Ah, the boss fight — a concept as synonymous with video gaming as... apple pie. Whether it's a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:bombastic multi-phase monster keeping you on your toes or a bullet-sponge draining clip after clip of ammunition, you can bet there's one lurking at the end of each level, aiming to send you back to your last checkpoint until you can prove you've got the right stuff for the next one.

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But if you're the type that relishes these sorts of challenges, chances are you're familiar with a secret boss or two. You know, the kind they tuck away behind a convoluted unlock process, or in that impossible-to-reach cavern on the other side of an imposing gorge. Whether they're guarding a particularly choice piece of loot or a smug sense of satisfaction, these are the opponents that the true completionists out there savor. Let's have a look at some of the best and toughest examples of these hidden adversaries.

Updated January 16, 2022 by Leah Isobel: It has never been a better time to be a JRPG fan. 2021 saw the genre rocket back into consciousness with a series of excellent and high-profile games, and many of these new releases brought with them some hardcore hidden bosses of their own. If you're interested in where you can find these extra-tough foes, read on, but be warned: these battles are not for the faint of heart. Besting these enemies will take every bit of your ingenuity - and probably more than a few health potions as well.

14 Shiva - Shin Megam☂i Tensei 5

The Nahobino faces down Shiva in Shin Megami Tensei V

Shiva is 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Shin Megami Tensei 5's ultimate boss, a classification reserved for particularly powerful demons who you won't encounter on the main story route. If you want to fight Shiva, you'll have to defeat the demon Vasuki as a part of the quest The Three Keys. From here, a portal will open up nearby that will take you to Shiva.

Shiva's powerful attacks include a spell called Tandava, which does AoE damage and drops your party's defense to rock bottom. He'll also summon other demons if he's alone, and as the fight continues the number of demons he can summon actually increases. These extra summons can heal him and block his elemental weaknesses while continuing to debuff your party, making this fight a huge headache for even the most skilled players.

13 🦹 Culex - Super Mario RPG ꦦ

Mario, Peach, and Bowser face down Culex in Super Mario RPG

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Super Mario RPG was developed by the RPG mavens at Squaresoft (now Square Enix), but it's much more approachable than most of their other games. That is unless you unlock the optional Culex fight. In order to reach him, you'll have to acquire the Shiny Stone from an optional trading sidequest in Mole Town, and then use it on a locked door in Monstro Town.

Culex is accompanied by four elemental crystals, which attack independently and can use some of the most powerful spells in the game. Their combined HP dwarfs every other enemy, including the story's final boss. If you want to face him, you'll have to get ready for a grueling battle.

12 ও Chronos - Tales Of Arise

Chronos looms in another dimension in Tales of Arise

Cameo battles are a Tales series tradition, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Tales of Arise is no different. Chronos first served as one of the main villains in Tales Of Xillia 2, combining godly powers with a burning contempt for humanity. In Ta♐les Of Arise, Chronos🐼 lurks in the postgame dungeon, which is themed after previous entries in the series.

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Chronos has some of the most powerful attacks in the game, and he can even freeze time to attack while you're defenseless. He can one-shot your party members if you aren't careful. You'll need to be ready to dodge at a moment's notice and stock up on healing items in order to survive the fight.

11 Gladiator Orion - Xenoblade Chronicles🌸 2

Tora, Morag, and Zeke take on the superboss Gladiator Orion in Xenoblade Chronicles 2

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has a pretty deep selection of optional Superbosses, and though Gladiator Orion isn't the highest-leveled Superboss, he's definitely the most difficult. He's accessible as soon as you arrive in the Cliffs of Morytha, located in a secret area in the lower level.

Gladiator Orion is so difficult because he has incredibly strong base attacks, some really annoying AoE attacks, and he's very resistant to Break status, which keeps you from building up damage. Furthermore, when his health drops beneath a certain threshold, he'll become Enraged and proceed to dodge your next sequence of attacks, making this fight a real slog.

