Super Mario's World of Final Bosses
For as celebrated as Super Mario is, the Big P (plumber)'s profuse pinnacles are pretty patchy. Let's take a closer look...
(Haven't played Super Mario Wonder so it doesn't make the list yet)
(Haven't played Super Mario Wonder so it doesn't make the list yet)
17 Games
I'm always a sucker for when the final boss is unexpectedly just a guy who can do all the same things as the player and turns their own mechanics against them.
A 3D interpretation of New Super Mario Bros. Wii's autoscrolling chase ending, 3D World's finale sprints through all of the game's major ideas and pulls out a thrilling, intensely-escalating, two-phase finale only 3D World could do.
Easily the most distinct, spectacular and memorable showdown from a Mario game.
A 3D interpretation of New Super Mario Bros. Wii's autoscrolling chase ending, 3D World's finale sprints through all of the game's major ideas and pulls out a thrilling, intensely-escalating, two-phase finale only 3D World could do.
Easily the most distinct, spectacular and memorable showdown from a Mario game.
1
Masterfully elaborating on 64's three-Bowser-encounter structure, each rematch builds more and more on top of the last until Bowser's arsenal is full of one jaw-dropping attack after another. Playing Galaxy for the first time, I remember how I just kept thinking "he can do THAT?" over and over and over again.
Swinging the Wii Remote to roleplay what it would really feel like to slap Bowser in the nose feels excellent, which is why it feels even better to do it again and again until the poor guy is getting ping-ponged back and forth several times across the planet just to earn a single hit.
Mechanically this is already melting on my tongue so well, so the additional flavors heaped on top by the incredible music and setpiece is enough to nearly kill a man. Altogether it makes this an extremely close contender for 2nd place.
Swinging the Wii Remote to roleplay what it would really feel like to slap Bowser in the nose feels excellent, which is why it feels even better to do it again and again until the poor guy is getting ping-ponged back and forth several times across the planet just to earn a single hit.
Mechanically this is already melting on my tongue so well, so the additional flavors heaped on top by the incredible music and setpiece is enough to nearly kill a man. Altogether it makes this an extremely close contender for 2nd place.
2
The last world map screen of this game always gave me a strange feeling. The looming castle with the little silhouetted pair of eyes watching you does a lot to set the tone as Mario draws closer and closer with each stage. Finally reaching that point and finding out what the hell is going on up there for the first time is such a delightful and strange surprise.
One of my favorite actions to perform in Super Mario World is picking up items and throwing them places (a feature which I jumped with joy to see return in 3D World), so I think it's no mistake that the final boss plays the way it does with this in mind. To date, this is the best 2D Mario has ever done it.
One of my favorite actions to perform in Super Mario World is picking up items and throwing them places (a feature which I jumped with joy to see return in 3D World), so I think it's no mistake that the final boss plays the way it does with this in mind. To date, this is the best 2D Mario has ever done it.
3
Who'd have thought New Super Mario Bros. of all places could pull something like this off? No twelve year old could have seen this coming.
The individual ideas at play here are, on their own, not especially impressive (autoscrolling, random platforms, wavy lava, we've seen it all elsewhere), but the elegant combination and contextualization of the three in a rugpull setpiece like this, put together with some of the best final boss music in the series can't help but leave a mark on the rest of the series.
The desperate rush to reach Peach once the player is down to their last handful of jumps, especially when scrambling to be the first to reach her in multiplayer, is perfection. I feel that panic every time.
The individual ideas at play here are, on their own, not especially impressive (autoscrolling, random platforms, wavy lava, we've seen it all elsewhere), but the elegant combination and contextualization of the three in a rugpull setpiece like this, put together with some of the best final boss music in the series can't help but leave a mark on the rest of the series.
The desperate rush to reach Peach once the player is down to their last handful of jumps, especially when scrambling to be the first to reach her in multiplayer, is perfection. I feel that panic every time.
4
Super Paper Mario's most reviled feature suddenly becomes its saving grace, sneaking its way onto the Top 5 on this list without any difficulty at all.
This part is so fucking cool. This part is so fucking cool. Dimentio, Mr. L, Castle Bleck, all of it. This is the coolest Mario has ever been.
I used to have Super Dimentio as my desktop background on the family computer.
This part is so fucking cool. This part is so fucking cool. Dimentio, Mr. L, Castle Bleck, all of it. This is the coolest Mario has ever been.
I used to have Super Dimentio as my desktop background on the family computer.
5
The rainbow-lit Bowser is the gayest Bowser any Mario game has ever seen. They made a gay Bowser where you grab his gay ass tail and blow him up with his gay little bombs. And now your arena's shaped like a star? Give me a break. No wonder this guy is so long.
I love how stubby Bowser's limbs are in 64, this feels like the most they've ever leaned into the comedy inherent to the appearance of a T-Rex for Bowser's design. Walking him run around is extremely pleasing to my eyes.
Between the Dark World theme and the music here, I think this is some of my favorite music I've ever heard Koji Kondo do for a Mario game.
