Top 10 Scariest Fighting Game Bosses

“The King of Fighters XIV” (2016)

Upon first seeing Verse, our immediate thought was “what the heck is going on here?” He looks like a knight ripped straight out of some sort of medieval fantasy. Then, he started beating our butts, and that’s when we stopped laughing. Dude can launch fireballs and cause a rainfall of flaming fists from the sky! On top of that, he can teleport and grab you from a comfortable distance. Like any SNK final boss, he’s an input-reading force of terror. He may not be as difficult as God Rugal, but his appearance and abilities are no laughing matter.

“Killer Instinct” series (1994-2013)

This isn’t just some token demon character - this is GARGOS, and there are plenty of reasons to fear him. First off, this dude is a half-god. That alone tells you how screwed you are. Second, he possesses the power to open portals between dimensions, allowing him and his minions to travel to wherever they want, whenever they want! He even utilizes this power to attack you from a few feet away. Oh, and if you’re fighting him in the Shadow Lords campaign, he gets rapid healing, a permanent Instinct mode, and can deal a high amount of damage regardless of whether you’re blocking! Excuse me while I go cry in the corner…

“Soulcalibur” series (1995-)

It doesn’t matter what part of the arena you’re in. When you’re fighting the likes of Inferno, no place for you is safe. Even at a few dashes away, Inferno can close gaps quickly or smack you with obscene range. Also, just look at this guy! He’s covered in spikes and ethereal flames!! With a vicious being like this wielding the Soul Blade, who would ever dare try to take him on in a fight? Needless to say, he’s a boss we had to walk away from for a few hours...or days...or weeks.

“Dead Or Alive” series (1996-)

We were thinking about putting Alpha-152 on here in all of her teleport-spamming glory, but then we remembered Genra. Oh, the horrible fights we’ve had with Genra… If you can’t tell already, Genra is frightening to fight against for a couple of reasons, the first one being this camera angle. This goes so completely against what we’re used to in our fighting games that we couldn’t help freezing up. Didn’t help that, you know, everything is on fire! As soon as he started twirling that lightsaber of his and hucking lightning bolts at us, that was it - we checked out.

“Samurai Shodown” (2019)

Everyone, all aboard the Nope Train Express. You don’t mess around with spooky demon ladies. You just don’t! Lady Shizuka is a woman fueled completely by hatred, and that insane amount of anger translates into her attacks. She’ll berate you with her fans and energy blasts, forcing you to constantly be on your guard. Really, your best windows to attack are when she calms down for a brief moment and reverts back to her normal form. The first round against her isn’t too bad, but we can still see that ghastly, skeletal face when we blink.

“Mortal Kombat” (2011)

In all honesty, Shao Kahn is a total joke no matter which way you spin it. Major Pecs here has died how many times? And yet, he still thinks he’s some unstoppable god. The only time it has ever felt like that was Challenge #300 in MK9. For the first time in a long time, the Outworld emperor backs up his smacktalk and actually brings the hammer down. His combos get so nasty that it’s easy for us to freeze up and get overwhelmed. He doesn’t even give you much room to land a sucker punch! And it was this rare moment in MK history that Shao Kahn was actually scary.

“Arcana Heart III”

We know, it seems totally ridiculous. How could this voluptuous anime waifu possibly be frightening? Well… [show some ridiculous move] ...Yeah. This boss is terrifying in a way that you’re just at a loss for words. You’re simply bombarded with so many projectiles that you wonder if you’re even allowed to play the game you bought. By the time it’s over, you’re stricken with such disbelief and despair you can’t help but shut the game off. How is anyone supposed to possibly beat this lady?? If it takes some insane amount of Justin Wong-like skill, what hope is there for the rest of us!?

“Skullgirls” (2012)

Okay, we’re getting into “demented child” territory now!? Nope, so long, good-bye, farewell, adieu, gesundheit! Look, Marie is a real challenge when playing on just the normal difficulty. But several folks will get cold feet at the mention of Marie 300%. This is Marie at her absolute most merciless! As if that couldn’t get any worse, you are forced to play as Squigly. So, if you’re not familiar with her moves or have trouble grasping them, you’re in for a world of pain! Few players have been able to conquer Marie 300%. Do you dare make the attempt?

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” (2018)

You know, we thought we had seen the worst from “Smash Bros” after fighting Giga Bowser, Master Core, and Metal Mario. So, what else could be up Sakurai’s sleeve? Oh, how about some winged balls of light and darkness that can violently slice and dice you to bits? Yeah, Galeem and Dharkon are, without a doubt, the hardest and scariest bosses in the “Smash Bros” series. Their attack power and launching abilities are not to be scoffed at, and you have to be impeccable with your chosen characters if you expect to make it out with zero deaths.

“Tekken 6” (2007)

Take the worst traits from just about every boss on this list - ranged attacks, vicious and violent mannerisms, unblockables, obscene size - and throw them into a blender. What you end up with is Azazel, the toughest and most nonsensical boss in “Tekken” history. It’s you - a puny human with no other abilities but your fists - going up against a monstrous, purple crystal dragon from space. Capital WHAT. With his zoning potential and super armor abilities, you’re not just going to end up in a rage - you will be beaten, broken, hopeless, and mortified. There’s a reason why we don’t speak of “Tekken 6”, and it’s this.