what was the first game with a final boss that has two stages?

[Cornelius]

The final boss music thread prompted this topic... When did the video game cliche of end bosses having multiple forms/phases/modes or whatever you want to call it start? The earliest that comes to mind for me is Castlevania, but there has to be something before that.

Also, what's your favorite? What game did it best?

[TonyTheTiger]

Did Bubble Bobble come out before Castlevania? There's technically a second form if you let the last boss escape from his bubble just like all the other enemies.

[old_skoolin_jim]

Interesting question! I think the first I remember was Mega Man's last boss having 2 subsequent forms, and that was out in what, '88?
I know Mega Man 2 did for sure, but that definitely came out after BB and CV.
As for my favorite, I always thought the many forms of Dark Force as well as the 3-formed final boss in Phantasy Star 4 were pretty badass.

[substantial_snake]

I have no idea what the first multi-tiered boss was. it was probably some first or second generation obscure game console who's only clame-to-fame was extreme multi-tiered boss action!..or something like that.

One of my personal favorites was Ultimecia from Final Fantasy 8. Not only did the boss character have 3 different forms (4 if you count greiver GF) but the lead up to the boss was just boss fight after boss fight to unlock all your abilities outside of Attack in the final dungeon.

I think that FF8 and Xenogears were pretty tied on total time for both the final boss fight and fighting all of the mini-bosses along the way. lol

[tom]

Probably happend on some arcade game, most 'firsts' happened at the arcades.

[Sunnyvale]

Don't know how far this skirts the OP's focus, but the boss in Yars' Revenge had 2 forms. But he's kinda always there, so to call him a 'boss'...

[portnoyd]

Ninja Gaiden on the NES essentially had a three form last boss.

[The 1 2 P]

The last boss in Gun.Smoke had two forms. Well actually he just came back to fight you immediately a second time after you killed him the first time. I liked that boss fight as I did all the bosses in Gun.Smoke.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Did Bubble Bobble come out before Castlevania? There's technically a second form if you let the last boss escape from his bubble just like all the other enemies.

I play this game all the time, but I didn't know this. What's different about him? Is he just extra fast?

[MrSmiley381]

I can't think of anything earlier than what's been mentioned in this thread, but I will say that I found the Dracula X Chronicles version of Dracula to be awesome. This mostly has to do with the fact that he has a third form, and that sure as hell wasn't in the original.

I remember spending a good hour trying to beat him while waiting at the Guitar Hero III midnight launch. I did succeed, but time certainly has changed things since then.

MUSHA's final boss encounter went from delicate to incredibly claustrophobic. Seriously, first a good third of the screen is covered in death, then for the second phase it's two-thirds death. Die once and things suddenly become much, much harder.

[aryoshi]

Holy freakin' crap, nobody mentioned the first Dragon Quest?! I do agree with the Yars' Revenge one, but in 1986 when Dragon Quest was released, the final boss, Dragonlord, has two forms. First form is a smaller humanlike form, the second and final form is a large blue dragon.

[GarrettCRW]

Holy freakin' crap, nobody mentioned the first Dragon Quest?! I do agree with the Yars' Revenge one, but in 1986 when Dragon Quest was released, the final boss, Dragonlord, has two forms. First form is a smaller humanlike form, the second and final form is a large blue dragon.

I think we have a winner.