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| Image: SEGA |
WARNING: The following post contains spoilers for Sonic Frontiers. If you have any interest in playing the game and do not wish to be spoiled, do not proceed any further.
3D Super Sonic boss fights. Since Sonic Adventure, Super Sonic boss fights have served as a final battle for dedicated players. These showdowns are often accompanied by stellar music tracks like Open Your Heart, Live and Learn, What I'm Made Of or outstanding orchestrated versions of the game's main theme such as the Sonic Unleashed theme song, Endless Possibilties. I've heard these music tracks and seen clips of these clashes on YouTube but I've always been on the outside looking in.
And then I played Sonic Frontiers.
The first time I ever participated in a 3D Super Sonic boss fight and it just so happens to be in Sonic's latest outing that has received much acclaim from both fans and critics. It was better than anything I could have imagined. And I didn't have to wait until the end of the game to throw down as the golden hedgehog. This fight was waiting for me at the end of Kronos Island.
But first, some background.
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| That's a big boy. Image: SEGA |
The boss of the first island is Giganto, a towering goliath. This thing doesn't even flinch at Sonic's Homing Attacks and repays the hero's pitiful attempts to defeat it by grabbing Sonic and chucking him through two ruined towers like a fast pitch. Neither Sonic nor I was prepared for that work.
After getting curb stomped, I resumed exploring Kronos Island. At one point, I looked off and spotted Giganto, remembered the beating he gave me and said one word, "Nope!" I went back to collecting Kokos, Purple Coins and doing Cyber Space levels. I didn't even wanna look at Giganto. Like, that thing put the fear of God into me.
Eventually, I collected six Chaos Emeralds and would have to face Giganto again, which, in case you couldn't tell, was something I was very much dreading. I don't think I've felt this uneasy about a boss since after getting my metal cheeks handed to me by Vile in Mega Man X when I was a kid. As a climbed Gigant to the building music, my mind wasn't any more at ease.
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| "Boy, do you really want to catch this smoke a second time?" Image: SEGA |
I had a feeling Giganto had the final Chaos Emerald and yup, it turned out he did. That sucker was resting on the back of his dome. "OK, I've got the last Chaos Emerald, but now what?" I thought to myself. I still have no idea how I'm going to beat this thing.
*Sonic transforms into Super Sonic*
I'm hanging on to the other side
I won't give up til the end of me
You know that feeling that swells throughout your mind, when you know without a shadow of as doubt, "YOU GOT THIS!!!"?? That is how I felt once Sonic activated his super mode. He floats in front of Gigant as Undefeatable, one of the greatest vocal bangers in Sonic history begins playing and Sonic just smirks at him as if to say "It ain't gonna be like last time."
At this point, I really need no instructions on how to take down Giganto. Yeah, there's some text on the screen that tells me rings will deplete as the battle goes on and I need to deal heavy damage but my take away from all of that is HIT. HIM. Andrelaline, the likes of which I have rarely felt before, courses through my entire body as I fly towards the titan and start whaling on him. Whereas Giganto felt nothing from normal Sonic's Homing Attack, every blow from Super Sonic deals clear, undeniable damage to him as he is knocked back. He's showing those chompers, but he sure ain't smiling. Every punch Sonic throws shows a transparent, golden fist connecting to Giganto's oversized jaw, accompanied by the most beautiful punching sound effects that an ultra powerful supped up hedgehog can deliver.
Oh sure, Giganto fought back. He tossed out some long ranged swipes but, you know the scene in Dragon Ball Z where Frieza hits Super Saiyan Goku with his Death Beam and he literally just takes it on the chin like it is nothing? That's how Super Sonic reacts to anything Giganto throws at him. You get knocked back, sure, but Super Sonic just shrugs it off. Every time Giganto knocks me back, I fly back up to him and punch the ever living crap out of his giant, metal can.
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| Image: IGN |
Giganto tried lasers, but he clearly has no idea who he's screwing with. To keep from getting laser blasted in the face, you just have to button mash. I messed up my hands on mini games in the original Mario Party, so this was nothing to me. When successful, Super Sonic caught them and tossed them away. Giganto also tried to eat me and once again, mashing is required to keep from becoming a Super Sonic meal.
When you deplete Giganto's life bar, the fight isn't simply over. You get this bad awesome cutscene where Super Sonic flies right through Giganto, finishing him off in a scene that was more than likely meant to pay homage to how Demon King Piccolo died in Dragon Ball and it is so freaking cool!
My first ever 3D Super Sonic boss fight and it was one of the hypest things I've ever experienced in a video game. I was so jazzed after that fight, I immediately went to YouTube to get other people's reactions and it was more excitement for me to feed on. By watching reactions, I also learned that you can parry some of Giganto's attacks and counter with this sick after image strike. Actually, all of Sonic's moves you've learned up to this point in the game can be used when fighting Giganto. Yes, I cannot wait to fight him again with this knowledge.
In an age where so many things are spoiled become some little snot has to have their 15 seconds of internet fame, I am so, so, soooooooooo happy I was able to go into Sonic Frontiers without having this moment spoiled for me. This is one of those gaming experiences that will always stick out for me, much like my first battle with a Lynel in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
After hearing about 3D Super Sonic boss fights, it feels great to be able to participate in one. I legit wish I could do the Giganto fight for the first time all over again.
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