Best videogame boss music

[RedRooster]

I’m playing Live-A-Live right now, and that’s inspired this thread; because when you fight a main boss, you’re greeted with this banger…

So what are your favourite videogame boss themes?

[Chest Rockwell]

First ones coming to mind for me from relatively recent games are when you fight Hades on em4, and the shredder music in Shredder's Revenge:

 

 

I was really cheesing when that second one came on the first time I got to that fight.

Edited January 27, 2024 by Chest Rockwell

[Keith Houchen]

Dunno if it counts but whenever a dragon was near in Skyrim and the music changed, you knew shit was about to get real. 

[Dr. Alan Grant]

This instantly came to mind. In a game full of memorable themes, this is one I often find myself whistling even if I haven’t played the game in years.

[LaGoosh]

So good. Here's an orchestral version:

 

 

[Gus Mears]

The Hyperion music from Returnal still elicits goosebumps every time I hear it. It sounds like Brian Eno wrote it and the fact the boss is playing it on some mad space organ makes it even better. The way it builds the further you go up the tower is magnificent.

 

And the actual battle 

 

 

[The Gaffer]

The Super Extra Evil final boss music from Streets of Rage. Especially when those early 90s house piano arpeggios kick in:

 

And I feel like everyone hears different dialogue in their head when they listen to this one:

"IT IS USELESS. I CAN READ YOUR EVERY THOUGHT!"

[Merzbow]

When this sombre piece hits as you're about to put the old man out of his long misery, the tears are real.

 

[TildeGuy~!]

Bit of a random one but really enjoyed this one when I was younger

 

[FLips]

The unused boss theme from the beta of Sonic 3D Blast is fun, and they did later revamp it and bring it in for Sonic 4 Episode 1 and it fit quite well because that game was a joke.

A more recent one I really like is the theme for Kuze in Yakuza 0. Absolutely Grade-A "shit is kicking off" music.

But if we're talking my favourite of all time it's going to come down to two. Both of them are fairly obvious picks but they're both all time classics and two bosses I would repeatedly fight over and over just to hear the music, which is always the sign of a great theme.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles' final boss, otherwise known as Big Arms for when I was used as the final boss theme in Sonic 3 (but the one in S3&K is a much better final boss)

and then my all time tiptop favourite that I was absolutely obsessed with playing on my aunt's SNES as a kid. Gangplank Galleon from Donkey Kong Country. Just a catchy pirate themed banger. To stand out in a series of games with the music DKC had it had to be great and this is right up there for me. The way it slowly devolves into that sinister bassline is just the best.

 

Edited January 28, 2024 by FLips

[TildeGuy~!]

Love that Yakuza 0 theme!

This just popped into my head after hearing it.

 

[FLips]

Oh damn how did I forget that one. It's wonderful isn't it? I remember marking out a bunch when I was playing through that. Great shout!

[Arch Stanton]

12 hours ago, Chest Rockwell said:

First ones coming to mind for me from relatively recent games are when you fight Hades on em4, and the shredder music in Shredder's Revenge:

 

 

I was really cheesing when that second one came on the first time I got to that fight.

I'd have bought Shredder's Revenge by now if I'd known the soundtrack was that cool!! 

Edited January 28, 2024 by Arch Stanton

[RedRooster]

1 hour ago, FLips said:

Sonic 3 & Knuckles' final boss, otherwise known as Big Arms for when I was used as the final boss theme in Sonic 3 (but the one in S3&K is a much better final boss)

A sensational theme, that makes the final bosses feel all the more epic. A tremendous shout, as ever. 
 

@Dr. Alan Grant - Yes, to Jenova! The moment I heard that song for the first time I knew shit was getting real. People talk about the One Winged Angel song all of the time - for good reason - but the Jenova theme blows it out of the water for me. It’s so good.

[LEGIT]

It's after the final boss in the excellent Revenge of Shinobi, if you get the happy ending, which happens to be very very difficult. Legendary game, great song. 

Edited January 28, 2024 by LEGIT