In video games, there are few things more satisfying than defeating a difficult and gargantuan boss at the end of a level or even at the end of the game.
These moments have been a staple of the medium for years, whether it’s that giant Krusty balloon in the Simpsons arcade game or Andross’ brain in Star Fox 64.
These sequences up the ante in terms of intensity, often through difficulty and storyline relevance, and they’re a beloved fixture throughout countless games because of it.
However, not all boss battles are bread and butter affairs. In fact, many of the best boss battles in the history of the medium are so far off the beaten path, that many players would likely never run into them naturally.
These hidden, cataclysmic conflicts are the stuff of legends, usually having the player face a foe that is far beyond the typical difficulty settings of the game, creating a situation that will test even the most seasoned of players.
On the flipside, though, not all hidden bosses equate to extremely difficult trials. A few are actually incredibly disappointing in terms of difficulty, which is majorly disappointing considering the effort needed to uncover them.
With our list, we’re taking entrants from both sides of the spectrum, with the only pre-requisite being that these foes are hidden or otherwise optional.
With that in mind, we’re going to jump right into things with the strongest hidden bosses of all video games, and then follow-up with the pitiful excuses that are mostly likely secret because they’re afraid of getting their butts kicked.
Here are the 15 Strongest (And 10 Weakest) Hidden Video Game Bosses.
25 Strongest: Karstaag - Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls games are famously enormous (with Daggerfall nearly the same size as real-life Great Britain), so it’s no surprise that there are countless secrets tucked away throughout each and every one of its regions.
In Skyrim, the ghostly Frost Giant known as Karstaag is one of these secrets, and is also one of the strongest hidden bosses in history.
If you manage to find out how to summon this beast, you’re in for a fight against a level 90 adversary who will likely make you into his plaything.
The rewards for victory are immense, however, so keep up the good fight.
24 Strongest: Penance - FFX
The first of many Final Fantasy entries on this list, Penance is a great example of Square’s love of sadistic hidden bosses meant to punish the hubris of players.
While Final Fantasy X may be best known for its incredibly awkward laughing scene, Penance is no joke.
With 12,000,000 HP, regenerating arms with half a million HP each, and practically unstoppable, ultra-damaging attacks (including one called “Judgment Day” that does an insane amount of destructive damage to your entire party while also draining an unfathomable amount of MP), a battle against Penance might as well be the literal embodiment of the concept.
23 Weakest: Ghastly Darklord - Barkley: Shut Up and Jam Gaiden
Tales of Game's Studios Presents Chef Boyardee's Barkley: Shut Up and Jam Gaiden: Episode 1 of the Hoopz Barkely SaGa is one of, if not the, funniest game in the entirety of existence.
A completely unofficial “dark” sequel to Space Jam, the game is a JRPG starring Charles Barkley in a world where “B-Ball” is outlawed due to his use of the cataclysmic Chaos Dunk.
This is all canon, by the way.
Regardless, the game has a hidden boss in its world map: a giant, pixelated old man called “Ghastly Darklord.”
While he’s comparably difficult to other bosses in the game, he’s absolutely nothing when compared to the super-strong secret bosses we listed above.
22 Strongest: Giga Bowser - Melee
For many, Super Smash Bros. Melee is the apex of the Smash Bros. series.
While the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Switch looks like it might be a possible contender for the champion of the series, Melee will likely still hold a special place in the hearst of players across the globe.
Melee also happens to be the home of a devastatingly powerful secret boss, and one that could legitimately scare kids with his appearance: Giga Bowser.
This monstrous transformation for Bowser is only accessible when beating Adventure mode on Normal or higher in less then 18 minutes.
Once you beat the regular Koopa, he’ll return as this horrifying beast.
21 Weakest: Red - Pokemon Gold & Silver
Pokemon Gold & Silver are some of the finest sequels ever created. The Johto region was filled with exciting locations and tons of new Pokémon, but after conquering the area, players could actually return to Kanto from Red and Blue, going on a nostalgic quest.
