Top 10 Final Bosses in Video Games

Final boss battles can be the ultimate culmination of a long-fought journey through a game, or a let down after sinking hours into an experience. But there are plenty of fantastic final bosses to pick from throughout video game history. From recent encounters like the final foe in Sekiro to a Metal Gear Solid 3 boss we'll never forget, these are IGN's picks for the top 10 final bosses in video games.
#IGN

[@RagnarokMic]

Virgil in DMC3 or DMC5 should definitely be in there, both all time great battles...3 especially.

[@nbatweets6562]

Idk how that got overlooked

[@pandabearlube5553]

It's so powerful that the ending of MGS3 still holds strong to this day. That game was way ahead of its time and is a masterpiece that should be played by everyone.

[@Emma7846]

For me the best boss is Gehrman from Bloodborne because it’s such a unique fight in the sense that you are both fighting to save the other from being enslaved in the Hunters Dream

[@clintbeasthood9758]

This.

[@felipez3115]

Its perfect, nice choice.

[@addul1996]

Yes but Gehrman may or may not qualify as the "final" boss

[@detroid_ntr26]

@@addul1996 The same thing could be said for Sans yet he's #2.

[@younismarzook1396]

he was too easy

[@Olly_2024_]

Final bosses mean so much. They can make or break a game, after hours of hard work. When they get it right, it’s AWESOME 🔥

[@KamoTypeShii]

The disappointment of an underwhelming boss after an entire great game is one of the worst feelings ever

[@treythebaked595]

@@KamoTypeShii *cough* destiny

[@blair5475]

@@treythebaked595 Cough cough Halo 4, Didact!

[@barneystinson2124]

Botw had an awful final boss, but game still slaps

[@KirkRedgate]

The Boss in Snake Eater has always been my number 1. It doesn't get more emotional than that.

[@aguelidh7608]

My favourite boss fight is the hand to hand fight between liquid ocelot and solid snake at the end of mgs4. Each section of the boss fight referencing past games in music, style, and flashbacks were executed perfectly. The mgs1 section using encounter and a similar style to the fight against liquid at the top of REX, mgs2 section doing the same with solidus and raiden's fight, and the mgs3 section being more cqc dependant.

[@SubaTUBE]

Respect for The BOSS at number 1. Trully Deserved it

[@CrimsonFIame]

Usually Final bosses aren't all that challenging because you're spent so much time getting to that point and already figured it all out, in most games optional bosses end up more challenging. Sekiro was like f that we're going to have you go up against this absolute monster you've heard tales about and learn why he's considered a legend first hand

[@DemonKnight85]

One boss fight that goes under the radar compared to a lot of games is the fight against Lucifer in Castlevania Lords of Shadow 1. It was a surprise boss fight that really only had minimal build up, as they pulled the rug out from everyone at the end, but it's such a really epic and cinematic fight with a couple different phases to it. Certainly not popular, but for those that played it I'm sure they will agree. Lich King from World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King expansion should also be considered. Very popular iconic character, years of build up, and a pretty difficult boss.

[@killbean449]

Big facts that game is a hidden gem

[@AMC5274]

LOS will forever be one of the most criminally underrated games, cracks my top 5 all time for sure.

[@user-jn8dm8yl3e]

Two bosses from Hidetaka Miyazaki. Can't wait for all of Fromsoftware's future games, Elden Ring and beyond!

[@consolewarrior1337]

Senator Armstrong is the best final boss of platinum games imo, and also Virgil should be in this list

[@ramanand5187]

The Hunter from Bloodborne is also worth mentioning. Such an emotional and unique boss battle

[@JFinns]

Yea including Moon Precense or Orphan of Kos would have been in the top 5 of this list.

[@MadDragonify]

There's already two FromSoftware bosses on the list

[@ramanand5187]

@@MadDragonify Unfortunately, you cannot leave out From Software when you are talking about bosses. They are the kings of boss fights

[@blair5475]

@@MadDragonify So what? The title says Final game bosses, not final Studio game bosses.

[@braskabani8011]

DMC3 vergil final boss fight should of been on the list.

[@TheWtfanime]

Ganondorf and Sephiroth will always be the classic final bosses. Then you got The Boss and Sans who will always be memberable for simply what they just stood for in relation to the player. However, I'm glad to see The Master was on this list. Defeating your main enemy through dialog while making them see that you're logic is right and theirs is wrong is almost more satisfying then fighting them. You win by outsmarting them and making them realize they have to surrender.

