Which end-of-level boss struck fear into you?

[PeteProdge]

Have you ever physically shuddered at the thought of facing a great big mega enemy in a game?

I hated Zaks in Dizzy, for example.

[presh]

Level 3 of R-Type was basically one huge boss encounter, I'd be on the edge of my seat the whole way through because if you mess up the positioning of your aux/pod weapon, you're in big trouble!

[TMD2003]

Nothing is more infuriating than tunnelling for diamonds and suddenly encountering these deep blue blocks that warn of impending danger right where the diamonds are going to be. Then there's this ominous thump... thump... thump... thump... thump... "You died!" And I never even caught sight of what's just killed me. Of all the features that have been added to Minecraft in the last ten years, the Warden (and its ridiculously damaging block-penetrating Sonic Boom type attack) is the one I'm least enamoured with.

Oh, wait, you meant something on the Spectrum? I'll make sure to include this incredibly irritating feature if I ever make that 2D "Minecrap" for a future CSSCGC. It'll just be in the form of a completely random and unfair death.

[catmeows]

Boss in Draconus made me jump on my chair. It was really unexpected encounter.
Dragon in second level of Myth. It was like "I'm supposed to kill this thing?"

[Jbizzel]

Xenon level 1 lol

[flatduckrecords]

The parity matching byte check at the very end of the LOAD "" routine!

Are you getting to play Horace Goes Skiing? Or did you just sacrifice another precious three and a half minutes to the capricious chuntey field? This boss gets to decide.

[Morkin]

The dreaded instructor that you had to fight in the final training event in Combat School.

The number of times I used to get there without too much trouble, simply to just get completely annihilated.

Each time I got there I'd start getting tense, sweaty palms etc.

[bluespikey]

This lovely girl from the third level of Renegade.





Could not figure out how to defeat at all. Get too far away and she launches her ram attack. So you stay close and she steadily crushes you while refusing to drop. I eventually figured it out and punched the air so hard my arm ached for weeks after.

Then in the next level the Big Bad had a gun. I left it at that point.

[Vampyre]

The dreaded instructor that you had to fight in the final training event in Combat School.

The number of times I used to get there without too much trouble, simply to just get completely annihilated.

Each time I got there I'd start getting tense, sweaty palms etc.

If I remember correctly the only way to beat him (or the only way I could) was to do flying kicks at him, hope you hit him before he hits you, leap back out, rince-repeat. It may as well have just been the toss of a coin.

And then when you did beat him you entered into a Kung Fu Master style level. One hit - game over. I never did complete that damn game.

[worcestersource]

This lovely girl from the third level of Renegade.





Could not figure out how to defeat at all. Get too far away and she launches her ram attack. So you stay close and she steadily crushes you while refusing to drop. I eventually figured it out and punched the air so hard my arm ached for weeks after.

Then in the next level the Big Bad had a gun. I left it at that point.

It’s been a long time but doesn’t the Big Bad have a set number of bullets and when they’re spent, joins in the fight? Or am I thinking of Target Renegade.

My dreaded boss was the level four boss on R Type.

Bob Pape is a legend.

Steve

[R-Tape]

The bosses on The New Zealand Story. Not so much because of the bosses themselves, but because you get hemmed-in with a bloody big sprite to the tune of scary music. It's the anticipation. I suppose I'd have to pick the octopus because I didn't usually get much further than that. I was already anxious by that point as it meant I'd negotiated the 'try not to drown' bit.

In hindsight it looks like the best strategy for this game is just to get the bomb, stand at the top and press fire a lot.

[cmal]

Not sure if this qualifies as a typical end-level boss. It's more of a level separator kind of boss. The giant octopus in Scuba Dive really intimidated me when I first saw it. It was the first boss-like character that I ever encountered in a game. After a few attempts I squeezed past its tentacles and it felt like a major achievement at the time.

Here's the bugger:

[PeteProdge]

Not so much because of the bosses themselves, but because you get hemmed-in with a bloody big sprite to the tune of scary music

The ZX Spectrum equivalent of when Sega Mega Drive users had to go through Sonic's drowning theme.

[AndyC]

The ZX Spectrum equivalent of when Sega Mega Drive users had to go through Sonic's drowning theme.

Even the mention of Sonic's drowning music has stressed me out....

[Vampyre]

Looked it up as couldn't recall it.

I really wish I hadn't. Talk about stressful.

[Mpk]

Agreed on Scuba Dive, and if we're allowing that we have to allow Eugene from Manic Miner. He's not a problem at all, objectively, but still...



He's a menace!

[Morkin]

Eugene is a git, though I always found him more creepy than scary.

As Renegade got mentioned, another that springs to mind is the big dude at the end of Target Renegade. One small mistake and he grabs you > life lost. Gets a bit tense on that screen, gotta get your timing perfect.

[Edit: Ah - found it]

[Jbizzel]

The big caged chicken - unleashed!!

You know thale one I mean.

[XTM]

As Renegade got mentioned, another that springs to mind is the big dude at the end of Target Renegade. One small mistake and he grabs you > life lost. Gets a bit tense on that screen, gotta get your timing perfect.

When I saw your screen, I had an epiphany ...

[Morkin]

Haha...

[R-Tape]

The big caged chicken - unleashed!!

You know thale one I mean.

Oh god yes - that's got to be one of the cruellest, and it doesn't even look scary. It sits there oppressing the whole screen, and (in my experience) you know you're basically a dead man walking until it's unleashed.

[blucey]

The giant cannon thing in Beach Head. There's just a real pressure to it.

I mean it's actually super easy.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

The final room in Raid Over Moscow (if it can be considered as a 'boss').

[blucey]

THE GHOST RIDER!

From Wheelie.

That guy is as scary as it gets on the Speccy. Way too much pressure.

[MarkRJones1970]

When I saw your screen, I had an epiphany ...

HA! Actually, the end of level boss is based on Jon Woods.