History Main / MiniBoss

* ''SuperMarioBros'' examples: Birdo in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'', Boom-Boom in ''SuperMarioBros3'', Reznor in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', Bowser Jr. in ''NewSuperMarioBros'', the first Koopaling fights in ''NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' (facing them a second time, with a tougher battlefield, counts as proper boss battles).

* ''SuperMarioBros'' examples: Birdo in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'', Boom-Boom in ''SuperMarioBros3'', Reznor in ''SuperMarioWorld'', Bowser Jr. in ''NewSuperMarioBros'', the first Koopaling fights in ''NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' (facing them a second time, with a tougher battlefield, counts as proper boss battles).

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' inverts the trope, oddly, as in each level you first face the local boss, and then Shadow Mario near the end. ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' has lots of minibosses, which are the bosses of the galaxies that precede the Grand Star stages (where the actual bosses reside).

* ''SuperMarioBros'' examples: Birdo in ''SuperMarioBros2'', Boom-Boom in ''SuperMarioBros3'', Reznor in ''SuperMarioWorld'', Bowser Jr. in ''NewSuperMarioBros'', the first Koopaling fights in ''NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' (facing them a second time, with a tougher battlefield, counts as proper boss battles).

Compare SmashMook (and some often are).

* RockManMinusInfnity
** Shadow Man is a recurring boss version of this trope. He shows up in Toad Man, Bright Man, and Pharaoh Man Robot Master stages.

** ''SuperMarioSunshine'' inverts the trope, oddly, as in each level you first face the local boss, and then Shadow Mario near the end. ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' has lots of minibosses, which are the bosses of the galaxies that precede the Grand Star stages (where the actual bosses reside).

** As for the 3D games, ''SuperMario64'' has the KingMook enemies that don't have a background boss theme (Big Boo, the Big Bullies, Mr. I, etc.), while the ones with boss music (Big Bob-Omb, Bowser, Eyerok, etc.) are obviously bosses.

* In ''{{Disgaea}}: Hour of Darkness'', RecurringBoss [[Characters/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Vyers]], known to himself as [[SpellMyNameWithAThe "The Dark Adonis"]], gets [[MyNameIsNotDurwood stuck with the nickname]] "Mid-Boss", although in fact he usually does appear as the final boss of a few stages.
** Almost everyone in Disgaea is genre-savvy, so [[Characters/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Laharl]] was likely referring to Vyers' lack of story-importance by naming him "Mid-Boss". Irony...
** Subverted, as he's actually [[spoiler:Laharl's recincarnated father and sort of TheManBehindTheMan, working together with Lamington and orchestrating the events of the entire game from the shadows to turn Laharl into a better person, so he'll accept an alliance with Celestia.]]
* Slightly subverted in ''{{Legend of Dragoon}}'', in that the sub bosses are often as powerful, if not more than the normal bosses.

* ThatOneLevel of ''FinalFantasyIV'', the Sealed Cave, is in large part that way due to the Trapdoor minibosses. Yes, plural - ''almost every door'' is a Trapdoor.

* {{Metroid}} games often have minibosses that tend to be weaker than actual bosses. In ''Super Metroid'' and ''Metroid Zero Mission'' all bosses other than final ones and the ones you need to kill to open a way to the final boss are considered minibosses. In ''Metroid Prime'' minibosses and actual bosses are easily distinquished: minibosses don't have a health bar and [[DegradedBoss tend to become recurring enemies later on]]. In Prime 2 there is no clear distinction as all bosses have a healthbar, but the Energy Controller guardians are often considered to be main bosses and the item guardians minibosses (although in this case some of the [[ThatOneBoss most annoying fights]] are item guardians). Prime 3 has several minibosses that you fight about halfway through the zones and planets (the actual bosses are the Leviathan Guardians).

