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* The VideoGame/Bayonetta'' series typically lets you play as a boss as an unlockable character.

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* The VideoGame/Bayonetta'' ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' series typically lets you play as a boss as an unlockable character.
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* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks'' lets you play as Scorpion and Sub-Zero after clearing the game once. Though they simply take the place of the titular monks in cutscenes (including voice lines), they have their own distinct movesets and fighting styles.


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*The VideoGame/Bayonetta'' series typically lets you play as a boss as an unlockable character.
**In the first game (and the rest of the series moving forward), Bayonetta's rival Jeanne is an unlockable character. Like her boss encounters, she shares many of the same attacks and weapons as her counterpart, but her weapons have different names and appearances altogether. Her Witch Time window is also far narrower, requiring the just-dodge mechanic for it to kick in and she takes more damage than Bayonetta. The upside though is that she can dodge infinitely, unlike Bayonetta who comes to a stop after a few evades. Her Wicked Weaves are also stronger.
**In the second game, both Masked Lumen and Rodin are playable in the game's co-op mode after unlocking and clearing their respective Verse Card challenges. Neither have any customization options aside from costume choices but both are comparable to their boss encounters. The Masked Lumen lacks a Bat Within, but his Light Speed freezes enemies rather than slows them down and has access to several magic spells that can be used with special inputs. His version of Umbran Climax is his winged form. Rodin on the other hand, has no Witch Time or dodge skill. Instead, he uses a barrier to parry attacks and his attacks can be charged to devastating effect.
**While none of the bosses introduced in the third game are playable, the third game's Demon Slave technique lets the player take direct control of her giant Infernal Demons, including Gomorrah, who was the prologue boss of the second game.
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** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthbySleep'' has you play as the Lingering Will for [[spoiler: Terra's final battle which is against Xehanort in his own body.]]

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** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthbySleep'' has you play as the Lingering Will for [[spoiler: Terra's final battle which is against Xehanort in his own body.]]]] Aside from the Ultima Cannon you can get from side content, he possesses none of the attacks of his boss counterpart from KHII, only using whatever was in Terra's Command Deck prior to the final battle, sans a D-Link.

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** In a reverse example, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'''s Seymour is playable in a guest encounter before his villain reveal. Despite being established as a powerful summoner earlier in the game, the Summon command is unavailable to him. He still however has a compliment of powerful spells at his disposal and he's so strong that despite having an Overdrive, most never see it before the fight is over. You can however acquire his personal Aeon, Anima in a sidequest.
*** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX-2'''s International version has an optional gauntlet mode that allows you to recruit not only party members from the previous game, but monsters and bosses in this game as well, including one of the endbosses, [[spoiler: a suped-up mutated version of Shinra]]. However, these extra characters don't have any dedicated command menus, instead they're commanded by giving them instructions and cheering them on.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'''s Episode Ardyn allows the player to play as the eponymous antagonist and final boss in his own dedicated campaign. His final boss? [[spoiler: Noctis.]]

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** In a reverse example, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'''s Seymour is playable in a guest encounter before his villain reveal. Despite being established as a powerful summoner earlier in the game, the Summon command is unavailable to him. He still however has a compliment of powerful spells at his disposal and he's so strong that despite having an Overdrive, most never see it before the fight is over. You can however acquire his personal Aeon, Anima in a sidequest.
sidequest after his first defeat.
*** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX-2'''s ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'''s International version has an optional gauntlet mode that allows you to recruit not only party members from the previous game, but monsters and bosses in this game as well, including one of the endbosses, [[spoiler: a suped-up mutated version of Shinra]]. However, these extra characters don't have any dedicated command menus, instead they're commanded by giving them instructions and cheering them on.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'''s ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'''s Episode Ardyn allows the player to play as the eponymous antagonist and final boss in his own dedicated campaign. His final boss? [[spoiler: Noctis.]]


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*The Mercenaries mode in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' allows you to play as Krauser, with his Plaga arm being a super-powerful attack running on a cooldown.

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** ' ''VideoGame/Mortal Kombat4'''s console ports added Goro as a sub-boss that can be made playable through the character select screen's Hidden option. In the Gold version, he's also given Fatalities, though recycled from other characters.