[@iknowbroikno]

metal gear 3's ending broke me. Def deserving of the most iconic boss battle

[@Balzaik]

Vergil from DMC 5 should be on this list.

[@TheFireknight12]

Scrolled too far for this

[@jackparello4286]

You definitely gained my respect by putting the boss at #1

[@pandajam7921]

Idk about my respect but the boss def deserves #1

[@felipez3115]

Why Baldur? Ares and Zeus are FAR more epic, and where's Vergil? 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Squidward_000]

nah Zeus wasnt epic

[@vamsikrishna-ne7pw]

@@Squidward_000 definitely more epic than Baldur

[@glenwarne6492]

@@vamsikrishna-ne7pw Baldur was more well developed character than Zeus and the battle was also better

[@vamsikrishna-ne7pw]

@@glenwarne6492 Isn't this video about final boss battles, not most developed characters?

[@davidrawlings8380]

Streets of Rage's final boss will always stay with me. Little 9 year old me, feeling so overwhelmed having to make a decision to join the bad guys or not, and facing the outcome of whatever you choose.

[@TallSilhouette]

Anubis in Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner. Frantic, evenly matched, going blow for blow while particles go crazy around you. Kojima really knows how to make a great boss fight.

[@enedirjunior5601]

"Best Final Boss", no Vergil!?!?!? WTF!?!?

[@vincewilliamss]

The absolute disrespect to Vergil

[@DemonKnight85]

that DMC 3 fight the first playthrough was legendary!!! It was like the introductory feeling to get people ready for the Dark Souls franchise later on. Just keep dying and dying and dying fighting against him.

[@mckloggins]

The DMC 5 fight is one of my favs

[@vincewilliamss]

@@mckloggins when he turns around and it says " The alpha and omega Vergil" that's one of my favourite moments in any video game

[@sonicmid06]

Nice the boss at the first position but vergil?

[@Krixstal_Zagukarexst]

Asura Wrath will always be my favorite

[@felipez3115]

Chakravartin!!

[@Squidward_000]

Sephiroth is the best FINAL BOSS!

[@isaacmettle]

The best looking final boss!!(no homo)

[@A_mir0_0]

he is sooo hot lmao best looking final boss! im in Love XD

[@Squidward_000]

@@A_mir0_0 😂

[@pandajam7921]

For me it's dmc3 vergil

[@darkusomegus3540]

One of my favorite final bosses would have to be Hades from Kid Icarus: Uprising. The final fight against was amazing and Hades as a character was just great, with his witty dialogue.

[@philippbvb4680]

The Ganondorf boss fight from Twilight Princess is a lot better than the one from Wind Waker

[@nameless.greyceo]

Oot was way better than ww ending

[@Sephiroth1992]

Sephiroth is so awesome. his story is deep, his character mysterious.

[@user-jn8dm8yl3e]

And he doesn't have ANY allies in the game. Even Jenova isn't truly his ally. You know that better then anyone, right, mr Sephiroth?

[@josephmoore9706]

@@user-jn8dm8yl3e he is one with jenova. Basically just him controlling jenova and can form his body from parts of jenova.

[@user-jn8dm8yl3e]

@@josephmoore9706 he and Jenova both use each other at different times in the story, but ultimately Sephiroth's will makes her Seph's puppet and, well, part of him. So she is still not his ally, but part of his new being

[@thetechnik5788]

Yet they’ll drop FF7 at the 97th game in their top 100.

[@Historicutuber]

He’s certainly a cool character

[@richhewes]

Guildenstern from Vagrant Story is one of my favourite boss battles. Wish they'd remake or remaster that game.

[@patelprateekramesh2442]

Don't know how Gerhman doesn't make the list. Narrative-wise, Style-wise, Gameplay-wise it's just such an amazing fight! Just search for player reactions and you would know!

[@MrLuisen9]

To me the best final boss is the masked man from mother 3. That whole parr is an amazing experience and an incredible example of storytelling in a fight

[@chrisromero4277]

The Legend of Dragoon. Enough said.

[@VooDooMan42069]

Chaos from Sonic Adventure will always be a top boss for me. The first time seeing a 3d super sonic paired with the awesome music made for an amazing last fight imo.