* ''SuperMarioBros'' examples: Birdo in ''Super Mario Bros. 2'', Boom-Boom in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', Reznor in ''Super Mario World'', Bowser Jr. in ''New Super Mario Bros.''
** As for the 3D games, ''SuperMario64'' has the KingMook enemies that don't have a background boss theme (Big Boo, the Big Bullies, Mr. I, etc.), while the ones with boss music (Big Bob-Omb, Bowser, Eyerok, etc.) are obviously bosses. ''SuperMarioSunshine'' inverts the trope, oddly, as in each level you first face the local boss, and then Shadow Mario near the end. ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' has lots of minibosses, which are the bosses of the galaxies that precede the Grand Star stages (where the actual bosses reside).
** A somewhat odd variant appears in ''NewSuperMarioBrosWii'': the same Koopaling acts as both the mini boss and world boss of the same world, but in the main boss battle, [[TheDragon Kamek]] appears and enchants the arena, making the battle more difficult.

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** Subverted, as he's actually [[spoiler:Laharl's recincarnated father and sort of TheManBehindTheMan, working together with Lamington and orchestrating the events of the entire game from the shadows to turn Laharl into a better person.]]

->Who gives a damn about you? Your new name is "Mid-Boss".
-->--'''Laharl gives his opinion of Vyers The Dark Adonis, ''{{Disgaea}}'''''

* In the third ''FatalFury'' game, Yamazaki will step in to challenge you twice, once midway and once at the end of the arcade ladder. The first battle is a one-round fight and he's not too strong but in the second bout, the gloves come off. Succeed and you move onto the Jin brothers, [[FinalBoss Chonshu]] and (provided you do well enough against Chonshu) [[TrueFinalBoss Chonrei]].

* In ''{{Disgaea}}: Hour of Darkness'', RecurringBoss Vyers, known to himself as [[SpellMyNameWithAThe "The Dark Adonis"]], gets [[MyNameIsNotDurwood stuck with the nickname]] "Mid-Boss", although in fact he usually does appear as the final boss of a few stages.
** Almost everyone in Disgaea is genre-savvy, so Laharl was likely referring to Vyers' lack of story-importance by naming him "Mid-Boss". Irony...

* {{Metroid}} games often have minibosses that tend to be weaker than actual bosses. In ''Super Metroid'' and ''Metroid Zero Mission'' all bosses other than final ones and the ones you need to kill to open a way to the final boss are considered minibosses. In ''Metroid Prime'' minibosses and actual bosses are easily distinquished: minibosses don't have a health bar and [[DegradedBoss tend to become recurring enemies later on]]. In Prime 2 there is no clear distinction as all bosses have a healthbar, but the Energy Controller guardians are often cnsidered to be main bosses and the item guardians minibosses (altho in this case some of the [[ThatOneBoss most annoying fights]] are item guardians). Prime 3 has several minibosses that you fight about halfway through the zones.

** Oh, GOD! How could you not have Galaxy on that? I'll be damned if there isn't at least 25 of them in there!

* [[CapcomVersusSNK "W-W-Wait a sec! A new opponent has entered the arena!"]] Depending on your score, you'd either face [[StreetFighter M. Bison]] or [[FatalFury Geese Howard]].

-->'''Laharl gives his opinion of Vyers The Dark Adonis, ''{{Disgaea}}'''''

** Inverted in one stage of ''MegaManZX Advent'', when the main boss is at the beginning of one level and the midboss of that level is at the end.

* The ''LegendOfZelda'' games from ''Link's Awakening'' onward have at least one per dungeon.

* ''MegaMan'' games. They started appearing regularly in the third game(not counting BossInMookClothing enemies such as Bigeyes). The ''MegaManZero'' series has them as a mainstay of each level.
** Megaman 8 also had a miniboss at the halfway point of half the levels (Sword Man, Clown Man, Aqua Man and Grenade Man).

** Subverted in one stage of ''MegaManZX Advent'', when the main boss is at the beginning of one level and the midboss of that level is at the end.