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** ' ''VideoGame/Mortal Kombat4'''s ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'''s console ports added Goro as a sub-boss that can be made playable through the character select screen's Hidden option. In the Gold version, he's also given Fatalities, though recycled from other characters.


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*The ''Final Fantasy'' series in particular handled this differently in older titles. In cases such as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', the previous antagonist or boss was only "playable" in fights that played out like a cutscene where every action is scripted.
**In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Sephiroth is an oddly unplayable guest character in the Nibelheim flashback. He can oneshot most enemies, is invincible and tends to carry "Cloud" in encounters that he struggles with and while his build can be examined, it can't be customized in any fashion. In the ''Rebirth'' version however, not only is he fully controllable, he moves and attacks even faster than his boss encounter in ''Remake''.
**In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', [[spoiler: Edea]] breaks the mold by becoming the first directly playable antagonist in a guest encounter, though at this point, she's no longer possessed by the evil force controlling her and in fact fighting against it.
**In a reverse example, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'''s Seymour is playable in a guest encounter before his villain reveal. Despite being established as a powerful summoner earlier in the game, the Summon command is unavailable to him. He still however has a compliment of powerful spells at his disposal and he's so strong that despite having an Overdrive, most never see it before the fight is over. You can however acquire his personal Aeon, Anima in a sidequest.
***''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX-2'''s International version has an optional gauntlet mode that allows you to recruit not only party members from the previous game, but monsters and bosses in this game as well, including one of the endbosses, [[spoiler: a suped-up mutated version of Shinra]]. However, these extra characters don't have any dedicated command menus, instead they're commanded by giving them instructions and cheering them on.
**''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'''s Episode Ardyn allows the player to play as the eponymous antagonist and final boss in his own dedicated campaign. His final boss? [[spoiler: Noctis.]]


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**''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthbySleep'' has you play as the Lingering Will for [[spoiler: Terra's final battle which is against Xehanort in his own body.]]

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* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'': Galactus Mode allows you to play as FinalBoss Galactus who comes with all of his powerful attacks, facing off against teams of the regular fighters.

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* *Most of the ''Marvel VS.'' Capcom games generally allow you to play as the final boss in console ports.
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''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'': Galactus Mode allows you to play as FinalBoss Galactus who comes with all of his powerful attacks, facing off against teams of the regular fighters.



**' ''VideoGame/Mortal Kombat4'''s console ports added Goro as a sub-boss that can be made playable through the character select screen's Hidden option. In the Gold version, he's also given Fatalities, though recycled from other characters.
**Much like Mortal Kombat Trilogy, ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'''s big draw is being able to play as all of the characters and bosses that have appeared up to that point in the series, which includes not only the previous game's Onaga, but returning characters Motaro (now reduced to a minotaur), Kintaro and the final boss Blaze as an unlockable.



* The Crystal Raid mode in ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse2'' is this, not only allowing you to play as any character that appeared as a Raid Boss and even play as final bosses like Demigra and Mira's Final Form but you can also choose to put your own character in the role of one. You can also obtain super attacks based on those raids to use exclusively for this mod.

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* The Crystal Raid mode in ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse2'' is this, not only allowing you to play as any character that appeared as a Raid Boss and even play as final bosses like Demigra and Mira's Final Form but you can also choose to put your own character in the role of one. You can also obtain super attacks based on those raids to use exclusively for this mod.mode.
*VideoGame/DragonBallFighterZ'''s final boss is the game original Android 21, who serves as the main antagonist as her "Majin" form. The final story scenario has you playing as a nerfed, "Good" variation of her born from the Fission ability, with the "Evil" version serving as the true final boss. Aside from slightly "whiter" hair, normal eyes and a more pleasant disposition, she cannot use any attacks that involve eating the opponent. Clearing the story unlocks her Majin form. A later DLC update adds her "human" form as a playable character.


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**The game's spiritual successor, Age of Calamity, features several boss characters who can be unlocked, including the game original version of Calamity Ganon. A DLC update also makes Sooga playable as well.
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* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'': In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', you fight the name-giving Main/HumongousMecha Metal Gear Rex as the final boss. In Part 4, you are finally on the receiving end by making you control the Metal Gear Rex near the end. You get to just stomp over the ''Gekko'' robots that are usually a pain to bring down. And you even get to defeat Metal Gear Ray that was specifically designed ''to beat'' Metal Gear Rex!

