Boss fights area recurring staplein just about every video game genre. Whether the goal is to threaten the player or to test their progress, boss fights have the potential to really give players a run for their money, resulting in a slew of trials and tribulations that yield satisfying results and rewards.
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However, for every memorable boss fight, there are plenty of others that are just as forgettable. In some cases, the music is the only thing worth salvaging from the entire experience, as evidenced by these video game boss fights whose killer music made a lasting impression on players.
10Nygtilger (Ys 1)
Faced at the bottom of the Solomon Shrine, the Nygtilger fight fromYs 1: Ancient Ys Vanishedcan be described as straightforward. Although the large, centipede monster defends one of the sacred books of Ys, the only means by which Nygtilger can attack the player is by charging at them at high speeds, resulting in a fast-paced fight in which the player must strike Nygtilger’s joints.
The lack of variety in the attack pattern makes Nygtilger one of the more forgettable fights inYs 1.However, the guitar-centered boss theme,Holders of Power, which can be heard playing in the background, may prove to be an element worth salvaging from this boss battle.
9Morpheel (Twilight Princess)
Morpheel fromThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princessresides at the bottom of the Lakebed Temple, guarding the last Fused Shadow that the player needs to proceed. The fight itself consists of two phases, both of which require the player to latch onto its eyeball and attack it multiple times. Unfortunately, while the first phase is somewhat tricky, as the giant sea creature may distract the player with a school of Bomb Fish, the second phase sees Morpheel only able to damage the player by eating them. This can be avoided simply by swimming away from its mouth.
Despite this battle being easy when compared to otherbosses in the Zelda series, Morpheel’s boss tracks during both phases perfectly capture the urgency to fight and win against the giant sea creature. These tracks would later be reprised during the battle againstArgorok in the City in the Sky.
8Chuck (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver)
While the circumstances leading the player to Cianwood City are far from forgettable, the same cannot be said for the fight against its resident Gym Leader. At this point inPokemon HeartGold&SoulSilver, while other Gym Leaders have three Pokemon in their party, Chuck only has two: a Primeape and a Poliwrath. Therefore, all the player needs is a well-leveled Psychic or Flying-type to sweep his team.
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However, while Chuck proves to be forgettable compared toother Gym Leaders like Falkner, the signature Gym Leader theme ofHeartGold&SoulSilverprovides just the energy needed for players to carry on the fight. The theme proves to be a saving grace throughout the entire battle.
7Cilan/Chili/Cress (Pokémon Black/White)
Unlike Chuck, the Striaton Brothers fromPokemon Black&Whitemay be forgiven for having two Pokemon in their party due to their placement in the game. However, depending on which starter Pokemon the player picked at the beginning of the game, they may battle either Cilan, Cress, or Chili. Because of this, many players found this battle to be a missed opportunity to implement the Triple battle or Rotation battle formats, which were new at the time.
However, while the new battle formats did not make an appearance, the newBlack&Whitegym leader theme certainly made its mark. The gym leader music in these games is especially notable due to the new, faster-paced track that plays when gym leaders send out their last Pokémon.
6Xande (Final Fantasy 3)
Throughout the entirety ofFinal Fantasy 3,the Warriors of Light are antagonized by the minions of the evil mage Xande. However, it is not until the party traverses through the Crystal Tower that they finally confront Xande himself. Despite being a powerful mage though, both Xande’s magic and memorability palein comparison to the Cloud of Darkness. This is made even worse by the fact that Xande’s appearance at the Crystal Tower is hisonlyin-person appearance.
While the battle itself is nothing special, the music that plays throughout it is very dramatic in tone,especially in the DS remake. The urgency of this theme may prove to be the aspect that saves this fight from being completely forgettable.
5King Slime (Eternal Senia)
After entering the Tower of Eternity, the player confronts the first boss ofEternal Senia: the King Slime. Sadly, the King Slime’s only means of attacking the player consists of charging at them at a high speed, which it does more frequently when it goes berserk. As a result, this boss fails to make a lasting impression, especially compared to later fights against the Fairy Queen and Magaleta.
The biggest saving grace for this boss battle is the music. The track that plays perfectly suits the holy, larger-than-life location that is the Tower of Eternity. It may also capture the desperation of the titular character Senia as she traverses the tower in search of her elder sister.
4Chortlebot (Wario Land: Shake It)
While the other bosses inWario Land: Shake Ithave weaknesses that are not as accessible, Chortlebot’s weak point, its head, seems to be exposed at all times. Even with attacks that cover its head or the entire stage, all the player needs to do is gain enough momentum with the trapeze bars and exploit any openings as soon as possible. This results in a rather easy boss fight compared to the other bosses in the game.
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However, the music that plays throughout the boss fight fits both the battle itself and the setting. This boss music contributes to the circus theme that is present in both Chortlebot’s design and the boss' battle arena.
3Rayquaza (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, players will come across a wild Rayquaza hiding at the bottom of a lake during the Subspace Emissary. However, while the story foreshadows a fierce showdown, the ensuing battle proves to be anything but fierce. In addition to having no connection to the main antagonists, players found Rayquaza’s attacks to not only be easily avoidable, but also fairly simple to counter or reflect.
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However, players may also find themselves enjoying the heavy-metal remix of theVictory Roadtheme fromPokemon Ruby&Sapphire. In contrast to the actual battle, the boss theme provides much-needed energy to the rather simple fight.
2Rollanratl (Wario Land: Shake It)
Like the Chortlebot fight, Rollanratl’s weak points are easily accessible, even with attacks that affect the entire stage. However, in Rollanratl’s case, its weak points become evenmoreaccessible when it attacks. As a result, players may consider this boss even more forgettable than Chortlebot.
Although the battle may be lackluster to players, the same cannot be said for the music that plays throughout. Much like Chortlebot’s boss theme, this boss track contributes to the ancient civilization theme present in Rollanratl’s design.
1Yu Yevon (Final Fantasy 10)
Yu Yevon fromFinal Fantasy 10suffers from similar problems as Xande fromFinal Fantasy 3,namely the lack of story presence as well as an underwhelming final fight compared toother bosses inFinal Fantasy. In Yu Yevon’s case, not only is he constantly healing, but he is also weak to several status ailments such as Zombie and Doom. Due to this battle’s easiness, many players consider the previous boss, Braska’s Final Aeon, as the true final boss ofFinal Fantasy 10.
However, players may find this fight’s theme to be the only thing worth salvaging from the experience. The boss theme, entitledFinal Battle,mainly features a haphazard piano melody, as if to signify an ever so near conclusion. It’s one of many great tracks inFinal Fantasy 10, and part of the reason why many consider the game to havethe bestFinal Fantasysoundtrackof all time.
