Best Boss Fight (Round One)

[This Old Neon]

Round One of the “Best Boss Fight” side-event includes 8 polls of 9-10 games each.

• You can vote for UP TO THREE (3) games per poll, or skip a poll entirely.
• The top 3 games in each poll will advance to Round Two.
• You can’t change your votes once they’ve been submitted, so click carefully. Voting closes on Saturday at midnight ADT.

VOTE HERE

Poll 1 of 8
Bowser - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii)
Cecil - Final Fantasy IV (1991, SNES)
Deoxys - Pokémon [Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby] (2014, 3DS)
Fou-Lu - Breath of Fire IV (2000, PS1)
Kuromori, the Lizard - Shadow of the Colossus (2005, PS2)
Margaret Moonlight - No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (2010, Wii)
Nemesis - Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999, PS1)
Red - Pokémon [Gold/Silver] Version (1999, GB)
The Devil - Cuphead (2017, PC/XB1)
The Transcendent One - Planescape: Torment (1999, PC)

Poll 2 of 8
Asriel Dreemurr - Undertale (2015, Multiplatform)
Crab - Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (1988, Arcade)
Doctor N. Gin - Crash Bandicoot [3]: Warped (1998, PS1)
Great King of Evil, Ganondorf - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Metal Gear Ray - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013, Multiplatform)
Mr. Freeze - Batman: Arkham City (2011, Multiplatform)
Sinistar - Sinistar (1983, Arcade)
The Hunter - Dead Space (2008, Multiplatform)
Velius - Final Fantasy Tactics (1997, PS1)

Poll 3 of 8
Bowser - Super Mario 64 (1996, N64)
Commander Tartar - Splatoon 2 (2017, NS)
DJ Octavio - Splatoon (2015, WU)
Gilgamesh - Final Fantasy V (1992, SFC)
Jowy Atreides - Suikoden II (1998, PS1)
Mad King Ashnard - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (2005, GCN)
Rathalos - Monster Hunter (2004, PS2)
SA-X - Metroid Fusion (2002, GBA)
Sniper Wolf - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)
Ull - Far Cry Primal (2016, Multiplatform)

Poll 4 of 8
Ansem - Kingdom Hearts (2002, PS2)
Death - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005, DS)
El Gigante - Resident Evil 4 (2005, Multiplatform)
GLaDOS - Portal (2007, Multiplatform)
King K. Rool - Donkey Kong Country (1994, SNES)
Liquid Snake - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)
Part of Me (Final Boss) - Celeste (2018, Multiplatform)
Rebel Mothership - FTL: Faster Than Light (2012, PC)
The Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004, PS2)
Title Defense Bald Bull - Punch-Out!! (2009, Wii)

Poll 5 of 8
Black Knight - Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (2007, Wii)
Darkfalz - Phantasy Star (1987, SMS)
Dr. Wily - Mega Man 3 (1990, NES)
Ganon - Hyrule Warriors (2014, WU)
King Galaxian - Pac-Man World (1999, PS1)
Martyr Logarius - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Phantamanta - Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GCN)
Scarecrow - Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009, Multiplatform)
Star Wolf on Venom - Star Fox 64 / Lylat Wars (1997, N64)
Wheatley - Portal 2 (2011, Multiplatform)

Poll 6 of 8
Baldur - God of War (2018, PS4)
Bowser - Super Mario Odyssey (2017, NS)
Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough - Dark Souls (2011, Multiplatform)
Giygas - Earthbound (1994, SNES)
Koloktos - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, Wii)
Marionette - Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (1992, Genesis)
Pyramid Head - Silent Hill 2 (2001, Multiplatform)
Seymour Omnis - Final Fantasy X (2001, PS2)
The Handsome Sorcerer - Borderlands 2 (2012, Multiplatform)