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* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'': ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'': In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', you fight the name-giving Main/HumongousMecha Metal Gear Rex as the final boss. In Part 4, you are finally on the receiving end by making you control the Metal Gear Rex near the end. You get to just stomp over the ''Gekko'' robots that are usually a pain to bring down. And you even get to defeat Metal Gear Ray that was specifically designed ''to beat'' Metal Gear Rex!
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Live A Live technically has another example amongst its character page, so I'm more of technically exporting the example as well here, but it can be noted here.


* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'': If you choose to play as [[spoiler:Oersted]] for the final chapter, then instead of the normal finale, you spend the whole chapter in a [[BossRoom chamber]] and [[spoiler:summon each of the chapter bosses one by one to take on their respective heroes, [[MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight undoing their victories if you succeed]]]]. If you are ever on the verge of losing, then you can [[spoiler:straight up end the world]], a power none of the other bosses have.
* ''VideoGame/TheLordOfTheRingsTheThirdAge'': The console version features "Evil Mode", a bonus mode where you can replay every major fight, but controling the bosses and fighting against your main party.

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* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'': ''VideoGame/LiveALive'':
**
If you choose to play as [[spoiler:Oersted]] for the final chapter, then instead of the normal finale, you spend the whole chapter in a [[BossRoom chamber]] and [[spoiler:summon each of the chapter bosses one by one to take on their respective heroes, [[MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight undoing their victories if you succeed]]]]. If you are ever on the verge of losing, then you can [[spoiler:straight up end the world]], a power none of the other bosses have.
have.
** Before that, in the Near Future chapter, near the end of the chapter (including the boss battle against Odeo/The Great Inko statue), you actually get to control Steel Titan, a PurposefullyOverpowered HumongousMecha that has ridiculously high stats and takes up multiple spaces, along with limited to four, but all very powerful skills. It is even internally coded as a boss enemy that is controllable by the player! However, this is the first, last and only time you will get to play as this boss-like character [[spoiler:aside from the last chapter's boss rush]].
* ''VideoGame/TheLordOfTheRingsTheThirdAge'': The console version features "Evil Mode", a bonus mode where you can replay every major fight, but controling controlling the bosses and fighting against your main party.
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Added examples for the Mega Man ZX games

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* ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'':
** In ''ZX'' you can unlock Model OX in the post-game if you have the Mysterious Rock from beating him, and he both looks and plays identically to ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'''s FinalBoss Omega with all of his moves and even a new attack that the real Omega never had.
** In ''ZX Advent'' you can outright transform into the bosses you beat and use most of their moves.
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* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'': In the ''Ringed City'' DLC, the Spear of the Church is a boss fought near the end. The Spears of the Church are also an in-game Covenant, and whenever a player challenges the boss, the game will summon one of the Spears who are online at the moment and have them serve as the boss. Playing as the Spear gives the player in question buffed health and access to special Miracles that allow them to summon golden spears of light out of the ground. (If no players are online, or if the game is being played offline, an NPC named "Halflight" fills in as the boss.)
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Dream Land is always parsed with a space in the middle. In the rare instance it's not in the Kirby series, it's to refer to something completely different.


* ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamlandDeluxe'' has Magolor in the Magolor Epilogue, who slowly develops most of his skillset from ''Star Allies''. The trope reaches its peak during the Rampaging Doomers fight, a 1v4 to mirror the 4v1 battles in the main game.

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* ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamlandDeluxe'' ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLandDeluxe'' has Magolor in the Magolor Epilogue, who slowly develops most of his skillset from ''Star Allies''. The trope reaches its peak during the Rampaging Doomers fight, a 1v4 to mirror the 4v1 battles in the main game.
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** Rectified in ''VideoGame/NightshadeKunoichi'' where Hisui is unlockable and features her own moveset and style distinct from Hibana's, even having unique visual effects for her Ninjutsu attacks.

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** Rectified in ''VideoGame/NightshadeKunoichi'' ''VideoGame/Nightshade2003'' where Hisui is unlockable and features her own moveset and style distinct from Hibana's, even having unique visual effects for her Ninjutsu attacks.
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* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': Vs. Saxton Hale Mode lets one player control the titular character, a full-on LightningBruiser with a variety of special abilities, and pits them against an entire army of RED mercenaries in a fight to the death.
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Unsure if this is the best place for this to go as there are some related tropes that I felt didn't quite fit this example.

