Best Bosses Ever

cwazy_wabbit · Post by **cwazy_wabbit** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:34 am

Hi all,

I'm writing a retro shMUP and have been looking for inspiration for bosses. Since you guys are the experts I was wondering if you could offer up some personal faves. A description would be useful as well if you have the time.

Cheers,

Wabbit

mainpatr1 · Post by **mainpatr1** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:34 am

Mahou Daisakusen, stage 6 boss.

Nothing is better than that one.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:37 am

first boss Tatsujin Ou > history of all other stage

jp · Post by jp » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:46 am

Final boss of Blast Wind.
Final boss/level of Hyper Duel.
Final boss/level of Thunder Force IV.
Xiga from Radiant Silvergun.
Final boss from Soukyuugurentai.

The last level of Hyper Duel and Thunder Force IV basically are big boss fights. So yeah.

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:03 am

Stage 8 boss of Fireshark, why because it stops any run I ever had
last boss of Sexy Parodius, extra stage
last boss of R-Type Delta, a strange beast
Could be more, but it's late.

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:09 am

A search turned up a few other threads about bosses, but since those were before I registered I might as well chime in on this one. There are plenty of great bosses in shooters, but since you intend to make one yourself I'll name a few that have designs you might learn something from.

Yamato from Darius II.

On Earth, one of the possible stages you'll pass through is a desolate city next to a boiled-up ocean. As you near the end of the stage the familar Darious boss siren wails and you see... the Yamato, Japan's enormous battleship of World War II fame. As you approach, it comes to life and starts firing at you with its cannons, which you have to take out one by one. Then the center section of the ship rips away, and you see it's being used as a shell by a giant hermit crab. It starts launching old Zero fighters, then switches to energy weapons after you blow its ship/shell off. An awsome, unexpected boss that changes as you fight it.

Bydo from R-Type.

One of those "puzzle" bosses that requires more tactics than "shoot 'til he's dead." You can't beat him with man-made weapons, so you have to launch your Force inside him at the right moment, then dodge like a madman as it steadily kills him.

Sinistar from.. ah, you figure it out.

The whole game revolves around Sinistar. Every stage, you're collecting bombs that are the only weapons that can hurt him, while Sinistar's minions steadily build him from scratch. Before long you'll hear his cry of "beware, I live!" Then he's coming for you. The whole presentation's designed to make him as intimidating as possible.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:43 am

The boss rush ones in the Cloud stage of Battle Bakraid. Nothing can beat HUGE AIMING TURRETS in my opinion.

That´s why I prefer Raizing bosses over Cave ones - they really take up the screen and chase you all around. Twirling, loopy stuff like in Espgaluda or Ketsui is great, too, but works on another level - Raizing bosses are just so threatening in their whole appearence. (And I never could accept Touhou bosses as a threat - they are just tiny little girls spamming the whole screen with flowery patterns. Hard, but there is just no feeling of being ATTACKED by something.)

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:25 pm

FrederikJurk wrote:The boss rush ones in the Cloud stage of Battle Bakraid. Nothing can beat HUGE AIMING TURRETS in my opinion.

That´s why I prefer Raizing bosses over Cave ones - they really take up the screen and chase you all around. Twirling, loopy stuff like in Espgaluda or Ketsui is great, too, but works on another level - Raizing bosses are just so threatening in their whole appearence. (And I never could accept Touhou bosses as a threat - they are just tiny little girls spamming the whole screen with flowery patterns. Hard, but there is just no feeling of being ATTACKED by something.)

No! Lolis rocks!!! -_-"

cwazy_wabbit · Post by **cwazy_wabbit** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:22 pm

Nice one guys thanks. I'll take a look.

Cheers

Ayanami · Post by **Ayanami** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:53 pm

Envy from Batrider.
Black Heart from Garegga.

Radiant Silvergun and Gradius V have a ton of awesome bosses as well.

ROBOTRON · Post by **ROBOTRON** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:45 pm

The Turtle in Pulstar

Bydo mothership in R-Type Final

Walking Bydo mothership in R-Type Delta

Axelay Boss Stage II 2 legged walking robot

G-Darius Had lots of good bosses

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:43 pm

I know probably only 3 shooting games ever have done this, but a nice boss to have would be a 2-3 form boss that gets increasingly complex and difficult as you destroy each progressive form.

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:05 pm

The Embryon. My version.

