Top 10 Greatest Video Game Bosses From The 90s

“Earthbound” (1995) In all honesty, we’d put Giygas higher up on the list had the “Mother” games sold better than they did during their original releases. The few of us who did play “Earthbound” (or at least watched a playthrough of it) were treated to a boss that was garish and disturbing. This alien baby had us scared for the entire duration of the fight due to his vicious attacks and distorted appearance. Of course, the obvious reason why it’s stuck with people for so long is because of the implications made by his baby head-shaped pattern. And to think this whole fight was inspired by a time in director Shigesato Itoi’s childhood... and no, it was not a particularly pleasant one.

#9: Sephiroth

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“Final Fantasy VII” (1997) He’s the swordsman villain of anime video games to end all swordsman villains of anime video games. Sephiroth was a major part of what made “Final Fantasy VII” such an exceptional game. His rivalry with Cloud serves as an interesting narrative, and he quickly became a bad guy you love to hate and hate to love. The fallen SOLDIER also beat the living snot out of us in his boss fights! Not only that, but his final form, Safer Sephiroth, displayed a beautiful symphony of despair with its phenomenal music and awesome, planet-shattering attack!

“Metal Gear Solid” (1998) Remember how creepy this dude was initially? Indeed, Psycho Mantis was one of the most bizarre foes we encountered in the 90’s. Never before did we have to actually use our console in order to bring down a baddie! Psycho Mantis would do all kinds of things that strayed from standard boss fights, requiring players to switch controller ports in order to regain control over Snake and even tricking us into thinking our TVs were behaving weirdly. And lest we forget the fourth wall breaks where he reads our memory cards and comments on some of the games we had played. Yeah, this dude was, and still is, a wild trip, and there haven’t been too many bosses like him since!

“Crash Bandicoot: WARPED” (1998) Admittedly, our marsupial hero isn’t exactly known for having great boss fights, especially in the original games. However, there are two that were done right! One of these was Dingodile, the second boss in “WARPED”. This crocodilian canine was a real test of agility as he launched fireballs into the air before spraying his flamethrower through his crystal shields. The entire fight is a game of cat & mouse as both Crash and Dingodile try to dupe each other into misfiring or getting burnt to a crisp, and it does an excellent job at keeping you on your toes. Plus, that dang music has an infectious beat to it!

“DOOM” (1993) To this day, “DOOM” remains as one of the best parts of the 1990’s, and one moment that stands out particularly is the face-off against the tyrannical Cyberdemon. This duel doesn’t have any gimmicks or tricks up its sleeve either - it’s just you, him, and a wide arena. The both of you are constantly trying to flank the other with rockets, dancing around the center and waiting for one of you to screw up. It's a fight that manages to retain its tension even when things sound quiet, and defeating the Cyberdemon for the first time is a feat that sticks with you long after the rage settles.

#5: Ganon

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“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) Of all the times we’ve had to fight Ganon, this was the absolute BEST and most intense fight we’ve had against him. Throughout the battle, you’re constantly feeling like the little guy - under-equipped and at a tremendous size disadvantage. This was a fight that required mastery of the Z-targeting system, and in doing so, you quickly figure out a way to get the jump on Ganon’s backside. It’s also worth mentioning how well-done this fight is as a thrilling conclusion to an epic adventure. Fighting amidst the burning ruins of a fortress? Seriously, how cool is that!?

#4: Master Hand

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“Super Smash Bros.” (1999) Speaking of fights that remind us of the story of “David and Goliath”, we were instantly intimidated upon meeting Master Hand. You mean to tell us the cartoony hand from the intro is also the villain in all this? The head honcho, the evil menace? What made Master Hand so frightening and memorable was how you could do such little damage while he dealt you a whallop! Not only that, but his attacks occurred at quicker intervals the more damage you delivered. This truly was a test of skill, and Master Hand would become a staple in the series and help shape “Super Smash Bros” into the global phenomenon it is today.

#3: Dr. Robotnik

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“Sonic the Hedgehog” (1991) Yeah, Dr. Robotnik isn’t a particularly difficult villain, but difficulty does not always make the best or most iconic boss fights (at least in the 90’s). Sure, his weak spot was always the same, but what made his fights so resonating was how the way to defeat him always changed. First it was a wrecking ball and a pool of lava, then it was a chase through a flooding ruin and jumping on catapults armed with spiked balls. There was always some unique twist to make the next fight just as interesting as the last, and that doom-filled tune has been stuck in our heads since 1991.

“Super Street Fighter II Turbo” (1994) Okay, we know we just said that difficulty does not always make for an iconic fight. However, in the case of “Super Street Fighter II Turbo”, one cannot ignore the menacing warrior known as Akuma. In the world of arcade fighting games, Akuma had a notorious reputation for being incredibly difficult, arguably more challenging than most of the other fighting game bosses at the time! This dude boasted better abilities than any other character on the roster, moved faster, dealt more damage, read your inputs, all the nonsense that fighting game bosses have become known for. Sure, it was infuriating having to scrounge for quarters just to try and face him again, but when we finally did beat him, it was so incredibly satisfying. Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions…

If Akuma Was the Tyrant of 2D Fighting Games, Than Kazuya Was the 3D Counterpart

Super Tyrant, “Resident Evil 2” (1998)

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Star Wolf, “Star Fox 64” (1997)

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#1: Bowser

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“Super Mario 64” (1996) Admittedly, “Super Mario 64” already had an edge against every other game on this list. When one thinks of gaming in the 1990’s, one usually thinks of “Super Mario 64” immediately because of how revolutionary it was for 3D gaming. One aspect of the game that made it so memorable was the fight against Bowser. It was a simple fight - run around him until you can grab his tail, spin him around, and huck him into a spiked bomb. A basic challenge, yes, but it was one that required deeper spatial awareness and a bit of precision. Even all these years later, these fights with Bowser remain as the most frequently referenced and most memorable boss fight in 90’s gaming.