7 Toughest Optional Bosses Most Players Skipped

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As a gamer, I’ve noticed that usually the last boss in a game is the absolute hardest – it’s like the developers want to give you a real run for your money after you’ve leveled up and gotten good. But sometimes, games throw in optional bosses, and those are a different beast altogether! It’s crazy because a lot of players probably don’t even find these fights – they’re hidden behind tricky stuff you have to figure out. But if you’re a player who really wants a serious challenge, those optional bosses are where it’s at. Honestly, though, they’re probably too hard for most of us to bother with!

Here are seven of the toughest optional boss fights in video game history.

7) Elizabeth – Persona 3 Reload

The battle with Elizabeth isn’t about fast reactions or memorizing attack patterns. You’ll need a flawless plan to even have a chance of winning against this challenging Persona superboss. The fight has several hidden rules that the game never tells you, and making even one mistake means instant defeat for your entire party.

You’ll need to cycle through different Personas to effectively counter Elizabeth’s attacks. Basically, defeating her requires careful planning and knowing what you’re doing.

6) Emil – Nier: Automata

In Nier: Automata, Emil appears as a helpful shopkeeper, but completing all of his sidequests and collecting every Lunar Tear unlocks a challenging secret boss battle against him. Be warned – he’s a tough opponent!

This battle is tough because Emil fills the arena with heads, making it hard to move. He also fires quick lasers that can quickly deplete your health, so you need to be constantly healing. To make things even harder, he’s constantly trying to distract and upset you with sad stories while you fight.

5) Sans – Undertale

The battle against Sans occurs if you choose to play through Undertale in a way that involves killing every monster you encounter. This requires a significant time commitment and can be emotionally draining. Completing this ‘Genocide Route’ unlocks the most challenging fight in the game.

Keep in mind that Undertale‘s battles require quick reflexes, and the fight with Sans is particularly challenging. You’ll need to learn his attack patterns and react fast to avoid damage. But it’s not just about speed – you also need to be incredibly precise to dodge some of his harder moves. It’s such a difficult fight that fans have even made a practice tool to help players prepare and learn the attacks before facing Sans in the game.

4) The Demon of Hatred – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Demon of Hatred is the first challenging boss on this list, and many players will struggle with it. The fight is typically very lengthy, as the boss has both a large health bar and a posture meter that take a long time to deplete, making it a true test of endurance.

This battle relies quite a bit on having the right items and using them effectively to stay alive. It’s also important to stay near the enemy to avoid getting hit by their ranged attacks. Overall, this fight feels more like something from the original Dark Souls games than what Sekiro players might expect, making it a particularly challenging encounter in an already difficult game.

3) Queen Sigrun – God of War (2018)

Like the fight against the Demon of Hatred, beating Sigrun will likely take a considerable amount of time – around 10 minutes per attempt. This makes failing particularly frustrating, as you’ve already spent a lot of effort learning her attack patterns.

Okay, so beating Sigrun is all about timing, not just button-mashing. You can’t just overpower her like some of the other enemies. I found that equipping runic attacks with quick animations really helped – it meant I wasn’t stuck in a long attack and left open to a counter. But honestly, even with that, it’s still a really tough fight!

2) The Nameless King – Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls 3 is known for its challenging battles, but The Nameless King is widely considered the toughest of them all – some even believe he’s the hardest boss in the entire Soulsborne series. Be prepared for a real fight; you definitely won’t defeat him easily!

The initial part of this challenge is mostly about getting your camera to cooperate. If you can’t keep track of the target, you’ll struggle. The second phase is more balanced, but it’s still difficult. The enemy moves incredibly fast, and a single hit from his electrified attack can be devastating. Be prepared to spend a few hours learning how he behaves.

1) Malenia – Elden Ring

Malenia is widely considered the hardest optional boss in the game. The popularity of players like ‘Let Me Solo Her’ demonstrates just how challenging she is. She’s incredibly difficult – statistics show she’s defeated 40 million more players than any other boss in Elden Ring. It’s important to remember that Malenia is a completely optional, late-game encounter. Many players never fight her, and a significant number likely stopped playing before reaching that point.

That’s incredibly impressive and really shows how dangerous Malenia is. It also fits with the game’s backstory, which claims she’s never been defeated. The developers, FromSoftware, intentionally created a truly challenging boss fight – one of the most difficult ever seen in video games – to stay true to that lore for as long as possible.

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2026-02-19 01:12