Hi there! If you’re joining us now, the month of march is gonna be all about platforming games – 2D, 3D, maybe even 2.5D.

Todays prompt is about a staple of platformer game design: The bosses, usually lurking at the end of each world, if not every level. Some task you with using whatever skill you’ve just learned to beat them, others you need to bonk three times on their head.

So: Which platformer games did bosses the best? Which did them the worst? Any tropes of platformer boss design you either love or you’re tired of?

Bonus: What game could’ve used MORE bosses, or none at all?

Extra Bonus: Boss Rush! Who’s done it the best?

Extra Bonus Deluxe: Best boss that is a giant foe where the weak point is the head with maybe floating hands that it tries to smash you with

TOMORROW: The platformer bestiaries / enemies