The Best Boss Games for Linux

Update, : Final Vendetta added at rank #9.
1

Streets of Rage 4 (2020)

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90
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Xbox One Playstation 4 PC Windows Mac OS Linux stadia IOS iPhone Android

Streets of Rage 4 is the long awaited fourth entry into the classic Sega franchise. It features a blend of old and new, with classic characters such as Axel and Adam Hunter returning alongside a new main character, Cherry. All characters have unique playstyles, from Axel's powerful punches to Cherry's speedy strikes. There are tons of unlockables to discover and it has an amazing soundtrack.


Pros:
  • Satisfying combat
  • Incredible music and visuals
  • Tons to unlock
  • Simple yet rewarding combat mechanics
Cons:
  • Lack of 4 player online
  • Occasionally too easy to get cornered

  • brawler
  • boss
  • cooperative
  • beat-em-up
  • combo
  • retro
  • classic
  • side-scrolling
  • fight
  • old-school
  • arcade
  • online
  • hand-drawn
  • crime
  • combat

2

HUNTDOWN (2020)

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91
Review score
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Android PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch Mac OS Linux IOS iPhone

Join the action-packed world of HUNTDOWN, a hard-boiled arcade shooter set in a gritty, neon-soaked 80s cityscape ruled by criminal gangs. Take on the role of one of three legendary bounty hunters and lay waste to the underworld to collect your bounty. With unique boss fights and an arsenal of weapons to choose from, HUNTDOWN is a must-play for those who love fast-paced, co-op shooters.


Pros:
  • Pixel art, music, and gameplay are fantastic
  • Perfect gunplay and 80s vibe
  • Packed with addictive carnage
  • Well-designed levels
  • Memorable and funny boss fights.
Cons:
  • Bonus objectives are repetitive
  • Difficulty on some bosses can seem off
  • Characters can be hard to follow in intense fights
  • Comedy can go overboard and may disappoint those expecting a more serious tone.

  • cooperative
  • boss-fight
  • cover
  • shooter
  • retro
  • boss
  • cyberpunk
  • arcade
  • hockey
  • pixel
  • action
  • platform
  • dystopian
  • 2d
  • classic

3

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (2021)

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85
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Android Playstation 4 IOS iPhone Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows Mac OS Linux

Play as an adorable yet trouble-making turnip. Avoid paying taxes, solve plantastic puzzles, harvest crops and battle massive beasts all in a journey to tear down a corrupt vegetable government!


  • zelda
  • dungeon
  • boss-fight
  • boss
  • cute
  • puzzle
  • funny
  • adventure
  • comedy
  • food
  • 2d
  • action-adventure
  • action
  • pixel
  • top-down

4

Ritual (2021)

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83
Review score
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Mac OS Linux Playstation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch IOS iPhone Android PC Windows

Ritual is a first-person psychological horror game. Immerse yourself in this sinister experience of terror, where everything familiar becomes strange to you, find the necessary elements to complete the ritual and solve the mystery.

Buy

  • horror
  • demons
  • boss
  • rpg
  • anime
  • psychological
  • split-second
  • rpgmaker
  • japanese
  • metroidvania
  • first-person
  • exploration
  • dark
  • castlevania
  • action

5

Hyper Light Drifter (2016)

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92
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch IOS iPhone Xbox One Playstation 4 Linux Mac OS

Hyper Light Drifter is an atmospheric action RPG set in a gorgeous pixel art world with a superb score. You are a Drifter fighting your way through enemies while piecing together the story of the world around you.


Pros:
  • Atmospheric soundtrack
  • Gorgeous visuals
  • Superb gameplay
  • Unique Zelda-like experience
Cons:
  • Difficulty spikes when there are too many enemies around you

  • pixel
  • boss
  • boss-fight
  • combat
  • post-apocalyptic
  • narrative
  • exploration
  • dungeon
  • rpg
  • difficult
  • action
  • platform
  • battle
  • challenging
  • retro

6

Rogue Legacy 2 (2020)

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88
Review score
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Xbox One Xbox Series X PC Windows Nintendo Switch Mac OS Linux

Rogue Legacy 2 is a must-play game for anyone who enjoys roguelike platformers, offering addictive gameplay, unique traits and abilities to succeed, and a wide range of classes to choose from. The game mechanics are solid, and it offers customization and accessibility options. The hand-drawn aesthetic, immersive experience, and great soundtrack create a great atmosphere, even for those intimidated by rogue-lites or metroidvanias.


Pros:
  • Addictive one-more-try gameplay
  • Hand-drawn aesthetic and great soundtrack
  • Customization and accessibility options
  • Immersive experience with seeping lore and mix of darkness and silly humor
  • Offers more content, evolution from predecessor, and consistent progression hooks for extra motivation
Cons:
  • Challenging gameplay may not be suitable for all players
  • Story may not be a strong point
  • Randomness may be frustrating at times
  • Relics can make or break a run, which may not appeal to all players

  • rogue-like
  • platform
  • boss
  • metroidvania
  • dungeon
  • challenging

7

Hollow Knight (2017)

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96
Review score
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PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox One Linux Nintendo Switch Mac OS

Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.


  • metroidvania
  • boss
  • boss-fight
  • platform
  • exploration
  • frame-by-frame
  • hand-drawn
  • 2d
  • souls
  • difficult
  • story
  • cute
  • bug
  • side-scrolling

8

Mighty Goose (2021)

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80
Review score
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PC Windows Linux Mac OS Xbox Series X Playstation 5 Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch Xbox One

Mighty Goose is a fast paced run & gun shooter starring a bounty hunter Goose. Use epic weapons and devastating war machines to battle against screen filling bosses and hordes of enemies!

Buy

  • run-and-gun
  • mech
  • cooperative
  • boss
  • local
  • shooter
  • vehicle
  • fast-paced
  • pixel
  • arcade
  • platform
  • boss-fight
  • war-machine
  • spectacle
  • 2d

9

Final Vendetta (2022)

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74
Review score
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Playstation 5 Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows Mac OS Linux

Final Vendetta is an arcade-style throwback inspired by the 16 and 32-bit-era of gaming. It features large, gorgeously animated character sprites, true-to-the-era hand-drawn pixel art backgrounds and timeless old school flourishes. Perfectly combining elements from Final Fight and Streets of Rage 2 with generous dashes of NEO GEO style, Final Vendetta is a master class in kicking ass!


Pros:
  • Classic visuals and gameplay
  • Coop play for up to two players
  • Challenging bosses
Cons:
  • Limited lives on Easy or Hard mode
  • Some cheap enemy attacks and grabs

  • beat-em-up
  • arcade
  • boss
  • pixel
  • classic
  • brawler
  • old-school
  • soundtrack
  • fight
  • side-scrolling
  • retro
  • combo
  • cooperative
  • scroller
  • arts

10

Risk System (2019)

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76
Review score
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Linux Mac OS Nintendo Switch Xbox One PC Windows

High speed kinetic action. Danger is the best offense!


  • boss
  • shoot-em-up
  • anime
  • horizontal
  • bullet-hell
  • boss-fight
  • shooter
  • pixel
  • japanese-made
  • experimental
  • scrolling
  • vertical
  • challenging
  • classic
  • arcade

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