There really is nothing greater than conquering all the combat that a video game throws at you. We feel absolutely victorious by the end, eagerly awaiting to see what could possibly stand in our way next. But, despite how skillful we may be, there will always be one enemy that can make us doubt ourselves. More specifically, a ruthless boss that doesn't go down without a proper fight leads many of us to our downfall.
Developers have a lot of fun creating hard bosses for us to tackle. And, with that, they decide to make bosses with multiple phases to defeat. Just when you think you've beaten these foes, they surprisingly come right back up again. Becoming stronger than ever before, a multi-phase boss is an unforgettable opponent.
10 Photoshop Flowey (Undertale)
Also being referred to as Omega Flowey, Photoshop Flowey is one of the final bosses in Undertale. You'll face him after either completing the neutral or the genocide route, but only if you haven't already defeated him. He is terrifying as his appearance involves multiple elements pierced together. More specifically, he's a mixture of machinery, plant tissue, and human organs.
He has three main phases, but they scramble together during the fight. The phases go in order at first, but after the third one, he'll resort back to a previous phase, and you never know which one is coming next.
9 Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
Even though Sephiroth's usual appearance is iconic, his multiple formations during his boss fight are also memorable. There are three different versions of Sephiroth to beat when you face him at the end of Final Fantasy VII, but his final form is impossible to lose to.
You'll first face Bizarro Sephiroth, whose dark appearance and a minimum of 60,000 HP loom over you. Next is Safer Sephiroth, appearing like a celestial being with a minimum of 55,000 HP. Finally, after all your ruthless fighting, you'll face his normal form that's impossible to fall to. All in all, the last moments of this final boss are utterly cinematic.
8 Ganondorf (The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
Considered to be the biggest boss in the entire game, Ganondorf's multi-phase boss fight in Twilight Princess is an unforgettable experience. He starts the fight by taking control of Princess Zelda with his dark magic, using her and her sword as a puppet.
After a few hits, from there, Ganondorf takes the form of a dark boar. Since he becomes supercharged at this point, the fight will be a bit more difficult. But, after a couple of good attacks, Ganondorf resorts to his usual form and rides on horseback. After this attempt to kill you again fails, he'll return to his original form and challenge you one-on-one.
7 Abyss Watchers (Dark Souls 3)
Defeating the Abyss Watchers is your ticket to accessing the Catacombs of Carthus in Dark Souls 3. Getting their souls also allows you to create worthwhile powerful weapons like the Farron Greatsword or Wolf Knight's Greatsword.
There are only two phases to this boss fight. If you're adept at dodge rolling and parrying, the first phase should be a breeze. Having you tackle all of the Abyss Watchers at once and getting a good amount of hits on them is surprisingly not too difficult. However, once you kill them, one of them will suddenly revive and be stronger than before with fiery sword attacks and swift charging along with it.
6 Ornstein & Smough (Dark Souls)
Ornstein and Smough make an incredible duo with fascinating lore to go along with them. Their boss fight will always be two phases, but which of them comes first is entirely up to you. When you first enter their boss room, both of them attacking can feel intense. But, it's wise to think carefully about who you want to kill first.
If you defeat Smough first, you'll be granted Ornstein's armor but endure a tougher battle. On the other hand, if you defeat Ornstein, you'll get Smough's armor and a much easier battle. Essentially, whoever you decide to leave alive in the first phase becomes a stronger version of themselves in the second.
5 King Dice (Cuphead)
For what is a cute-looking game, Cuphead is iconic for its difficult and beautifully-animated boss fights. King Dice's fight in the finale of the game is no exception. This battle takes a unique approach to the typical multi-phase boss by having you fight different enemies that aren't him.
King Dice's fight isn't impossible if you play it smartly. Knowing how to land your dice correctly is key to getting by, as each space connects to a specific boss. You have to defeat at least three bosses before you can face King Dice himself, who isn't exactly a walk in the park to deal with.
4 Nyx Avatar (Persona 3)
Being one of the most mysterious figures in Persona 3, the number of phases in Nyx Avatar's boss fight is ruthless. It holds 14 Arcana, each corresponding to a separate enemy. Thus, in total, there are fourteen phases in this boss fight that you must conquer.
When you finally reach Nyx Avatar's final phase, it will use unique skills against you in hopes of surviving. These moves can be devastating if you're not too careful, which could push you back to the very start of the fight. However, once it's been finally defeated, it summons only Nyx and makes you face it solely on your own.
3 Sister Friede (Dark Souls 3)
Sister Friede is an agonizing boss fight if you don't have any summons to back you up. She is a part of Dark Souls 3's Ashes of Ariandel DLC, residing in the Ariandel Chapel. Her fight comes with three phases, two of which she fights by herself.
This battle isn't necessarily hard to stay alive if you only dodge her attacks. But, the real difficulty comes from finding a way to counterattack her. Sister Friede's attacks are incredibly aggressive and can kill you in the blink of an eye. It's always recommended to summon Slave Knight Gael for this fight, making the last two phases feel a bit easier.
2 Kefka (Final Fantasy VI)
Fighting Kefka for the fifth and final time in Final Fantasy VI is both rewarding and tiring at the same time. Eventually becoming the God of Magic itself after being ignored for so long, Kefka becomes ruthless in attacking you and your party.
Four phases are set out for you to face during this boss fight. The first consists of pure muscle, while the second sets its sights on casting spells. The third face immediately strikes everyone with a fiery attack. Finally, the last phase is Kefka in his truest form as he hits you with a devastating attack that brings you and your whole party to one HP.
1 Malenia (Elden Ring)
Malenia is a perfect example of how well-designed and challenging bosses in Elden Ring are. She's the most difficult foe who differs from other bosses with her swift movements and even quicker attacks. It's nearly impossible to dodge her attacks, and she's able to heal herself each time she strikes you.
What makes Malenia such an amazing multi-phase boss fight is how hard the first phase is to begin with. It feels hopeless that we'll ever get to beat her at first. When we first defeat her, we feel rewarded. But, when she gets back up and only comes back stronger than before, it's easy to feel hopeless.