Really Memorable Boss Fights in RPGs

[Pike]

What are some boss fights that really stick out to you?

I'm gonna start by nominating the Culex battle from Super Mario RPG. Not only was it just a challenging fight but it was this great little nod to FF from Square. Also back in the day it kickstarted a load of speculation among us kids.

[Rez09]

The Culex fight murdered me so bad as a kid. I could never beat him without Lazy Shell Peach. ; -;

The Genocide Heart fight in SaGa Frontier is still my favorite boss fight in an RPG, so I'll throw that one out there. Using the display screens to communicate its health to the player was a simple yet totally awesome idea, and the way it bounces Carnage lasers off of them when it attacks you is just . . . AHHHHHHHH!

+5 greatest genocidal robot in gaming.

EDIT: Oh, Luca Blight in Suikoden II is another one. I have no idea how I forgot that fight.

[Forsaken Lover]

The Arishok from Dragon Age II. Just a fantastic character all-around and his bos fight is no exception. Great build-up, great music, and hella challenging if you are fighting him solo as a Warrior.

Id from Xenogears. Built up as this super powerful, unstppable force all game and the first time we finally get a good look at him is when he's kicking our ass. Also his theme music plays during the fight and it's one of the best themes in all of RPGs.

[Karifean]

All of the Undertale final bosses. I'd say the neutral route final boss is the overall most memorable.

[Galuf]

All of the Undertale final bosses. I'd say the neutral route final boss is the overall most memorable.

Yeah this. that boss was awesome.

i find the Magi Master in FF6 memorabl somehow.

also Neomind in.... uh scrap that :shifty:

[FFNut]

Gigias from Earthbound. First time I fought him I couldn't beat him. He didn't hurt Ness and crew, but I didn't hurt him either. After two hours of slugging it out with him I found the secret. Don't want to say it because others may not know yet who wish to play but it was the one thing I never used in the game :(

[Galuf]

Gigias from Earthbound. First time I fought him I couldn't beat him. He didn't hurt Ness and crew, but I didn't hurt him either. After two hours of slugging it out with him I found the secret. Don't want to say it because others may not know yet who wish to play but it was the one thing I never used in the game :(


havent played EB but Giygas is memorable for different reasons for me :erm:

[Ultima Shadow]

The final boss in Mana Khemia might be my absolute favourite. It's just... pretty much perfect.

Ethereal Queen and the final boss in Star Ocean 3 are both great and very enjoyable gameplay-wise.

And while I feel Ultimecia is one of the weaker FF villains, I think her boss battle is amazingly well done. I also really like Ultima Weapon and Omega Weapon in this game.

Final Boss in Persona 3.

I have to second Culex in SMRPG. Loved that battle. Also, the Axem Rangers. <3

Neutral route and Genocide route Final Bosses in Undertale.

...those are the ones that come to mind at the moment. :greenie:

[Vermachtnis]

The Galacticmon fight in Digimon World 3. It starts with the last boss you just fought fusing with the space station you're in. So you run outside and fight starts with you in my middle of space. And the camera pans behind your team and you see you are literally the only thing between that and Earth. THat becomes more apparent after you beat the tail and while making your way to it's core, it launces an attack at the planet and whoever you have out takes it and it leaves it with 1HP and then the final battle starts with a more heroic version of the main theme playing.

Luke vs Asch near the end of Tales of the Abyss. I love The Meaning of Birth.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Gigias from Earthbound. First time I fought him I couldn't beat him. He didn't hurt Ness and crew, but I didn't hurt him either. After two hours of slugging it out with him I found the secret. Don't want to say it because others may not know yet who wish to play but it was the one thing I never used in the game :(

I was hoping Earthbound would get a mention. Strangely I've never beaten it myself (I always stop playing around the pyramid in Scaraba) but I've finished Mother 3 - and its final boss of course is also memorable.

I've been playing Bravely Default lately and, while the characters are kind of bland, some of the later boss battles have required some interesting strategies (especially if you haven't chosen the best jobs to level up). So I guess in terms of what I've been playing lately I'll nominate that.

[Sephiroth]

All Main Villain fights in Final Fantasy

All Boss Fights in Nier Gestalt

Not considered as RPG by many but as Adventure, Action-RPG-Adventure in my eyes: Ganon Battles in Zelda

Final Battles in the Kingdom Hearts Saga

Another Action-RPG Adventure: Darksiders. Here the Guardian in Darksiders II

Bumblebee Princess Flameu in Atelier Escha & Logy

[Madame Adequate]

Luca Blight in Suikoden 2 is probably the single best one. You need an army, three parties, and a duel to kill him.

Brayko in Alpha Protocol is a son of a bitch in plot, a son of a bitch to fight, and is incredibly fun and satisfying.

Ornstein & Smough, holy trout if you weren't genuinely working on your skills as you play, smurfing :rip:.

Undyne in UnderTale.

Morrowind doesn't have many boss fights as such (though you can go attack characters as powerful as demigods, as well as actual gods, if you want.) but everything about the confrontation with Dagoth Ur is incredible.

And Gilgamesh in FFV, of course!

[Pumpkin]

SOME SPOILERS FOR OLDER AND NEW GAMES***

Suikoden - Teo McDohl. It really makes it hit home that your old life, family, city, all of it is the enemy now. It's the point where you really start to realize how far your party has come and how much has changed.

Suikoden II - Luca Blight. Epic boss fight. A lot of the time, games will pump up a boss to be super powerful and then you defeat it just like any other fight. But Luca just keeps going. It really shows just how monstrous and powerful he really is.

Omega Quintet - There's a boss fight against a man who is your friend, can't remember his name, but he turns in to this horrible, hideous monster and it was such a bright, lighthearted and silly game. So to see this grotesque figure that used to be a normal dude was pretty scary actually and a turning point for the game.

