I still need to get around to playing Rhythm Heaven Fever, but I absolutely adore that game’s Remix 10 music. Just this super upbeat energetic mix featuring gameplay and music from every single level.
I can’t believe someone would mention Ys and not list The Strongest Foe from Oath in Felghana:
So hey, Cave makes pretty badass boss music. A favorite of mine is Longhena Cantata from DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu
Which later got an insane remix for Black Label:
And of course there’s the infamous final boss theme from Mushihimesama Futari, which some may remember from the youtube video of "the hardest video game boss ever"
ed: whoop I’m an idiot and someone mentioned it already
One last one, but Radiant Silvergun has one of the chillest final boss themes of any shooter I’ve ever seen.
I know it’s not really the final boss theme per se, but the final boss theme is the theme song so I think it counts. Also after years of listening to this song, I’ve only just realized it uses the riff from Live and Learn at one point
Okay so it isn’t One Winged Angel, but the theme for the first phase of that fight is still really good.
And since someone mentioned Rhythm Heaven earlier, I have to say that I love the finale of the newest one, especially the part where they work in all four of the title themes in the series.
I always love how Mario games tend to have really grandiose final boss music in a game that is unapologetically fun and silly:
Super Mario 3D World’s music for Champion’s Road–not strictly a “boss” but definitely the game’s final challenge–is also perfect, though in this case totally fitting for the rest of the game’s tone:
The Digital Devil Saga duology is too underappreciated and has some excellent tracks. The final boss theme for DDS2 is no exception.
Cannon Ball, the final boss theme from Mega Man Zero 3 is damn good as well
While not a final boss theme, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne’s theme for the (mostly) optional skeleton bosses really sells them as them as dangerous demons from hell, even by the games standards. Especially the first time you’ll hear it in the game. Oh boy.
I’m rather partial to the HAG 1 theme from the end of Banjo-Tooie. It starts with a crazy blast of horns, then plays the high horns against some very low rumbling tubas or something. As the song goes on, it continues on crazy unpredictable tangents, like the boss fight itself. It’s quite a powerful song that gives gravity and danger to the game where a honeybear and his bird friend collect Jinjos.
It’s far from my favorite song in the game, but I’m still quite fond of the final boss theme of 7th Dragon III:
Also the Megaman Zero series had pretty great boss themes throughout. “Fake” from Zero 1 is an okay, if not entirely memorable theme:
But it really picks up in 2, with the two part “Supreme Ruler” and "The Last - The Wish Punished"
All of 3’s final themes are pretty good, but the true final boss theme, “Cannonball” is where it’s at.
And then 4 tops it off with “Falling Down” which IMO is one of the best in the entire series.
Also just gonna mention that Cannonball got a pretty awesome remix in ZX:
Ed: Even tho it’s not the final boss theme I’m also gonna mention my favorite boss theme from 7D3, “Ignith of the Final Flame,” because it’s pretty awesome:
FFX got mentioned before. Seymour is definitely prime antagonist, but here’s the actual final boss theme. Not a great song in and of itself, I think… reaching that moment ingame is something else, though.
Here’s Worship, the final theme of Aquaria. It’s an incredibly hairy fight.
Not sure how we can have a music thread without Crypt of the Necrodancer! Here’s Momentum Mori and Last Dance, both the final battle theme.
From Catherine, Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude is the killer! Do not die.
Not a ‘boss’ exactly, but Ghost Trick’s final challenge is set to The Last Desperate Struggle.
A few of the ones I’d post are already present, so I guess I’m going to throw a few of the oddballs I can think of in here.
Super Mario RPG - There’s something I love about how this music pairs with Smithy frantically smithing his head into various forms
Kameo: Elements of Power - If I’m remembering right, this was around the time orchestral game music was starting to get overused, but I still like it
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - This needs no explanation, in fact, pretty much every boss theme in the game feels like a “final boss” theme, and I’d rather not embed a dozen more videos, so here’s a link to the entire OST instead
And because I’m a sucker for Digimon…
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Digimon World: Next Order - Though it’s not the final boss theme, it’s a remix of the final boss theme from DW1
Digimon World: Next Order - The actual final boss theme. Although DW games are notorious for being buggy grindy messes, I actually had a really good time with this game