Nothing builds up more anticipation in a video game like a boss fight does! The daunting task usually presents itself after struggling through levels, finding collectables or both. The atmosphere then drastically changes, the difficulty spikes, the music changes tone and the player is in a completely different state of mind.
As a result Boss Fights tend to leave an impression well after they have been fought. Here is a personal top 5 favourite and memorable boss fights taken from games in my lifetime:
5. Mad Jack - Donkey Kong 64
As a kid, Donkey Kong 64 was the first game that consumed my life. I remember the gloomy feeling of entering the 4th world, Frantic Factory that even to this day leaves me dreading playing through it. Whether it was it's creepy theme music, the imagery of an evil toy factory from childhood nightmares or maybe it was the end level boss Mad Jack scared the hell out of me back then.
I remember entering a room surrounded in blackness empty apart from a square tiled floor to walk on. All of a sudden you are thrust upwards as the tiles are raised into pillars, and your character Tiny Kong seems to have nowhere to go. From nowhere a large bouncing toy cube appears. It dances around you until it comes to stop and bursts open to horrifyingly reveal a hideous oversized mutant jack-in-the-box.
It chases you, dancing around in its box as you fly from pillar to pillar. Your only hope is to find switches that will electrocute Mad Jack until he is no more! The battle may be over then, but the nightmares continue *turns on nightlight*.
4. The Scarecrow - Batman: Arkham Asylum
The Scarecrow appears a grand total of three times throughout Batman Arkham Asylum. Hell, he'd still be on this list after his first appearance.
While searching the depths of Arkham's Basements, Batman's sanity is tested after his immediate surrounding is warped to his darkest nightmares. After a reenactment of his parents murder, batman is plunged into the mind of the Scarecrow, where he must overcome obstacles to free himself from this twisted reality. All the time under the watchful eye of a terrifyingly oversized Scarecrow himself, and believe me the imagery is scary as hell! He's a scarecrow, with glowing eyes, syringes for fingers, wearing a gask mask and he's about ten times larger then you are...
If this encounter wasn't enough, you come across the Scarecrow a few more times thereafter. Each as weird and terrifying as the first... and usually when you least expect it. Be afraid, be very afraid.
3. Bowser - Super Mario Galaxy
Bowser, the most iconic boss in the history of gaming! There were at least a dozen cases where the Koopa King has made in impression. From the first Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 64 and Sunshine. Nothing though is more galactic on scale than fighting him in Super Mario Galaxy.
Mario must traverse miniature planets as an oversized Bowser attacks from above. He uses his gigantic fists to pound through planets and spits out giant fireballs, atempting to squash you like a bug. All you can do is try to fight back by sending chunks of earth back in his face as you hop from planet to planet. Gravity defying gameplay gives this boss fight a unique twist. Fighting Bowser in space, it's just pure genius!
2. Glados - Portal
If you've played Portal, you'll no exactly where I'm coming from with this one. From the moment the game starts you are greeted with the sarcastic robotic fembot, who's distinct robotic tone will forever remain planted in your brain.
Glados spends the whole game trying to kill you, so by the time it comes to fighting her it becomes more than personal. You have six minutes to defeat her before she floods the room with a deadly neurotoxin that will kill you. Using the portal gun you must destroy several personality cores that detach from her, all in creative ways that end in incinerating them. The whole time you are being talked down by her as she taunts and teases you (adding to the frustration and hilarity). Upon her defeat, a portal malfunction destroys the room... a lasting message in the form of an ending credit song informs you that she is in fact "still alive".
1. Ganondorf - The Legend of Zelda the Wind Waker
I decided early on that I would only choose one boss per franchise, otherwise I would have probably included a lot more from the Zelda series. Ganondorf is memorable in not only wind waker, but in the vast majority of Zelda games to date. His appearance in the Wind Waker, has to be without a doubt the most unforgettable, let me explain...
Players make there way underneath the sea to a submerged tower where the battle takes place. The setting is absolutely epic, as the fight takes place in a clearing surrounded by a streaming backdrop of waterfalls. A classic battles ensues as Ganondorf comes at Link in full swing with his double blades. During the course of the fight Link is helped out by the princess herself. She shoots light arrows that can be deflected towards Ganondorf to stun him while Link hones in on the attack. After dealing the final blow, Link will end it all with a downward striking blow from his master sword. the sword remains embedded into Ganondorfs skull, turning the evil lord into stone. His final words echo " the wind... it is blowing..."
