Giant Balls

[Rainbow Dash]

I am referring, of course, to optional superbosses (http://zope.aditel.org/personal/esanchez/blog/blomages/ozma.jpg) in RPGs. Do you think they're a good idea? Do you think they're stupid and make the final boss, which is supposed to be the ultimate boss, pointless? Do you think they should always be put AFTER the final boss? Do you think they should be weakened, or do you think final bosses should be strengthened?

Optional bosses have always annoyed me for a number of reasons. For one, why are they always content to sit there and do nothing but could obliterate the planet effortlessly? Pluse, what's the point of beating them if, once you do, the reward is worthless and you get nothing out of it?

Erm, anyway. Discuss and such.

[Aen]

I hate "ultimate bosses" in games. Like in the first Kirby game for GBA, you fought DeDeDe, then you fought the Nightmare, then you fought another form of nightmare. I fucking hate it.

Unless it's a really good game. For Example, I would be really happy if Brawl had some "ultimate bosses" in it, cause then I could beat the helloutofem with Link. ^_^

[crimson hammer]

Well ultimate bosses can have good sides...like an appearance of a cameo that won't fit in the story such as BAss from Battle network. But aside from cameos, it is pointless.

[Noland]

I think they are good for challenge. It would be nice if they were weakened, though. Then again, some bosses are just ridiculously strong and they can be accessed early in the game. For people who aren't experienced enough, it can be a pain.

[Boilman]

I say, put them in. They aren't 'optional' bosses for nothing you know.
If you don't like 'em, don't fight 'em.
That said, I always fight them. I think it's nice to have an extra area open for exploring, and to face one of those bosses at the end.


Also, to counter Toxic a bit:
For one, why are they always content to sit there and do nothing but could obliterate the planet effortlessly?
Better question. Why would they. Would they gain something from it? just because someone or something is powerful, doesn't mean it has to destroy. And no, it also doesn't need to destroy the world because it's 'evil' (even tough some seem to plan so when you confront them).

Pluse, what's the point of beating them if, once you do, the reward is worthless and you get nothing out of it?
What's the point of beating the Final Boss then?
If you say satisfaction, then whoopee. You just beat the game. But if you found it too easy, you may want a harder challenge. Enter the Secret Boss.

I'd want to have some sort of tagline to end this, but I don't. Suck on it.

[EDIT] Also, Tox, that title is... very misleading. Now THESE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0) are giant balls.

[NDraxian0]

Personally I like them. Optional bosses are often some of the cooler bosses in the game. But I do agree some of them need to be implemented better and give better stuff. And Final bosses should not that comparitively easy compared to them. There are only a few final bosses that are harder than all of the normal bosses let alone the optional bosses.

FF7 implemented optional bosses well. And Sephiroth wasn't that easy compared to the Weapons. ((Okay the weapons were ridiculiously hard. (Without those specific anti weapon strategies!) but Sephiroth wasn't a push-over like some end bosses))
The BN series also implemented them very well. As they were after end boss so those who would be fighting them would be looking for a new challenge.

Now... Some bosses aren't actually optional but are secret... such as the awesome 02. And those should be harder than everything else.

[[fish in space]]

I lie optional bosses. It gives you the feeling that the game isn't dead once you've beaten it. Like, for example, the pit of 100 trials in SPM, if you beat it after bleck it gives you a challenge, but either way it gives you a very useful item.

[LowResAtari]

If we didn't have optional bosses we wouldn't have the awesome ones like Culex.

[Terry von Feledae]

It all would be solved very easily by making the game power up the final boss some more if you fight the optional boss. I'm actually surprised game creators don't seem to have got this idea yet.

[DragonZero]

It seems kinda pointless to me, since you've already completed the Game, pretty much. I mean, I guess it's always cool to have the extra Super-Weapon or whatever from beating it, but honestly... What does it matter if you've already beaten the Game in every facet except for that one? Then you have nothing to use the Weapon for at all!

What would be really cool would be if the Reward from beating the Bonus Boss was a Bonus STAGE, or something like that. That way you got a bit more Story and a bit more Challenge, and just a bit more Game in general for beating the Hidden Boss.

[Thanatos-Zero]

It all would be solved very easily by making the game power up the final boss some more if you fight the optional boss. I'm actually surprised game creators don't seem to have got this idea yet.
A really good idea Terry F.. The finalboss becomes stronger through defeating the optional superbosses, but if we transfer this concept to Final Fantasy X, the ultimate superboss Penance aka The Judge/Der Richter would make the Finalboss almost equal strong like him or even more powerful, right Terry F. ?

[Terry von Feledae]

Exactly my idea. That would not only raise the challenge for those people who want challenges, but it also would give some use to that super-powerful item you get from the secret boss other than to speed things up.

[Kithrixx]

Two words: Replay Value. After you beat the final boss and complete the story, there's nothing left to an RPG. Seekrit superhard bosses change this.

[KSorian]

A really good idea Terry F.. The finalboss becomes stronger through defeating the optional superbosses, but if we transfer this concept to Final Fantasy X, the ultimate superboss Penance aka The Judge/Der Richter would make the Finalboss almost equal strong like him or even more powerful, right Terry F. ?

Actually in Star Ocean 2 there is something similar to this. The very last boss has a limiter on his abilities and stats. However, If you see specific events and obtain a specific item, the very last boss disables it. I've not fought the final boss like that myself, but with the limiter in place you only need your characters to about level 70. Once you deactivate the limiter I have heard that you need to be at least level 200 for you to stand a chance against him.