The 10 most iconic video game final boss fights of the 90sMichael BeckwithPublished November 25, 2024 1:00am What do you think are the most iconic final bosses of the 90s? (Picture: Nintendo)GameCentral names 10 of the most iconic final boss fights of the 90s, spanning the SNES, Mega Drive, and original PlayStation.The final boss is an important element for most video games, especially those from the 1990s. Its the last obstacle to overcome before you can truly say youve completed a game and can either be the ultimate test of skill or a power fantasy to reward players for making it that far.There is a lot that goes into making a final boss stand out. While challenge can be an important factor, being difficult doesnt automatically make one iconic and an overly challenging or frustrating final boss can be memorable for the wrong reasons. The most iconic fights are those with the perfect blend of satisfying gameplay, music, visual design, and just overall atmosphere.So, weve looked through the best games the 90s had to offer on Sega and Nintendos consoles from the era, as well as the first PlayStation and put together a list of what we believe are the final bosses that defined the decade for a generation of gamers.Bowser (Super Mario 64)Bowser serving as the final boss in Mario games was already getting old by 1996 but, of all the 90s entries, his boss encounters in Super Mario 64 have stuck in fans minds for a reason. Grabbing him by the tail and swinging him out of the arena (and onto a bomb) felt revolutionary at the time, when 3D movement was a brand new concept. But the third and final fight stands out for demanding you throw him three times instead of one, as the arena collapses around you.Death Egg Robot (Sonic The Hedgehog 2)The original Sonic The Hedgehogs final boss was kind of a dud, with Dr Robotnik eschewing any sort of mech for a bunch of pistons to crush Sonic with. The Death Egg Robot in the sequel was an undeniable step up, offering a far more intimidating challenge, since you had to hit it from behind. This fights so beloved that Sega and Sonic Team have brought it back multiple times, and it was adapted into the second live-action Sonic movie.Dracula (Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night)By 1997, Castlevania fans had bested Dracula several times, but his appearance in Symphony Of The Night may be his most memorable, thanks in part to the delightfully over-the-top voice acting. His fight is a fitting reward for besting the games second act and, compared to his encounters in previous games, perhaps the most fun to play. Its not especially difficult, though, if you know what youre doing and have the right kit, but that seems to be entirely purposefully.Ganon (The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time)Just when it seems the evil Ganondorf has been crushed under his own ruined tower in The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, he bursts from the rubble and transforms into his porcine alter ego Ganon. This marked the first time Ganon had been depicted in 3D and really made apparent what kind of monster he is, thanks to his terrifying design (at least by 90s standards). Having the arena almost cloaked in darkness, with flashes of lightning briefly illuminating Ganons lumbering silhouette, was extremely frightening to 90s kids.Giygas (Earthbound)Giygas is easily one of the most iconic final bosses not just of the 90s but of all time. Not so much because of the fight itself, but the ending in its entirety, which wed spoil if we explained more but remains memorable and surprising to this day. A formless alien creature that can best be described as a swirling mass of red and black, that almost looks like a face writhing in agony, even his words and attacks are incomprehensible, making for a fight that is disturbing while its going on and wonderfully uplifting when its finished.Golden Silver (Gunstar Heroes)The absolute best boss in Treasures Gunstar Heroes in fact, perhaps the best boss of all time is the legendary Seven Force but hes not your final opponent in the game. Instead, its Golden Silver, whos a very menacing figure that just stands there, not even flinching as you unload copious amounts of bullets into him. Thats because youre actually meant to shoot the floating gems above him. Otherwise, hes completely invincible, which is a trick many dont realise until its too late.Hitler (Wolfenstein 3D) Hitlers popped up in several Wolfenstein games, but this is the only time you fight him (Reddit)For a series all about fighting Nazis there can be no other final opponent in Wolfenstein 3D, the 1992 game that popularised the concept of first person shooters, than Adolf Hitler himself. After descending into Hitlers bunker, and fighting off waves of fakes equipped with flamethrowers, the real Fhrer appears in a mech suit equipped with chainguns. That imagery alone is so iconic that we often forget its only phase 1, with Hitler jumping out once the mechs destroyed for a futile last stand.Mother Brain (Super Metroid)Were aware there are a lot of Nintendo final bosses on this list (Andross from Star Fox/Starwing almost made the cut too) but the 90s were home to some of the companys best end-of-level baddies. Mother Brain is especially good as, at first, her fight seems to be a simple repeat of the original Metroids final boss. But upon her defeat, she rises again with a delightfully hideous new body. Do enough damage and she fires an impossible-to-dodge laser that makes you think youve failed, until the baby Metroid appears to perform an equally iconic sacrifice and gives Samus the power she needs to put Mother Brain down for good.Nemesis (Resident Evil 3)After spending the entirety of Resident Evil 3 running away from Nemesis, finally putting the monster down for good in the climax is immensely satisfying, both for the player and the protagonist Jill Valentine. It can be a frantic encounter for a first-time player since it not only takes on an even uglier form, thats like 30% mouth, but your own weapons cant kill it. You need to power up the nearby rail cannon and lure Nemesis in front of it. All of which is handled much better than in the Resident Evil 3 remake, which somehow omitted Jills zinger: You want stars? Ill give you stars.Safer Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII) The one-winged angel himself (Picture: YouTube)Estuans interius, ira vehementi, Sephiroth. Those five words have been seared into players brains for over 25 years thanks to Nobuo Uematsus masterpiece of a final boss theme and almost singlehandedly made Safer Sephiroth as iconic as he is. Combined with his twisted angelic design, the heavenly backdrop, a difficulty level that gets higher if your party are at level 99, and his deadly Supernova attack (which has an animation that lasts two whole minutes and involves the destruction of several planets), its no wonder Safer Sephiroth remains the gold standard for final boss fights in Final Fantasy games.Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy