Best bosses in shumps

[Mania23]

Hi all,

What are your favourite bosses you've encountered? After completing Darius Gaiden last night, one of my favourites is the Golden Ogre, first stage zone A. Easy as hell to beat, but just the mechanics of it just perfect!, Never known a fish to fire a laser like that!

[Illyrian]

People are going to say Black Heart II from Battle Garegga.

I say the final boss of Mushi Futari Black Label. Dragon Emperion is an awesome boss!

[Squire Grooktook]

I know everyone hates bosses, especially if they are a bitch to beat!

I think you posted this on the wrong forum :3

Anyway on topic, a few notable ones for me:

Games where pretty much every boss is amazing:

G-Darius
Gradius V
Dogyuun
Armed Police Batrider
Final Boss
Battle Garegga
Ginga Force
Mecha Ritz
Touhou 10: Mountain of Faifth
Dodonpachi
Dodonpachi DOJ
Ketsui
Dimahoo

Stand out examples of amazing boss design:

Stage 3 boss in Dangun Feveron
Final Boss in Biometal
Cho Ren Sha 68k Blimp Rush on stage 4 and the TLB
Eschatos stage 4 boss
Stage 3 boss in Einhander
Final Boss in Ikaruga
"Forest of Dead", "Ninja Castle" and "Kingdom Grandprix" stage bosses in Shippu Mahou Daisakusen
Stage 2 and 5 bosses in Mahou Daisakusen
Stage 2 boss in Aero Chimera

Really too many bosses I like to list, I could easily write a few pages about various bosses and why I like them.

[Mania23]

I know everyone hates bosses, especially if they are a bitch to beat!

I think you posted this on the wrong forum :3

Anyway on topic, a few notable ones for me:

Games where pretty much every boss is amazing:

G-Darius
Gradius V
Dogyuun
Armed Police Batrider
Final Boss
Battle Garegga
Ginga Force
Mecha Ritz
Touhou 10: Mountain of Faifth
Dodonpachi
Dodonpachi DOJ
Ketsui
Dimahoo

Stand out examples of amazing boss design:

Stage 3 boss in Dangun Feveron
Final Boss in Biometal
Cho Ren Sha 68k Blimp Rush on stage 4 and the TLB
Eschatos stage 4 boss
Stage 3 boss in Einhander
Final Boss in Ikaruga
"Forest of Dead", "Ninja Castle" and "Kingdom Grandprix" stage bosses in Shippu Mahou Daisakusen
Stage 2 and 5 bosses in Mahou Daisakusen
Stage 2 boss in Aero Chimera

Really too many bosses I like to list, I could easily write a few pages about various bosses and why I like them.

I've reworded my message

[trap15]

Final Boss in Biometal

Can't agree. Way too much HP, pretty much a single attack, safe-spot that trivializes the entire fight. Other than those things, it is pretty good though.

[Squire Grooktook]

Final Boss in Biometal

Can't agree. Way too much HP, pretty much a single attack, safe-spot that trivializes the entire fight. Other than those things, it is pretty good though.

Lasts a little too long, but I like the random chaos of it. Very tense.

Also the safe spot trivializes it? My experience is that you have to keep leaving in order to hit him with gam boomerang, and that it's only good for brief moments of shield recovery (if you can make it up there).

[chempop]

Dimahoo, Air Gallet, and Guwange really stand out for me.

[Squire Grooktook]

^^^ Oh yeah, those are great. I'm not as fond of the stage 4 boss (kind of predictable in comparison) but bosses 1-3 in Air Gallet are super awesome, and Guwange has lots of amazing stuff too.

[Shepardus]

Armed Police Batrider (Confrict is probably my favorite stage 1 boss in any shmup), Radiant Silvergun, Akashicverse -Malicious Wake-, Darius Gaiden, G-Darius, and Great Mahou Daisakusen are probably my favorite games when it comes to bosses. I also like Battle Garegga (Nose Lavagghin, Mad Ball, Black Heart II, Glow Squid), Touhou 11 - Subterranean Animism (Touhou in general but SA in particular), Touhou 12.8 - Great Fairy Wars (the extra stage boss specifically), Crimzon Clover: World Ignition, Ketsui, and Hellsinker a lot.

[Xyga]

With an average of 5~6 stages per game, that's a lot of stage bosses to think about.

Probably nobody's ever played everything but over decades it could amount to several hundreds of games, easily over a thousand or two for the most enthusiast, *5~6...quite the memory challenge !

I'll give the finger and say Radiant Silvergun's got some of the most awesome bosses ever.

