The Best Cinematic Boss Fights In Final Fantasy Games, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Final Fantasy boss fights focus on cinematic spectacle and dynamic elements in combat.
• Endsinger in FF14: Endwalker offers visually dramatic phases and challenging mechanics.
• Adamantoise in FF15 impresses with its massive scale and visual experience.

In all the years of Final Fantasy, there have been a lot of memorable boss fights. Whether players value combat puzzles, secret super bosses, or visual spectacles, there’s something for everyone. Even since its earliest 3D incarnations, Final Fantasy has always tried to push visuals in gaming, first through CGI, then later bringing that flair into the environments and battles.

Of course, the more recent entries in the series have upped the visuals and capitalized on modern hardware to create fights that transcend what earlier games could accomplish. The move to more action-oriented combat systems may be divisive, but it has allowed for more dynamic elements in boss fights. The boss fights here all focus on their cinematic spectacle as much as the combat itself.

9 Endsinger

Endwalker’s Epic Finale

The end of the Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker storyline couldn’t happen in a more epic setting. Players ride the back of the primal Shinryu to fight the Endsinger in a clash at the edge of the universe. FF14 has had some interesting raid bosses over its various expansions, but Endsinger is one of the most impressive.

The fight is a two-phase challenge, and the phase shift itself is visually dramatic and striking. Players not only have to avoid the ground-painting AOE attacks but also avoid falling off the edge of the arena and into the void of space. The music elevates the cinematic brilliance, drawing from the motifs of previous fights.

8 Adamantoise

Larger Than Life

Final Fantasy 15‘s interpretation of the Adamantoise is the most epic in the series, in terms of scale. Final Fantasy 15 certainly liked showing off its open-world beauty with giant-sized field enemies that are visible from a distance, but none of these enemies even compare to the mountain-sized Adamantoise.

The fight itself can be a bit of an endurance match since the Adamantoise has the most HP of any enemy in the game. Seeing it for the first time after unlocking the end-game hunt is one of the most awesome visual experiences in the game, though.

7 Bahamut Arisen

Super Simulation

Most of the simulation fights in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth doesn’t match the cinematic nature of other fights in the game, mostly due to the comparatively bland “blue computer space” they take place in. Bahamut Arisen manages to defy that by being a visual spectacle itself.

It’s actually more impressive for players who go into the fight for the first time without an idea of how to win, as that means they’ll likely see the mode switch and Bahamut’s Gigaflare ultimate attack. Of course, this means losing the fight, but it’s worth it for the cinematic annihilation.

6 Ifrit

Fire Power

Ifrit might be the penultimate boss in Final Fantasy 15, but his fight is arguably more impressive than the finale. From the interesting take on his form to the flaming sword attacks, and his ability to pick up Noctis and the party and throw them around like toys, he’s an imposing spectacle.

Even more cinematic, activating certain conditions and triggering the Shiva summon during the fight can lead to a unique scene with Shiva nullifying Ifrit’s fiery powers using Diamond Dust. The way Final Fantasy 15 used summons remains controversial for some, but this is an interesting interaction.

5 Bahamut

Aerial Dominance

Bahamut has always been impressive in Final Fantasy, whether it’s appearing as a summon, an enemy, or both. Final Fantasy 16‘s take on Eikon vs Eikon combat takes this one step further in terms of cinematic visuals. The four-phase fight sees Dion Lesage running wild in his Eikon form and taking on both Clive and Joshua in theirs.

The fight evolves over its phases, with Clive as Ifrit fighting on the ground, before Joshua takes to the skies as the Phoenix. The climactic end to the fight sees Joshua and Clive combining their Eikonic powers to fight together, and the Bahamut’s ultimate attacks are as impressive as ever.

4 Hell House

Hell In A Cell

Despite being a mid-game boss, the setup to this fight, the spectacle of the fight itself, and the interesting way this quirky enemy was reimagined for the new combat system make this a memorable encounter. Cloud and Aerith find themselves taking on this monstrous domicile in the underground colosseum.

It’s an interesting enemy design by itself, but the phase changes and the way the boss uses the arena to attack are equally impressive. The flying third phase is particularly spectacular, along with the commentary from the colosseum announcers, it helps take the cinematic factor up a gear.

3 Titan

A Bitter Clash

With Huko Kupka driven mad by the death of his lover and the aether he’s absorbed, Clive and Hugo’s final clash is a bitter one. It starts with the two clashing in their Eikon forms before the aether transforms Kupka into Titan Lost, a gigantic version of the Titan with tentacles of stone.

A lot of the fight takes the form of cinematic sequences and QTEs both in between and during the four distinct phases. While some players felt this takes away a little too much control, it allows for the cinematic spectacle that sees Ifrit climbing the giant Titan, ripping him apart, and battling Kupka’s smaller form while falling through the giant’s remains.

2 Sephiroth

The End Of The Beginning

• From Final Fantasy 7 Remake

The inclusion of Sephiroth as the final boss after the Whisper Harbinger could have been seen as controversial, as players of the original game didn’t actually run into Sephiroth until later in the story. Still, Sephiroth was always meant to have a much larger presence in Final Fantasy 7: Remake and his inclusion here makes for an epic final boss.

The fight itself forces Cloud to start alone before his allies are slowly able to join him. It’s a slow build, leading to a final phase clash against Sephiroth in a nod to his one-winged angel form, complete with an epic version of that track playing in the background.

1 Ultima Origin

Final Showdown

The final fight of Final Fantasy 16 has a lot to live up to in a game that revolves around the visual spectacle of its boss fights. Fortunately, the multi-phase fight against Ultima’s various forms doesn’t disappoint as both a visual and emotional climax to the game.

The fight starts firing on all cylinders as the three Eikons Ifrit, Pheonix, and Bahamut all attack Ultima together. After some emotional scenes, Clive fights against Ultima’s next form with the power of both Ifrit and Pheonix.

The final phases of the fight see Clive overcoming Ultimalius without his Eikonic form, while the boss uses moves from all the Eikons. The ending of the fight is a spectacular QTE sequence, as with many boss fights in the game, but the visuals, and the emotional impact of the ending, help to elevate this fight even in a game full of visual feasts.