History Main / RecurringBossTemplate

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act suspiciously similar to a boss from the last few games, possibly even sharing similar moves and patterns to a scary degree in spite of there being no official relation between the both of them. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. The new boss is very much an {{Expy}} of an old one, at least appearance and gameplay-wise. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job.

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games, possibly even sharing similar moves and patterns to a scary degree despite technically having no particular relation between each other. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games, sharing similar moves and patterns to a scary degree even if they technically should have no particular relation to each other. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. The new boss is very much an {{Expy}} of an old one, at least gameplay-wise. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. The new boss is very much an {{Expy}} of an old one, at least gameplay-wise. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job. And the series for some reason can't enough of that.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. The new boss is very much an {{Expy}} of an old one, at least gameplay-wise. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job.

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games, sharing similar moves and patterns to a scary degree even if they technically should have no particular relation to each other.

You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games, sharing similar moves and patterns to a scary degree even if they should have no particular relation to each other. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games, even if they technically should have no particular relation to each other. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job.

[[quoteright:240:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/whispies_fight.png]]

You've decided to play through a game series you like. After the third game, you start to notice a pattern: Some of these guys look or act similar to a boss from the last few games. You have discovered the Recurring Boss Template.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a specific boss formula in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. It doesn't matter if it has more attacks than the one you fought last time, or if it is a completely distinct or unrelated character of its own; at its core, this is still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago, just under a different paint job.

This is when a game series seems to reuse a boss in some way, but with something changed, often repeatedly throughout the series. It may have more attacks than the last time, or it may look different, but at the core it's still the same CosmicHorror you faced two games ago.

** The ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series for the Nintendo handhelds take pride in using ghostly, (most of the time) purple final bosses [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga (Cackletta Soul,]] [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime Elder Princess Shroob,]] [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Dark Bowser.]])]] [[spoiler:And Bowser getting possessed/mind controlled/fused with/whatever else by the BigBad ([[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga Bowletta,]] [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime Shrowser,]] [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam Dreamy Bowser,]] [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPaperJam Shiny RoboBowser]].)]] And every game in the series has a Wiggler boss (the Swiggler from ''Partners in Time'' being a Shroob variation), which will have a ShockwaveStomp.

* ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'' has Tamacoss. Based on a semi rare monster from ''Koudelka'', every game on the trilogy features a version of this grotesque aberration as a boss: Orb Chaos in ''Shadow Hearts 1'', King Tamakos from ''Covenant'' and Tamaris from ''From the New World''.

** There's an entire archetype of "Knight" bosses, from the four so far with Knight in their name (Meta Knight, Dark Meta Knight, Galacta Knight, and [[spoiler:Morpho Knight]]), variants of those (Dark Meta Knight's Revenge, Mecha Knight, Parallel Meta Knight, etc.), to slightly more esoteric ones (Metal General and Security Force).

* The ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series tends to have the final boss be a non-traditional, underplayed boss fight with a tragic character, in direct opposition to the common "epic" final bosses in most games. This was initially averted in ''Dark Souls 2'' with [[spoiler:Nashandra]]; [[spoiler:Vendrick]] fits the mold perfectly, but is a BonusBoss instead. ''Scholar of the First Sin'' changes this, however, with [[spoiler:Aldia]], the TrueFinalBoss.

** Dracula himself. Aside from his varied OneWingedAngel forms, his first form ''always'' uses TeleportSpam while throwing fireballs. Dracula's "potential hosts" from the ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' games as well use the teleport and fireball routine, although one switches it up by using an axe and siccing a demon familiar on you.

** ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' has the [[NunTooHoly Three Mage-Sisters]], [[AnIcePerson Francisca]], [[PlayingWithFire Flamberge]], and [[ShockAndAwe Zan Partizanne]]. Despite all appearing in the same game, they use variations of the same MagicKnight-style moveset: swinging their WeaponOfChoice at Kirby, performing a DashAttack, using [[SpellBlade magically-charged attacks]], and firing an elemental WaveMotionGun from a second weapon that they only bust out at [[TurnsRed half health]]. They also each have an [[ElementalRockPaperScissors elemental weakness]] that can be exploited -- if Kirby or an ally uses the correct elemental attack when the Mage-Sister is readying her special weapon, it'll backfire on her and leave her stunned for several seconds.