[Eaglet]

Junky Monkey (or however you spell it) from Garegga is one of my favourite bosses.
You start of with two survival forms, one being particularly tricky and end with the most fun boss milking in the game.
Also a great way to practice sight reading if you pump up the rank.

[Illyrian]

Armed Police Batrider (Confrict is probably my favorite stage 1 boss in any shmup), Radiant Silvergun, Akashicverse -Malicious Wake-, Darius Gaiden, G-Darius, and Great Mahou Daisakusen are probably my favorite games when it comes to bosses. I also like Battle Garegga (Nose Lavagghin, Mad Ball, Black Heart II, Glow Squid), Touhou 11 - Subterranean Animism (Touhou in general but SA in particular), Touhou 12.8 - Great Fairy Wars (the extra stage boss specifically), Crimzon Clover: World Ignition, Ketsui, and Hellsinker a lot.

Absolutely agree with the Armed Police Batrider comment. Modular bosses that change their attacks based on how you fight them/blow up parts are awesome.

I would also agree with Dimahoo if the bosses weren't so bloody hard.

[Bananamatic]

sdoj hibachi
especially on expert

[Perikles]

With an average of 5~6 stages per game, that's a lot of stage bosses to think about.

No kidding. I'm feverishly trying to recollect all or at least most of the games, no easy task at all!

I might go into more detail later on, but for now I'm just going to leave a list. Not all of the bosses are overly impressive as far as the fight is concerned, they might "only" exude a great style that resonated with me. Bolded titles are particular favorites of mine.

Spoiler

Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie
Crying
Darius II
Darius Force
Dennin Aleste
Dragon Saber
Final Blaster
Forgotten Worlds
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Gradius II
Gradius Gaiden
Granada
Image Fight II
Keio Yuugekitai
Kidou Soukou Dion
Kiki Kaikai
Kiki Kaikai: Nazo no Kuro Manto
Mr. Heli no Daibouken
Nexzr
Phelios
Rabio Lepus (Special)
Rayxanber II
Rayxanber III
R-Type
R-Type II
R-Type III
R-Type Delta
Salamander 2
Silpheed
Sol-Deace
Uchuu no Kishi: Tekkaman Blade ( )
Undeadline
Vapor Trail
Viewpoint
Violent Soldier
V-V

[Captain]

Hellsinker most definitely.

[SMC]

Gofer because he's the strongest

[copy-paster]

Gofer because he's the strongest

.

For me, G-Darius bosses was rather gigantic and has awesome fights, also all of Batrider boss fights are fast-paced with excellent FM synth music.

Almost forgot with Doom in Salamander 2, definitely the most hardest Gradius final bosses.

[Jeneki]

I love boss fights that have lots of bits to blow off, which then get replaced by bigger meaner bits as the fight goes on. Lots of Raizing games do this, also see the final stage 3 boss in Radiant Silvergun, and stage 2 boss in Cyvern (probably my favorite boss fight ever).

[evil_ash_xero]

Not my favorite boss, but who doesn't love cat spider?

RSG had some unreal bosses. The last boss, and the Thunderbird come to mind.
Ikaruga's first boss, is one of my favorites, as well.

[Nick420]

Everything in gradiusV
Everything in ddp
Everything in RSG, but especially the circular boss that changes to a cross. Just loving that game so much ATM.
The stage 4 boss on espgaluda2
Ikaruga bosses are sick
Everything from blazing star

[trap15]

Final Boss in Biometal

Can't agree. Way too much HP, pretty much a single attack, safe-spot that trivializes the entire fight. Other than those things, it is pretty good though.

Lasts a little too long, but I like the random chaos of it. Very tense.

Also the safe spot trivializes it? My experience is that you have to keep leaving in order to hit him with gam boomerang, and that it's only good for brief moments of shield recovery (if you can make it up there).

There's a second one right in front of him. Only need to leave it if the tail is coming, in which case you can use the other safespot you mentioned.

[Giest118]

Speaking as someone who isn't the biggest fan of Ikaruga, I have to say, Tageri is really, really fucking cool.

Blue Wish Resurrection has my favorite TLB of any shmup.

The drill duel in Final Boss.

Diabolos from Crimzon Clover.

Espgaluda stage 4 boss.

[pegboy]

Gradius V has some really cool bosses, my favorites is the Blaster Cannon Core (Stage 5) - Pretty much a perfectly designed fight that comes in 2 forms. First form is invulnerable and involves the player trying to hide from the bullets by "digging" holes into a asteroid field. The second form requires the player to utilize the (now moving) asteroids as shields to hide from the onslaught of bullets.

