30 of the Best Final Bosses in Gaming

The era of the “final boss” in gaming is something that initially came to prominence during the 3rd console generation courtesy of the NES, only to eventually wane before making a triumphant return thanks to titles like FromSoftware’s Dark Souls. The one constant between the final video game bosses of yesteryear and today is that, even at their most challenging, they remain some of the more exciting and fulfilling parts of playing a great game, solidifying their place in our memories as major hurdles that we were somehow able to overcome. But sometimes, a great boss is just such a cool design and a great playground for a title’s mechanics that it’s worth remembering. These are some of the best final bosses in gaming, either for their challenge or their place as the culmination of an iconic experience.

• Game — Contra
• Release Date — February 12, 1988
• Developer — Konami
• Publisher — Konami

By the time players make it to the end of the NES Contra, they’ve already faced some pretty tough levels and enemies, which makes its relative cakewalk of a final boss feel like a reward. After destroying the Alien Queen’s head, you get to blast away at the heart underneath while dodging its constantly spawning offspring — unless you happen to destroy the egg sacs. The Alien Queen isn’t a hard boss but rather a very cool showpiece that feels like a reward for completing the rest of an otherwise challenging run ‘n gun game.

• Game — Mega Man 2
• Release Date — December 24, 1988
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom

In a lot of ways, Dr. Wily is the definitive villain of the 8-bit era, maybe even more so than Bowser. Across 6 Mega Man games, he serves as the final roadblock between Mega Man and victory, and it’s his appearance in Mega Man 2 that stands out as the best of the bunch. Each Mega Man game requires players to make their way through a challenging gauntlet in Dr. Wily’s ever-evolving fortress before facing off against the madman himself. But his use of a giant UFO and alien hologram in Mega Man 2 stands out as one of the more unique and challenging of the fights against this iconic foe.

• Game — Super Mario World
• Release Date — August 23, 1991
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo

Any of the fights against Bowser in a Mario game could easily land on a list of the best final bosses in gaming, but it’s Super Mario World‘s iconic battle atop his castle that stands out the most. As Bowser flies around in a giant teacup, he tosses mechanical koopa down at Mario, which the mustachioed plumber has to headstomp, grab, and launch up into the cup to deal damage. Do it three times while dodging Bowser’s maneuvers in between, and you’ve won the fight. It’s not overly challenging, but instead a perfect encapsulation of the new mechanics introduced in Super Mario World and a fitting end to one of the SNES’ best games.

• Game — Final Fantasy IV (II)
• Release Date — November 23, 1991
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square

Players spend most of Final Fantasy IV thinking Golbez is the game’s antagonist before the rug is pulled to reveal that he’s merely a puppet of a more sinister evil power (and Cecil’s brother, no less). The real big bad of Final Fantasy IV is Zemus, whose true final form as Zeromus is one of the most iconic and terrifying-looking final bosses of any 16-bit RPG. Provided you go into the fight at a high enough level, though, it won’t take long to bring this evil Lunarian down.

• Game — The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Release Date — April 13, 1992
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo

A foe as enduring and iconic as Ganon is bound to have multiple entries on a list like this, and the first of his fights that’s truly deserving is his appearance in the SNES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Similar to the battle against him in the original Legend of Zelda, Ganon appears in a fairly simple 12×13 room, teleporting around and then momentarily stopping long enough to take a hit from Link’s sword. After dealing enough damage, though, Ganon switches things up by turning out the lights and transforming into a bat, all while the floor starts to crumble underneath you. Time it right to light the torches, and you can freeze Ganon, eliminating him with a fatal blow from the Silver Arrow and saving Hyrule…for now.

• Game — Super Metroid
• Release Date — April 18, 1994
• Developer — Nintendo R&D 1, Intelligent Systems
• Publisher — Nintendo

One of the greatest games in the SNES library and about as close to a “perfect” game as could be (if there is such a thing), Super Metroid also happens to feature one of the greatest final bosses of all time. The game tricks you into thinking that you’re fighting the same rendition of Mother Brain from the original Metroid, only to reveal that the “brain in a jar” is just the top portion of a giant evil mecha intent on using the titular Metroids as her own private army. Right as Samus is on the ropes, the Baby Metroid she rescued at the end of Metroid II shows up to save the day, sacrificing itself by giving its last remaining power to Samus so she can blast Mother Brain into oblivion with a rainbow-colored Hyper Beam.

