Board 8 > Ranking 200 User-nominated Final Boss Themes

(+) Yeah! (+)

I know jack shit about music theory but people were interested enough to nominate 200 songs for some reason.

Last of tier 5...

10. Nebula Gray
Mega Man Battle Network 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtY2-yOm7tY
@MXCM (1/3)

One of my all-time favorite Mega Man songs. Its a super quick, insanely catchy earworm which sounds so good on the GBA. Switches from intimidating to heroic then back so quickly, keeping a sense of heroism while still acknowledging the danger that comes with the fight. Very good final boss theme. Very good Mega Man song.

my last song will place #2

source: it was revealed to me in a dream

9. Finalize (voids romantix mix)
Demon King Chronicle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlCUAig7B9o
@banshiryuu (1/5)

So after a year of slowly listening through these songs, it seems appropriate that one of the last ones I end up listening to becomes an all-timer for me. Ive listened to this quite a bit, and its hard to really put into words what draws me to it. The song starts out with some cool production, then around the 2-minute mark, a piano kicks in, accompanied by a beautiful flute.The song bounces into different sections seamlessly, always maintaining this bittersweet air to it. And it just gets better the longer it goes on. I love it.

8. Battle! (Champion Iris)
Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb9ee9lWSbg
@Natwaf_akidna (1/5)

Well this is quite different from other Pokemon songs nominated! I honestly barely remember anything about BW2, including its musical selection. So label this as a new song for me I guess. Its a fucking bop though. Im glad Masuda realized he peaked with the Gameboy and let someone else do a final boss theme because this is leagues better. Extremely poppy but chaotic and energetic enough to get the blood flowing.

7. Shadowlord
NieR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vZUbyM5PxY
@MacArrowny (1/5)

Its hard to set my feelings of this song in-game aside. As much as the remake reminded me why I dont really care for the first NieR game on the whole, it also reminded me just how perfect that last 1-2 hours of story were. Its probably the first game where I truly noticed the music creating an emotional impact on me relative to the events I was witnessing, and I think the implementation of this song is the best example. It begins with a fairly long, sorrowful choral performance, slowly easing you further into its grip. Then after nearly three minutes of careful movements, it erupts into this beautiful, intense, and epic piece. Im a sucker for compositions that loop, but with a few additional instrumental choices which reshape how the song presents itself, and thats exactly what the latter half does so perfectly. Yeha, they just added drums and an additional organ, but the weight those create is astoundingly heavy, and its one Ill gladly carry. Its a shame Automata never hit the musical highs of the first game.

L'avide was Zektbach who is amazing and you should listen to both his albums. Zektbach is an alias of Tomosuke Funaki who also has the alias Orange Lounge and is good in general

6. MEGALOVANIA
Undertale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDgQdr8ZkTw
@Anagram (1/5)

Toby Fox had to make the song three times but it finally paid off. This song blew the fuck up to the point Id argue its achieved the dreaded and overly applied mantle of iconic. Popularity aside, this song is a total banger. Fox has basically mastered merging catchy melodies with intense instrumentation. Im sure most people argue this is his magnum opus (Its actually The World Revolving) and thats a pretty neat thing to believe in I guess. One I certainly wouldnt actually be upset about because holy shit this song fucking rules. Every part of it is doing something cool.

5. Gang-Plank Galleon
Donkey Kong Country
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5aeisPAzM4
@WhiteLens (1/4)

The transition from the cheery introduction to the sinister melody still gives me goosebumps. King K. Rool is corny as fuck, but for a brief period of time he feels like a huge threat. The first two DKC games are pretty well-regarded for their music, and for good reason, but this song is just an unfair level of attainability for Dave Wise. Or at least thats what I would say if Stickerbush Symphony didnt exist holy shit how is Dave Wise real? Tropical Freeze even had a number of bops so the guy didnt even lose much over the years. I wonder if he still composes regularly. I say that because I am not Googling it until after this sentence.

