History Main / ClimaxBoss

* Several in ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath''. Each of them is an episode all on their own, or at least have a fight that lasts most of the episode. The fights against [[FatBastard Wyzen]], [[BadassGrandpa Augus]], [[spoiler:Olga's Fleet with [[OneWingedAngel Berserker Asura]]]], [[spoiler:The Final Deus Fight]], and ESPECIALLY [[spoiler:[[TrueFinalBoss Gohma Vlitra]]]] are stand out examples.
** The real kicker? If the DLC trailer for Asura's Wrath is any indication, [[spoiler:[[BiggerBad The Golden Spider]] will be the ultimate example in the entire game.]]
*** [[spoiler:[[UpToEleven Boy is he ever!]]]]

* KirbysReturnToDreamland gives us [[FeatheredFiend Grand Doomer]], whose defeat triggers the completion of the Lor Starcutter and the group arriving at Halcandra.

** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' has [[spoiler:Xion]], who has three forms and was a major part of the game's story. The actual final boss, Riku, only really serves to set up ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.

** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' has two of these. Vexen serves as this in Sora's story, in which he is the first Organization member to be rematched, and right in the middle of a WhamEpisode; he is also the first [[spoiler:[[CharacterDeath to be killed off]]]]. In Reverse/Rebirth, this role is given to Zexion, despite being TheUnfought in the GameBoyAdvance version: he attempts to trap Riku in an illusion, only for this to [[NiceJobFixingItVillain backfire]] when Riku [[IAmWhatIAm finally embraces his inner darkness]]; he is also the ''last'' Organization member in the game (but not the series) [[spoiler:[[CharacterDeath to be killed off]]]].

* The fights against Dragon-Maleficent and [[spoiler: Possessed!]]Riku in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts''.

** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' has [[spoiler:Xion]], who has three forms and was a major part of the game's story. The actual final boss, Riku, only really serves to set up ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.

* [[spoiler:Templar Octienne]], [[spoiler:the Balor]], and Gadflow in ''KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning''.

* [[spoiler:Shadow Mitsuo]], the boss of Void Quest in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}. [[spoiler:Both in gameplay because he tends to be [[ThatOneBoss a brick wall for many players]], and in story because the Investigation Team thinks his arrest will bring the end of the kidnappings. [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle It doesn't.]]]]

* [[spoiler:Barlowe]] in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia''.

** Baron Luca: As an {{Expy}} of Dracula from VideoGame/{{Castlevania}}, he, at half-health, turns into his demonic bat form, just like Dracula himself, which deals a bit more damage than his first form.

* Vaas in FarCry3.
* The Cyberdemon in ''{{Doom}}''. It was even featured on the sequel's cover!

* Ugh Zan III in Serious Sam - The First Encounter. Probably the tallest boss at its time in first-person shooters.

* The first battle with Barthandelus in VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII fits this trope perfectly.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' has these at the end (or near the end) of each Acts:

Note that to qualify for this trope, the boss must be at least somewhat of a challenge; if they're a complete pushover, that's [=AntiClimaxBoss=]. However, the boss fight does not have to be overly difficult, and a [[ThatOneBoss particularly difficult boss fight]] does not qualify as a ClimaxBoss unless it comes at a climactic point in the plot. {{Final Boss}}es also do not qualify, nor do bosses fought very close to the FinalBoss; ideally a ClimaxBoss would take place somewhere around the two-thirds or three-quarters mark, not nine-tenths.

Contrast [=AntiClimaxBoss=], ThatOneBoss, FinalBoss. Inversion is TheUnfought, where this kind of battle is set up, but never happens. [[AccidentalInnuendo It isn't usually required to beat them in]] OrgasmicCombat.

** Unless you just jump on his chair and punch him in the face, then he's a textbook [=AntiClimaxBoss=].

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' has Connor against [[spoiler:his father Haytham]], mainly since he's a far more effective swordsman than any other enemy in the game and requires a [[PuzzleBoss specific move to beat him]]. He actually feels more like a final boss than the [[[=AntiClimaxBoss=] actual]] [[CutsceneBoss final boss.]]

