Boss battles usually take place in one arena, but that's not always enough. Sometimes, enemies aren't content to stand and fight. They'd rather take the fight on the road. It's then up to the protagonist to chase them.
This results in boss chases. Heroes chase the villains or vice versa. Along the way, they may get a few shots in. It's a novel fighting style that ramps up the tension of any encounter. No surprise that many developers have put their own spin on the scenario. While these vary in quality, they're never unmemorable.
7 Neo Cortex - Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
To be fair, most of the suspense here comes from bad controls. In the eleventh hour, Crash Bandicoot 2 forces players to don a cumbersome jetpack to navigate Cortex's space station. The gadget controls terribly in both the original game and the N. Sane remake. Such an unwieldy mechanic makes it difficult to dodge even basic obstacles. Using it in regular levels is bad enough.
Sadly, the jetpack makes an unwelcome return for the final boss as Crash chases Cortex through space. The mad doctor doesn't directly attack because the environment does the job for him. The path is laden with enormous meteoroids and spiked mines, often filling the entire screen. The heroic marsupial has to thread the needle. Again, though, the controls mean this is harder than it should be. As a result, players clench up at every obstacle.
6 Qwark's Ship - Ratchet & Clank (2002)
How fitting that Captain Qwark would run away instead of facing Ratchet & Clank. He swiftly takes off in a ship, and the duo must pilot one of their own. They then pursue him around a sinister space station and through an asteroid field. These come with plenty of hazards, but the fallen superhero adds yet more on top.
Qwark launches a barrage of projectiles at his enemies. Ratchet must dodge his mines and shoot his missiles, all while maintaining a steady stream of fire on the boss. Finally knocking Qwark out of the sky is immensely cathartic, and not just due to the villain's traitorous antics.
5 Roche - Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Among the set pieces that this remake adds to Final Fantasy 7 are motorcycle chases. Cloud must swing his sword on the move as he scraps with Shinra cyclists and robots in pursuit. That adrenaline turns up to eleven when a SOLDIER operative named Roche joins the fray.
This flamboyant fop is always looking for a good fight, and he sees the potential for the time of his life in clashing with Cloud. The resulting chase certainly lives up to that promise. The villain weaves and flips all over the road in a superhuman fashion, making it tough to get a bead on him. He then sends lightning and henchmen at the heroes, forcing them to stay similarly mobile. The whole sequence is especially stressful since players can't heal. Rather, they must buckle up and prove to Roche that there's a new king of the highway.
4 Neyla's Plane - Sly 2: Band Of Thieves
Bentley has a plethora of gadgets in Sly 2, but arguably the most advanced is his RC chopper. This little helicopter provides air support with its turret and bombs. Crooked cop Neyla puts these to the test when she flies an Interpol plane to bust up the gang's train heist. Bentley sends RC to the rescue, but it's a case of David vs. Goliath.
The plane is an imposing figure with firepower to boot. As he trails behind, Bentley finds his chopper assaulted by countless hazards. Not only does Neyla shoot energy balls in a pattern with a small window to avoid them, but she summons squads of other planes to cover her. Nowhere onscreen is safe.
Making this harder is the chopper's fragility. Since it's so small and likely cobbled together using stolen parts, the RC tool isn't very durable. In fact, a few hits reduce it to scrap. As such, players feel painfully ill-equipped. This dogfight makes them lament Interpol's bigger budget and curse Bentley's inferior craftsmanship.
3 Time Eater - Sonic Generations
The Sonic series is all about speed, and fans must be fast just to survive this boss fight. To thwart Eggman's Time Eater, two generations of the hedgehog must combine their power into one Supersonic force. Their only hope is to catch up to the robot and destroy its core. Sadly, that's easier said than done.
One would think the suspense comes from speed, but it actually stems from sheer frustration. Since the Sonics are flying toward their target instead of running, their movements are sluggish. That means dodging Eggman's projectiles is harder.
On top of that, the heroes' rings are constantly draining. They can pick up more scattered around the path, but their placement is completely sporadic. Plus, they fly by so quickly that players don't have time to react. Thus, they just have to kill the boss in time and hope to outrun their own death. That's not the type of speed that Sonic fans love.
2 Mizo - Jak X: Combat Racing
The fourth Jak & Daxter title already has high-speed carnage aplenty. The whole point is to win races by wiping out opponents' cars. Likewise, players are always wary of attacks from those same opponents. This ensures each circuit is packed with adrenaline.
The final boss maintains that intensity with just one other racer. Jak ruthlessly pursues the crime lord, Mizo, after the latter steals the cure to his friends' poison. That provides a compelling narrative reason to defeat the boss, but the appeal also comes from how the battle subverts the racing rules. It's not about reaching the finish line; it's about killing the only other driver on the track. This takes all the excitement of regular races and makes it more personal. As a result, players are more satisfied when they finally blow Mizo to kingdom come.
1 Monster Ock - Spider-Man (2000)
Carnage is twisted enough as a Spider-Man villain, but this game pairs him with Doc Ock to create an unbeatable abomination. "Monster Ock" is the final foe in the game, but not one whom players can fight. All the webhead can do is run away. Slowing down for a second results in instant death from a terrifying creature calling for Spidey's blood. That alone would heighten any chase.
To make matters worse, though, the environment is total chaos. The chase unfolds in a narrow passage that winds in all directions, constantly shifting players' perspectives to disorienting degrees. When swinging and web-zipping, they're liable to accidentally stick to a wall and lose precious time. Finally, explosions constantly rock the screen, reminding fans of imminent doom and shaking the screen to confuse them further. By the end, they feel lucky to make it out alive.