Gaming gave us plenty of great moments, but some boss fights stick with us like nothing else. They’re not just tough enemies — they’re the parts we remember long after the game’s done.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | 2025-01-23 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | SQUARE ENIX | |
 | Portal 2 | 2011-04-18 | Shooter & Platform | Valve | |
 | Dark Souls Trilogy | 2018-10-19 | Role-playing (RPG) | FromSoftware | |
 | Super Mario Odyssey | 2017-10-27 | Platform & Adventure | Nintendo | |
 | The Legend Of Zelda Tears Of The Kingdom | 2023-05-12 | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure | Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 | |
 | Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater | 2023-10-24 | Shooter & Tactical | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan | |
 | METAL GEAR SOLID MASTER COLLECTION Vol1 | 2023-10-24 | Role-playing (RPG) & Shooter | Konami | |
 | CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII REUNION | 2022-12-13 | Role-playing (RPG) | Tose | |
 | FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Intergrade | 2021-04-10 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Square Enix Creative Business Unit I | |
 | Portal | 2007-10-10 | Puzzle & Platform | Valve | |
 | Elden Ring | 2022-02-22 | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure | FromSoftware | |
 | Elden Ring Nightreign | 2025-05-30 | Role-playing (RPG) | FromSoftware | |
 | Super Mario 3D All Stars | 2020-09-18 | Platform & Adventure | Nintendo EPD | |
 | Mario Kart 8 | Arcade & Racing | Nintendo EPD | ||
 | The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild | 2017-03-03 | Puzzle & Role-playing (RPG) | Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 | |
 | The Legend Of Zelda Links Awakening | 2019-09-20 | Adventure | ||
 | Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty | 2023-10-24 | Adventure | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan | |
 | METAL GEAR SOLID V The Phantom Pain | 2015-09-01 | Adventure & Tactical | Konami Digital Entertainment |
Let’s go over a few of the most memorable boss battles ever made.
Sephiroth (FFVII)
| Release date: | 2025-01-23 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure |
| Developer: | SQUARE ENIX |
Sephiroth flips after finding out about his Jenova roots.
He tries to merge with the Planet’s Lifestream, aiming for godhood, while summoning Meteor to destroy everything. His fights, backed by “One-Winged Angel,” became legendary overnight.
Fans still call him gaming’s ultimate villain, not just for his power, but for how deeply personal the fight feels.
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GLaDOS (Portal)
| Release date: | 2011-04-18 |
| Genre: | Shooter & Platform |
| Developer: | Valve |
GLaDOS starts as your helpful AI guide, but it doesn’t take long before she tries to kill Chell with neurotoxin.
You fight back by destroying her cores while learning about her past. In Portal 2, she’s back in a completely different form — stuck inside a potato — and her human identity as Caroline adds a strange emotional layer.
Her humor, delivery, and constant mind games made her one of gaming’s best-written villains.
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Ornstein and Smough (Dark Souls)
| Release date: | |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) |
| Developer: |
Ornstein and Smough protect Anor Londo. You face both at once, balancing speed and raw power while dodging around fragile pillars.
Whoever survives powers up and gets stronger for phase two.
Players who beat them know how much timing, patience, and positioning matter. Many call this the true skill check of the game.
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Bowser (Mario)
| Release date: | 2017-10-27 |
| Genre: | Platform & Adventure |
| Developer: | Nintendo |
Bowser’s been Mario’s main enemy since the very beginning.
His fights have changed a lot over the years — from jumping over him in 1985 to controlling wild mechanics like bomb puzzles, spin attacks, and even rhythm-based challenges.
Forms like Dry Bowser and Mega Dragon Bowser keep fights fresh. That crazy chase in New Super Mario Bros. Wii still gets mentioned today.
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Ganondorf (Zelda)
| Release date: | 2023-05-12 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure |
| Developer: | Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 |
Ganondorf shows up again and again, but never the same way twice. Sometimes it’s a sword duel, sometimes you’re dodging magic blasts or fighting beast forms like Puppet Ganon.
Link always needs to find the weak spots, using items or perfect timing.
These battles feel epic every single time, combining story, tension, and pure action.
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The End (MGS3)
| Release date: | 2023-10-24 |
| Genre: | Shooter & Tactical |
| Developer: | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan |
The End is an old sniper who battles Snake deep in a massive jungle.
He hides, stalks, and uses tranquilizers while soaking up energy from sunlight. The match can last for ages if you’re not careful, building tons of tension with every small movement.
Players could also cheat the system and beat him by skipping ahead in time or sniping him early — something only Kojima would think of.
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Psycho Mantis (MGS)
| Release date: | 2023-10-24 |
| Genre: | Strategy & Shooter |
| Developer: | Konami |
Psycho Mantis is famous for messing with players directly. He reads your memory card, shakes your controller, and flashes “HIDEO” on screen.
To beat him, you had to switch the controller port — something nobody saw coming.
His creepy personality mixed with his tragic backstory made the whole fight unforgettable.
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What makes these boss fights special isn’t just how tough they are. It’s how they fit into the story, surprise you, and stay in your head long after you put the controller down.
These aren’t just fights, but rather the moments that made us love gaming in the first place.