Poll 7 of 8
Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES)
Champion Blue - Pokémon [Blue/Red] Version (1996, GB)
Final Boss - R-Type (1987, Arcade)
Green - Gunstar Heroes (1993, Genesis)
Kefka - Final Fantasy VI (1994, SNES)
Liquid Ocelot - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008, PS3)
Nyx Avatar - Persona 3 (2006, PS2)
Shadow Dancer Ninja (2nd Boss) - The Revenge of Shinobi (1989, Genesis)
The End - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004, PS2)
The Master - Fallout (1997, PC)

Poll 8 of 8
Bjørn the Behemoose - Dragon Quest V (1992, SFC)
Dark Link - Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
Final Boss - Soldier Blade (1992, TG16)
Fred Ascare & Paula Abghoul - Super Castlevania IV (1991, SNES)
Jevil - Deltarune (2018, Multiplatform)
Mitsuo the Hero - Persona 4 (2008, PS2)
Old Monk - Demon's Souls (2009, PS3)
Senator Armstrong - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013, Multiplatform)
The Core, Misery, & Sue - Cave Story (2004, PC)
Zinogre - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (2011, 3DS/WU)

[Kong Wen]

This category is the fucking best. God bless you, Skullomancer.

[Kong Wen]

Poll 8 of 8
Bjørn the Behemoose - Dragon Quest V (1992, SFC)
Dark Link - Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
Final Boss - Soldier Blade (1992, TG16)
Fred Ascare & Paula Abghoul - Super Castlevania IV (1991, SNES)
Jevil - Deltarune (2018, Multiplatform)
Mitsuo the Hero - Persona 4 (2008, PS2)
Old Monk - Demon's Souls (2009, PS3)
Senator Armstrong - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013, Multiplatform)
The Core, Misery, & Sue - Cave Story (2004, PC)
Zinogre - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (2011, 3DS/WU)

Listen, before I say anything else in this poll, or talk about any of my votes, let me just say something about the Old Monk fight. It's one of the most unique fights in video game history IMO, and deserves to win this whole category just because of how mind-blowing and nerve-wracking it was at the time.

If you're wandering around in the Tower of Latria within a certain radius of the boss's room, there's a chance you'll suddenly find yourself being summoned into another player's game. But instead of arriving there to help the other player, to your joy or perhaps dismay, you'll find that you've been summoned by the Old Monk himself!!! You're meant to be HIS champion against the encroaching do-gooder.

The Old Monk is actually be a soul that has possessed the abundant yellow robes. Its previous body/host is too frail to deal with the incoming threat. That's what you're there for. The robes attach themselves to your head, and you get to participate in the boss battle as a boss. You're a boss. In perfect keeping with the name and theme of the game, you get to be the literal demon in addition to the metaphorical one.

It's simply fantastic design. It perfectly adheres to the overall game philosophy of Demon's Souls, it's fully embedded into the game's lore and internal mechanics, and it gives the players a unique experience.

Winning this fight as the boss is also the only way to get the righteous yellow robe tornado hat in your inventory.

[Kong Wen]

OK, it's finally time for me to dig into this meatiest of topics. I like this category because the quality of boss fights really varies even within the same series/genre/game. As much as you like Mario or Zelda, for example, that doesn't mean the boss encounters are necessarily as good as something that uses an interesting twist on a mechanic to make a point.

Poll 1 of 8
Bowser - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii)
Cecil - Final Fantasy IV (1991, SNES)
Deoxys - Pokémon [Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby] (2014, 3DS)
Fou-Lu - Breath of Fire IV (2000, PS1)
Kuromori, the Lizard - Shadow of the Colossus (2005, PS2)
Margaret Moonlight - No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (2010, Wii)
Nemesis - Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999, PS1)
Red - Pokémon [Gold/Silver] Version (1999, GB)
The Devil - Cuphead (2017, PC/XB1)
The Transcendent One - Planescape: Torment (1999, PC)

Mirror Cecil is a great example of what I was talking about above. The boss fight isn't really difficult—in fact, it's more of a plot sequence than a battle—but it uses the conceit and the mechanics of battle to advance the story. It also necessitates a twist in that you can't fight him the same way as you would fight any other boss in the game to be successful. You have to be a pacifist and let him hit you to demonstrate your purity and your realization that not all things can be solved through violence.