After beating the Elite Four and all the gyms, players could then discover Red, the original protagonist, in Mt. Silver and battle him.
While he’s the hardest duel in the game, he poses little to no threat by the time you get to him if you are a skilled trainer.
20 Strongest: The Nameless King - Dark Souls 3
The infamously difficult Dark Souls franchise is utterly loaded with deeply obscured content, thanks to copious amounts of hidden walls and nearly-unintelligible babblings and “hints” from its NPC denizens.
It’s no surprise that some of the series’ most secret elements are ultra-difficult bosses, and Dark Souls 3’s Nameless King is a prime example.
Upon summoning your likely-executioner, you’re treated to an epic entrance and then thrown immediately into an intense fight against him and the dragon he rides.
When you finally dislodge him, you’ll have to duel the King himself, and, like everything in Dark Souls, it won’t be easy.
19 Weakest: Omega Weapon - FFX
The Final Fantasy franchise is absolutely notorious for insanely difficult secret boss fights.
In fact, Final Fantasy X has one of the more crippling versions of dangerous hidden enemies… but it also has one of the weakest: Omega Weapon.
Upon discovering this foe, most players expected to have their butts handed to them, but were completely shocked to discover how quickly (and effortlessly) they were able to decimate this poor fool.
Strangely enough, this boss is only a pushover in the NTSC version of the original game, while the international, PAL and remastered versions are far more formidable.
18 Strongest: The Forgotten One - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Castlevania’s debut on the PS2, Lament of Innocence, is a fairly competent third-person action game with a rather cool horror-infused edge and dreary atmosphere.
It’s also pretty difficult, tasking players to wrestle with real-time menus and have perfect timing in combat.
There’s one particular fight that ups the considerable difficulty even higher, and that is the battle with The Forgotten One.
This stories-tall creature is imprisoned within the castle and, after the frustrating hoops that you need to jump through to unlock him, you’ll be treated to a brutal (and often disgusting) battle that you won’t soon forget.
17 Weakest: Ice Titan - Kingdom Hearts
While Kingdom Hearts 2 has one of the most difficult secret boss battles of all time with its inclusion of Final Fantasy VII’s Sephiroth, the same can’t be said for the original Kingdom Hearts and its Ice Titan.
One needn’t worry about strategy or a drawn-out battle against this titanic chunk of living frozen water, as there’s a easy trick into bringing him down easily.
Simply equip Guard, knock back his icicles until he collapses, wail on him, and then rinse and repeat until victory is yours.
Why didn’t Hercules just do that in the movie?
16 Strongest: Culex - Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG is a remarkable Super Nintendo title because Square, a company most associated with Final Fantasy and Sony, is the developer.
Taking concepts from their beloved RPGs and putting them into the world of Mario, Peach, Bowser and the rest seems crazy, but it ends up working out surprisingly well, with a memorable story, interactive battle system, and fan-favorite characters.
There’s also Culex, a “Dark Knight of Vanda,” who is apparently both matter and antimatter, who literally consumes time itself… and who will possibly consume Mario and company as well.
A reference to the FF series, Culex’s encounter is hard as nails and should only be fought by the most battle-hardened of players.
15 Weakest: Moonlight Butterfly - Dark Souls
Probably one of the least “hidden” boss on this list, you can spot the Moonlight Butterfly from miles away as it gently hovers above a crumbling tower.
Should you find your way to this optional boss, you’ll be plunged into one of the easiest encounters in the entirety of the Dark Souls franchise, which is really saying something.
While the atmosphere is eerie, and the Butterfly itself is beautiful, it’s a rather disappointing battle for masochistic Souls players… but it also acts as a confidence boost for those having some serious trouble.
14 Strongest: Yama - Spelunky
Spelunky, an awesome indie side-scrolling rogue-like is already ridiculously difficult, so the fact that there’s a hidden boss that is even harder than the rest of the game seems to be proof that there’s a sadist amongst the programmers.
