Everyone loves a good boss battle, and PlayStation’s got plenty of the buggers, packing in some of the most iconic boss rucks of the past two decades. Whether it’s colossal, skyscraper-sized behemoths that punctuate the God of War series to the tense, strategically-rewarding gun battles that have come to define Metal Gear Solid, PlayStation’s rich history is brimming with some of the most memorable scraps in gaming.
Of course, a boss is only as good as how hard he is to dispatch; a foe can look as intimidating as Dwayne Johnson on roids, but if he’s as soft as an Andrex toilet roll, then he’s pretty much a flop. Thankfully, PlayStation has seen not only some of the most iconic battles to grace our screens, but also some of the toughest; bosses that have us breaking out in a sweat, cursing at the screen, and threatening to lob our DualShock pads out the window. Ultimately, these are the ones that count, as the sense of accomplishment that follows victory is a palpable thing, and one of the most rewarding feelings to come from gaming.
With this in mind, PSU decided to celebrate some of PlayStation’s toughest boss battles, bringing together 10 challenges that any self-respecting gamer will want to topple if they consider themselves the elite of the hardcore.
If you can beat these top 9 toughest bosses you deserve a medal.
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RUBY WEAPON (Final Fantasy VII)
Square’s seminal JRPG introduced two fearsome boss battles in its U.S. and North American release with Ruby and Emerald Weapon. Frankly, either one could have made our list, though Ruby wins out due to its combination of attack prowess, massive HP, and the fact it can remove one of your characters from the fight in the blink of an eye with its sandstorm attack. Most of the time, you’ll end up fighting this beast on your lonesome; and that’s if you are lucky enough to be left with the character equipped with the most devastating Materia after it has removed the other two. This is a long slog of a battle, and only the most powerful spells will work: Knights of the Round, Bahamut Zero, Final Attack, Phoenix, and Level 7 Limit Breaks. Oh, and Ruby can cause around 7000-9999 points of damage with attacks that include Shadow Flare, Ruby Ray, and Comet2.
CERBERUS (Devil May Cry 3)
Devil May Cry is a franchise synonymous with adrenaline-fuelled combat and stonkingly good boss battles, and no game encapsulates this more in the series than perhaps Dante’s Awakening. The Cerberus is only the first boss fight, but it’s uncompromisingly tough; the three-headed pooch will throw a series of attacks at our silver-haired protagonist, attempting to chew him to bits or employ a variety of health-draining, ice-based attacks. Not only that, but before you can even harm this oversized mutt, you’ll have to first break his ice shield while avoiding his attacks.
NEMESIS (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis)
An oldie but goodie, Umbrella Corp.’s S.T.A.R.S-seeking Tyrant, the Nemesis, is an all-time PlayStation classic boss. While coming in three flavors—that is, the iconic trenchcoat incarnation, his burnt-out, tentacled form, and the final boss fight—his first form is by far the most potent. Popping up at various intervals throughout the early stages of Jill Valentine’s adventure, Nemesis can sustain a huge amount of firepower, can outrun Valentine with ease, and cause huge injuries with its meaty fists and devastating rocket launcher. Not only that, but during this period of the game you are unlikely to be in possession of some powerful firearms, making it all the more difficult to dispatch–albeit, temporarily—this fearsome adversary.
BASARAN (Shadow of the Colossus)
This was a no-brainer for us, considering how Team ICO’s PS2-era stunner is essentially comprised of 16 giant boss fights. However, the lumbering four-legged Basaran—a creature based somewhat on a tortoise— is undoubtedly the most fearsome of the bunch. Despite its slow size, Basaran is a formidable opponent, and the battle can prove an arduous slog if you are to defeat him. The creature is only one of four colossus that is able to attack from long range, making your task all the more difficult, and is heavily armored to boot. In order to attack its weak point, you’ll have to take advantage of the geysers in the area, allowing you to climb onto its back; it’ll also do everything it can to shake you off, requiring some dexterous joypad work on your part. This boss not only requires pinpoint strategy for the player, but if you cock anything up, you’ll need patience in order to lure it into a vulnerable position to have another crack at him.
SEPHIROTH (Kingdom Hearts/Kingdom Hearts II)
Final Fantasy VII’s chief antagonist has the distinction of being not only one of the most iconic bosses of all time due to his appearance in the legendary JRPG, but also puts up one hell of a fight in Kingdom Hearts. In fact, some gamers would argue he’s just as tough (if not more so) than the final boss of that game. The silver-haired baddie requires you be a pretty high level to even stand a chance of defeating him, as well as having some of the game’s best spells at your disposal. Sephiroth is a master swordsman capable of devastating attacks, and is able to move at blindingly fast speeds around the arena; he can even take flight in some situations and teleport if he wishes. The ‘One-winged Angel’ possesses some particularly punishing attacks, including Final Fantasy VII staples such as Shadow Flare and Super Nova. To exacerbate things, he’s also immune to nearly all forms of magic, and his difficulty to defeat in Kingdom Hearts II among gamers has become notorious. Make no mistake; Sephiroth will pummel you unless you partake in some meticulous planning before facing him.
VIZIER (Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones)
The final boss of The Two Thrones, the all-powerful Vizier has caused more than a few headaches for gamers, and for good reason—he’s one tough mutha. For one thing, he is able to out maneuver the Prince with ease, and also injects a spot of verticality into the battle, thanks to his ability to take flight. With lightning-fast attacks that deal some heavy damage, there’s no room for error here.
SHAO KAHN (Mortal Kombat)
Mortal Kombat’s chief bad guy easily ranks as one of the toughest (and some would argue, cheap) boss battles of recent memory. This guy is hard as nails, and will batter you into submission unless you are quick to find the chinks in his armor, so to speak. Shao Kahn can absorb a massive amount of damage, and deals out a huge amount of pain in return; his hammer being the most lethal tool in his arsenal. Even rudimentary attacks such as kicks and punches will drain your health, while some of his more powerful moves will incapacitate your character, allowing Kahn to pummel you some more. He also seemingly possesses the uncanny ability to predict what you are doing to do next, allowing him to unleash a counter attack to stop you in your tracks. There’s a reason luck plays a big part in this battle: even if you think you have nailed down a decent strategy, Kahn will pull something else out of the hat to ruin your day.
THE END (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
Often hailed as one of the greatest boss battles of all time, Naked Snake’s gun battle with the legendary sniper known as The End also just happens to be one of the toughest. The fight itself takes place in a large forest comprised two zones, affording your enemy plenty of camouflage. The End is able to blend seamlessly into his environment, and is a mean shot with his rifle; oddly enough, he doesn’t shoot to kill, but rather to deplete your stamina. Just tracking down your aging foe is a battle in itself, let alone actually putting a bullet through his wrinkly forehead. Snake must utilize stealth, meticulous planning, and a variety of gadgets to gain the upperhand, and even then there’s no guarantee you’ll get the jump on your foe. You can’t just rely on your weapons here; gamers must also put their thinking caps on, resulting in one of the toughest, most cerebrally challenging bosses out there.
THE FOUR KINGS (Dark Souls)
Considering the notoriety that the Dark Souls franchise has achieved among gamers for its punishing difficulty, you could quite easily pluck any of the game’s ferocious bosses for inclusion here. However, The Four Kings succinctly captures the series’ brutal nature in one bone-crushing, joypad-snapping package. One baddie in Dark Souls is more than enough to smash you into a bloody pulp, but here, you’re facing four one-winged monstrosities looking to crush your dreams. Not only that, but the area you battle the quartet on is comprised largely of invisible walkways. Good luck.
Let us know your toughest boss encounters in the comments section below.