The Best Legacy Boss Battles In RPGs

Key Takeaways

• Legacy boss battles are exciting, cross-promotions build intrigue, and bosses appearing in previous games provide a fun challenge.
• Some of the toughest bosses like Karstaag, Cynthia, and The Demi-Fiend offer memorable and engaging battles with high stakes.
• Facing iconic characters like Gilgamesh, Sephiroth, and Goro Majima in legacy boss battles requires strategy, skill, and level preparation.

The concept of legacy boss battles is a fascinating one, with players loving the idea of facing off against bosses who have appeared in other games, either in the same series or somewhere else. It adds to the epic nature of these battles that can already be devilishly hard to deal with.

Cross-promotions do a great job of building intrigue in certain RPGs, while bosses who have appeared in previous games in the series can be a blast to fight. Either way, these legacy battles are fun to discover as players figure out an optimal strategy to ensure that they come out of these fights victorious.

8 Karstaag

One Of The Toughest Boss Fights In The Elder Scrolls Series

Karstaag is one of the most infamous bosses in Skyrim, appearing as a frost giant spirit in the Dragonborn DLC where players explore the island of Solstheim. Most long-time Elder Scrolls fans know this isn’t the first time this boss has been added to an expansion pack for a game in this series.

Bloodmoon is one of the best expansions for The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, and it takes place 200 years before the events of Dragonborn. Here, players interact with a living, breathing version of Karstaag who is also pretty challenging, establishing a link between the two fights and the eras of Tamriel in which they take place.

7 Cynthia

Sinnoh’s Champion Appears As A Superboss In A Later Entry

Cynthia is one of the toughest challenges in Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, serving as the champion of the Sinnoh region. She’s the final challenge in the game that players must overcome by any means necessary, making for a memorable conclusion to these amazing Pokemon games.

Fans who loved this battle can experience it once again in Pokemon Black & White, where Cynthia is a superboss who can scare the wits out of players with her sudden appearance. For a game that appeals to children, it’s hilarious how this character essentially jumpscares players before taking them on in battle.

6 Makoto Yuki & Yu Narukami

Protagonists From The Previous Persona Games Can Be Fought As Superbosses

Persona 5 Royal is the definitive way to enjoy this JRPG masterpiece, featuring everything from additional content to gameplay additions that help the combat feel more engaging than ever before. It also has extra Challenge Battles players can access where they try to rack up a high score, with two of these battles in particular being a joy to engage with.

This is because players get to take on the protagonists of Persona 3 and Persona 4 in these Challenge Battles—Makoto Yuki & Yu Narukami—and they don’t pull any punches in battle. Players must bring their A-game and unleash their strongest attacks while analyzing the movesets of these characters to figure out the best way to account for everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.

5 The Demi-Fiend

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne’s Protagonist Is The Hardest Fight In The Game

• Game: Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
• Platform: PlayStation 2
• Release Date: July 15, 2004
• Developer: Atlus

The Demi-fiend is a protagonist in one of the hardest Shin Megami Tensei games ever made, quickly becoming one of the most iconic characters in the series. A spinoff, Digital Devil Saga is easier to get through, but features this character as a superboss who’s a nightmare to deal with.

This boss can only be encountered in New Cycle+, and it’s important to build up a strong party that can take on this boss without being torn apart. The Demi-fiend pulls no punches and comes equipped with high-damage attacks that can wipe out an unprepared party in no time.

4 Gilgamesh

One Of The Toughest Hunts In The Game

Gilgamesh is one of the goofiest yet most memorable characters in Final Fantasy, appearing in the fifth entry as a memorable recurring boss. He made such a strong impression that he was featured in subsequent games too, and Final Fantasy 12 is no exception.

He’s one of the Elite Marks that players can take on as a Hunt in the game, and he pulls no punches in combat. While he may wield cheap imitations of classic Final Fantasy swords, he still forms a deadly partnership with his pet, Enkidu. Players will have their work cut out for them if they want to best this powerful legacy boss.

3 The Original Octopath Travelers

Added As Legacy Boss Battles In An Update

Octopath Traveler 2 is a massive improvement as a sequel in almost every department and makes it clear that this fledgling series is on track to become one of the most beloved JRPG series of all time. The game also received some great post-launch content with Extra Battles that let players take on the main cast of the first game.

As one would expect, these battles are no joke, with each of these opponents whipping out signature techniques that can obliterate the player’s party in no time. It’s important to be equipped to the nines and boast a high level before players can even think about taking on these adventurers.

2 Sephiroth

An Infamous Superboss Who Can Tear Sora Apart

The One-Winged Angel is comfortably one of the most iconic video game antagonists of all time and continues to be relevant in pop culture courtesy of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. He also appeared in another Square Enix franchise as a superboss who is ridiculously overbearing.

Players who want to tackle the strongest challenge in Kingdom Hearts must brave this battle against Sephiroth in the Platinum Match at the Olympus Coliseum. He’s a tough enemy to deal with, and players must ensure that they’re masters of the combat system before even thinking about taking on this imposing foe in a boss battle for the ages.

1 Goro Majima

The Mad Dog Of Shimano Appears Several Times Across The Series As A Boss Fight

Most Yakuza fans were elated to find out that Yakuza 0 would finally let them control one of the wildest and most entertaining characters in the series. Goro Majima is an unpredictable yakuza who never fails to test Kiryu’s might whenever the two cross paths across multiple Yakuza games, leading to some of the most cinematic boss fights in the series.

The Mad Dog of Shimano usually comes with his trusted dagger to cut down Kiryu or whoever else he fights. Witnessing his evolution from an oppressed gangster into one of the most powerful figures in the Tojo Clan is an incredible moment that further cements Majima as one of the best characters in the series.