You’ll need to go through difficult and wildly obscure steps in order to unlock the encounter with this demonic foe.
After defeating the game’s normal boss, Olmec, you’ll be faced with Hell itself, and then the man of the hour.
If you manage to overcome this tyrant, you’ll get yourself an achievement and a new character, but after the hours spent through the torment of getting to this point, is it even worth it?
13 Weakest: Diablos - FFVIII
Final Fantasy VIII is an underrated entry of the venerable series, likely because it’s bookeneded by the beloved VII and the incredible IX.
VIII also has a unique difficulty in which most enemies and monsters are constantly scaled to match your party, meaning there’s almost always a challenge in every battle.
Sometimes this works out great, while sometimes it really doesn’t. Diablos is one of those times… or is it?
Found inside a magic lamp, this devil-like creature is staggeringly difficult if you confront him late in the game, but if you do battle as early as possible, he’s an utter cake walk.
12 Strongest: Cow King - Diablo II
Blizzard famously states that there is no cow level throughout many of their games in a long-running joke, but they’re not telling the whole truth.
There is, indeed, a cow level, and the boss that awaits you there will break the back of your carefully crafted dungeon crawling character.
When combining Wirt’s Peg Leg and a Town Portal Scroll, you’ll be able to warp to this cow-infested dimension, where you will face off against an army of the bovine beasts.
Then, their all-powerful leader will appear, and it’s up to you to stop him… if you can.
11 Weakest: The True Final Boss - Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic 3 & Knuckles is likely the greatest 2D platformer of all time (yeah, we said it).
Its moment-to-moment gameplay is second to none, and its incredible score and level designs will stick with you for years.
Beating the game without the Chaos Emeralds will have you up against a giant Robotnik mech that can be challenging for newcomers, but if you acquire every Chaos and Super Emerald in the game, you get a secret boss battle as Hyper Sonic.
While this stage is extremely cool, the actual battle is supremely easy, which stands in stark contrast to the rigors of actually obtaining the Emeralds.
10 Strongest: Naglfar - FFXV
Against all odds, Final Fantasy XV, after its ridiculously lengthy development, managed to deliver what is the best Final Fantasy of the modern era, truly revolutionizing the series while remaining faithful to what made it legendary in the first place.
One of those areas being, of course, the inclusion of secret super bosses that will destroy you entirely.
While everyone knows about the “72 hour boss fight” with Adamantoise, that behemoth is nothing when compared to Naglfar, a devastatingly powerful foe.
With the ability to resist all weapons types and deliver damage to fully-powered party, Naglfar is a lengthy and violent encounter that only the strongest will survive.
9 Strongest: The Ancient Wyvern - Dark Souls 3
Earlier in this list, we mentioned the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3.
While he and his draconic mount posed a serious threat in the ever-dangerous world of Dark Souls boss fights, the Ancient Wyvern is even worse.
Boasting incredible might and longevity, the player is in for a grueling duel… unless they can figure out the secret to end things smoothly.
While he can be beaten the hard way, the trick is to avoid the thrashing beast at first, run off, and then perform a difficult lunge into its head, which will eliminate the threat in a single hit.
8 Weakest: Slot Machine - Star Fox
The original Star Fox hasn’t aged incredibly wall. Its polygonal graphics were incredible at the time, but they’re hard on the eyes now, as is the game’s miniscule framerate.
Luckily, there’s enough charm with the characters and gameplay to make up for it, along with some awesome secrets.
Should you discover how to get “Out of This Dimension,” you’ll find yourself in a trippy environment battling paper planes and, eventually, a giant Slot Machine while “The Saints Go Marching In” blasts in chip tune glory.
It’s eerie and it’s surreal, but it’s far from difficult.