Tales of Graces f - The ending to the kid era. One character essentially dies, another vanishes, Asbel is scared straight, things between him and his friends kind of crumble after that. It was so bright and cheery and then BAM horrible thing happens, end era, fastforward 7 years later.

Breath of Fire III - Apparently I am a fan of mood whiplash. The first main boss of this game just recently really got me. It was again so lighthearted and bright and silly and you're fighting typical RPG monster. It runs away and you follow its blood trail and defeat it. Then you find out it was protecting a nest full of dead cubs that it was apparently feeding out of some weird kind of denial. My gosh.

Chrono Trigger - Atropos XR. The feels with her and Robo. THE FEELS

Xenosaga Episode III - The fight against Yuriev towards the end. Then Albedo arrives and things are all full of the feels. Likewise the fight against Pellegri and also the one against Virgil on disc 1.

Tales of the Abyss - Arietta. Not only is she strong as all heck, but I love her character and her story is so sad.

Fairy Fencer F - Marianna. My favourite character dies right after and it's a huge gut punch.

There are many more but those are the ones I can think of right now :3

[Del Murder]

Nemesis from FFX was one I remember well because it required a lot of work to unlock and then required a lot of grinding and careful strategy to beat. I remember that I had to think very carefully about every move and the CTB system allowed for that kind of grand strategy. It was one of my favorites.

Also, the final boss from Final Fantasy Legend (Creator) I remember clearly because it was one of the first RPGs I ever beat and it was trippy that I actually killed God!

[Rez09]

I will never get over that last boss being weak to the saw. xD

[Vyk]

There was a fight in Final Fantasy IV (I think?) Where you had to fight someone's parents after they are possessed and mutated or something. And throughout the fight they keep saying things, begging to be let go and not wanting to hurt you and you have to kill them and get out of there while you can or some crap. There was so much dialog and so much care I just let them talk. I don't remember if they even fought back, or if they just didn't do enough damage for me to feel they were a threat. So I just defended and healed while they pleaded and said their goodbyes or whatever. If I remember correctly, the fight ends naturally and you don't have to murder them. Which was really interesting for how primitive the game was in most other aspects

[Vincent, Thunder God]

There was a fight in Final Fantasy IV (I think?) Where you had to fight someone's parents after they are possessed and mutated or something. And throughout the fight they keep saying things, begging to be let go and not wanting to hurt you and you have to kill them and get out of there while you can or some crap. There was so much dialog and so much care I just let them talk. I don't remember if they even fought back, or if they just didn't do enough damage for me to feel they were a threat. So I just defended and healed while they pleaded and said their goodbyes or whatever. If I remember correctly, the fight ends naturally and you don't have to murder them. Which was really interesting for how primitive the game was in most other aspects

I've played that game so many times and I don't even remember that. xD Maybe it was in one of the other versions or the sequel? I'm trying to remember this from the original but for some reason nothing comes to mind.

[Depression Moon]

I don't know of any. Most boss fights in games period don't really stick with me other than being difficult.

[Galuf]

There was a fight in Final Fantasy IV (I think?) Where you had to fight someone's parents after they are possessed and mutated or something. And throughout the fight they keep saying things, begging to be let go and not wanting to hurt you and you have to kill them and get out of there while you can or some crap. There was so much dialog and so much care I just let them talk. I don't remember if they even fought back, or if they just didn't do enough damage for me to feel they were a threat. So I just defended and healed while they pleaded and said their goodbyes or whatever. If I remember correctly, the fight ends naturally and you don't have to murder them. Which was really interesting for how primitive the game was in most other aspects

I've played that game so many times and I don't even remember that. xD Maybe it was in one of the other versions or the sequel? I'm trying to remember this from the original but for some reason nothing comes to mind.

it is in the FF2 snes version. Dr Lugae mutated Edges parents. just after that fight you battle Rubicante

[Vincent, Thunder God]

There was a fight in Final Fantasy IV (I think?) Where you had to fight someone's parents after they are possessed and mutated or something. And throughout the fight they keep saying things, begging to be let go and not wanting to hurt you and you have to kill them and get out of there while you can or some crap. There was so much dialog and so much care I just let them talk. I don't remember if they even fought back, or if they just didn't do enough damage for me to feel they were a threat. So I just defended and healed while they pleaded and said their goodbyes or whatever. If I remember correctly, the fight ends naturally and you don't have to murder them. Which was really interesting for how primitive the game was in most other aspects

I've played that game so many times and I don't even remember that. xD Maybe it was in one of the other versions or the sequel? I'm trying to remember this from the original but for some reason nothing comes to mind.

it is in the FF2 snes version. Dr Lugae mutated Edges parents. just after that fight you battle Rubicante

Yeah after I posted I had a vague memory of a boss battle with a king and queen and something to do with one of the Four Fiends later in the game. During my last replay I didn't get that far so that's probably why I forgot.

[Pete for President]

Ornstein & Smough, Gwyn, Artorias and Manus from Dark Souls are all really intense, memorable epic fights.

Yunalesca from FFX comes to mind because it's probably the most unique boss in the game (only boss to use zombie I believe) and Auron's speech that preludes it makes it unforgettable.

[qwertysaur]

the fights with Koromaru and Junpei, Ken and Akihiko, and finally Mitsuru and Yukari. Especially with Heartfelt Cry playing during the battle.

Lavitz in legend of dragoon.

[Fynn]

Bowser's Inside Story

Bowser's brain

Those fucking memories of Mario and Luigi, I swear to God

[FFNut]

Anyone remember fighting Ultros almost nonstop in the first half of FFVI?