With the conception of video games still a fresh memory, the 80s represented a brand-new field of entertainment with limitless scope. Imaginations ran rampant, restrained only by the limitations of home computers or arcades, and players were treated to a wealth of bosses and enemies unlike anything seen before.

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With a lack of moderation and experience, developers created some extremely punishing bosses that proved to remain some of the hardest ever encountered. Pixellated graphics and simplistic gameplay conceal some of the toughest enemies imaginable, ranging from spaceships to athletes.

10 The Mothership

Phoenix (1980)

One of the earliest video games, Phoenix tasks players with defeating waves of fantastical or science-fictitious enemies, ranging from the titular birds themselves to an enormous spacecraft capable of firing multiple bullets and dodging with pinpoint timing.

The Mothership returned for multiple stages, always improving in speed and firepower. Although the limitations of early machines mean that it is a cakewalk by today's standards, it was still a brutal challenge for those hopping on an arcade machine infrequently.

9 Sinistar

Sinistar (1982)

Famed for its voicework and difficulty, Sinistar boasts an impressive villain in the form of the titular spaceship itself, voiced ominously by John Doremus. The ship constantly states bold and creepy dialogue, building itself up for the final showdown.

When it arrives, Sinistar himself delivers. Intense and engaging, the living ship is capable of destroying players in one or two hits; with only a limited selection of abilities in the 2D world, it is an enormous challenge to defeat him, but not impossible altogether. It's a shame that the home-released sequel removed most of the charm that came with the villainous Sinistar.

8 Shredder

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade (1989)

The Heroes in a half shell face their greatest nemesis in this classic arcade game, fighting through countless footsoldiers and a handful of iconic characters as they try to rescue their friend April and mentor Splinter from the villainous Shredder.

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Shredder's difficulty arises from his countless clones, which pour into the battlefield and make defeating him a much more cumbersome challenge. Whether players had three friends to ally with or were facing him alone, Shredder offered a selection of crazy abilities on top of his weapons, potentially reversing the turtle mutations in an effort to weaken them. With a full squad, Shredder's defeat relies on precision and teamwork that modern online multiplayer can only dream of.

7 Wart

Super Mario Bros. 2 (1987)

The difficulty of a previous game, also called Super Mario Bros. 2, prompted Nintendo to develop a distinct title that offered far greater evolution for the Mario franchise. Tasked with freeing the dreamland of Subcon from the villainous Wart, Mario and his friends set out to defeat the frog creature in one of the toughest fights players could face in the 80s.

Projectiles and mechanics such as vegetable throwing turn Wart from a pushover to a strategic game of patience and skill. The advent of home consoles around the same time it gave players the opportunity to re-visit this difficult boss many times, but there was no guarantee that would aid in his defeat.

6 Jaws

Jaws (1987)

As frightening as it is in the films, Jaws' shadow overhangs the entirety of the game, and without the trusted help of characters from the original film, the player is left alone in dealing with the monstrous shark and other aquatic creatures,

Players must rely on excellent timing and knowledge of Jaws' mechanics in order to defeat the Great White; otherwise, it is an instant game over. The sole scuba diver faces a tough challenge in this classic arcade game, and though it is not as complicated as later bosses, it still packs a challenge.

5 Dracula

Castlevania (1986)

Castlevania's influence on gaming is as critical as Dracula's involvement in the horror genre. Both offered revolutionary ideas and, when tied together, created a fearsome encounter of trial, error, and time.

Defeating Dracula requires the player to memorize specific attack patterns and practice their moves to perfection. Dracula punishes frequently, as would befit the most powerful vampire of all time, and players had their work cut out for them if they wanted to defeat him.

4 War Mech

Final Fantasy (1987)

With the continued relevance of the Final Fantasy games, it is incredible that the series began in the 80s when boss mechanics were not as refined or rewarding. Among the many repetitive re-skins, however, were a few gems, and none were as brutal as the War Mech, heralded by ominous music and a surprising few features.

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Capable of healing from wounds and equipped with the dangerous ability to ambush the party with a pre-emptive strike, the War Mech is a dangerous foe. What makes it even worse is its frequency; the War Mech is not a story boss but a random (1 in 64) chance boss that can be encountered at any time in the game. With its dangerous presence practically looming over the game, the War Mech is one of the most dangerous foes to come out of Final Fantasy.

3 Dark Link

Zelda 2: The Adventure Of Link (1987)

Players may be divided on the significant departure Zelda 2 represented for the franchise, given the drastically different mechanics and features, but there's no doubt it added some important nuggets to the lore. Chiefly among them is a dreadful entity responsible for one of the hardest boss fights of the 80s: Dark Link.

Iconic in his design and simply evil, Dark Link was a mirror of the player character, copying their every move and preventing them from receiving the gratifying damage that had come with other enemies. Dark Link was a game of patience that many players failed to master, and so he became one of the most talked-about bosses of that era.

2 Dr. Wily's Yellow Devil

Mega-Man (1987)

Mega-Man by itself is a tough-as-nails game demanding perfect execution and lightning-fast reflexes. If players manage to reach the end of this punishing platformer, they are rewarded with one of the most difficult bosses of all time, the Yellow Devil.

With detaching body parts and projectiles that could easily kill Mega-Man, The Yellow Devil was like a progenitor Soulsborne boss, demanding that players learn his patterns and sharpen their skills to adequately deal with the monstrosity. This being the 1980s, however, adds a fresh layer of punishment to the character, realized through blocky combat and limited mechanics.

1 Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (1987)

A boss so iconic he even features in the title, Mike Tyson's match in 1987's Punch-Out!! is one of the most difficult bosses of all time. It is an encounter that builds on every lesson Little Mac has learned during the course of the game, rewarding the player with tiny openings in Tyson's routine and punishing them heavily if they miss.

Mike Tyson's formidable stance is intensified by his real-world story; at the time, Tyson was one of the top athletes in the world, and the psychology of facing him in combat likely made more than one player shudder at the thought. His moves are lightning-fast, making him one of the hardest bosses in gaming history.

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