Leandro · Post by **Leandro** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:11 pm

The Gorilla boss in Guwange... He makes funny sounds

BIL · Post by **BIL** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 3:29 am

I'm fond of Metal Black's final boss. Not terribly difficult to understand or destroy, but since it's all about drawing his attacks around the screen and then hurrying to safety (in a slow ship), it feels very tactile and involving each time. Avoiding his Newalone Beam O' Doom is always very satisfying. Also, the imagery, soundtrack and theme combine for one odd but grand atmosphere.

I like Rayforce's fourth boss as well. Mainly for his array of difficult-yet-fun to doge attacks, but also because you're free to cheap-shot him and sidestep the whole fight (and a lot of points) at any point. It's always rewarding to weather the whole thing without dying.

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:40 am

my favorite bossed are more visually pleasing than mechanically pleasing:

the stack of rabbit girls in Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius.

the big balled tanuki in Sexy Parodius

all the horribly illustrated bosses in god panic. particularly the last boss, goddamn horribly awesome artwork right there.

lots of others. my favorite types of bosses tend to be the hard as fuck ones, the pushovers, the poorly designed ones, the beautifully designed ones, the pretty looking ones, and the ugly looking ones

FrederikJurk wrote:(And I never could accept Touhou bosses as a threat - they are just tiny little girls spamming the whole screen with flowery patterns. Hard, but there is just no feeling of being ATTACKED by something.)

and your feelings on Hibachi?

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 6:40 am

always been a fan of the train track hopping boss from strikers 45 II.

SuperGrafx · Post by **SuperGrafx** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:46 pm

You can't neglect the tank boss in Thunder Force II. First time I saw a screenshot of that in 1989, I was instantly sold on the Genesis console.

doctorx0079 · Post by **doctorx0079** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:21 am

Pretty much every boss in G.Darius is the best boss ever. Just get it, NOW.

roker · Post by **roker** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:15 am

Ayanami wrote:Envy from Batrider.

the only thing that stands between me and a 1cc

I'd also like to add that last boss of Radiant Silvergun is amazing (too bad I can't say that about the rest of the game . . . seriously, I don't see what the hype is all about).

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:34 am

Mortificator wrote:Yamato from Darius II.

On Earth, one of the possible stages you'll pass through is a desolate city next to a boiled-up ocean. As you near the end of the stage the familar Darious boss siren wails and you see... the Yamato, Japan's enormous battleship of World War II fame. As you approach, it comes to life and starts firing at you with its cannons, which you have to take out one by one. Then the center section of the ship rips away, and you see it's being used as a shell by a giant hermit crab. It starts launching old Zero fighters, then switches to energy weapons after you blow its ship/shell off. An awsome, unexpected boss that changes as you fight it.

I was gonna say something about this earlier, as this comment made me play Darius II. Cheated my way through it, yes, but I just had to see the boss :D Pretty impressive, although I wonder what the heck float planes are doing launching from inside a battleship...Yamato had room in an internal hangar for up to seven spotter planes, though.

Another fine example of the "critter using something as a shell" type boss...actually, wasn't this one of the first examples of that? It's awesome, regardless.

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:33 pm

Glad I pointed you to something cool.

Maybe the planes aren't Zeroes... I'm no expert, but they look like the pictures I've seen. But a little creative liscense doesn't hurt.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:56 pm

As far as I can see, the distinctive painted engine cap (which was on a number of WWII Japanese planes) seems longer. I had assumed the "floats" couldn't be a drop tank for fuel because drop tanks on the Zero don't have supporting struts, as far as I know. The planes in-game have two of these "floats," and also are painted green (for some reason I don't think they appeared the first time I reached the boss, odd - scalable difficulty?). That said, the Zero did have retractable landing gear. It's a mystery!

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:15 pm

Stage3 Boss:Gaires
Stage4 Boss:Gunbird2
Stage4 Boss:Espgaluda

The best ever in Imao is the second side-scrolling stage boss of Thunder Force2.

NAVVARR · Post by **NAVVARR** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:00 pm

The end of level boss in Gradius Gaiden level 3 is pretty cool- very psychadelic- to be honest tho- i think the sound effects are what make it a great boss for me.

The boss at the end of level 5 in X-Multiply that raises itself out of the water is pretty good too- very easy to beat mind.

Zeether · Post by **Zeether** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 2:14 am

BTW, the Yamato may be a reference to the Space Battleship Yamato anime...

My favorite boss? Death Double from Gradius Gaiden.