10 Weirdest Boss Fight Gimmicks


Key Takeaways

  • South Park: Stick of Truth’s Underpants Warlock fight is hilarious but icky.
  • Zora Magdaros in Monster Hunter World offers a unique battle atop a colossal Elder Dragon.
  • Far Cry 4 can be beaten within 20 minutes if you know how.

We all love a good boss fight in our games, but the most memorable encounters dare to do something different.

If you’re hunting for some unforgettable boss fights, here’s a selection with crazy gimmicks you’ll remember long after the credits roll.

There are dozens of memorable fights that could have made this list, but I’ve tried to focus specifically on battles where you must do something mechanically different from usual.

10

Underpants Warlock

South Park: Stick of Truth

South Park: Stick of Truth is a turn-based RPG full of crazy encounters that’s far better than it has any right to be.

The Underpants Warlock is an unforgettable encounter for the grossest reasons. For starters, you’re fighting on your parent’s bed… while they are having sex.

As for the gimmicks, they are unique, to say the least.

Alongside background antics you must try your best to ignore, you must infrequently dodge body parts with Quick Time Events (QTEs) as you battle. I’ll leave it to your imagination as to what those are, but they certainly make the fight memorable!

If you nail the timing for the QTEs, your character avoids obstacles in style. If you fail, you might just take a giant pair of balls to the face.

9

Zora Magdaros

Monster Hunter World

Zora Magdaros from Monster Hunter World

Zora Magdaros is a mighty Elder Dragon and is so enormous that you can’t fight it in a conventional setting.

Monster Hunter World has its fair share of unique beasties, but Zora Magdaros is so colossal that you battle it twice. Each encounter has unique mechanics.

You’re on top of the boss for the first engagement, and the Elder Dragon is so massive you’re basically fighting the ground beneath your feet.

During the second encounter, you must repel the beast with mighty siege weapons before rappelling over to finish the job once and for all.

While it’s quite a spectacle, I admittedly hate this entire encounter as I couldn’t tell you what Zora Magdaros actually looks like. Still, it’s a grand battle nonetheless, and there’s nothing else quite like it in Monster Hunter World.

8

Kazuma Kiryu

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Kazuma Kiryu from Like a Dragon

Kiryu is the beloved protagonist of the Yakuza games and makes an appearance as a formidable boss in the spin-off, Like A Dragon.

Everyone knows Kiryu is absurdly tough, but he’s also a gentleman. Kiryu would never hit a woman, and that character trait becomes an interesting gimmick in Yakuza: Like A Dragon.

You play as Ichiban, and combat is turn-based as you control a party. If you have any ladies in your squad, Kiryu will never attack them and will focus his attention on the men.

The downside to this is you instantly lose if Ichiban falls. If your party is mostly girls, you’re in for one hell of a fight.

7

Flowey

Undertale

Flowey from Undertale

Few RPGs keep you on your toes quite like Undertale, but the Flowey encounter is so outrageous that it’s almost impossible to prepare for.

Flowey is the final boss of Undertale and is a terrifying monstrosity that throws everything at you, from nuclear bombs to lasers and ballet slippers.

The fight has bullet-hell mechanics and starkly contrasts the turn-based combat you’re used to. You have no time to think and are forced into a relentless, fast-paced encounter that will wreck your health bar until you learn the patterns.

Oh, and if you lose on PC, Flowey can even shut down the game completely. How’s that for a middle finger?!

There’s really nothing quite like Undertale, and it’s even free to play if you have PlayStation Plus.

6

Scarecrow

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Scarecrow from Batman Arkham Asylum cutscene

Batman is a lethal close-combat specialist, but one particular boss uses psychoactive gas to level the playing field.

In Batman: Arkham Asylum, the most memorable foe is arguably Scarecrow, with several unforgettable encounters to his name.