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* ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters'': In the Demon Path, [[spoiler:the main character [[VillainProtagonist Revya]] serves as the final boss with just about everyone who hasn't gone mad yet fighting them with the world at stake with the player still in control of them. As such, in order to get the closest thing to a happy ending in this route the player has to lose the final battle]].
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* Vergil becomes playable for the [[UpdatedRerelease Special Editions]] of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' and ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where he's the final boss in both games. In ''[=DMC5=]'' however, he has an expanded moveset distinct from his boss version, and he's also available as a DLC for those who own the vanilla version of the game.

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* Vergil becomes playable for the [[UpdatedRerelease Special Editions]] of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' and ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where he's the final boss in both games. He retains plenty of his abilities from his boss versions, except for some SecretAIMoves. In ''[=DMC5=]'' however, he has an expanded moveset and weapons distinct from his boss version, and he's also available as a DLC for those who own the vanilla version of the game.
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* Vergil is this for the [[UpdatedRerelease Special Editions]] of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' and ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where he's the final boss in both and has an expanded moveset distinct from his boss version in the latter.

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* Vergil is this becomes playable for the [[UpdatedRerelease Special Editions]] of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' and ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where he's the final boss in both and games. In ''[=DMC5=]'' however, he has an expanded moveset distinct from his boss version, and he's also available as a DLC for those who own the vanilla version in of the latter.game.
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* ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamlandDeluxe'' has Magolor in the Magolor Epilogue, who slowly develops most of his skillset from Star Allies. The trope reaches its peak during the Rampaging Doomers fight, a 1v4 to mirror the 4v1 battles in the main game.

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* ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamlandDeluxe'' has Magolor in the Magolor Epilogue, who slowly develops most of his skillset from Star Allies.''Star Allies''. The trope reaches its peak during the Rampaging Doomers fight, a 1v4 to mirror the 4v1 battles in the main game.



** The first fight for example, gives you a [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog small round ship with a ball and chain]].

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** The first fight for example, gives you a [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog small round ship with a ball and chain]].
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* In ''VideoGame/TazInEscapeFromMars'', the bosses of the HauntedCastle are the MadScientist and Gossamer. Once Taz gets Gossamer to sit in one of the two chairs, he must sit in the other chair so that [[FreakyFridayFlip he can switch brains (or lack thereof) with him]]. The player can then control Gossamer and use him to destroy the Mad Scientist's laser. Once the Mad Scientist's laser is destroyed, the player then must return Taz's brain to Taz's body to advance to Marvin's House.
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* ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamlandDeluxe'' has Magolor in the Magolor Epilogue, who slowly develops most of his skillset from Star Allies. The trope reaches its peak during the Rampaging Doomers fight, a 1v4 to mirror the 4v1 battles in the main game.
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* ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has you pilot the mech of the first boss during the fight against the final boss.

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* ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has During ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'''s final boss, you pilot get to [[spoiler:pilot the mech of that the first boss during the fight against the final boss.was using]].

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* ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has you pilot the mech of the first boss during the fight against the final boss.


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[[folder:Third-Person Shooter]]
* ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has you pilot the mech of the first boss during the fight against the final boss.
[[/folder]]

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* ''VideoGame/{{Nefarious}}'' has you play as the princess-kidnapping villain Crow, who pilots a different boss machine at the end of nearly every level to fight against the heroes trying to rescue their princesses. The first fight for example, gives you a [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog small round ship with a ball and chain]].

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* ''VideoGame/{{Nefarious}}'' has you play as the princess-kidnapping villain VillainProtagonist Crow, who pilots a different boss machine employs this trope at the end of nearly every level to fight against the heroes trying to rescue their princesses. princesses.
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The first fight for example, gives you a [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog small round ship with a ball and chain]].chain]].
** The third one has you playing as a ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''-esque fight against a FighterMageThief party, complete with a blinking encounter transition, spell names at the top of the screen, and [[OverworldNotToScale Crow appearing way larger as a boss fight than he does in the overworld]], the lattermost of which is {{justified|trope}} because [[spoiler:the BossRush shows the heroes really are way smaller than him]].


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* ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has you pilot the mech of the first boss during the fight against the final boss.

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