Dr. Wiley.
Mother Brain.
Bowser.
A bunch of enemies you've been fighting throughout the game.
One of these doesn't fit. Games used to have identifiable adversaries. Games used to have memorable challenges where you fought an enemy that was significantly stronger than everything else you had faces up until that point. I remember the fight with the Hell Knight in Doom, I remember throwing mecha-koopas at Bowser in Super Mario World. I even remember fighting the weird blue butcher guy in the old Ninja Gaiden.
Now we have games like Shadow Complex which are filled with bosses that require almost no strategy, and then don't even have and final boss. Halo 3: ODST's last fight is just a bunch of enemies that you've seen before.
What the hell is going on? Boss fights are fun, challenging, and memorable. They punctuate levels and leave you with a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. In most games, you gain lots of skills and abilities as the game progresses; your character gets stronger and stronger. What's the point of all that power if you never fight anything that forces you to use those abilities is interesting ways?
Some Games with great boss fights:
Mega Man series - Most nerds can remember the music and boss names from all the originals
Contra series - that first boss in the original contra is instantly recognizable
Super Metroid - Mother Brain fight is one of the most memorable video game moments of all time. Kraid and Ridley are also instantly recognizable
Shinobi [PS2] - extremely fun and challenging bosses on every level. And the quick kill Tate attack made for an extra, incredibly satisfying challenging
Ninja Gaiden series [xbox 360, PS3] - That blasted first boss who wields nunchaku will haunt my dreams forever
Morrowind - You kill gods in this game... 'nuff said
Tetris Attack - YES! Even puzzle games can have bosses. I never thought I'd beat Bowser with little blocks coated in hearts and stars.
Legend of Zelda Series - Every boss fight is a puzzle that uses the tools you just earned
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - Much like Zelda, every boss fight is a puzzle
Some Game with disspointing boss fights, or a lack of boss fights all together:
Half-Life 2 - Last boss: 2 helicopters... are you kidding me???
Shadow Complex - Last boss: some bad guys and some buttons you press
Oblivion - Last boss: Non-interactive
Fallout - Last boss: fight some bad guys, then enter a passcode
Gears of War 2 - Last Boss: can anyone remember the ending to this game? ... No, because it sucked, was abrupt and wasn't worth remembering
Critical Result: Well thought out boss fights make game more fun and memorable. If you're making a multi-million dollar action game, put some bosses in it, please. Thanks.
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Yo bro, just noticed this blog. Great stuff but I think you missed a game with some of the best boss fights -> Castlevania! I haven't tried some of the more recent editions but the old ones are great, especially SOTN. Remember the giant ball of corpses? I nod to your Mega Man nomination, but I'd like to emphasize the end boss fights in Mega Man X. I remember spending hours and probably hundreds of tries to beat them. IMO the boss battle at the end of oblivion is better than Morrowinds. Lord Dagon was just built up better throughout the game and there was more indirect interaction. I wish that last frantic scene was a little longer but I still liked it.
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