Poll 2 of 8
Asriel Dreemurr - Undertale (2015, Multiplatform)
Crab - Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (1988, Arcade)
Doctor N. Gin - Crash Bandicoot [3]: Warped (1998, PS1)
Great King of Evil, Ganondorf - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Metal Gear Ray - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013, Multiplatform)
Mr. Freeze - Batman: Arkham City (2011, Multiplatform)
Sinistar - Sinistar (1983, Arcade)
The Hunter - Dead Space (2008, Multiplatform)
Velius - Final Fantasy Tactics (1997, PS1)

The Undertale boss is a completely bananas set-piece, which is pretty impressive considering it's a lo-fi RPG.

Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower pretty much distills Bloodborne down to its core primeval essence: a one-on-one fight with a speedy Hunter in an open arena. Great style, great substance, great lore implications, and a great feeling of satisfaction when you summon some help in to defeat her.

For the Velius fight, I'm considering the initial fight against Wiegraf to be part of it. I like these kind of fights that pit your main character against a rival with similar skills, and you basically have to use your wits to find an advantage. The Velius fight is a notorious gate because you have to have some job options prepared in order to deal with it. (It's also infamous because it's in the middle of a sequence of battles, so you have an opportunity to screw yourself over with poor save management. This happened to my brother and he had to rely on a rare combination of Ramza getting a critical hit and Wiegraf missing at least one attack in order to win.) Plotwise, the reason I like the Velius fight so much is because it's the first time you get a real inkling of how powerful the Zodiac stones are, and it's the point where they fully consume an otherwise redeemable character. Great sequence.

Poll 3 of 8
Bowser - Super Mario 64 (1996, N64)
Commander Tartar - Splatoon 2 (2017, NS)
DJ Octavio - Splatoon (2015, WU)
Gilgamesh - Final Fantasy V (1992, SFC)
Jowy Atreides - Suikoden II (1998, PS1)
Mad King Ashnard - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (2005, GCN)
Rathalos - Monster Hunter (2004, PS2)
SA-X - Metroid Fusion (2002, GBA)
Sniper Wolf - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)
Ull - Far Cry Primal (2016, Multiplatform)

You know what, maybe I'm being unnecessarily harsh here, but I feel like I'm cutting some good choices out.

Gilgamesh is a memorable character and he has great, iconic music, but as a boss fight he's not all that interesting, at least not in any of his FFV appearances. I found him mechanically more interesting in Final Fantasy XII, when you have to manage gambits against him and also try to steal his Genji stuff before he gets away.

Similarly, the final battle against Ashnard is a great moment, but I don't find it mechanically all that much more interesting than many of the other normal battles in that game.

Finally, SA-X is a wonderful presence throughout Metriod Fusion. I've never been that tense and anxious in a platformer before. It was just wild that they could make me so scared while looking at a tiny Game Boy Micro screen's SNES-like graphics, but they did it. All that said, I didn't find it to be a particularly satisfying boss. Hmm, I think I'll give is some slack and give it a first-round vote anyway by considering all the "build-up" from earlier in the game, and the pretty decent Samus-versus-Samus style fight of the early encounter.

So, that leaves my real vote of Rathalos from Monster Hunter (and subsequent Monster Hunter games). The reason Rathalos is such a good one, despite, really, being a normal hunt, is because he exemplifies all of the skills and strategies needed to survive in those games. He's fast. He flies. He's dangerous on the ground and in the air. He bites. He breathes fire. He has a poison tail and claws. You can stun him. You can chop his tail off. You can net him. You can mount him. This is an all-round full-featured monster fight. I've got an angry little Rathalos on my desk at work.

