Final Fantasy: 15 Most Brutal Boss Battles

6. Shinryu (FFV)

Whether Omega or Shinryu is the hardest super-boss in Final Fantasy V has been debated for quite some time, and no doubt the argument will rage on in the comments section. Dragons are cooler than robots though, so Shinryu takes the proverbial biscuit here.

In terms of its attacks, Shinryu eclipses Omega in its destructive capabilities. Its battle-opening Tsunami assault can easily annihilate the party straight away, and if they manage to survive, from that point it's a desperate struggle to cling on.

Surmounting the spirit dragon takes more than merely out-levelling it; FFV's ultra-refined job-class system also needs mastering to give the player a fair shot, and even then, it's an uphill struggle.

Again, there are numerous strategies that massively negate Shinryu's viciousness, but in the days before the internet it was either a case of accidentally stumbling upon them or having chess Grandmaster levels of precognition and prudence - something rarely needed, when spamming the most powerful attacks had worked wonders for all the other bosses.

Cactaur Needles O' Pain: 350

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.