Top 20 Greatest Video Game Boss Entrances of All Time

#20: Master Hand

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“Super Smash Bros.” (1999) In bringing multiple Nintendo characters together to duke it out, players may have wondered who could serve as a final boss. Nintendo’s #1 character, Mario? The big bad Bowser? Some other behemoth from the company’s long history? But what we got was Master Hand, who was teased in the opening cinematic. Though his entrance is short, it leaves a mighty impression. The announcer doesn’t even call out his name, and Master Hand descends upon you with a hearty laugh that signals he’s going to enjoy this. The villain’s entrance has been tweaked over the years with more intense music and the surprising addition of Crazy Hand. And we love each one.

“Final Fantasy XV” (2016) The world of video games is full of gigantic monsters who will try to intimidate you with their immense size before the fight kicks off. The Leviathan from “Final Fantasy XV” is a perfect example. The people of Altissia revere and fear the sea snake, and for good reason. When Lunafreya awakens the deity to ask for aid, Leviathan doesn’t take kindly to being summoned by a puny mortal. You’ll have to prove yourself worthy or watch as it lays waste to the city around you. Seeing Leviathan emerge is an awe-inspiring moment. But hearing its anger prepares you for the high-thrills, city-wide clash that follows.

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” (2013) “Revengeance” is a ridiculously over-the-top action game, so we’d expect nothing less from its final boss. The conflict begins when the ground crumbles beneath Raiden’s feet, revealing an impressive Metal Gear. After some unhinged exposition from the villain, your fight against the giant mech begins. It’s a great intro to the finale as well as showcasing the titular Metal Gear’s power, but it’s the fight against the man inside that leaves the biggest impression. With his machine destroyed, Armstrong exits to reveal his nanomachine augmentation. He then begins to beat the absolute snot out of Raiden just to show the player how strong he is. It’s just as extreme as this character should be.

“Doom” (2016) The Cyberdemon appears many times in the “Doom” franchise, though it isn’t always a boss. But the enemy’s design and fame is partly why its entrance in the 2016 game is so great. It doesn’t appear until fairly late, but the Slayer is told of its existence by Samuel Hayden. Therefore, our controllers were shaking in excitement leading up to the fight. The Cyberdemon opens with a surprise attack; as the player is entering a new area, a giant claw rips through the doorway and tosses you like a ragdoll. As the door closes behind him, leaving you without an exit, the demon screeches and the fight begins. Simple, but a frightening display of intimidation.

“Elden Ring” (2022) Rykard from “Elden Ring” is a bit of an interesting case as he doesn’t actually receive an entrance until after his first phase is fought. Players will come across a massive, coiled serpent in the Volcano Manor. Whether you attack first or it does, the fight begins immediately. However, after you defeat it, and its head lolls lifelessly, it turns to reveal Rykard’s real face. He then reaches into the snake’s mouth and pulls out a sword covered in creepy tendril-like arms. A second phase isn’t necessarily surprising, though the human-like face and his disturbing weapon are. The Lord of Blasphemy’s slithering voice is just the cherry on top.

“Devil May Cry 5” (2019) Most larger-than-life bosses are accompanied by a cutscene that either displays their significant size, power, or both. But “Devil May Cry 5” plays things a little differently, at least where Goliath is concerned. Normally, a giant beast with a gaping stomach mouth would make a protagonist uneasy. But Nero decides to go the Spider-Man route by taunting and quipping at the baddie, sending him into a rage. Whether it’s his effortless step out of a tossed vehicle or referring to Goliath’s attack as a party trick, the hero oozes charisma. The comedic cutscene is a nice change of pace to bosses that dwarf the player in size. But it also fits the franchise’s style incredibly well.

“Hollow Knight” (2017) In your journey through Hallownest, you’ll come across all manner of disturbing enemies. But what you might not be expecting to come across is yourself. In the Deepnest area, players will spot a clone of themselves on a different path. But when you reach that spot, the copy will be gone. Following its trail, you’ll eventually go down a path that gets closed off, which should immediately tip you off that you’ve been led straight into a trap. At the end, the mimic twists and contorts, transforming into its true form of a giant spider. Not only is a great entrance, but it leads you into a boss fight unawares.