Rather than relying on your fists, you must sneak around and stay out of Scarecrow’s sight if you want to survive. These sections are challenging as plenty of demanding platforming is involved, and Scarecrow’s gaze never stays still for long.

There are plenty of superb boss encounters in the Batman Arkham games, but they peaked with these incredible sections that reduce the caped crusader from predator to prey.

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5

Pagan Min

Far Cry 4

Pagan Min from far cry 4

Say what you like about the Far Cry games, but they absolutely nail charismatic villains.

Pagan Min from Far Cry 4 makes the list as he’s the main antagonist who relentlessly hounds you throughout the entire game. But what if I told you there was a way to end that conflict within the first 15 minutes?

You play Ajay Ghale on a quest to scatter his mother’s ashes in the fictional region of Kyrat. Pagan Min captures you during the intro cutscene and takes you to his Royal Palace. You share dinner with him, and you’re supposed to escape when he leaves the room.

However, if you just sit and wait for 15 minutes, Pagan Min returns, thanks you for your patience, helps you scatter the ashes, and the game ends.

This whole section blew my mind when I first experienced it, and it’s a phenomenal easter egg. It’s technically not a boss “fight,” but there aren’t many gimmicks as wild as this one.

4

The End

Metal Gear Solid 3

The End MGS 3

This entire list could easily be just Metal Gear Solid bosses, but for fairness, we only have two.

The End from Metal Gear Solid 3 is an ancient sniper who’s over 100 years old. His prowess with a rifle is unmatched, and he will even attack you if you’re foolish enough to save your game in the forest he patrols.

This Boss makes the list because you can use his long years against him. If you wait long enough, The End will die of old age, removing the encounter completely!

That’s right. You can defeat The End without even firing a shot, and it’s a crazy addition to a game already overflowing with secrets and easter eggs.

3

Odin

Final Fantasy XIV

FFXIV Odin cinematic

Many bosses in Final Fantasy XIV could have made this list, but Odin is too unique to pass up.

Odin is a world boss who randomly spawns on the map. There’s no timer or guaranteed location; you only know he’s spawned as his arrival changes the weather.

Many players will rush to take on Odin as part of a massive team effort. The fight itself is pretty straightforward until Odin is on his last sliver of health. Odin starts charging his Zantetsuken attack, and if it goes off, everyone nearby instantly dies.

If this happens, Odin casually wanders off on his horse, leaving the battlefield littered with corpses. The funniest part happens if Odin is defeated. When he returns, he takes on the form of whoever landed the killing blow.

This bizarre quirk is even funnier if that player is a Lalafel!

2

Crayk, Bane of Courage

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Crayk cropped image

Many of the most memorable games on the Nintendo DS use the system’s unique dual-screen setup to its full potential.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass does precisely that with an unforgettable boss encounter. Crayk is a mighty crab whose eyes are a predictable weak point. The catch is that Crayk can go invisible, but there’s a clever solution.

You can see through Crayk’s eyes through the top DS screen during the fight. Using both screens, you can move into position and shoot yourself in the face to deal damage.

It’s a bizarre fight, but the mechanics work remarkably well, and it’s a genius way to use multiple screens in an engaging encounter.

1

Psycho Mantis

Metal Gear Solid

Psycho Mantis from MGS

The Metal Gear Solid games are well-known for their iconic, over-the-top roster of incredible characters and bosses.

Psycho Mantis is in a league of his own regarding unique mechanics. As you probably guessed by the name, Psycho Mantis is a Psychic who can read your mind.

He knows when you’re about to pull the trigger, so you can’t even shoot him. He’ll gladly recite feats from your saved data in other games, and it’s a feature that’s impressive even today.

The trick is Psycho Mantis isn’t reading your mind. He’s reading your controller port. Swapping your controller to Port 2 breaks his psychic connection, allowing you to level the playing field.

Needless to say, this fight is legendary among even the most iconic boss battles in gaming. And utterly unforgettable on original hardware.

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