10 Best Metal Gear Solid Boss Fights

The Metal Gear Solid series is filled with creative boss fights that test the boundaries of player expectations. Sure, you can always take an MGS boss out with your weapons, but creator Hideo Kojima often goes above and beyond, giving players innovative solutions to most battles. Plus, Kojima and his team have perfectly captured the spectacle of boss fights, using them to move the story forward, while still delivering jaw-dropping gameplay moments.

Here are the 10 best boss fights in Metal Gear Solid history.

10) Sahelanthropus – Metal Gear Solid V

Sahelanthropus falls into the “overwhelming spectacle” of MGS boss fights. It might not be the best Metal Gear fight from a gameplay standpoint, but it doesn’t get more over-the-top than the first time this massive, mechanical monster drops in on Snake during a rescue mission. It’s the perfect way to end Chapter 1 of MGSV.

9) Fatman – Metal Gear Solid 2

Look, Fatman’s fight in MGS2 might not be the best fight from a gameplay perspective, but it’s tough to beat the visual of an overweight man, drunk off of wine coolers, rollerskating around the battlefield. This is Kojima at his wackiest, and constantly needing to switch between bomb defusal and taking potshots at Fatman makes for an unforgettable fight.

8) Cyborg Ninja – Metal Gear Solid

The hand-to-hand battle against Cyborg Ninja isn’t just a stunning fight against a master swordsman. It also becomes clear that this version of Cyborg Ninja (better known as Gray Fox) knows Snake very well. Add in his cloaking ability, and you have one of the best fights in the original Metal Gear Solid.

7) Metal Gear RAY – Metal Gear Solid 4

This is one of the most bombastic fights Kojima and his team have ever put together. Snake is piloting Metal Gear REX and takes on Liquid Ocelot, who is piloting Metal Gear RAY. It’s a giant mech battle in the middle of a game based on tactical espionage action. You can’t get much bigger than that in terms of spectacle.

6) Colonel Volgin – Metal Gear Solid 3

Volgin is physically imposing and uses lightning attacks to make him a standout fighter. Players can use several tricks to make things easier, showing off the creativity the series is known for. After the fight, you’ll take on the Shagohad in a frantic, on-rails section. Later, you’ll fight Volgin and Shagohad again, making for a lengthy, satisfying boss fight.

5) Sniper Wolf – Metal Gear Solid

The second Sniper Wolf fight is a masterclass in turning a relatively simple fight into something more. You have to fight her in the middle of a snowstorm, making things even more difficult. The soundtrack is set to Snake’s heartbeat, adding to the tension. When it’s over, you learn her tragic backstory as she lies on the ground dying.

4) Liquid Ocelot – Metal Gear Solid 4

When Snake and Ocelot fight inside mechs, it’s a fight filled with hype. When the two eventually turn to fisticuffs, it serves as a culmination of a decades-long story. Kojima and his team even bring back elements from previous Metal Gear Solid games. The music changes, the HUD reverts to older games, and the duo even go back to their old movesets. It’s a great capstone to the franchise’s chronology.

3) The End – Metal Gear Solid 3

The End might be the most creative boss fight in MGS history. On the surface, it’s a Sniper Wolf-like duel against one of the greatest snipers in history. However, The End is an old man. If you turn off your console for a week, he’ll die from old age. It’s just another way for the developers to show off how innovative this series has been over the years.

2) Psycho Mantis – Metal Gear Solid

To be fair, the Psycho Mantis fight only really works once. On repeat playthroughs, you’re not going to have your mind blown when this boss “reads your mind.” Once you realize he’s just reading your memory card and playing other tricks, the fight loses some of its juice, but it’s impossible to deny how good this battle is on your first playthrough.

1) The Boss – Metal Gear Solid 3

The Boss ends MGS3 in style. You need to use everything you’ve learned about CQC and camouflage to survive this tense battle. On top of that, the battlefield itself is gorgeous. There’s no better-looking fight in the series. And it’s hard to understate how emotional this fight is. The Boss is Naked Snake’s mentor; she is, in many ways, his rock. This fight is an incredible marriage between Kojima’s love of bombastic setpieces and emotionally-charged sequences.