The Best Shadow of the Colossus Boss Fights

Team Ico's magnum opus Shadow of the Colossus is a crowning achievement of video games and proof of video games as an art form. With breathtaking graphics and realistic physics that pushed the PlayStation 2 to its absolute limits, Shadow of the Colossus is an experience unlike anything that had come before it and any game released since its inception. Following an outcast named Wander on a quest to bring his loved one back from the dead, he is tasked by a demon to slay sixteen mighty giants across the Forbidden Land, accompanied only by his horse Agro.

Shadow of the Colossus is unique among action games in that there are no other enemies beyond the titular colossi. Each stone behemoth has its own attack pattern and arena that the player must maneuver around as they quickly figure out how to defeat each one by stabbing their weak points. This design has led to some of the greatest boss fights ever made, not to mention the most memorable.

16. Pelagia

The second underwater-themed colossus, Pelagia is a slower boss with a patience-testing gimmick. Pelagia's weak point is hidden underwater where the player can't reach it, so they must climb along its back and strike at the glowing protrusions growing from its head. Doing so "steers" Pelagia towards a ruined platform, aggravating the creature enough to climb onto the platform's roof and reveal its weak point on the bottom floor. While the means of defeating Pelagia is creative and clever, the plodding speed of Pelagia hampers the overall experience. Steering Pelagia isn't the most intuitive thing in the world and the monster frequently goes underwater before the player can reach its weak point.

15. Argus

Argus is massive and intimidating, but this colossus is fairly straightforward to defeat, which is disappointing since it's the penultimate colossus battle. By the time of this fight, players are familiar with killing humanoid colossi, and defeating Argus isn't any more complicated. While the sheer scale of Argus' arena suggests that it was going to be much larger or at least much faster, the fight itself is just another easy-to-discern platform for the player to climb and jump across. Argus is notable for being gigantic, but there's nothing special about it in a game that prides itself on having unique enemies.

14. Quadratus

While bigger than the first Colossus players fight, many would be hard-pressed to remember Quadratus fondly, if at all. Coming out of a cave off in the Forbidden Land, Wander and Agro must lure the beast away from its cave and shoot under its feet to knock it down. Quadratus has some value as a tutorial boss, teaching the player the value of bringing Agro into boss fights and establishing the bow's usefulness for other kinds of weak points. However, many other colossi have far more fun and engaging puzzles to solve, so Quadratus winds up being overlooked.

13. Phaedra

Phaedra can't be saved by its impressive design or the tense game of hide-and-seek it plays with Wander. Found in a forest field surrounded by strange hills, Phaedra's stone latch is too high for Wander to grab and climb onto. The player must lure Phaedra to one of the maze-like tunnels, where it will try to reach through the entry hole to get Wander. While Phaedra is distracted, the player must swiftly find an exit tunnel to sneak up on Phaedra from behind. It's a simple solution, and the hide-and-seek gimmick isn't as common as one might think.

12. Cenobia

One of the smaller colossi and the second of the "bull" creatures, the method for defeating the fully armored Cenobia isn't so clear-cut at first. The player must go through a platforming gauntlet to trick it into running into a tower and breaking its own armor. The idea of a platforming chase section sounds fun and does provide a sense of thrill as Cenobia continues to chase Wander and try to take him off-balance. However, the actual platforming section goes on for far too long, especially once the player figures out the solution, and the actual battle is a complete curb-stomp once the armor falls off.

11. Kuromori

The lizard-like Kuromori climbs across the cylindrical arena attempting to shoot energy beams at the player. Wander must find a good angle and shoot at Kuromori's limbs so that it falls off and crashes on its back, revealing the weak point on its stomach. One of the first truly challenging bosses, Kuromori can get annoyingly persistent with how frequently it fires its beams, which do large amounts of damage over a wide area. The first time fighting Kuromori can catch a player off-guard, but leaping down and grabbing onto its weak point is more satisfying than most encounters.

10. Celosia

The smallest colossus in the game is deceptively vicious and difficult to battle, as the solution not being immediately clear. Celosia will likely thrash and toss the player around before they can figure out that they're supposed to climb onto the stone bases of the pyres in the arena. In an attempt to force Wander off the pyre, Celosia will charge into the stone base, only for a torch to fall to the ground. Grabbing the torch, players will discover Celosia is afraid of fire. Force the beast back with the torch and send it careening off the edge, where the weak point on its belly will be exposed.