10 ไ Sans𝔍 - Undertale

Sans sleeps with his hands in his pockets in Undertale

One of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Undertale's coolest features is how it lets you spare your enemies in battle, but that option has a darker flipside: you can also kill every possible enemy in the game. This is known as 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the Genocide Route, an🍎d this path through the game results in a boss fight against Sans, who is normally a helpful NPC during the other routes.

Though Sans is only at level 1, he's also the hardest fight in any of the game's runs. He dodges your attacks repeatedly while forcing you to execute fast-paced and extremely difficult platforming challenges in order to avoid taking damage. As you progress in the fight, he'll also attack your menu screens, breaking the game's mechanics and forcing you to think on your feet. Defeating him triggers some of Undertale's most heartbreaking dialogue and leaves you wondering if all that challenge was worth it.

9 Night Terrorꦫ - Soulcalibur 3

The Night Terror is the ultimate form of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Soulcalibur 3's antagonist Nightmare. In order to fight him, pl✃ayers must play the "Tale of Souls" story mode quest. Players must follow a specific path, which varies for each character, without losing a single match.

Once this is done, Night Terror will appear as the final boss. Compared to other opponents, Night Terror is the strongest🌊 character in the game. Not only is it impossible to interrupt his attacks, but he is also immune 🍬to defeat by ring out. His attacks include an eye beam that can’t be blocked, as well as an attack that can cut a player’s health in half.

8 💙 Emil - N🥂ier: Automata

Emil's disembodies head smiles at the player in Nier: Automata

As a disembodied head, Emil from 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nier: Automata does not appear all that threatening. In reality, he is the game's optional super boss. After beating the game, the player must complete the "Emil's Memories" side quest to unlock his house. After performing a series of tasks, Emil will enter into a fight with the player.

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As a level 99 boss, Emil overwhelms players wit🉐h both swarms of small Emil heads, along with giant heads that🌌 fire powerful lasers. It is recommended that players should be at least level 50 or higher with maxed-out weapons and stats to even have a hope of damaging him.

7 ꦿ Rodin – Bayonetta franchise

Rodin holds a powerful item and smirks in Bayonetta

Rodin is the barkeep and merchant that sells items to titular character Bayonetta. In both games, he is an optional boss that players can fight after collecting 10 million halos to purchase a platinum ticket. In 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Bayonetta, he appears as the angelic Father Rodin. In this form𝓰, he is far more powerful than the game’s final boss, Father Baldur.

He appears as a boss again in Bayonetta 2, but with a de🔯monic form known as Rodin the Infinite One. Furthermore, in both games, he can use an attack that drains Bayonetta of almost all her health. To make matters worse, healing items cannot be used while fighting Rodin.

6 🦄Caroline and Justine - Persona 5

Caroline and Justine appear as wardens in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Persona 5 and are tasked with overseeing the protagonist’s “reha💮bilitation”. They also serve as an optional boss after beating the game in 𒊎New Game+.

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Just like the protagonist, Caroline and Justine can summon a variety of personas to use during battle. As the fight drags on and they take more damage, their attacks grow more powerful. Adding to the difficulty is that they must be defeated at the same time. If the player defeats only one, the other will simply revive them on their next turn. Furthꦛermore, if they are not defeated within 50 turns the player is automatically defeated.

5 🐠 Karstaag &n༺dash; The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Karstaag brandishes a weapon in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Despite already being dead, players have the option of fighting the spirit of the frost giant Karstaag in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In order to summon him, players must first find his skull and take it back to his throne. The moment he appears, ✤Karstaag will begin hunting the player down.

It is next to impossible to confront him directly. Not only does his stomping attack cause immense damage, but his frost cloak slowly chips away at the player's health. Furthermore, he summons powerful Ice Wraiths to assist him in battle. Players that manage to defeat him will receive the power to summon his spirit in battle, but only three times.