Final Boss Battle Themes | RadioScab

[RadioScab is a new series where I’ll share some of my favorite video game jams of a specific theme.]

The final showdown in a video game is the final test of your skill and everything you’ve learned. Oftentimes you’ll be facing-off against godlike beings, so it’s one of, if not the most, tense and nerve-wracking moment in the game. Accompanying this bout of killer climactic combat is a battle theme that helps to elevate the overall tension and vibe.

I’m a huge fan of video game music, and the final boss battle themes are always so epic and give you this feeling that the fate of the world rests entirely on your shoulders. Whether you’re doing laundry, cleaning your room, or changing the oil in your car, these three tracks will make you feel like you’re fighting alongside your favorite video game characters, saving the world in the name of light.

Let’s fucking go!

Shin Megami Tensei IV - Battle B8 | Vs. Lucifer

While not the true final boss of the game, the final battle against Lucifer in Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of my all-time favorites. This track further cements into your mind that you’re fighting against the angel of darkness—the king of demons himself, who will stop at nothing to kill you. At the beginning of the battle, the camera slowly pans from the bottom to the top of Lucifer’s pale, unnatural body.

The pounding drums at the very beginning of the track feel like something you’d hear in a horror movie, like watching a killer chase his victims as they flee in terror. The tension heightens even further as the pace of the track speeds up and Lucifer is giving the battle his all. If you want to defeat him, you’ll need to do better that that.

While Lucifer’s misshapen design in the original version of Shin Megami Tensei IV is kind of ugly and not nearly as intimidating as the new design in SMT IV: Apocalypse, I think it does a great job of making you feel uneasy, almost like this thing just shouldn’t exist.

Final Fantasy VII - One Winged Angel | Vs. Sephiroth

This one requires no introduction. Sephiroth is one of the most iconic video game antagonists, and his theme is almost as iconic as he is. The first few seconds of this track really make you feel like you’ve incurred the wrath of the gods. As Sephiroth slowly descends from the top of the screen, he glares deep into your soul, letting you know that some serious shit is about to go down.

The Final Fantasy series has some incredible final battle themes, and I had a pretty tough time trying to choose just one track. But One Winged Angel does such a great job of making the battle feel as grand as possible through the angelic chants and heavy use of violins and piano. The atmosphere created by this track is completely outmatched, as if you were actually in the heavens, squaring-up against a world-ending entity.

Golden Sun - Battle with the Fusion Dragon | Vs. Fusion Dragon

Despite the hardware restrictions of the Game Boy Advance, Golden Sun’s soundtrack is incredible. The track played during your showdown with the Fusion Dragon is no exception, sounding just as menacing and ferocious as the dragon itself. This track does an awesome job of setting the mood, filling you with despair as these four kids who barely stand a chance against this titan attempt to take it down.

There are a few points where the track starts to sound uplifting and inspirational, as if to say “You’ve made it this far! Hang in there!”, but then it all comes crashing back down. Overall, this track does a fantastic job of feeling as back-and-forth as the battle itself.

There you have it, three awesome final boss battle themes! Let me know what you think of these tracks and what your favorite tracks are!

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