9. Valus

The very first colossus Wander faces is a true sight to behold for a new player. Valus manages to bring a sense of awe and intimidation while thankfully not being too difficult to figure out, given it's the tutorial fight. The initial thrill of climbing up the colossus' back and stabbing its weak point almost never gets old. Laying the groundwork for all humanoid colossi, Valus keeps a place in players' memories, even if the solution to beating it is extremely easy to figure out.

8. Basaran

A truly challenging fight that requires Agro, Basaran is a more complex version of Quadratus that also requires arrows to knock it off-balance. However, the player must lure the beast over bursting geysers that leave its hooves open for a clear shot. To even get Basaran over the geysers, however, the player must survive the colossus' energy blasts by riding Agro and dodging every attack. After that, the fight is rather straightforward, but avoiding Basaran's energy blasts on Agro is one of the game's first truly thrilling horseback challenges.

7. Hydrus

Shadow of the colossus hydra fight spark

The first underwater colossus, the eel-like Hydrus is the only one to force players underwater. It requires excellent timing to grab onto its hairs from the surface while avoiding its dangerous electrical spines. Once a good grip is held, the player has to wait for the eel to surface to run from fin to fin and stab at its multiple weak points. Underwater monsters are terrifying on their own, and the fear of drowning and creepy atmosphere making Hydrus all the more memorable.

6. Barba

Barba is mostly remembered for being the first humanoid colossus to be fought indoors amidst some ominous ruins and for its luxurious beard. That beard is the first and most obvious area to climb onto. Making a grand entrance from behind a massive stone door, Barba is initially unable to be hurt as Wander cannot find any platforms to climb onto and jump off of. This leads to Barba charging in, forcing the player into hiding. Hiding will cause Barba to look for the player, allowing Wander to climb his massive beard to strike the colossus down.

5. Dirge

The sandworm Dirge is unique for being extremely aggressive from the moment Wander even touches the sand. Incredibly fast for its size, Dirge burrows through the sand and tries to eat the player, leaving its cold, glowing eyes as the last things that Wander will ever see. The player must have Agro with them for this section, as only Agro is fast enough to get away from Dirge. This allows the player to shoot the monster's eyes out, causing it to crash into a wall and leaving its weak point wide open.

4. Avion

The game's first aerial, Avion is a winged stone beast that guards a massive lake. Players will almost certainly panic or fall the first time they encounter it, as the hawk charges at Wander with its rocky wings. In this fleeting moment before Avion connects, Wander must jump onto its wings and hold on for dear life as Avion soars through the air, trying to shake the puny human off. As soon as the wings are level, the player is free to strike at its weaknesses and send this king of the skies crashing into the lake.

3. Gaius

One of the tallest colossi in the game, Gaius tries to crush Wander with its long and destructive stone sword as soon as he approaches. It is initially unclear what to do, as there are no clear openings on this golem for the player to jump and grab onto. The answer lies with the giant metal disc, where Wander must bait Gaius into striking its brittle blade against it. The shock causes Gaius' armor to fall apart and reveals the pathway to its weak point. Remembered for being a headscratcher and one of the first truly ginormous colossi, Gaius is loved by many fans.

2. Malus

The 16th and final colossus is perhaps the most emotionally charged fight in the game. The largest humanoid colossus, cutscenes frame Malus' legs to look almost like a building, only to reveal that they are simply part of a much larger colossus. With Wander dirtied and corrupted from taking the lives of so many colossi and Agro seemingly lost, the tear-jerking score and Zeus-like blasts from Malus' hands only add to the sheer hopelessness of the situation. By the time Wander manages to reach the devil's head, the player is exhausted and shaking from the tension, and even defeating him may not bring relief.

1. Phalanx

The second aerial battle and the single largest colossus in the entire game, Phalanx is also easily the most beautiful and awesome among the sixteen. Phalanx is also the most peaceful as it never once tries to attack the player. Reaching Phalanx requires shooting at its air-sacs to bring it closer to surface level, leading to a thrilling horseback chase where Wander must jump off of Agro and onto Phalanx's wings. While the encounter is climactic and magnificent as Wander is brought so high into the air, it can hardly be called a "fight." Phalanx's peaceful nature makes its death the saddest in the game, being the first colossus to truly make players question if what they are doing is right.

While a player's mileage may vary on how they enjoy conquering a particular gigantic beast, the variety of colossi available guarantees that each one is at least someone's favorite. With every colossus that falls, there will always be a sense of tragedy and sadness in seeing these mighty titans meet their ends and an ongoing dread of what comes next for the player, making Shadow of the Colossus a truly unforgettable experience.

KEEP READING: Monster Hunter Rise: Where to Find Every Relic in the Frost Islands