“The Evil Within 2” (2017) Coming from the creator of “Resident Evil,” “The Evil Within” has some pretty unsettling boss designs. However, none of them make an entrance like the Matriarch does. As Sebastian confronts Myra towards the end of the game, the two have a heated argument amidst a snowy backdrop. It eventually turns violent, with Sebastian shooting Myra in the head after she attacks. But this is what actually causes the fight to begin. Myra transforms into the Matriarch, a hulking monstrosity with a fondness for spiders. The reveal is handled expertly; the camera work and score make it feel like something out of a Horror flick. The confrontation also adds emotion that you carry with you into the fight.

“Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” (2017) Speaking of “Resident Evil,” Jack Baker is one nasty piece of work. That’s made abundantly clear to you throughout the game’s opening chapters, where he torments and hunts poor Ethan. Despite having frequent contact with him, his actual fight still makes one Hell of a first impression. Players may think they’re being tossed a lifeline when a police officer shows up, but what they’ve really been given is a front row seat to an execution. As Ethan argues with the officer, Jack drives a shovel through the back of his head. The family’s patriarch is like a villain out of a Slasher movie, so this instance is appropriate on top of being a wicked show of strength.

“Undertale” (2015) Though we love Asgore’s opening 4th wall break in the Neutral Route, it’s tough to top Asriel from the Pacifist one. Reaching this fight requires sparing every enemy you come across, including the bosses. When Asgore gets ready to attack, he’ll be interrupted by Toriel and all your new friends. They make him see the errors of his ways and it seems like you’ll be getting a nice, warm, happy ending…until Papyrus mentions a tiny flower. The homicidal maniac Flowey then captures everyone, having stolen the six human souls. He then takes in the souls of all your friends, turning into his final, ultra-powerful form. It’s a wonderful pull of the rug, but also the result of some fascinating lore.

#10: Moon Presence

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“Bloodborne” (2015) FromSoftware has proven itself a masterful studio when it comes to enemy and boss design. Every single one of those found in “Bloodborne” is, at the very least, interesting. And while the Moon Presence isn’t the best fight, there’s something about its entrance that sets it apart. It acts as an optional final boss and appears after fighting Gehrman if you fulfill certain criteria. As it glides towards you lit by a full moon, it’s much more serene than any other fight opening in the game. Its gangly frame and writhing tentacles clash with the pristine backdrop, making for a remarkable shot. If only any other FromSoftware fights eased us in like this…

“Metroid Dread” (2021) On the planet of ZDR, Samus must fight through plenty of hostile creatures. However, one she’s faced several times before is met with a suitable amount of disrespect. Entering the arena in Cataris, the bounty hunter will be immediately on edge. But as the looming presence is revealed, she becomes much more relaxed. In a flawless display of body language, Samus casually fires a charged shot at Kraid’s face after he roars at her. She radiates the confidence that comes from a long career of navigating deadly planets. It’s almost as if it’s a boss entrance for her rather than Kraid. And we love every second of it.

#8: The Rat King

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“The Last of Us Part II” (2020) When it comes to this terrifying baddie, it’s a combination of incredible build-up and awesome design that earns it the spot. As Abby navigates the lower level of the hospital, she’ll have a handful of Infected to deal with. All the while, you’ll hear unsettling sounds of something bigger lurking about and see smears of blood along the walls. When Abby enters an abandoned ambulance, that’s when it rears its ugly heads. The Rat King is made up of several Infected, all grossly fused together by fungal plating. As if that wasn’t bad enough, you’re then confronted by a suspenseful chase sequence before you even have the chance to defend yourself.