4. FIGHT!! Ver.4 ~ The Final Battle
Grandia II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29MCpipZTI
@NBIceman (1/5)

A big-time classic, think this retired in VGMC ages ago? Anyway, for good reason! The progression through each of this prog-rock beauty (I know its not actually but the horn sounds like a synth so I pretend its the intent because guitar with synth = prog rock to me) is a wild journey. I especially love the transition at 1:33 where all the instruments are just bashed together for a second. If I were to make a list of Top Ten Transitions in Music then this might be on there, Im not kidding, its that fucking good. Ive never played a second of any Grandia game but I bet this boss kicks ass unless the game is bad but I think people like Grandia II a lot so idk.

To note, these final 3 are all interchangeable, but I prioritized giving #1 to a new discovery, which means...

3. lastendconductor
Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkMDmaghbkA
@Raka_Putra (1/5)

Why is this even here? There is nothing to constitute any part of Umineko as a boss. I should disqualify it on sheer principle, but I wont, because it slaps. Biggest tragedy from my past is definitely having a disdain for zts. I guess the synths just felt too strong and got in the way of my enjoyment, but now I think thats his strength. Everything just sounds so heavy and tense, then he just overlays it with such beautiful and thoughtful melodies, and suddenly those dour synths are fighting for control, but failing to hit with the sheer strength of these more familiar and comforting tones. Like, this probably makes me sound like a fucking weirdo, but its how I feel. I never finished Umineko because its way too long, but I can certainly see why the game is so beloved despite the controversial ending. Literally anything will feel great to engage if this track is backing it. Absolute masterpiece, and the magnum opus of the outrageously good Umineko soundtrack.

2. Lady Tears II
Shadow Hearts: From the New World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmUamWSNkYY
@Isquen (1/3)

And now we have the other legendary Shadow Hearts song that got nominated. My favorite is Imbroglio, but that was unfortunately not present. Lady Tears II is a powerful second, however. Youve got the tense rhythmic section where tribal drums mix wonderfully with some truly despicable sounding strings and piano. You can feel the power and scope of something truly frightening through the arrangement. Then it kicks into this serene, almost comforting melody, which bounces perfectly off of the prior intensity. The best part is it keeps those drums and synths as a backdrop, almost as if this new melody is drowning it out. On the loop, the song ends up taking a completely new shape, as we now know what is waiting for us. Its not the despair the track leads with, its the recognition that such despair is fleeting, and even necessary for the moments of comfort to truly matter. Ive never played Shadow Hearts 3 though, so maybe Im way off. I fucking love this song.

1. T260Gs Last Battle
SaGa Frontier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAqB1lOiH6A
@FL81 (1/5)

Holy crap, where has this song been all my life? For once I have Googled, and I found that it is from a Sony PlayStation Japanese RPG from 1997 from SaGa Frontier (Im just kidding, I did not do this, I have heard of SaGa Frontier). But most of what Ive heard from the Saga games is pretty boring. This is awesome. Every single part offers its own cool stuff. I can tell this song is about some junky robot fighting a God. Let me know if Im right. I like all the synth effects here, they are all the best effects, and when they layer on top of each other I feel so happy. The part at 1:08 makes me cry. How on earth did anyone manage to create something so catchy, yet dramatic? Kenji Ito is the greatest composer ever, but I dont know any of his other songs. This is so good and I swear Im only being a little facetious. What a fucking masterpiece of a song.

You should play SaGa Frontier, it's available as an awesome Remaster on the modern consoles.

Woah. That SaGa song is really good.

I can tell that we're compatible because everything on the first page that people were mad about dropping too early was stuff that I didn't like listening to, and the word "synth" appears 6 times on this page alone (not including me using it right here).

if someone were to come up to me and ask me to name off JRPG final boss themes that sound nothing like JRPG final boss themes, the first two that would come to mind are MARIA and T260G

Glad to see Shadowlord getting some serious respect! It's one of my favorites as well, and damn is it a sorrowful one. I love the choir and the buildup as well. The harmonization gives me chills. Nier is such a tragic protagonist, and this is definitely top 10 for me as well. Possibly my favorite NieR song across both games but not entirely sure.

trdl23 posted...

