Boss: Difference between revisions

[[File:Burrowing Snagret P3Art.png|thumb|The [[Burrowing Snagret]] is a boss present in all four games.]]

The definition of a "boss" seems to change with each game. In {{p1}} the game seldom makes a distinction between a boss and a regular enemy. In {{p2}}, bosses are given different slots on the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] and a specific [[music]]al theme, with some having unique ones. In {{p3}}, bosses are clearly identified as such by the game itself,{{cite quote|Boss enemies you hurt will maintain their damage! Whittle their health down, and defeat them the next day!|[[Loading]] screen tip|the US [[Region|version]] of {{p3}}}} and are divided between main bosses and '''mini-bosses''', with both having unique musical themes and the former having even having unique [[cutscenes]]. They need to be defeated to progress with the story. {{hp}} also has bosses with unique cutscenes and music, and defeating them is necessary to advance to the next [[sector]].

Four other enemies are often considered bosses by fans due to their rare appearances and boss-like level of difficulty, even though there is nothing in the game that technically distinguishes them:

In {{p2}}, there are twelve bosses, all of which exclusively use a [[Music_in_Pikmin_2#Common_boss_battle|special musical theme]] when fighting against them. Three use their own unique theme, specifically: the [[Titan Dweevil]], the [[Waterwraith]], and the [[Giant Breadbug]]. They also appear in a larger bubble on the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]]'s listing. These bosses are usually found in [[cave]]s, with at least one being found on the final floor presented as the final challenge (save for the [[Emergence Cave]]). When first defeated, many reward the player with an [[Upgrade]] for defeating them. Some bosses can be also found in specific spots in the overworld [[area]]s. The following are listed in Piklopedia order, which is roughly the order they are intended to be encountered in:

In {{p3}}, the six main bosses are clearly labeled by the game, and their battles are considerably larger and more complex than with most other enemies. Most are fought within special arenas separated from each of their [[area]]s main sections and all have special [[cutscene]]s for encountering and defeating them. They normally have clearly defined vulnerability and invulnerability phases, commonly attacking during the latter. Since these bosses are meant to be fought with clear phases, the game may sometimes lock their [[health]] to a certain point, and only let the Pikmin damage it further after it moves on to the next stage. Main bosses will not restore their [[health]] as the days go by, and their corpses will also last until the next [[day]], but not any longer. Every one that is defeated drops an important object to the progression of the story, thus the game often pushes players toward fighting them as their next objective. These bosses can be re-fought in special [[Mission Mode]] stages. The following is a list of bosses in this game:

Unlike the three games prior, {{p4}} definition of a boss is unclear and inconsistent. The best way to define them is by the music cue that commonly accompanies them when they are encountered. However, some enemies use two different themes for different encounters. For instance, a [[Sovereign Bulblax]] uses a major boss cue at the bottom of the [[Subterranean Swarm]] and within the [[Cavern for a King]], but uses a minor boss drumbeat when encountered in the [[Giant's Hearth]].  

In terms of progression, none of these bosses are specifically required to be defeated other than the [[Ancient Sirehound]] to complete the story. Many of them house [[castaway]]s, either inside of them or behind gates, either that requiring the boss to be defeated to open. The way of bosses acting as progression is instead replaced with [[Dandori Battle]]s against [[Olimar]] and [[Louie]].

=== Major Bosses in ''Pikmin 4'' ===

Bosses in ''Pikmin 4'' are defined by the dramatic sting that begins and ends their unique battle themes, similar in tone to the boss themes of Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3. This also includes enemies that have their own unique battle themes that do not include the cue.

=== Minor Bosses in ''Pikmin 4'' ===

=== Tough Enemy encounters in ''Pikmin 4'' ===

Sometimes, a tougher enemy acts as a boss in easier caves, using a slower battle theme in these instances. These are not particularly bosses on the same level as the ones above, and are more situational encounters.

In [[Olimar's Shipwreck Tale]], all large enemy encounters use the same one theme – another renditions of the boss theme from ''Pikmin 2''. Because of this, we can easily define what is a boss and what isn't in this side mode.

=== Numbered Gate Battles ===

Since the concept of a boss in Pikmin 4 seems to be more defined by the setting rather than the enemy fought, it is helpful to instead look at all the scenarios that the game presents as a "boss battle" using characteristics seen in previous games. As stated above, this has typically been based on how the music changes, the type of rewards dropped, if there's a large arena for the fight, or if it is the final sublevel of the cave.

Notably, [[numbered gate]]s located in caves are introduced in Pikmin 4, which display a number of enemies that must be defeated in order to open. Outside of [[Trial of the Sage Leaf]], this feature consistently appears to be associated with boss battles and encounters with a single tough enemy as the number is most frequently "01". When the number is higher, it is usually multiple enemies not truly considered bosses but still pose a boss-like level of difficulty given the conditions. Most often, the boss will drop a [[castaway]] and the gate will open to allow access to a treasure or vice-versa. This tends to make the battle a requirement to progress similar to boss battles of previous games, while other encounters with the same boss can be less difficult or skipped altogether.

The following is a list of these numbered gate battles that debatably can be considered bosses along with their rewards, and the final boss included as the one exception (due to there being no need for a gate to block further progress).

|[[Frozen Inferno]]||4||[[Snowflake Fluttertail]]||Drops [[Shattering Lance]], opens numbered gate to castaway.

|[[Cavern for a King]]||17||[[Empress Bulblax]] (with [[Bulborb Larva]]||Drops [[Fire-Breathing Feast]], opens numbered gate to next sublevel.

|[[Cavern for a King]]||20||[[Ancient Sirehound]]||Drops castaway and [[Gift of Friendship]].