Here is the follow-up to my countdown of awesome bosses:
4. Luca Blight (Suikoden 2)- Luca Blight is one of the most evil bastards in gaming history. He loves being brutal to his subjects, and kills without any regard for human life. Luca is very powerful with a blade and magic as well. In one of the best RPG showdowns ever, your entire army faces one man. An ambush is the method your generals decide on for destroying Luca Blight, and he doesn't go down without a fight. He will wipe out most of your army without much effort, and even when you think he is beaten he wants more. Luca demands a one on one battle to the death with the main hero after your army is done with him. The bad part, if you lose the one on one battle; then you have to restart the entire ambush and that can be very time consuming. Here is a nice little quote courtesy of Mr. Blight: "You can round up a million maggots to try to defeat me... but you'll still all just be maggots!"
3. The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3) - Big Boss's mentor is a tough cookie. Early in the game she field strips your pistol and proceeds to kick your rookie ass. Later on, the player finds out The Boss is basically a mother figure, battle guru, and love interest to the young Big Boss. To make things worse, it is unclear why she defected to the USSR. In the game's climatic ending, she declares her true intentions ( she was following secret orders), and challenges Big Boss to a fight to the death. It is a sad and beautiful fight in a field of flowers; one of the most unforgettable moments in any game. This is Hideo Kojima's series at it's finest and most poignant.
2. Gannondorf (Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time) - Gannon always came across as a fat little chump to me in early Zelda games. It was not until the N64 game that I learned he was a crazy elven shape shifter. It is an awesome moment when adult Link climbs the staircase to face his nemesis, Gannon. A dramatic organ tune grows louder and louder as Link gets closer to the top. Once he finds Gannon, he is playing the organ in a cool and dramatic fashion. Then all hell breaks loose as he transforms into a giant demon with swords. It is a really bad ass fight with moody music, that takes place in the flaming ruins of Hyrule. The fight feels very adult, and gives long time players a sense of pride in seeing Link through to his toughest trial. This is simply the best boss battle of the Zelda series to date.
1. Claus (Mother 3) - Mother 3 is a powerful game. It is funny, weird, and even sad. In one of the most depressing final boss fights ever, Lucas has to fight his brain washed brother, Claus. The entire game has Lucas searching for his twin brother, and when he finds him, it is too late. Pokey destroyed the boy's mind, and all that is left in him is hate. The voices of their mother and father chime in throughout the battle to remind the boys that they are brothers and beg them to stop the fight. Eventually the fight does end, Claus remembers Lucas; but he is on the verge of death. After their one on one duel, Claus dies. It is hard for a video game to evoke emotion, but I remember tearing up during this showdown. This battle is well written and transcends being merely a boss battle. If you haven't played this game, please do...it is a wonderful experience you will not forget.
That is the list folks. I love many other bosses for being hard like in Cave shooters or Contra...but none of them particularly stuck out to me like these fights did, they were all very special in someway. I hope you enjoyed this, and feel free to tell me your favorite boss battles in the comments.
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