of the fight, if there’s nothing at stake? I mean, that’s generally what final bosses are supposed to be, right? A challenge that tests your knowledge of the game and might cause a significant amount of retries? Not in this game, buddy.

“Mega Man 2” (1988)

The Robot Masters of the “Mega Man” series can be difficult depending on which ones you tackle in which order. Since they all have weaknesses against one another, one could argue that every boss is easy. Bubble Man makes the list because it really doesn’t matter when you decide to take him on, he’s still not much of a challenge. His reliance on swimming turns him into a sitting duck, and if he were to fire his Bubble Cannon more frequently, maybe he’d be more formidable. Brownie points for the spiked ceiling, but this guy’s simply too easy to pop.

“Dark Souls II” (2014)

Okay, “Dark Souls II” may not be everyone’s favorite game in the series, but it certainly had its fair share of challenges. The bosses, however, were all over the place in terms of difficulty, with some feeling damn near impossible to defeat and others being a total cakewalk. The Covetous Demon falls into the latter category for its easy-to-read attacks, making him incredibly predictable. He moves so slow that you’re given a good amount of time to really lay into him. He’s not too versatile in terms of his moveset either, often using short-ranged attacks with an occasional jump here and there. In the end, you’ll feel like this fight took longer than it should have and wonder why it was even there.

“Cuphead” (2017)

“Cuphead” is loaded with colorful bosses that will keep you and a friend constantly playing and replaying the game. Each one has its own tricks and patterns to make every fight unique. While we were considering Goopy le Grande for our pick, our minds were changed when we saw the predictable behavior in Werner Werman. In each phase, Werner only uses two or three basic, easy-to-read attacks. Will he move left or right? Up or down? No matter what, you’ll have plenty of time to find your escape route. For someone equipped with explosives, flamethrowers, and a mechanical cat, he quickly becomes a pushover.

“Bloodborne” (2015)

“Bloodborne” has some of the most intense boss battles you’ll find in gaming, which is why it pains us to see it on the list. You’ve fought through psychotic villagers and disgusting maggots, and now it's time to play “hide n’ seek”…seriously? The Witch will turn invisible and fire orbs at you, giving away her position. After a few attacks, she’ll disappear and send in not a group, not a trio, not a duo, but ONE enemy. ONE SLOW, WEAK, WIMPY, ENEMY. Yeah, we had our eyes rolling throughout this whole fight. Wait, you have to fight a second Witch, too? Maybe this fight is more challenging that we thought —done. She’s dead. Nevermind.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1989)

You would think for someone to be the archnemesis of the Ninja Turtles, they would have to be quite the formidable opponent. Lesson number one, kids; looks can be deceiving, and that’s the case for The Shredder and his cool entrances. Shredder manages to put up a fight, but that's only if you let him. It is possible to cheese your way through this final boss fight by knocking him off a platform and hitting him every time he jumps at you. The rest of the game is known for being notoriously difficult, which is what makes this particular boss battle all the more laughable.