I love how stubby Bowser's limbs are in 64, this feels like the most they've ever leaned into the comedy inherent to the appearance of a T-Rex for Bowser's design. Walking him run around is extremely pleasing to my eyes.
Between the Dark World theme and the music here, I think this is some of my favorite music I've ever heard Koji Kondo do for a Mario game.
6
Plessie is my best friend. Let's kill.
I appreciate the idea of only being able to land the hit at the end of the obstacle course only if the player can clear the attacks without taking a hit, it makes the mastery all the sweeter. Is this also the Mario boss that uses a 3D space to its fullest? Possibly...
I'd never have thought about the omission of Bowser's unbelievably swanky theme in 3D World's ending if not for how well it wound up being used here.
If nothing else, this is the hardest I've laughed at a final boss in a Mario game. If you know you know.
I appreciate the idea of only being able to land the hit at the end of the obstacle course only if the player can clear the attacks without taking a hit, it makes the mastery all the sweeter. Is this also the Mario boss that uses a 3D space to its fullest? Possibly...
I'd never have thought about the omission of Bowser's unbelievably swanky theme in 3D World's ending if not for how well it wound up being used here.
If nothing else, this is the hardest I've laughed at a final boss in a Mario game. If you know you know.
7
We're at the point where 64's Bowser-encounter structure has been tread a few times over now, and this is easily the worst interpretation of it.
Even at the time, the thing that I found most surprising was how unremarkable this final boss is. Can you tell me how the music here goes? You can't.
The Japanese castle/moon/wedding stuff makes for such a rich buildup in Odyssey's final hours, but the boss fight itself just tremendously drops the ball.
An extraordinary disappointment, especially hot off the heels of 3D World. I do not like the second Pauline song that plays here, but the ending is cute. Maybe next time, Bowser.
Even at the time, the thing that I found most surprising was how unremarkable this final boss is. Can you tell me how the music here goes? You can't.
The Japanese castle/moon/wedding stuff makes for such a rich buildup in Odyssey's final hours, but the boss fight itself just tremendously drops the ball.
An extraordinary disappointment, especially hot off the heels of 3D World. I do not like the second Pauline song that plays here, but the ending is cute. Maybe next time, Bowser.
8
This is the final boss that made me say "hey, now we're finally getting somewhere!" Short-lived, and about as simple as it gets, but undeniably cute and thoughtful.
9
...Huh?
The last time I tried to describe the events that occured in Bowser's Bathtub, my first-grade teacher thought I was describing something very concerning, so for her sake and mine I will not be attempting to repeat this experience here.
Shoutout to the extremely understated bassy piano that scores one of Mario's most utterly bizarre encounters.
The last time I tried to describe the events that occured in Bowser's Bathtub, my first-grade teacher thought I was describing something very concerning, so for her sake and mine I will not be attempting to repeat this experience here.
Shoutout to the extremely understated bassy piano that scores one of Mario's most utterly bizarre encounters.
10
The second-hardest I've laughed at a final boss in a Mario game. Iwata's dream of being sucked into a 3DS and chased by Bowser in a world of terrors has finally come true.
One doesn't expect much of a Bowser boss that plays off of the classic Super Mario Bros. bridge motif, but 3D Land does a decent job with what its given. The second phase is probably the most they've ever bothered to further this concept.
One doesn't expect much of a Bowser boss that plays off of the classic Super Mario Bros. bridge motif, but 3D Land does a decent job with what its given. The second phase is probably the most they've ever bothered to further this concept.
11
Given what I've had to say about Super Mario World you think I'd like this one more, but I'm sorry, I don't. I find this one more annoying than satisfying.
12
Once the hammers get involved, you are so fucked.
Getting Mario past this god damn dinosaur has all the joy of winning the lottery, but unfortunately all the other times when I don't also feels like losing the lottery.
Getting Mario past this god damn dinosaur has all the joy of winning the lottery, but unfortunately all the other times when I don't also feels like losing the lottery.
13
The 3D-World-to-Odyssey downgrade of 2D Mario. This boss is extremely fine, but, come on, no matter how many times you make Bowser big again, we all know this isn't as cool as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Taking out Bowser Jr. is a fun wrinkle though.
14
A direct response to my previous comments about Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. overcorrects and decides to make Bowser extremely over-telegraph his movements.
Why is Dry Bowser like that?
Why is Dry Bowser like that?
15
What an unbelievable fall from grace. Ground pounds? Really? An uninspired do-over of Galaxy's excellent planetoid encounters stripped of everything that made them feel so intense and exciting.
Excellent final boss music, but you'll never make it even halfway through a loop of it before the boss fight is over.
Excellent final boss music, but you'll never make it even halfway through a loop of it before the boss fight is over.
16
One of my biggest gripes with New Super Mario Bros. 2 is its shamelessly re-used soundtrack. Reaching the final boss only to realize they're just doing the Wii thing again but worse was the final nail in the coffin. The most unambitious final boss in a Mario game, bar-none.
17
Funbil
2 months ago