[@Davidskates603]

Trainer Red is up there for me! essentially battling yourself from the previous game was pretty unique.

[@weegeetheplumber1857]

GLaDOS from portal?!

[@thedarkriddler7318]

Ocelot vs old snake Gotta be the goat. Hand fight with the music from the previous games, each stage of it changing the fight style and music...

[@nonsuspiciouscheese5750]

My favourite boss ive battled is karen from scarlet nexus, theres so many stages that it takes hours, but the build up and the battle itself is so powerful within the story, it makes up for the time.

[@CosilHeiir]

Dark bowser is such a great boss in browser's inside story the build to him the fight and the great music just makes the already amazing game even more amazing

[@TheRisingTide89]

Before watching Isshin The Sword Saint from Sekiro comes to mind asap, was 1 of the dopest and toughest bosses ive fought since the nameless king honestly. Too many pushover bosses lately.

[@dudeperson4622]

Same, legendary boss.

[@BatDanNight]

Major major props for including Jergingha. So many people haven't played W101 so they never know how epic and insane the game gets.

[@EmptyBrewsky]

Issac Frost from Fight Night: Champion on GOAT difficulty. Anyone who's attempted that knows just how rage inducing that final bout is...

[@VanhA-db3kz]

Still fondly remembering the original Sephiroth fight.

[@RM-qh3kh]

Devil May Cry 3, boss battle with Vergil was unforgiving back then...lol

[@StrappingYoungLadam]

It's unforgiving now on must die mode haha.

[@karlalexandregarcia7062]

I’d put Dracula + Death final boss of Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. It was super cool to finally see the two of them fighting together

[@TonyMackSays]

This was a wonderfully written, chosen top 10 boss battle. It made me feel like there was thought put into this.

[@marcusblixenkrone-mller973]

The 100% objectively correct #1 pick, great job!

[@Sam-Fisher]

Happy New year

[@billoverbeck3784]

A suggestion for the next year: mention the bosses for Company, an example is placing gael/SoC/gehrman/gwyn or zeus/baldur in the same spot, it would be better than copypasting the same Video like last year

[@otisnance2833]

Why is Vergil not on the list

[@felipez3115]

Maybe is too hard for them.

[@RyuujinLetum]

@@felipez3115 most likely lol

[@pandajam7921]

@@felipez3115 I'd belive this

[@boylibrary3533]

Currently playing through Sword Saint Isshin for another time. Such an amazing final boss

[@soccerdude12793]

Final boss in Ori and the will of the wisps deserves a shout

[@Murasakitsuyukusa]

Gaius and Muzet in Tales of Xillia Grigori in Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Caius Ballad in FFXIII-2 Maximilian in Valkyria Chronicles Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Lezard Valeth in Valkyrie Profile 2 The Mother in Dragon Age: Origins/Awakening Gwyn in Dark Souls Liquid Ocelot in MGS4 Vazdah in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

l'd like to say Monika for the emotional weight of it, but: 1) She basically tells you how to defeat her 2) It's not a typical fight, so it kind of lacks the excitement you get from the other boss fights 3) She may be monitoring this conversation as we speak

[@VoiceFGC]

The fact that someone said this is pretty cool. She would be one of my top ones purely for the emotional factor.

[@danielgolden8116]

For me, off the top of my head, it has to be you-know-who from Ghost of Tsushima

[@benbodnar976]

The final fight against Higgs in death stranding was really incredible IMO

[@mateuszkolodziejski5525]

Come on no Bloodborne bosses? Orphan of Kos was epic.

[@ArazuzHD]

Slave Knight Gael from DS3's 'The Ringed City', might be my favorite boss fight. It's perfect.

[@pepejam3929]

Jesus dance battle in Simpsons game as a final boss is my number 1.

[@Rjkay45]

Otakemaru is probably my favourite final boss in video games ngl

[@kirito4443]

Isn't this video a reupload from last year??

[@quack_a_doodle5922]

Amazing thumbnail, subscribed, hope to see more FF7 content and references lol

[@dhruvverma2137]

Happy new year everyone

[@gingerale7729]

Baldur was a crap boss fight, can't believe it made this list

[@glenwarne6492]

That's a false take

[@Must_gamer_7]

Happy New year everyone

[@Evenmoresteven]

The final bosses from the Splatoon games are very underrated. They are bonkers in the best way.