The stage 7 bosses are also pretty awesome, especially Beacon and Keeper's core.

[Nick420]

Gradius V has some really cool bosses, my favorites is the Blaster Cannon Core (Stage 5) - Pretty much a perfectly designed fight that comes in 2 forms. First form is invulnerable and involves the player trying to hide from the bullets by "digging" holes into a asteroid field. The second form requires the player to utilize the (now moving) asteroids as shields to hide from the onslaught of bullets.

The stage 7 bosses are also pretty awesome, especially Beacon and Keeper's core.

While that gradiusV stage 5 boss is awesome, damn that mother fucker breaks my balls so hard every damn time, while I can smash the rest of the bosses, (stage 6 boss final form fucks me up quite a bit too) but so many runs end at stage 5 boss, or I scrape through with only one life in stock etc.

Still absolutely in my top 3 shmups though.

[jepjepjep]

Ms. Garra is pretty epic.

[Weak Boson]

Gluon IU

Neutrino milk

[Stevens]

Shame I never got into Border Down cause that game has some serious fucking bosses, particularly stage 3G.

Others I like for various reasons:

Fast Striker:

Stages 3 and 4 - Not really the boss designs or even the music here, but the fights are fun because they force you to use the entire screen. 3 chases you around the screen at the start of the fight and 4 gets behind you midway through the fight before returning to the top of the screen.

Stage 6 - Final showdown with the Guardian, great music and some intense patterns.

Mars Matrix: Scarab - Because who the fuck doesn't like giant mechanized insects? Which brings be to..

Strikers 1945 II and Zero Gunner 2 Stage 5:

Giant mechanized arachnids, a scorpion and giant spider respectively.

Clearly Psikyo learned at this point cause there are lots of insects in 99.

Valkyrius - Stage 3 Core (especially on extreme/ultra). Bullets everywhere and probably the best use of the warp mechanic in the game.

[Xyga]

Don't forget the creepy-sexy NCS/Masaya bosses (Cho Aniki, Gynoug)

[Squire Grooktook]

I think Dimahoo has amazing boss's the whole way through...if only the first three stages didn't feel so poorly paced and wonky in difficulty balance. Stage 4 is where "the real dimahoo begins" but that's a bit too late.

Scarab/Crab Battle in Mars Matrix is indeed the coolest fucking thing.

Odin in Rayforce is sick, especially at high rank.

I'm one of those odd ducks who likes Maelstrom more than Diabolosis in Crimzon Clover.

Stage 2 boss in Dragon Breed is fun to fight and one of the most awesomely Lovecraftian designs in a shmup.

There's a second one right in front of him. Only need to leave it if the tail is coming, in which case you can use the other safespot you mentioned.

Oh shit, didn't know that lol.

[Nick420]

Just buzzed in here to say...
Centipede mutha fuka from psyvariar revision!!!!!!!! (Stage one or 1b or sumit haha, fuck knows. Not about to break out ps2 or watch utube video to find out haha. Prob b less effort than to write this explanation but whatever, fuck it.)
Gluon from psyvariar revision!

Also.

That bad ass zombie from death smiles 2. Say what you want about that game but my experience went down like this....
Played it a few times....
Wtf? this sucks! Major dissapointment after ds1, not into theme or graphics...why cave...why!!??!...followed by, actually how the fuck did this even happen...caves best chance to break through and....this?
Wtf is the deal with this stage 1, this is not fun....boss is pretty fun though...
Watch replay.
Ah that's how to play and beat reindeer.
Stage 2 starts, all my shit is full!
Score buzz realisation, holy shit this is actually really fun!!!
Few credits go by. Point blanking everything, experiencing a rapid learning experience, point items flying all over the fucking place, having a fucking blast.
Zombie boss is fucking awesome! I all of a sudden fucking love this game!!!!
Lose against final boss with about 4mm health left.
Stop playing for a while,
Come back, fuck I completely suck at this game?, I can't remember how to play this at all anymore haha, can do none of the shit I was doing before lol.
Why the fuck did you just not play it for a while longer...?
Haha
All that said and done, I think it's a really brilliant shooter, probably the most fun cave game to score in(ducks,...riot shield rising...) that's what makes it brilliant. Although, in many other regards..it's a tragedy, (maybe I'm being completely off the mark here) but I just feel this was a huge missed opportunity for cave. If they had of just released the exact same game, (gameplay wise) with the same kind of awesome pixel graphics ds had the world might just have woken up.

Anyways all that to say that I think that zombie boss is totally fukin sick, very fun battle. Kinda ended up turning into a sob, why did it go down like this?. post but anyways haha