Ah, the boss fight — a concept as synonymous with video gaming as… apple pie. Whether it's a bombastic multi-phase monster keeping you on your toes or a bullet-sponge draining clip after clip of ammunition, you can bet there's one lurking at the end of each level, aiming to send you back to your last checkpoint until you can prove you've got the right stuff for the next one.
But if you're the type that relishes these sorts of challenges, chances are you're familiar with a secret boss or two. You know, the kind they tuck away behind a convoluted unlock process, or in that impossible-to-reach cavern on the other side of an imposing gorge. Whether they're guarding a particularly choice piece of loot or a smug sense of satisfaction, these are the opponents that the true completionists out there savor. Let's have a look at some of the best and toughest examples of these hidden adversaries.
Updated January 16, 2022 by Leah Isobel: It has never been a better time to be a JRPG fan. 2021 saw the genre rocket back into consciousness with a series of excellent and high-profile games, and many of these new releases brought with them some hardcore hidden bosses of their own. If you're interested in where you can find these extra-tough foes, read on, but be warned: these battles are not for the faint of heart. Besting these enemies will take every bit of your ingenuity – and probably more than a few health potions as well.
14 Shiva – Shin Megami Tensei 5
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Shiva is Shin Megami Tensei 5's ultimate boss, a classification reserved for particularly powerful demons who you won't encounter on the main story route. If you want to fight Shiva, you'll have to defeat the demon Vasuki as a part of the quest The Three Keys. From here, a portal will open up nearby that will take you to Shiva.
Shiva's powerful attacks include a spell called Tandava, which does AoE damage and drops your party's defense to rock bottom. He'll also summon other demons if he's alone, and as the fight continues the number of demons he can summon actually increases. These extra summons can heal him and block his elemental weaknesses while continuing to debuff your party, making this fight a huge headache for even the most skilled players.
13 Culex – Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG was developed by the RPG mavens at Squaresoft (now Square Enix), but it's much more approachable than most of their other games. That is unless you unlock the optional Culex fight. In order to reach him, you'll have to acquire the Shiny Stone from an optional trading sidequest in Mole Town, and then use it on a locked door in Monstro Town.
Culex is accompanied by four elemental crystals, which attack independently and can use some of the most powerful spells in the game. Their combined HP dwarfs every other enemy, including the story's final boss. If you want to face him, you'll have to get ready for a grueling battle.
12 Chronos – Tales Of Arise
Cameo battles are a Tales series tradition, and Tales of Arise is no different. Chronos first served as one of the main villains in Tales Of Xillia 2, combining godly powers with a burning contempt for humanity. In Tales Of Arise, Chronos lurks in the postgame dungeon, which is themed after previous entries in the series.
Chronos has some of the most powerful attacks in the game, and he can even freeze time to attack while you're defenseless. He can one-shot your party members if you aren't careful. You'll need to be ready to dodge at a moment's notice and stock up on healing items in order to survive the fight.
11 Gladiator Orion – Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has a pretty deep selection of optional Superbosses, and though Gladiator Orion isn't the highest-leveled Superboss, he's definitely the most difficult. He's accessible as soon as you arrive in the Cliffs of Morytha, located in a secret area in the lower level.
Gladiator Orion is so difficult because he has incredibly strong base attacks, some really annoying AoE attacks, and he's very resistant to Break status, which keeps you from building up damage. Furthermore, when his health drops beneath a certain threshold, he'll become Enraged and proceed to dodge your next sequence of attacks, making this fight a real slog.
10 Sans – Undertale
One of Undertale's coolest features is how it lets you spare your enemies in battle, but that option has a darker flipside: you can also kill every possible enemy in the game. This is known as the Genocide Route, and this path through the game results in a boss fight against Sans, who is normally a helpful NPC during the other routes.
Though Sans is only at level 1, he's also the hardest fight in any of the game's runs. He dodges your attacks repeatedly while forcing you to execute fast-paced and extremely difficult platforming challenges in order to avoid taking damage. As you progress in the fight, he'll also attack your menu screens, breaking the game's mechanics and forcing you to think on your feet. Defeating him triggers some of Undertale's most heartbreaking dialogue and leaves you wondering if all that challenge was worth it.
9 Night Terror – Soulcalibur 3
The Night Terror is the ultimate form of Soulcalibur 3's antagonist Nightmare. In order to fight him, players must play the "Tale of Souls" story mode quest. Players must follow a specific path, which varies for each character, without losing a single match.