[@unregitdrr5302]

Isshin should be TOP 1 IMO

[@9th_Planet]

8:27 The backhand slap. 😂

[@guilherme2295]

Jack of Blades from Fable is awesome too.

[@antoniosanichar943]

Gehrman was a better last boss than Gwyn imo. Gwyn wasn’t even the best boss in ds 1.

[@Emma7846]

100% agree

[@user-jn8dm8yl3e]

Gehrman is Allant 3.0 while Gwyn is Allant 2.0, and since Allant (doppelganger) is not really the final boss of his game (nor is Gehrman, it's the Moon Presence in BB) Gwyn is the only real choice here.

[@LefterisKyrou]

Hesitation is defeat...

[@saadsaif821]

Definitely would consider king bohan from heavenly sword as an honourable mention

[@sunsp.t]

They need to stop putting sudden rainbow epilepsy beams on final bosses. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[@jvoz671]

IGN: Puts Gwyn from Dark Souls on Top 10 final bosses. Says you need skill to beat him. Also IGN: Proceeds to show footage of Gywn getting owned.

[@user-jn8dm8yl3e]

That's the point of having skill. What's wrong with used footage of a skilled player?

[@RandomDude1487]

Every Undertale final boss is the best final boss in gaming

[@Rayyan_272]

Undertale only have one final boss😑

[@Silas_Olveda]

Dracula from Castlevania, enough said. He should absolutely be here and to me, is the greatest final boss in video game history.

[@nurzhansergazy9271]

What is a man but a miserable pile of secrets

[@Silas_Olveda]

@@nurzhansergazy9271 But enough talk, have at you!

[@KRATOS7514]

my favourite final boss of all time is bowser in every super mario platfrom franchise

[@cor.tenebrarum]

Armstrong is the best final boss. After him there is Gael. Zeus from GoW3 and Piggsy from Manhunt should be here too

[@jacobmartin6477]

So that’s where the wrestling move “The One Winged Angel” came from…

[@coolinyt]

Bro Togoro on yu yu hakusho dark tournament was ridiculous

[@mikekasabion]

Vergil deserved the nomination over Baldur. Not even the best Bladur fight in the game!!

[@tiagoRM95]

imagine make a list of best finals bosses and put ishin in 4.

[@holyguacamole1411]

Half of this list are represented in Smash. With 2 as Fighters, 1 as a Costume, and the other 2 as Spirits.

[@cattywampuswiddershins]

Orphan of Kos and Isshin were perfect

[@Manbro2006]

You should have also added Dark Souls 2 final boss and Dark Souls 3 final boss

[@RagnarokMic]

Dark Souls 2 final bosses were really pushovers, Nashandra and Aldia were cakewalks after stuff like Lud and Zallen or the Darklurker.

[@mr.sister1272]

What about Slave Knight Gael from Dark Souls 3?

[@VictorGranados19]

the final boss in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC for DS3

[@DarcMurkee]

Earthbound! Giygas.

[@jrwhite2139]

Azuras wrath fights are insane

[@Al-eo2li]

Just clicked the vid hoping Virgil would be here.

[@erikarriaga1714]

The last boss from devil may cry was pretty hard to beat

[@geryjunsofyan1524]

honorable mention : DS3 soul of cinder/slave knight gael, BB gherman, orphan of koss

[@opetrikg]

Where is Mizar from Jet Force Gemini?

[@BladeNinja]

No NYX from Persona 3?

[@dalinarkholin8871]

Where is Gyigas? :(

[@TheWieldofrost]

Final boss from Hades.

[@JDragon272]

Oh man… Number 1 - The Boss. That was also the saddest ending, very powerful. Boss: “There’s only room for one Boss… and one Snake.”

[@cliffnasa3560]

Crazy no Kingdom Hearts mentions. Sephiroth was way more difficult to beat in KH1 imo.

[@Xaphnir]

This is final bosses, not all bosses

[@sjsharp2007]

In terms of Boss fights for me my favourites aer probably Saren from the first Mass Effect and the Archdemon from Dragon Age Origins

[@ath85]

Where is Mike Tyson from Mike Tyson's Punch Out?

[@diogocunha07]

A best final boss list without vergil, zeus and senator Armstrong. WTF

[@RyuujinLetum]

It's because they're too hard lol