• Game — Final Fantasy VI (III)
• Release Date — October 11, 1994
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square

The running joke about JRPGs is that each one starts fairly simple before you end up literally fighting god by the end of the game. But in the case of Final Fantasy VI, that joke actually rings true. After destroying the world in a fit of maniacal nihilism, all-time greatest Final Fantasy villain Kefka becomes a literal god of his own twisted vision of a new world, one where the greatest threat to his dominance comes from our heroes and their clinging to a hope for a better tomorrow. The final battle is steeped in religious symbolism, accompanied by an incredible track from series composer Nobuo Uematsu, and is arguably one of the most recognizable and iconic fights of any RPG.

• Game — Chrono Trigger
• Release Date — August 11, 1995
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square

The other greatest boss fight of the now legendary crop of 16-bit RPGs is Lavos from Chrono Trigger. This world-devouring alien parasite spends eons twisting and manipulating the powers that be, which our time-traveling heroes attempt to thwart at various points in the timeline. The coolest part about this fight is that it changes depending on when you choose to take on Lavos and based on how much of Chrono Trigger‘s excellent side content you’ve tackled, meaning it can either be incredibly challenging or a cakewalk. Regardless, destroying the outer shell to reveal the true form of the alien parasite controlling it within is one of the greatest “final form” reveals of any RPG boss fight.

• Game — Resident Evil
• Release Date — April 1, 1996
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom

Sure, the fight against Tyrant really isn’t anything special. You just run around in a circle, stop to shoot, and then start running again before he catches up. But that initial reveal of Umbrella’s “ultimate bio weapon”, and the reason for all the horror caused by the T-Virus outbreak, is one of the best parts of the original Resident Evil. Umbrella’s devious schemes and scientific hubris have a face, and it’s up to Jill or Chris to shoot a rocket into it.

• Game — Final Fantasy VII
• Release Date — September 7, 1997
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square, Sony Computer Entertainment

Like Final Fantasy VI before it, the final battle against Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII is a highly symbolic fight against a seemingly unstoppable power, hoping to reshape the world in his god-like image. The final form of Sephiroth, Safer-Sephiroth, is accompanied by one of Nobuo Uematsu’s all-time greatest pieces, “One-Winged Angel”, and if you come into the fight prepared with everyone’s best Limit Breaks, high levels, and a stack of powerful Materia, you can stomp Sephiroth with ease. Just make sure to protect your party against devastating attacks like Pale Horse and Super Nova.

• Game — Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
• Release Date — October 3, 1997
• Developer — Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
• Publisher — Konami

Dracula stands tall as one of gaming’s most iconic villains across just about every entry in the Castlevania series. But the best Dracula fight arguably goes to his Lord of Night form at the true ending of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. This version of Dracula sits atop a massive demonic throne that has two massive claws and flies around the arena, forcing Alucard to stay on the move and dodge plenty of incoming attacks while dealing out some punishment of his own. But if you happen to be equipped with the Crisseagrim, you’ll be lucky if the fight lasts more than 30 seconds.

• Game — Resident Evil 2
• Release Date — January 21, 1998
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom

Resident Evil 2 improved upon the original in just about every imaginable way, and that includes the game’s final boss. Whether playing as Leon or Claire, the first playthrough of Resident Evil 2 culminates in a battle against the final mutation of William Birkin, otherwise referred to as “G” in reference to his infection with the new G-Virus. A Claire A/Leon A run sees you fight G inside the Umbrella labs as they’re about to explode, a timer ticking in the background, but it’s the “true” final fight against G inside the train that stands out as one of the greatest fights in the Resident Evil series. A giant, amorphous blob of flesh, teeth, and tendrils, G’s true final form is a tragic reminder of the evils of the Umbrella Corporation.

• Game — Metal Gear Solid
• Release Date — October 20, 1998
• Developer — Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
• Publisher — Konami

The face-off between twins Solid and Liquid Snake at the end of Metal Gear Solid is a fitting climax to one of the greatest games ever made. After first facing off against Liquid as he pilots the new Metal Gear Rex, Snake and his evil twin then participate in hand-to-hand combat atop its wreckage while Meyrl lies unconscious in the background. All the while, Liquid waxes philosophically about why Snake continues to serve masters who use and betray him like a pawn in chess. And somehow, fighting your evil twin atop a nuclear battle tank is the least insane of the Metal Gear Solid boss fights.

• Game — Final Fantasy VIII
• Release Date — September 9, 1999
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square

Say what you will about Final Fantasy VIII, but it’s arguably got one of the best final bosses in the series, regardless of how you feel about its unique mechanics. Personally, I love Final Fantasy VIII and have an affinity for the Draw system and Triple Triad, which only serves to enhance my appreciation for the epic four-stage fight against Ultimecia at the game’s end. Ultimecia’s Castle is perhaps one of the greatest final dungeons in the series (one packed with a plethora of other incredible boss fights), and it’s all capped off with one of the most challenging and coolest-looking boss battles in the series’ history.

