1. The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3)
KonamiIt's just so beautiful. Many boss battle arenas (including many on this article) can be described as beautiful but none come close to the final setting for Metal Gear Solid 3. It looks like a watercolour and just seems so fitting for one of the saddest and most satisfying moments in the entire series. See, you'll be preparing for your final conflict with The Boss as soon as she flings Naked Snake off of a bridge during her defection. Snake faces many perils during Operation Snake Eater (including some truly awesome boss fights) but you'll always have one eye looking to the future, just preparing yourself for revenge. It finally comes at the climax of the game in an intense but epic brawl. It's a very close quarters fight and The Boss' unique camouflage allows her to sneak around the arena and surprise you. Close quarters combat (mainly using fists) is a must here, although the Boss also uses her Patriot submachine gun to dish out damage, demanding that Snake gives "the greatest battle of our lives." It's unbelievably bittersweet; the final blow is delivered in a cutscene (although the player has to pull the trigger themselves) and it can be delayed if you need to compose yourself. The white petals of the field turn red; the Boss' scar turns into a snake and slithers away... even her final words to Snake set the scene for the entire remainder of the series: "There's only room for one Boss, and one Snake" (Naked Snake would go on to become Big Boss). It's amazingly poignant. Still not moved? Well, it turns out that The Boss never did turn against America in the first place. Her defection was only a cover so she could get into Volgin's armory and destroy the Shagohod (an early Metal Gear prototype). When Volgin launched a nuclear missile and nearly plunged the world into nuclear warfare, she was forced to remain undercover and sacrifice herself for the good of her country. Her final role was to be defeated by Snake so she could be forever renowned as a traitor to the American people and a monster to the Russians. Feel free to salute along with Snake when he visits her grave during the final cutscene; the world may have forgotten The Boss' sacrifice but we never will.
Have we missed something? Is there a boss battle you found unbelievably satisfying that you want to share? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!