Thanks for the ping, but I don't really have faith. As someone who doesn't have much music theory training - I couldn't tell you what key a song is in at the drop of a hate - and as someone who was WAY too abrasive to those who did know music theory shitting on my favorites and lauding things that I thought sounded like absolute ass because they were "interesting," I don't feel I'll ever be welcome again. More than half of it is my own fault, but the point remains regardless.

Pretty sure most people here don't have serious music theory training. I've seen people do well in these contests who I'm pretty sure didn't even know what a music mode or time signature is. Those people who said that are probably in the minority, but I'm sorry if they may have hurt your feelings. That sucks.

On the other hand, you'll be surprised just how many normie songs have done well. What I listed wasn't comprehensive, and it's already an incredible amount of very recognizable very recent retirees (or near-retirees).

Keep in mind that Staff Roll from Mario 64 lost r1 last year only to retire this year. Don't give up hope too soon!

Of course, if you choose not to participate, I understand as well. People hating on your picks can get very tiring very quickly.

FL81 posted...

if someone were to come up to me and ask me to name off JRPG final boss themes that sound nothing like JRPG final boss themes, the first two that would come to mind are MARIA and T260G

Ironically, one was first on this list and the other was last.

Waveshine_2001 posted...

Glad to see Shadowlord getting some serious respect! It's one of my favorites as well, and damn is it a sorrowful one. I love the choir and the buildup as well. The harmonization gives me chills. Nier is such a tragic protagonist, and this is definitely top 10 for me as well. Possibly my favorite NieR song across both games but not entirely sure.

Mine too
I believe I am also in the minority when I say I prefer the Remake version.

Holy hell, second place!

Lady Tears II, funnily enough, I directly tie into my finding the Supra youtube way back when (before the land of Discord even existed.) I didnt have a PS2 and didnt get to experience the fever dream that is the entirety of the Shadow Hearts series, but the whole strings and percussion thing it had going on made me fall in love with it. What little piano is there is perfect, too, BECAUSE it's not hogging the spotlight, it's an accent.

I really should push for it in VGMC again this year. I tried my first year here and it got shot down during noms.

I somehow haven't listened to this SaGa Frontier song before and I feel like a big fool idiot because its great.

Heck yeah Top 3! I'm also glad Hopes and Dreams got the recognition it deserves.

Also fair point about the 'boss battle' but it's basically analogous. :p Glad you let it in. Umineko has great boss tracks.

The Saga Frontier pick is good. Can't argue with that.

This was fun to read, thanks for doing it! I wasn't expecting my normie pick to make the top 20.

Good job finishing this, gotta listen to the top 10 later.

I'm glad people like T260G! I actually had listened to it prior to last VGMC nominations and gave it a try, but I think it only got 1 support. Maybe next one!

I'm out for a few hours, but once I'm back home I'll try to do some final thought type stuff before wrapping this project up for good. It really was a ton of fun to go through all of this!!

Saga Frontier has a lot of cool tracks and thats the main draw to it other than there being some appeal to being super open ended (wish it had more optional bosses to play off that open endedness). T260G Last Battle is my favorite though. Worthy winner.

Thanks for doing this ranking! I loved the read and some of the top placers

LMAO wasnt expecting Iris to be the highest even over lord blazer

tazzyboyishere posted...

I'm out for a few hours, but once I'm back home I'll try to do some final thought type stuff before wrapping this project up for good. It really was a ton of fun to go through all of this!!

For a variety of reasons I didn't get to this, but I should today lol

tag

Lmao I'm sorry. Never got to my computer last night and I didn't want to do things via mobile. Should have some time today but not actually gonna promise anything

Just popping in to say Daughter of the Dark God is great. That is all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGaM07Pc-nI

htaeD posted...

Just popping in to say Daughter of the Dark God is great. That is all.

There are some fantastic covers of it!

Completely forgot that I nominated for this lol