Should more boss battles have phases

[Spirit]

If we think about the final fight with Ganondorf in Twilight Princess, we'll remember that the battle happened in four unique phases; one with puppet Zelda, the next with Beast Ganon, the next on horseback and the final battle was a sword fight.

Each of those phases were quite different from each other and each needed a different strategy in order to emerge victorious. Many other final bosses in Zelda games have had phases shifts like this but should dungeon bosses have them too?

Sure many dungeon bosses have had phases too but not as drastic as the likes of TP's fight.

So would you like to see more ranged phases in boss battles or should that kind of thing be kept for the last boss?

 

[Vanessa28]

Many final boss battles have phases. WW had phases, TMC had phases. LA had phases and there are more. I don't really mind. As long as it isn't too easy to defeat a boss.

 

[Kyru]

I feel that the boss fights are very predictable and get kinda stale after awhile. I think they need to make it less obvious what is going to happen and make it so you take damage and learn from the mistake of not knowing what is going on. Also, I kinda want it to have multiple attacks and randomly choose which it will use. The stages kinda brings it into a very predictable situation. With this part you do this and that part you do something different...etc.

I guess I'm looking for a very advanced boss to kick my butt for once. Good examples come from the older games where the boss just comes at you and you have no clue what to do and get destroyed many times until you finally figure it out. Good times, good times.

 

[Zonda]

Phases are pretty good in terms of changing up the battle, and forcing the player to change their tactics, but I think that becomes redundant if the Boss isn't very difficult to begin with. They should definitely have multiple stages on certain bosses, but they should prioritize making said boss feel like an actual AI, and not just a scripted character that makes you wait for an opportunity to attack, rinse and repeat.

 

[Jirohnagi]

I like the idea of phases if and only if it blends seamlessly. MC kinda of did that as did TP but still it wasn't the greatest. Morpheel is a great example of a multi stage boss, and the progression feels natural. Stallord is a somewhat good one in the fact it makes sense his head was the only part left on the platform. But some multi stage bosses are in all honesty complete crap. Look at Fraaz master of icy fire, his battle was so easy and to be honest barely any deviation. With Morpheel we had two Distinct sections same for stallord but Fraaz was the same thing just flick a boomerang at him.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

I think phases are fine, and when I think of some that were decent it brings me back to things like Link to the Past, for example. Helmasaur King wasn't a hard boss, but he had phases, one with mask, one without. Same with Kholdstare and Arrghus. They weren't hard to figure out, but they did add a bit of something different.

What I would prefer, though, would be for enemies to learn from your strategies, and alter their own, forcing you to change yours to compensate. For example, let's say you're kicking butt with the sword, then perhaps the enemy starts keeping its distance, forcing you to either attack with arrows, or use the hookshot to bring it closer so that you can use your sword again.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

I think drastic phases should be kept for the last boss simply because it's one of the only things that makes them stand out from regular bosses.

 

[SavageWizzrobe]

I think dungeon bosses can have phases, but it has to feel natural. Phantom Ganon in OoT is a good example of this: he starts on his horse and comes out of the paintings on the walls, but once you beat that phase his horse runs away and he attacks you by himself. It's a natural progression: the second phase triggers when you get rid of his horse. Twinrova in OoT is another example of a multi-phase dungeon boss battle that makes sense, because when Koume and Kotake realize they aren't doing so well when separated, they change tactics by literally combining their strengths.

I'm not sure how I feel about dungeon boss battles with 3 or more phases, however. It would draw out the boss battles and, more than likely, detract from the final boss fight.