Summary
First arriving on the scene back in 1996, theNintendo 64quickly blew its predecessor, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, out of the water with its groundbreaking mechanics and early examples of open-world gaming. With a litany of exclusive titles and multi-console classics to its name, the 64 remains a beloved console to this day.
Among the many classic games on offer, the Nintendo 64 played host to a variety of exciting boss fights charting a wide range of genres. From fearsome monsters to colorful sci-fi rogues, players enjoyed thrilling,often incredibly difficult battleswith tough, imposing villains. In 2002, the reign of the Nintendo 64 came to an end as developers focused on its replacement, the GameCube. Despite more than two decades since its demise, the console remains a much-talked-about classic among longtime gamers, with its beloved games, innovative controls, and classic boss showdowns all serving as key reasons why.
5Monster-Ock In Spider-Man
As if Doc Ock and Carnage weren’t deadly enough in their own right, 2000’sSpider-Mansees the sinister scientist bond with the grisly red symbiote. Unsurprisingly, the result is an all-action spectacle final boss fight.
Brimming with classic Spidey villains and a thrilling storyline involving both a symbiote invasion and the wall-crawler being framed,Spider-Manwas arguably the first gaming masterpiececentered on the beloved Marvel hero. Released on a variety of consoles at the time, the Nintendo 64 rendition of the game garnered plentiful acclaim thanks to its neat action mechanics and generally engaging gameplay. The over-the-top final battle with Monster-Ock sees Spider-Man on the run from his beastly foe in a fast-paced, chaotic,potentially deadly chase. With a fiery ending to top off its intense action, this closing boss fight was a great closing note for this classic superhero game.
4Andross Is A Spooky Climactic Foe In Star Fox 64
Fox McCloud’s lengthy feud with diabolical nemesis Andross hit an early peak in this 1997 Nintendo 64 reboot of the popular sci-fi hero. Functioning as an explosive rail shooter,Star Fox 64solidified the series hero’s strong presence as a staple Nintendo hero.
Andross functions as both an evil emperor and a diabolical mad scientist, pillorying the galaxy at large with everything from deadly technology to sinister magic. Typically depicted as leading a powerful military force in his quest for conquest, Andross' battle with Fox McCloud inStar Fox 64provides players with a chance to test their virtual piloting abilities. After flying through an obstacle-laden passage, players confront an enormous Andross in a surprisingly horror-friendly collision, rounding the game out on an impressively dramatic, atmospheric note.
The 2000 follow-up to the instant classicThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timehad massive shoes to fill. Sporting a noticeably darker plot and atmosphere than any entry in the series before it,Majora’s Maskquickly turned heads with its action-packed gameplay and pitch-perfect soundtrack.
The final boss fight of the game sees Link collide with the titular Majora’s Mask for a suitably epic showdown. In a hectic race against time to save the day, players must contend with three acts of the powerful entity, starting with a massive, floating rendition of the mask. It’s a surprisingly eerie battle by the standards of the series, with the mask’s ominous presence upping the intensity and helping the action of the game reach its climactic peak at the last hurdle. A perfect cap-off to arguablythe last all-time great Nintendo 64 entry,Majora’s Maskis a difficult but rewarding showdown for players to enjoy contending with.
This 1996 entry in the long-runningSuper Marioseries was a key reason behind the Nintendo 64’s immense success in its early days. Succeeding admirably as a well-marketed launch title,Super Mario 64has sincebecome known for heavily influencing the many generations of 3D platformersthat have followed it.
The game’s first big boss fight, King Bob-omb, kicks off the game’s boss battles with a bang. Players must first scale a perilous mountain in the Bob-omb Battlefield area. Once Mario’s made his way to the top of the mountain, he has a big, rules-obsessed king to butt heads with. Even hurling Bob-omb off the mountain doesn’t get the job done, as the powerful king infuriatingly reminds the player that mountain throws simply aren’t allowed as a means of victory. Considering both his cultural impact as the first seminal boss fight in one ofthe Nintendo 64’s most important games, as well as the funny, often infuriating nature of his epic showdown, King Bob-omb delivers the colorful action goods fans have long come to expect from theSuper Mariofranchise.
First dropping in 1998,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timequickly proved itself to be a watershed moment in gaming. Sporting impressive graphicsfor the time, thoughtful storytelling, and complex but slick gameplay mechanics, the universally praised fantasy epic also boasts some top-notch boss fights.
A key example is the epic showdown with Twinrova, a fusion of two sister witches named Kotake and Koume. As protectors of the supernatural Spirit Temple, the witches are more than ready for war should anyone dare start trouble in their domain. Unfortunately for player character Link, their approach to battle involves forming one fire and ice-spewing entity that is seemingly more powerful than the sum of its parts. With a heavy emphasis on precarious timing and quick-thinking strategy on the part of the player, this iconic boss fight is a work of art in one ofthe Nintendo 64’s finest, most timeless entries.