• Game — The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
• Release Date — March 24, 2003
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo

After years of fighting the pig demon form of Ganon, the Zelda series’ transition into 3D with Ocarina of Time finally let us go toe-to-toe against the humanoid Ganondorf. The best of the Ganondorf fights, though, would be his appearance in The Wind Waker, where the cartoonish version of Link bravely faces off against the evil Gerudo warrior in a 1v1 swordfight reminiscent of a samurai duel. It’s a reminder of how great the combat in Wind Waker was and sticks out as one of the more cinematic battles against this recurring foe.

• Game — Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
• Release Date — November 17, 2004
• Developer — Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
• Publisher — Konami

Not only is the fight against Naked Snake’s mentor, The Boss, one of the more difficult final bosses in the Metal Gear Solid series, it’s also one of the most emotional. To Snake, The Boss was a teacher, a mentor, a leader, and an idol. Her defection to the Soviets and double-crossing of the Fox Hound unit is a bitter betrayal, as is Snake’s decision to put her down by placing his duty to country over his better judgment. A fierce hand-to-hand duel in a blood-soaked field of flowers, the fight against The Boss is a fitting cap to the series-best Metal Gear Solid 3 and the start of the transformation of Naked Snake into Big Boss.

• Game — Resident Evil 4
• Release Date — January 11, 2005
• Developer — Capcom Production Studio 4
• Publisher — Capcom

Everything about Resident Evil 4 is ridiculously over-the-top in comparison to the already campy and action-packed original trilogy of games, including the final boss fight against antagonist Osmund Saddler. In a move of desperation, Saddler willingly injects himself with the Las Plagas parasite, becoming an obscene horror that Leon does battle with around a collapsing harbor. And in a fitting call back to the first Resident Evil, it’s a helicopter-riding savior with a last-minute munitions drop that saves the day, allowing Leon to put Saddler to rest with a well-placed rocket.

• Game — Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
• Release Date — March 1, 2005
• Developer — Capcom Production Studio 1
• Publisher — Capcom

Sometimes, the best final boss battles are also the hardest fights in an entire game. Such is the case with the final battle against Dante’s brother Vergil in Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, which may rank as one of the hardest boss battles of all time. The final bout against Vergil is the third time that the two face off in the series’ third game, and on Dante Must Die! difficulty, it’s practically impossible without perfect timing and execution. Talk about a sibling rivalry.

• Game — Shadow of the Colossus
• Release Date — October 18, 2005
• Developer — Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment

Considering the game is essentially one giant boss rush, the fact that the final boss of Shadow of the Colossus lands on a list of the best final bosses in video games shouldn’t come as a surprise. Unknown to the player, though, is the fact that Wander is actually the villain in the story, deceived into taking out the otherwise peaceful colossi in order to free an ancient and evil wizard. The hints that something is amiss with Wander’s mission become all too clear in the final battle against the gigantic Malus as he looks at the hero not with malice, but instead sadness, as if wondering why the two must fight.

• Game — God of War II
• Release Date — March 13, 2007
• Developer — Santa Monica Studio
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment

Kratos’ ascension to becoming the literal God of War at the end of the first game didn’t sit well with Mount Olympus, positioning the patriarchal deity Zeus as the big bad of the epic second game in the God of War series. Accordingly, Kratos lets his thirst for revenge and vengeance drive him to take out a one-man mission against the gods, culminating in an otherworldly showdown against Zeus in a multi-phase fight that still stands as one of the best boss battles of any game in the franchise. That Kratos emerges victorious is all the proof you need that maybe Zeus was right to try and clip his wings.

• Game — Mass Effect
• Release Date — November 20, 2007
• Developer — BioWare
• Publisher — Microsoft Game Studios

While it might not be the best game in the series, the first Mass Effect has a strong claim to having the best final boss in the trilogy. The final battle against Saren is an epic showdown in which the disgraced former Spectre flies around on a hovercraft, allowing Shepard and his crew to take potshots at him in between mowing down waves of Geth soldiers he sends out at you. The best part about this fight is that it plays out totally differently from one playthrough to the next, provided you choose a different starting class for Shepard and bring in different allies each time.

• Game — Dark Souls
• Release Date — October 4, 2011
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Bandai Namco

By the time you reach the end of Dark Souls, you should be good enough at parrying that the final battle against Gwyn isn’t difficult at all. But just because it’s on the easier side doesn’t mean it’s not a suitably epic finale to one of the greatest games ever made and a moment of melancholic victory for the player. In terms of its wider implications on the lore and what it means for the rest of the franchise, the battle against Gwyn and the rekindling (or extinguishing, your choice) of the First Flame is a pyrrhic victory that sets a chain of unstoppable events into motion.

