There’s plenty to be said for the main antagonist of any given game. They’re usually the driving force behind the plot, the force that keeps you moving. But no game is complete with just one villain serving as the final boss, are they?
In fact, many game series have bosses that are much more popular than any single villain, appearing multiple times across a series simply because the developers wanted them there. Sometimes they serve a thematic purpose, can be a mascot of the series, or may even serve an important story function.
8Kingdom Hearts - Darkside
The very first boss Sora ever encounters inKingdom Heartsis Darkside. After what was probably a bewildering opening sequence for any child booting up the game, you’re thrown another curveball with the exceedingly tall and incomprehensible Darkside.
The funny thing is, Darkside has appeared many times in the series without any real explanation. They are a Pureblood Heartless, and seem to act as a manifestation of the fear and darkness within one’s own heart, often fought when one is at their lowest. Nevertheless, Darkside has become a symbol of Kingdom Hearts.
7Soulsborne Games - Dragon On A Bridge
FromSoftware has been making games a damn long time, though there’s no denying the worldwide fame that theSouls gamesbrought it. Of course, much of the legacy of its older games persists in these games, namely the styling of characters and the beloved Moonlight Greatsword, but it’s introduced plenty of new tropes of its own, too.
For example, dragons. These games love dragons. In Demon’s Souls, you may recall having to cross a bridge with a fire-breathing dragon on it. Or was that Dark Souls? No, maybe it was actually Elden Ring. Well, actually it’s all of them. Fire-breathing dragons just love defending bridges in their games, enough to warrant being called a recurring boss.
6Monster Hunter - Rathalos
Of course, fire-breathing dragons aren’t restricted to any single game or genre. In fact, dragons are probably the average person’s favourite fantastical creature. And who wouldn’t love to prove they’re foolishly stronger than a dragon by hunting one down? Reasonable people, but that’s not what games are for.
Rathalos is the mascot ofMonster Hunter, no denying it. They appear in just about every entry of the series, soaring across the map and raining fire from above. They’re never a pushover either, easily classifying themselves as a threatening boss rather than a routine hunt.
5Metroid - Kraid
Metroidis a series light on lore within the games themselves, instead filling out much of its explanations with expanded media like manuals and comics. As a result, you might not actually piece together why so many of the bosses in the Metroid games reappear after Samus has already defeated them, but rest assured there is (almost) always an explanation.
Kraid is one such boss, a gargantuan figure and a high-ranking member of the space pirates. He appears in most Metroid games alongside Ridley, with his most recent appearance in Dread showcasing his scale in full. He’s a great examination of how the Metroid games evolve too, with Samus’s expanded movement working in tandem with his absurd scale.
4Resident Evil - Tyrants
It’s easy to look at theResident Evilgames as a series that prioritises gameplay over storytelling, and in most scenarios that would be true. But it would be unfair to say they had no core themes in the world they created, because the very threat of zombies is, well, apharmaceutical experiment gone wrong.
Many of the Resident Evil games feature Tyrants, monstrous enemies that are in fact mutated humans designed to serve as weapons of war for global military outfits. Matched with unparalleled strength and surprising degrees of intelligence, they spend most games hunting you across the map. Some, like Mr. X, are even well-dressed — nothing a rocket launcher can’t solve, though.
3The Legend Of Zelda - Gohma
When you think ofThe Legend of Zelda, you likely think of the famed trio that represents the series, with Ganon as the evil force behind it all. And true enough, Ganon is a frequently recurring villain in the games. But in terms of bosses, Ganon (especially as Ganondorf) does not actually appear in the games very often.
Take Gohma, on the other hand. Not only have they appeared in the series since the very first entry, but they’re a boss in the majority of games, too. Even better, their design has stayed remarkably similar — a big glowing eyeball for you to slash away at until they’re defeated, and an arachnid-like body to climb around with ease. They’re the ultimate Zelda dungeon boss.
2Xenoblade Chronicles - Immovable Gonzales
Contrary to popular belief, we did not evolve from monkeys but rather share a common ancestor. An easy mistake to make, but an important distinction. When you see games likeXenoblade Chroniclesthough, you can’t help but feel that humans got the short end of the stick when it comes to evolution, though.
Just look at Immovable Gonzales. They are gigantic, they can just sit wherever they want, and most people are simply too afraid to go near them. Better yet, they seem to be able to transcend the limits of even a god, appearing in all three mainline Xenoblade games just lounging around. You could fight them, but is that really the fate they deserve?
1Final Fantasy - Omega
In a list of best bosses, no matter the category, it’s pretty difficult to avoid mentioningFinal Fantasy. Its final bosses excel in gameplay and themes, but its more plot-irrelevant bosses are at times just as memorable. Tracking off the beaten path to find a boss that bypasses space and time to exist to battle you is quite the honour.
Omega, alongside their similarly named but entirely unrelated superboss Omega Weapon, form the bulk of superbosses in the Final Fantasy series. Omega Weapon appears unique to each entry, usually the improved version of Ultima Weapon. Omega, however, is technically the same character across every entry, having stretched their existence beyond the void that connects the games. All that interdimensional power makes them nigh undefeatable.