** Dracula himself. Aside from his varied OneWingedAngel forms, his first form ''always'' uses TeleportSpam while throwing fireballs. Dracula's "potential hosts" from the ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' games as well use the teleport and fireball routine, although one switches it up by using AnAxeToGrind and siccing a demon familiar on you.

* The ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' series has a trend of using {{Blob Monster}}s as an aspect of some late-game bosses, but [[spoiler:the true form of Arkham]] in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', and [[spoiler:V's familiar Nightmare]] in the WolfpackBoss fight of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' are both meant to evoke the original Nightmare from the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 first game]]. The dark colors of their slimy appearance are nearly identical, and all three are the penultimate bosses of their games. [[spoiler:Arkham]] is a different entity but he also shares the original Nightmare's penchant of releasing parts of its blob body to distract you. And although [[spoiler:V's Nightmare]] is not the exact same boss as the original by virtue of [[spoiler:being a LiteralSplitPersonality]], it shares some similar attacks and the same weak spot.

** Bowser also has a habit of fighting Mario in arenas with fragile floors that he can be tricked into breaking. First seen in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'', but makes a comeback in ''VideoGame/MarioParty 5'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.

* The ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' series has a trend of using {{Blob Monster}}s as an aspect of some late-game bosses, but [[spoiler:the true form of Arkham]] in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', and [[spoiler:V's familiar Nightmare]] in the WolfpackBoss fight of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' are both meant to evoke the original Nightmare from the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 first game]]. The dark colors of their slimy appearance are nearly identical, and all three are fought immediately before the FinalBoss. [[spoiler:Arkham]] is a different entity but he also shares the original Nightmare's penchant of releasing parts of its blob body to distract you. And although [[spoiler:V's Nightmare]] is not the exact same boss as the original by virtue of [[spoiler:being a LiteralSplitPersonality]], it shares some similar attacks and the same weak spot.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManX''. Sigma. Two- to three-stage boss, first with a robot body with [[Franchise/StarWars lightsaber]]/[[{{Wolverine}} twin claws]]/[[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica a spiked throwing shield]]/[[GrimReaper energy scythe]]/whatever, then more on the level of OneWingedAngel variants.

* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' games have a few examples of this. For example, the final bosses of ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' have a eary similar attack pattern (walk slowly forwards, stop, swing their claws in a huge arc) and weak spot (in the chest), although the one in ''Zero Mission'' spices things up a bit by also firing missiles and lasers.

** The FinalBoss that ends with an elaborate sword duel.

** [[PlayingTennisWithTheBoss Play tennis with Link]] (Fireblight Ganon, Ganondorf.)

** Are killed [[FeedItABomb by throwing bombs into their mouths]] (Molduga, King Dodongo.)

** ''Kirby'' games traditionally have [[WhenTreesAttack Whispy Woods]] as a boss, but if he doesn't appear, and sometimes even if he does, you can bet there will be some tall, tree-like object with a similar appearance, name, and attack pattern. Examples include [[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror King Golem]], [[VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn Wicked Willow]], [[VideoGame/KirbyMassAttack Floaty Woods]], [[VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe Flowery Woods]], [[VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot Clanky Woods]], [[VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies Yggy Woods, and Parallel Woods]]. In fact, ''VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad'' is the only main series ''Kirby'' game not to have ''some'' variant of Whispy Woods.

** ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' has the [[NunTooHoly Three Mage-Sisters]], [[AnIcePerson Francisca]], [[PlayingWithFire Flamberge]], and [[PsychoElectro Zan Partizanne]]. Despite all appearing in the same game, they use variations of the same MagicKnight-style moveset: swinging their WeaponOfChoice at Kirby, performing a DashAttack, using [[SpellBlade magically-charged attacks]], and firing an elemental WaveMotionGun from a second weapon that they only bust out at [[TurnsRed half health]].

** Dracula himself. Aside from his varied OneWingedAngel forms, his first form ''always'' uses TeleportSpam while throwing fireballs. Dracula's "potential hosts" from the ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' games as well use the teleport and fireball routine.