Poll 4 of 8
Ansem - Kingdom Hearts (2002, PS2)
Death - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005, DS)
El Gigante - Resident Evil 4 (2005, Multiplatform)
GLaDOS - Portal (2007, Multiplatform)
King K. Rool - Donkey Kong Country (1994, SNES)
Liquid Snake - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)
Part of Me (Final Boss) - Celeste (2018, Multiplatform)
Rebel Mothership - FTL: Faster Than Light (2012, PC)
The Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004, PS2)
Title Defense Bald Bull - Punch-Out!! (2009, Wii)

Oh my bacon I'm not even halfway through this category yet. GLaDOS is an amazing encounter because it's the climax of a whole game's worth of contending against her disembodied voice in the background. They managed to turn this encounter into a test of every skill in your toolbox while also maintaining the banter and humour of the rest of the game. Just a perfect example of overall video game design. This is what a boss fight should be for.

Poll 5 of 8
Black Knight - Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (2007, Wii)
Darkfalz - Phantasy Star (1987, SMS)
Dr. Wily - Mega Man 3 (1990, NES)
Ganon - Hyrule Warriors (2014, WU)
King Galaxian - Pac-Man World (1999, PS1)
Martyr Logarius - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Phantamanta - Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GCN)
Scarecrow - Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009, Multiplatform)
Star Wolf on Venom - Star Fox 64 / Lylat Wars (1997, N64)
Wheatley - Portal 2 (2011, Multiplatform)

I think I intended to nominate the Black Knight vs. Ike fight from Path of Radiance but absentmindedly nominated the rematch instead. No matter, it's still a good one, more for story reasons than for mechanical/setup reasons. By the time this one-on-one happens, Ike knows who the Black Knight is, and the BK's motivations are made clear. Ike has also grown quite a bit as a person (he's no longer the scrappy, reluctant mercenary leader but a beefcake general). This fight is the culmination of his personal growth, and arguably the culmination of the BK's personal growth as well.

The Scarecrow fight(s) in Arkham Asylum are honestly some of the most unique set-piece style boss fights in any video game. They're up there in terms of eye-opening boss encounter experiences with the Old Monk. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything for Vic, dammit.

Poll 6 of 8
Baldur - God of War (2018, PS4)
Bowser - Super Mario Odyssey (2017, NS)
Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough - Dark Souls (2011, Multiplatform)
Giygas - Earthbound (1994, SNES)
Koloktos - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, Wii)
Marionette - Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (1992, Genesis)
Pyramid Head - Silent Hill 2 (2001, Multiplatform)
Seymour Omnis - Final Fantasy X (2001, PS2)
The Handsome Sorcerer - Borderlands 2 (2012, Multiplatform)

The reason I love the Ornstein & Smough fight so much is because of its variability. You're not just fighting two Gargoyles here, you're fighting two completely different characters, and the fight changes depending on who you kill first. It's a great balance of trying to juggle a speedy enemy and a huge, hard-hitting enemy (managing multiple enemies in a room at the same time is a core Souls skill), culminating in a battle with a best-of-both-worlds giant (managing one huge enemy is another core Souls skill).

Poll 8 of 8
Bjørn the Behemoose - Dragon Quest V (1992, SFC)
Dark Link - Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
Final Boss - Soldier Blade (1992, TG16)
Fred Ascare & Paula Abghoul - Super Castlevania IV (1991, SNES)
Jevil - Deltarune (2018, Multiplatform)
Mitsuo the Hero - Persona 4 (2008, PS2)
Old Monk - Demon's Souls (2009, PS3)
Senator Armstrong - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013, Multiplatform)
The Core, Misery, & Sue - Cave Story (2004, PC)
Zinogre - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (2011, 3DS/WU)

I've already explained why I think the Old Monk is one of the most interesting and surprising and satisfying boss encounters in video game history.