Note that to qualify for this trope, the boss must be at least somewhat of a challenge; if they're a complete pushover, that's AntiClimaxBoss. However, the boss fight does not have to be overly difficult, and a [[ThatOneBoss particularly difficult boss fight]] does not qualify as a ClimaxBoss unless it comes at a climactic point in the plot. {{Final Boss}}es also do not qualify, nor do bosses fought very close to the FinalBoss; ideally a ClimaxBoss would take place somewhere around the two-thirds or three-quarters mark, not nine-tenths.

Contrast AntiClimaxBoss, ThatOneBoss, FinalBoss. Inversion is TheUnfought, where this kind of battle is set up, but never happens. [[AccidentalInnuendo It isn't usually required to beat them in]] OrgasmicCombat.

** Unless you just jump on his chair and punch him in the face, then he's a textbook AnticlimaxBoss.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' has Connor against [[spoiler:his father Haytham]], mainly since he's a far more effective swordsman than any other enemy in the game and requires a [[PuzzleBoss specific move to beat him]]. He actually feels more like a final boss than the [[AntiClimaxBoss actual]] [[CutsceneBoss final boss.]]

* The wizard Agahnim, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''. Link [[HijackedByGanon only]] ''[[HijackedByGanon thought]]'' [[HijackedByGanon he was the]] BigBad.

** Baron Luca: As an {{Expy}} of Dracula from {{Castlevania}}, he, at half-health, turns into his demonic bat form, just like Dracula himself, which deals a bit more damage than his first form.

* Hanged Man, the last of the Full Moon Shadows, in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesXillia2'', it's [[spoiler: Victor]], who's ''definitely'' ThatOneBoss.

* ''LegendOfDragoon'' had roughly one per disc. Disc 1 had [[DualBoss Feyrbrand and Graham]] and Freugal (second time), Disc 2 had Lenus (first time) and Disc 3 had the Divine Dragon. Freugal and Divine Dragon were variations in that a lengthy amount of plot was developed after defeating them that had nothing to do with the bosses themselves. In addition, the final bosses to the first three discs usually had a large plot bomb dropped on the player either before or after the fight.

* ''MassEffect'' allows you to come face-to-face with [[BigBad Saren]] on Virmire, right after you learn the [[EldritchAbomination true nature]] of Sovereign, the [[SentientStarship starship]] he's been using to wreak havoc around the galaxy and brainwash people to his will, along with [[AbusivePrecursors its goals]]. He possesses powers from all three of the [[ClassAndLevelSystem skill trees]] available in the game and is an example of HeadsIWinTailsYouLose, considering that no matter how much damage you do him he gets away scot-free, leaving you to make a SadisticChoice on whether to save [[spoiler:Kaidan or Ashley]] when you destroy his base.
** ''MassEffect2'' has the mission on the abandoned Collector ship featuring ''that'' game's BigBad, Harbinger, whom you never directly confront but rather have to defeat his multiple drones which he can VillainOverride. This isn't your first time confronting such an avatar, but that occasion falls under WakeUpCallBoss. This is right after you learn that his plan for an AlienAbduction is considerably larger in scale than believed, and that the Collectors are all that's left of [[spoiler:the [[BenevolentPrecursors Protheans]]]].
** ''MassEffect3'''s closest equivalent is the fight on Thessia, where the underpinnings of the Asari culture are totally undermined, [[TheDragon Kai Leng]] steals the secret of the McGuffin that you've been trying to construct in order to have any chance of winning or surviving the war with [[AbusivePrecursors the Reapers]], and like in ''MassEffect1'', is another HeadsIWinTailsYouLose.

** ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald]]'' have another ClimaxBoss: Norman, the fifth Gym Leader, and the player's father. Despite the fact that his Gym is closest to home, he refuses to fight you until you beat the other four Gym Leaders. During the entire first half of the game, growing strong enough to challenge Norman is the player's primary goal. Beating him allows the player to use the Surf TM, unlocking the right half of the Hoenn region. Surpassing your father is what really gets you noticed by various NPCs. And Norman represents a massive spike in difficulty compared to the other Gym Leaders.