Trolls or troll-like creatures often appear on-screen in fantasy-based movies or video games as mythological-inspired creatures from fantasy worlds and lore. However, they sometimes show up in perhaps less-expected genres, like survival horrors and puzzle platformers, with most having a domineering and sinister appearance.
In video games, trolls can function as PVE enemies or full-on bosses for players to fight. Although there are numerous possible encounters with trolls where the species is vast and varied, particularly in MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, there are undoubtedly some more memorable and well-known trolls over others for different reasons and those which pack a punch for challenge and ferocity.
10 El Gigante - Resident Evil 4
In Resident Evil 4, players may encounter several giant troll-like bosses known as El Gigante, and in one battle, Leon Kennedy must fight 2 simultaneously. El Gigante are enlarged creatures by the Los Illuminados that were originally human. Many fans eager for the Resident Evil 4 remake may be keen to see what its many bosses look and perform.
In a cutscene, players see a group of villagers bring in a giant El Gigante that soon gets out of control and crushes them before players step in to fight. El Gigante is a ferocious boss, swinging uprooted trees at players who must avoid its ground-slamming attacks while focusing on destroying the giant's internal Plagas parasite.
9 Frost Troll - Skyrim
Skyrim features several types of trolls that appear in different locations, like forests and caves. However, one of the toughest variants to kill is the powerful, ape-like Frost Troll, which is dangerous in close combat and regenerates health. The difficulties of facing the High Hrothgar Frost Troll even spawned various memes within the Skyrim community.
Magic attacks performed from a distance, such as the Scroll of Fire, are often most effective against Frost Trolls as one of the more challenging enemies that players may first encounter. However, there are some hilarious Frost Troll encounters reported by some players, including a player unleashing Greybeards on a Frost Troll.
8 Vol'jin - World of Warcraft
Vol'jin is a Jungle Troll character and former Warchief of the Horde who served briefly as Chieftan of the Darkspear Tribe, which became one of the most powerful troll tribes within the game universe. Although the franchise features many troll variants and leaders across the troll-kind race, and some fans likely have their favorites, Vol'jin is one of the names that stands out as a favorite former troll leader for many fans.
Even in death, Vol'jin played a role beyond the grave, leading some fans to wonder whether he may reappear in the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight expansion 2023 roadmap.
7 Troll Statues - God of War: Ragnarok
The renowned God of War: Ragnarok includes many challenging boss fights, giant characters, and enemies to battle, including 4 hidden troll statues to awaken and fight by using the Mystical Heirloom Relic. Players can uncover and battle the Midgard and Alfheim trolls, as well as 2 Vanaheim trolls called Golrab of the Ashes and Golrab of the Frost.
Defeating these 4 secret boss battle trolls is a worthwhile endeavor, as players are rewarded with items used to craft the powerful Steinbjorn armor set, one of the best armor sets in God of War: Ragnarok.
6 Various Trolls - Elden Ring
There are several kinds of trolls in Elden Ring, from Snow Trolls to Troll Knights, and the Stonedigger Troll is one of the first boss battles players encounter and can be stronger than some regular trolls. Players can find this ferocious troll located deep in the Limgrave Tunnels and must avoid its club and stomping attacks. Some players may also find the Stormgate Troll challenging with its vast sweeping attacks.
There have been some insightful fan theories about troll lore in Elden Ring, and their unusual stomach cavities, including one theory proposing trolls are skeletal giants compared to fire giants in the game.
5 Graug - Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor And Middle Earth: Shadow Of War
In The Lord of the Rings lore, there are several types of trolls and many appear in games in the franchise as trolls or troll-like creatures. In Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, players can ride a giant troll-like creature called a Graug, sometimes known simply as a cave troll, once players unlock the Graug Hunter ability or Shadow Mount ability upgrade to control and use it as a weapon against other enemies in various fun ways and deal immense damage.
Players can even get the troll to eat enemies to replenish its health, can attack enemies from on top of the troll, or dismount onto them to attack. Graugs have different variants in Middle Earth: Shadow of War, from Frost to Poison Graugs.
4 Various Trolls - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Several trolls make appearances in The Witcher video games, and some of these have some funny moments in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Players can encounter various rock and ice trolls, such as a singing troll, a group of flatulent rock trolls called Jesse, Joe, and Dodger, plus the humorously named Ogg, Pogg, and Rogg, who are fans of shoes.
In season 2 of The Witcher TV series, Geralt describes a nightmare about meeting several over-friendly rock trolls, an Easter Egg from the video games where Geralt meets many trolls of a similar disposition.
3 Trolls - Valheim
In Valheim, players tend to encounter trolls stalking the Black Forest region of the map or inside caves. Although Valheim's trolls don't look overly sinister compared to most imposing depictions of trolls in video games and movies, they still have a daunting size and can deal punishing damage by throwing rocks or swinging clubs, with 2-star trolls being particularly tough for some players.
Although killing trolls can be challenging, it is worthwhile as players can acquire troll hides and bone fragments after defeating them, used in crafting the decent light armor set.
2 The Three Trolls - Lego: The Hobbit
The troll scene in Lego: The Hobbit is a humorous interpretation of the widely recognized troll scene in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. In Lego: The Hobbit, players must sneak around the trolls as Bilbo the burglar to free the horses while the trolls mutter about food while they roast mutton by the fire in a funny and largely faithful recreation of the scene.
Players even get the chance to fight the 3 trolls by building catapults in super-build Lego style and using button-bashing attacks while avoiding the troll's boulder attacks. It's a fun boss fight sequence featuring typical Lego humor, with one of the trolls getting the cooking pot stuck on its head and another stuck in a tree.
1 Trolls - Eternal Hope
In the 2D puzzle platformer Eternal Hope, players face silhouette-style, horned trolls that wield giant clubs are altogether best avoided. Even as a simple dark silhouette, the trolls appear menacing with their bright white eyes, stomping sounds, roars, and imposing movements. This is particularly true when a troll chases the player and knocks boulders from the ceiling, adding to the tension as players must use their wits and the environment to escape.
The design of trolls in Eternal Hope shows that enemies, such as trolls, don't always have to look overly detailed or gory to appear threatening.