7 Strongest: Noob Saibot - Mortal Kombat II
In the world of fighting games, there two things that are undeniable: first, you will fight an impossibly unfair boss and, secondly, Mortal Kombat has some of the craziest secrets in the history of the entire medium.
Both of those absolute truths come into play with Noob Saibot in Mortal Kombat II.
To test your might against the shadowy ninja, you must win 50 two-player matches in a row and then pray that he’ll appear in Goro’s Lair.
If Noob does appear, don’t get too excited, because there’s a walloping in your immediate future at the hands of this mysterious ninja.
6 Strongest: Emerald/Ruby Weapons - FFVII
In yet another Final Fantasy entry, the fan-favorite FFVII is home to two extremely difficult adversaries: the Emerald and Ruby Weapons.
Though the battle is optional after beating the game, this duo is responsible for countless cracked controllers and broken TV screens.
Extreme amounts of HP, absurdly devastating attacks, nearly-impenetrable defenses and the added challenge of finding these enemies is a recipe for frustration and rage on a level that not even Sephiroth possessed.
To those who have conquered the Weapon duo, we salute you, and for these that haven’t, we absolutely understand.
5 Weakest: The Green Orb - Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the Playstation’s supreme classics, and its merging of the Castlevania universe with the gameplay of Super Metroid is something truly magnificent to behold.
While the game’s gargantuan castle served as a great environment, players were surprised to discover that it was only half of the experience.
In order to access the inverted castle, players needed to uncover a secret boss by wearing Holy Glasses while fighting Richter.
This green orb can be a pain to locate, and it doesn’t pose much of a threat, but that's okay, since you’ve now got a whole new castle to explore!
4 Strongest: Lv. 99 Emil - NieR: Automata
The first NieR is an odd game, but its strange atmosphere and excellent writing and voice acting crafted an enthused cult fanbase who eagerly awaited a follow-up after the multiple dreary endings of the original games.
Their prayers were answered with the equally dreary NieR: Automata, which evolved many of the concepts and has proven a critical and financial success across the board.
The game’s hardest boss, Lv. 99 Emil, is completely secret, and creates an epic battle to go along with the character’s direct connection to the original NieR.
3 Strongest: Sephiroth - Kingdom Hearts II
The Kingdom Hearts series is best known for two things: its incomprehensible plot, and the fact that it is a crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy, so it seems only fitting that one of the second game’s hidden bosses would be the most recognizable adversary from all of Final Fantasy: Sephiroth.
Hailing from the most beloved entry in the long-running series, Sephiroth is an incredibly difficult secret boss that can be fought in the arena.
He’ll bring all of his old tricks to battle, along with a boatload of health, so you better be adequately prepared when taking on this one-winged angel.
2 Weakest: John Romero - Doom II
Doom is a staple of FPS games, essentially in giving birth to the entire genre, and John Romero was one of the major factors in its development.
In Doom II, the last boss is a gigantic goat skull called the Icon of Sin, and it can only be damaged by firing rockets into its brain. This is all a façade, though.
Using a “no clip” cheat, you can move behind the Icon of Sin to discover the TRUE last boss of the game: John Romero’s head.
This ultra-secret “boss” is the core of the Icon, and it's also completely defenseless, meaning that destroying him leads to total victory
1 Strongest: Reptile - Mortal Kombat
Noob Saibot from MKII is certainly a powerful and incredibly secretive enemy, but he’s nothing compared to the series’ original hidden fighter.
Reptile was the subject of seemingly never-ending rumors, thanks to how mysterious the means of even seeing this character were.
First, you need to have a double flawless victory without blocking once, but your victory has to be on the Pit stage, and has to end in a Fatality.
Of course, that’s too easy, so you need to hope that Santa Claus is flying across the moon when you do it.
Should you somehow accomplish this, Reptile will unleash all of his fury on you, so get ready for a major beatdown.
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Can you think of any other extremely powerful or weak hidden video game bosses? Sound off in the comments!
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