174 replies to this topic

[Speed]

Let's get this thing started! I received 11 lists total, and over 181 different bosses were nominated. So, out of all of these possibilities, why did I decide to only list the top 23? Simple, my dear friends. From the 24th and on, most of the entries had only a single vote. This resulted in almost half a dozen ties for each position past what I've decided to post here.

I have to say, I didn't expect such a wide variety of nominations, and I learned a lot about 11 of our forumers' video game lists. I'll wrap this post up, and we can get going!

[Speed]

“…”



23. Tabuu (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
27 Points (3 of 11 lists. Highest Ranking #4 Jisen Kumori)

Serving as the end boss and primary antagonist of Nintendo’s 2008 Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Tabuu appears late in the game, clearly demonstrating his power without every needing to speak a word. The leader of shadowy soldiers known as the Subspace Army, he begins a plan to take control of the Smash World, ripping circular chunks of the world into his own dimension.

Though he never speaks, and has almost no backstory, Tabuu leaves no doubt about his power. His first appearance in the game reveals that he had been controlling the Master Hand, the main antagonist of the first two Smash Bros. titles. Soon after, he effortlessly transforms all of the heroes into trophies, leaving nobody awake to stop him. It is only with the foresight of King Dedede and the timely intervention of Sonic the Hedgehog that the heroes are able to return to normal and resist being instantly defeated once again.

Even without his instant-victory attack, Tabuu is a powerful opponent. Before the player is allowed to face him, he creates and attacks with clones of the game’s characters, challenging the game’s protagonists to fight shadowy versions of their allies and themselves. Once Tabuu himself is reached, the fight only gets more difficult. Floating around the stage, he teleports instantly from one side of the stage to the other .Several of his attacks are capable of killing the player in a single hit, and all of them have enough power to defeat the player in a very short amount of time. Carefully timed dodges and opportunistic attacks are vital to defeating Tabuu, restoring the World and saving it from the darkness of Subspace.

[Homie]

Still haven't gotten his trophy.

[EnigmaticThief]

Ah, Tabuu. While an intimidating opponent, he's a bit too Generic Evil for my tastes.

[Azalea]

I think the three people who put Tabuu on their lists are mainly just giving him props for how soul-crushingly hard he is to beat, even in the easier difficulty settings.

[Speed]

I don't know about that, Az. I can't speak for them, of course, but I think there's something to respect about him. He's mysterious. He's powerful, and not just in a gameplay sense. The developers showed the player that they should fear him by having him do terrifying things, without giving him a backstory or characterization to weaken that sense of dread.

[Desperado]

Hmm, I remember him being tough. But not that tough.

[Orky Kultur]

I thought Tabuu was reasonably difficult. But then I do most bosses/mini-bosses. He was harder than most I've faced so far in Twilight Princess, but compared to other games I wouldn't say I had particularly more difficulty with him than most, and less than some (I find every other boss to be 'that one boss').

[Herald Loveall]

I think the three people who put Tabuu on their lists are mainly just giving him props for how soul-crushingly hard he is to beat, even in the easier difficulty settings.

Well that's pretty much why I put him on mine. Though I only put him at spot #23. And if I hadn't forgotten about one really great boss until it was too late that I'm regretting leaving off my list now he would have been #24. So yeah, I gave him props for being a difficult boss with an instant KO attack that I never did figure out how to dodge, but not that many comparatively.

[Cukeman]

Tabuu is just the lovechild of Marx and Nightmare. Granted, the way I phrased it, that does make him sound horrifying, but my point is that it's just another example of how unimaginative SSE is in terms of gameplay.

Also, his difficulty as a boss is Fake Difficulty. Once you're able to avoid the Off Waves, he's a pushover. The second time I beat him on Intense (I can't remember if it happened the first time), I beat him without taking damage.

[Speed]

“I HATE THAT HEDGEHOG!”


22. Dr. Ivo Robotnik/Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog series)
29 Points (2 of 11 lists. Highest Ranking #7 Homie)

First appearing in the 1991 Sonic the Hedgehog game, Doctor Ivo Robotnik (AKA Doctor Eggman) has served as the primary antagonist of everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog in nearly every adaptation of the character. If Sonic appears in a video game, cartoon, movie, or comic book, there is a good chance that the doctor will show his face sooner or later.

The most notable characteristics of Robotnik are his egg-shaped body and his extremely high level of intelligence. Possessing an IQ of 300, he is a veritable expert in the field of robotics, frequently battling Sonic with his mechanical creations. One of his most famous inventions has become an antagonist in its own right; he has developed and built a metal version of his greatest foe, known as Metal Sonic. This robot is capable of matching and even surpassing the speeds of the genuine Sonic the Hedgehog. He even possesses the intellectual capabilities of transforming living creatures into machines.

Ultimately, Robotnik’s dream is to take over the world and create a utopia under his iron-fisted rule. To accomplish this, he often seeks out the Chaos Emeralds, planning to use their incredible energies to power his Death Egg superweapon. Despite his technological genius, he is always bested by the world’s fastest hedgehog, though the doctor’s repeated attempts show a truly determined spirit.

Though Sonic’s numerous battles with Dr. Robotnik/Eggman make it difficult to summarize the battles, and impossible to do so in a single post, one aspect is extremely prevalent through nearly all of them. Robotnik keeps himself inside of his metal creations, allowing them to attack and defend him. If Sonic is able to dodge the mechanical monstrosities and wear down the protection they offer, the doctor is left helpless and defeated. He is famous for being a super-genius and inventor extraordinaire, but Dr. Robotnik will never be known for his physical prowess.

(Which, of course, proves that brawn will always beat brains.)

[Cukeman]

Eggman is this low?? BLASPHEMY.

...that said, main reason he wasn't on my list was because i wasn't aware I could just say "Eggman" and leave it at that... I figured I'd have to make a reference to a specific fight.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Well, I forgot to submit my list, so here it is in no particular order...

Monster X (Cave Story)
Fracktail (Super Paper Mario)
Sa-Matra (Star Control 2: The Ur-Quan Master)
Francis (Super Paper Mario)
Bugaboom (Super Mario Galaxy)
Tarantox (Super Mario Galaxy)

Part of the reason I hadn't submitted yet was that I was trying to think of more.

[Homie]

Robotnik is a BAWSS, Eggman is a punk.

[Uber]

Hey, only two bosses in and one from my list shows up! Sure, I'd specified the Sonic 2 iteration, but you can't help but like him as a villain regardless of where he shows up. Plus, his flying ball-thing doesn't have that stupid clown face painted on it...

[Kite]

You should have used the picture from the old cartoon.

HEY! Evil clown faces are awesome okay. Don't be dissing the clowns yos.

[EnigmaticThief]

Robotnik representin'! I suppose I somewhat count towards his presence on the list; I didn't have the man himself but rather a couple of his creations on my 25.

[Azalea]

Fun fact: "Robotnik" is the Polish word for "worker."

[Desperado]

Ah Robotnik. I think the only reason I didn't put him on the list because I couldn't nail down one of his fights that stood out more than the other.

[Cukeman]

Fun fact: "Robotnik" is the Polish word for "worker."

Yes, and it's from that word that we get the word "robot". True story.