15 Most Memorable First Boss Encounters In Gaming History

11. Papu Papu (Crash Bandicoot)

Crash Bandicoot's colourful design and kooky sense of humour won people over immediately and the series also has a number of great gameplay mechanics which makes it one of the finest platformers of all time. The boss battles in Crash Bandicoot are all unique and interesting, requiring a specific use of Crash's basic abilities. Papu Papu is a giant beast of a man and he only provides a relatively simple challenge, his encounter is fun and engaging at the same time. Papu Papu is fought in a tiny, circular hut and he swings his giant staff around to try and crush Crash. Jumping and moving over and around the staff is key to this fight and while it isn't difficult, it still requires some alert reflexes from the player and it's a good warm up for the harder bosses to come. The chieftain appears in several Crash games but his first appearance is the most effective; it's a short but fun battle, topped off by a great soundtrack.