Once this is done, Night Terror will appear as the final boss. Compared to other opponents, Night Terror is the strongest character in the game. Not only is it impossible to interrupt his attacks, but he is also immune to defeat by ring out. His attacks include an eye beam that can’t be blocked, as well as an attack that can cut a player’s health in half.
8 Emil – Nier: Automata
As a disembodied head, Emil from Nier: Automata does not appear all that threatening. In reality, he is the game's optional super boss. After beating the game, the player must complete the "Emil's Memories" side quest to unlock his house. After performing a series of tasks, Emil will enter into a fight with the player.
As a level 99 boss, Emil overwhelms players with both swarms of small Emil heads, along with giant heads that fire powerful lasers. It is recommended that players should be at least level 50 or higher with maxed-out weapons and stats to even have a hope of damaging him.
7 Rodin – Bayonetta franchise
Rodin is the barkeep and merchant that sells items to titular character Bayonetta. In both games, he is an optional boss that players can fight after collecting 10 million halos to purchase a platinum ticket. In Bayonetta, he appears as the angelic Father Rodin. In this form, he is far more powerful than the game’s final boss, Father Baldur.
He appears as a boss again in Bayonetta 2, but with a demonic form known as Rodin the Infinite One. Furthermore, in both games, he can use an attack that drains Bayonetta of almost all her health. To make matters worse, healing items cannot be used while fighting Rodin.
6 Caroline and Justine – Persona 5
Caroline and Justine appear as wardens in Persona 5 and are tasked with overseeing the protagonist’s “rehabilitation”. They also serve as an optional boss after beating the game in New Game+.
Just like the protagonist, Caroline and Justine can summon a variety of personas to use during battle. As the fight drags on and they take more damage, their attacks grow more powerful. Adding to the difficulty is that they must be defeated at the same time. If the player defeats only one, the other will simply revive them on their next turn. Furthermore, if they are not defeated within 50 turns the player is automatically defeated.
5 Karstaag – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Despite already being dead, players have the option of fighting the spirit of the frost giant Karstaag in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In order to summon him, players must first find his skull and take it back to his throne. The moment he appears, Karstaag will begin hunting the player down.
It is next to impossible to confront him directly. Not only does his stomping attack cause immense damage, but his frost cloak slowly chips away at the player's health. Furthermore, he summons powerful Ice Wraiths to assist him in battle. Players that manage to defeat him will receive the power to summon his spirit in battle, but only three times.
4 Dullahan – Golden Sun: The Lost Age
The Dullahan is a super boss from Golden Sun: The Lost Age. Players can only fight it after collecting all 72 Djinns from both games. As the strongest boss, it has the highest overall stats in the game. In addition to having 16,000 HP, it can move three times per turn, as well as regenerate both its health and magic power.
In the game's hard mode, its base stats do not benefit from a 1.5x increase like other enemies. This is because it is impossible for the game to make it any stronger. As a reward for successfully defeating it, players receive the Iris Summon, which is the strongest in the game.
3 Lingering Will – Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
The Lingering Will is a secret boss that appears in Kingdom Hearts II – Final Mix. It is incredibly powerful, and even surpasses Sephiroth in terms of difficulty. To unlock it, players must beat the entire game and unlock all worlds. After going to the Hall of Cornerstone, a portal will appear to the Keyblade Graveyard, where the Lingering Will awaits.
Defeating it requires patience and above all accurate timing to dodge its powerful attacks. Placing among the highest tier of bosses, its attack power and exceptional mobility make it a dangerous threat. It can easily defeat the player with a single blow.
2 Nameless King – Dark Souls 3
Out of all the bosses in the Dark Souls series, the Nameless King is one of the most powerful. To fight this boss, players must travel to Archdragon Peak, where they must ring a bell to summon him.
One of the reasons why he is so difficult is because he is two bosses in one. Before facing him, players must first defeat his mount, the King of the Storms. However, even without his mount, defeating the Nameless King is no easy task. Just one of his attacks is enough to inflict major damage. Thus, it is vital for players to constantly keep their health above a certain level when facing him.
1 Penance – Final Fantasy X
Penance is widely considered as the most powerful boss in Final Fantasy X. Players cannot fight Penance until after they've defeated eight other powerful optional bosses known as the Dark Aeons. It has over 12 million HP, high stats, devastating attack power, and can also absorb elemental attacks.
The most dangerous abilities in its arsenal include the power to petrify characters, remove 75 percent of their full health, drain all their MP, recover large amounts of HP each turn, as well as shatter party members. Its strongest attack is Judgment Day, which robs every party member of 99,999 HP and 999 MP.
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