10 Great Video Games With TERRIBLE Bosses

Dark Souls and Cuphead prove that bosses can be fair despite being infuriating. As frustrating as bosses like this are, they can be defeated by memorising their attack pattern.

But as Ninja Gaiden II proves, there's a big difference between a tough boss and a cheap one. Most bosses in Team Ninja's hack-and-slash sequel have insta-kill attacks which can be unleashed at any moment.

What's worse is that these screen-filling foes can be bested through button-mashing. Since these bouts don't involve much timing or precision, there's little satisfaction to be had.

Then there's the Nuclear Armadillo. This carapace-covered critter blows up after meeting his maker. However, there's no hint this atomic explosion will kill our hero unless he blocks or performs a certain move at the right time. Because of this, pretty much every first-timer died at this point, forcing them to face off against the Nuclear Armadillo from the very start.

Now, that's not suggesting every Ninja Gaiden II boss is cheap. But even this nasty bunch agree to play by the rules, it's not as fun or engaging as it should be.