#7: The Great Mighty Poo

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“Conker’s Bad Fur Day” (2001) Any boss made of feces is probably going to have a memorable entrance, no matter what it actually is. But we will always applaud Rare for deciding to turn the Great Mighty Poo into a musical number. After entering Poo Mountain, Conker hears a deep voice demanding some sweet corn. Upon tossing a few pieces into a nasty pit, exuberant horns blare out a jaunty tune as the fecal giant rises. He then begins to sing, delivering some of the funniest, most ridiculous lyrics we’ve ever heard. The entire fight is a delight, as the boss will signal different phases with new verses. But his introduction remains one the game’s strongest moments all these years later.

#6: Doc Ock

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“Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018) Most players probably knew Otto Octavius was going to turn evil by the end of the game. Yet Insomniac still managed to pull it off supremely well. Although it doesn’t take place directly before a fight, the Doc Ock reveal at the Raft is a powerful and impactful scene. It also marks the beginning of the climax, with Peter’s fight against the Sinister Six members acting like one big build-up. Regardless, the intro to the Doc’s actual fight is still an emotional high in the story. With a brand new suit, Peter confronts him atop Oscorp Tower. You can feel the pain in both the actors’ performances, setting you up for a conflicted clash.

“God of War: Ragnarok” (2022) Some may prefer the intensity of the Poseidon fight, but we’re going with a slow burn option. Paying homage to a hidden cutscene in the 2018 game was a great way for “Ragnarok” to introduce Thor. At first, it seemed like we’d get a more bombastic recreation of Kratos and Baldur’s first meeting. But after the God of Thunder shows up, he offers his enemies mead. It isn’t long before Odin joins them in an attempt to get Kratos to back down. The actors are on top of their game, and every single line is drenched with tension. We knew that at some point, the fragile peace would be broken. More accurately, it exploded with tremendous force as Thor took Kratos into the air.

“Batman: Arkham City” (2011) The intro to Clayface’s fight is also one of the best twists in any superhero game. With Joker dying from the Titan formula, he performs a blood transfusion on Batman, sending the hero in search of a cure. Meanwhile, he pulls strings from the sidelines. When you finally confront your nemesis in the climax, Talia gains the upper hand and runs him through with a sword. Unfortunately for her, that was never actually Joker. The real villain hired the shapeshifting Clayface to masquerade as him in public, who then reverts to his real form to pummel you into the dirt. The twist took us all by surprise and set up a fun fight in the process.

“Shadow of the Colossus” (2005) “Shadow of the Colossus” has some of the most stunning art direction in video game history. And because of that, some of the best boss designs. The game chronicles one man’s journey to defeat 16 Colossi to resurrect a loved one. Your confrontation against Malus, the final one, is fittingly epic and theatrical. The gargantuan being is accompanied by heavy rainfall to set the tone. The slow camera tilt upwards to reveal his stature is a subtle but stellar showcase. His body resembles a massive tower, with flaming appendages and a height that reaches far into the sky. Although his intro isn’t very long, it’s completely breath-taking, as is Kow Otani’s enchanting, melancholic score.

#2: Ganon

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“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) The final boss in this Nintendo classic is lucky enough to have two fantastic intros. For Ganondorf, you hear his eerie organ playing as you climb his tower. When you reach the top, he dispels Navi with dark magic before levitating and laughing maniacally. However, it’s his beast form that steals the show. After the castle collapses, Ganondorf will rise from the rubble. In one final act, his Triforce of Power glows brightly, and he transforms into the imposing, dual-sword-wielding Ganon. Blending the villain’s human desires with the rage of a beast was an unbelievable moment. And it was one of many that solidified “Ocarina” as one of the series’ strongest entries.

“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” (2019) Even if we had no idea who Darth Vader was, his entrance here still would’ve terrified us to our very core. Throughout the game, former Padawan Cal is hunted by the Empire’s Inquisitors. The member who plays the biggest role is Trilla, also known as the Second Sister. She’s set up to be the main villain, and her defeat nearly brings her back to the light side. Sadly, she doesn’t get the chance. The camera is positioned to show Trilla’s monumental fear, and for a second, you wonder what has her so frightened…and then you hear that telltale sound. It’s a tremendous, panic-inducing exhibit of a pop culture icon that only makes you more anxious when you realize he doesn’t have a health bar.