I'll add a vote for Bjørn here because he's a classic DQ-style superboss. You put a lot of work into preparing for something like that. On that note, I will say I find it kind of surprising that no one nominated Emerald Weapon from Final Fantasy VII. Maybe that game really is far enough out of the cultural memory now.

[Claytone]

Wow! This poll reminds me that I can't *believe* I didn't nominate a Cuphead boss or two. Oops!

[This Old Neon]

Here are the winners of the first round of the Best Boss Fight category.

Ties for third place are in red (one of these games can advance per poll).
Ties for second place are in blue (two of these games can advance).

Poll 1
Cecil - Final Fantasy IV (1991, SNES)
Red - Pokémon [Gold/Silver] Version (1999, GB)
Bowser - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii)
The Devil - Cuphead (2017, PC/XB1)
The Transcendent One - Planescape: Torment (1999, PC)

Poll 2
Asriel Dreemurr - Undertale (2015, Multiplatform)
Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Velius - Final Fantasy Tactics (1997, PS1)

Poll 3
Jowy Atreides - Suikoden II (1998, PS1)
SA-X - Metroid Fusion (2002, GBA)
Sniper Wolf - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)

Poll 4
GLaDOS - Portal (2007, Multiplatform)
Rebel Mothership - FTL: Faster Than Light (2012, PC)
El Gigante - Resident Evil 4 (2005, Multiplatform)
Liquid Snake - Metal Gear Solid (1998, PS1)
The Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004, PS2)

Poll 5
Martyr Logarius - Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Scarecrow - Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009, Multiplatform)
Wheatley - Portal 2 (2011, Multiplatform)

Poll 6
Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough - Dark Souls (2011, Multiplatform)
Giygas - Earthbound (1994, SNES)
Bowser - Super Mario Odyssey (2017, NS)
Marionette - Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (1992, Genesis)
Pyramid Head - Silent Hill 2 (2001, Multiplatform)

Poll 7
Kefka - Final Fantasy VI (1994, SNES)
Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES)
Green - Gunstar Heroes (1993, Genesis)
The End - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004, PS2)

Poll 8
Jevil - Deltarune (2018, Multiplatform)
Old Monk - Demon's Souls (2009, PS3)
The Core, Misery, & Sue - Cave Story (2004, PC)

[The Shoemaker]

Didn't get to say this earlier but Koloktos from Zelda Skyward Sword was a really cool boss. Ancient robot brought back to life that you had to tear apart and beat it with it's own limbs. Worked great with the motion controls.

Also, Rathalos and Zinogre I always find to be fun, challenging fights in every monster hunter game. Both have very predictable move sets that are very satisfying to punish, but can just as easily punish you for not paying attention.

[Kong Wen]

Also, Rathalos and Zinogre I always find to be fun, challenging fights in every monster hunter game. Both have very predictable moeve sets that are very satisfying to punish, but can just as easily punish you for not paying attention.

I'm surprised one of the MoHu mos didn't advance, but I guess not a lot of people have played those games.

[The Shoemaker]

Also, Rathalos and Zinogre I always find to be fun, challenging fights in every monster hunter game. Both have very predictable moeve sets that are very satisfying to punish, but can just as easily punish you for not paying attention.

I'm surprised one of the MoHu mos didn't advance, but I guess not a lot of people have played those games.

I forgot to vote until this morning, after the polls were always closed, so hopefully my un-vote didn't damn them!

[Kong Wen]

Also, Rathalos and Zinogre I always find to be fun, challenging fights in every monster hunter game. Both have very predictable moeve sets that are very satisfying to punish, but can just as easily punish you for not paying attention.

I'm surprised one of the MoHu mos didn't advance, but I guess not a lot of people have played those games.

I forgot to vote until this morning, after the polls were always closed, so hopefully my un-vote didn't damn them!

There's a whole week to vote! I just had another look, and even if you had voted for them, neither of the MoHu mos would have advanced.