• Game — Bloodborne
• Release Date — March 24, 2015
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment

The “true” final boss of Bloodborne is only accessible if you find three of a special item and consume them before fighting Gehrman. After that climactic battle against the keeper of the Hunter’s Dream, the true big bad of Bloodborne appears, a massive cosmic deity known only as the Moon Presence. Aside from the greatness of the actual fight (including the incredible music accompaniment), defeating the Moon Presence unlocks the ability to achieve Bloodborne‘s best ending with your final choice, with the player’s Hunter ascending to become the new Great Old One and controlling the Hunter’s Dream.

• Game — Dark Souls III
• Release Date — April 12, 2016
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Bandai Namco

Not counting the DLC and the fight against Slave Knight Gael, the “official” final boss of the Dark Souls trilogy is none other than the player character from the first game, the Soul of Cinder. Within the ashen ruins of the Kiln of the First Flame, it’s up to the player to put a stop to the endless cycle of death, rebirth, and corruption that has plagued Lordran for countless millennia, officially putting a stop to the Age of Fire and starting anew. It’s a suitably tough fight for a game that’s packed with them, and the symbolism and importance of the battle to the series’ lore are profound.

• Game — Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
• Release Date — March 22, 2019
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Activision

In terms of boss battles that perfectly encapsulate everything a player should have learned up to that point, it’s hard to think of one that surpasses the battle against Sword Saint Isshin. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is already a game that places the focus squarely on its phenomenal combat, and the ultimate duel between Wolf and Isshin is a perfect final test for the player to put everything they’ve learned into action. It’s incredibly tough and one of the hardest fights of any single game, but the rewarding feeling you get from overcoming that challenge is second-to-none.

• Game — Resident Evil 3
• Release Date — April 3, 2020
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom

Even if Resident Evil 3‘s remake isn’t as great a game as the other remakes in the series, its final battle against Nemesis is a massive upgrade over the original’s and a strong contender for one of the best Resident Evil boss fights. After defeating the foe a handful of times throughout the campaign, Jill faces off against a heavily mutated Nemesis in a massive arena in an epic showdown. But that’s just the appetizer, as there’s still the final, final form of Nemesis, which is an incredible setpiece moment that mostly relies on dodging while waiting for a massive rail gun to charge that Jill uses to blast Nemesis into giblets.

• Game — Elden Ring
• Release Date — February 25, 2022
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Bandai Namco

Between the music, atmosphere, and mechanics, the final boss battle gauntlet of Elden Ring is an incredible climax to one of the greatest games ever made. First, you have to defeat the former Elden Lord Radagon, which then immediately gives way to one of the most stunning boss arenas and enemy designs of any FromSoftware game with the fight against the cosmic Elden Beast. It’s a white-knuckle encounter where one false move means having to fight the challenging Radagon all over again, appropriately raising the stakes for Elden Ring‘s final test of the player.

• Game — The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Release Date — May 12, 2023
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo

The latest game in the Zelda series may be the best the franchise has ever been in 3D, which is only further underscored by the incredible fight against Ganondorf at the game’s conclusion. Tears of the Kingdom mostly limits Ganondorf, the Demon King, to being a shadowy figure spoken of only in terms of his past deeds, but his eventual resurrection (thanks to some timey-wimey shenanigans) sees him become one of the most challenging and deadly incarnations of the enemy in Zelda series history. There’s the initial standard melee battle before things take to the skies in a grand display of battle between two godlike dragons.

• Game — Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Release Date — June 21, 2024
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Bandai Namco

Whether pre or post-nerf, the fight against Promised Consort Radahn is one of the best boss battles in the FromSoft catalog, even if it’s one of the more frustrating. At first, Radahn seems impossible. His movements are hard to track, his AoE attacks seem like they can’t be dodged, and he happens to be both lightning fast and surprisingly aggressive. Little by little, though, the player starts to get better and more adept at meeting him head-on, before you eventually emerge victorious in a moment of hard-earned triumph. Beating Radahn and the feeling of elation that it elicits are what FromSoftware games are all about.

• Game — Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
• Release Date — July 31, 2025
• Developer — The Game Kitchen
• Publisher — Dotemu

The Game Kitchen’s Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a fitting return to the series’ 2D origins, and it also happens to include the absolute best final boss battle in the entire Ninja Gaiden series. Demon Lord Jagazk is an incredible fight that puts all of Kenji’s skills to the test and serves as a reminder of how far you’ve come since you completed the first dojo training exercise under Ryu’s tutelage. Totally unsurprising from the team that crafted the incredible Blasphemous games and their standout boss battles.