How Many Bosses?

[BottleCapGames]

Okay, so I'm obsessed. With making bosses.
However, for the sake of length in a game, how many bosses do you think is enough?
My game has a crazy amount of chapters, so could I put one for every chapter? However, most bosses aren't too long.

(P.S: I'm developing a tactics game.)

 

[Philosophus Vagus]

I don't know any way of answering that other than however many you need. In the game I'm working on there are only two so far, both of which are optional. Though I'd imagine most games would require more than that and mine doesn't because it isn't really focused on combat, in fact, most instances of combat means your coming dangerously close to losing and you'll practically always lose more than you gain from them even if you win because the game is basically a survival-horror/resource management hybrid so participating in combat, though viable, is actually playing counter to the intent of a lot of the mechanics I've got going on.

Tell the story you want to tell, as best you can. A lot of games suffer from filler bloat ruining or at least diminishing them so the only advice I can think of is make sure that most if not all of the bosses fit the game and that they exist for a purpose within the narrative and not just to pad the game with at least x number of bosses or whatever, and that they have have mechanics that make them unique from each other as much as possible. Especially since your game revolves around tactics, if the bosses are to similar and uninspired it'll be glaringly obvious pretty quickly I think

 

[CleanWater]

Remember that you can divide bosses in at least three categories: Bosses, Sub-Bosses and Side-Bosses.

 

[BottleCapGames]

Especially since your game revolves around tactics, if the bosses are to similar and uninspired it'll be glaringly obvious pretty quickly I think

Yeah, you're right. Each boss should be different, so that the player doesn't get bored. I also like making bosses their own little mini antagonists
I don't like bosses like Spider Queen, or Slime King, if they don't have personalities.

 

[10kk]

For most major events that happens (climactic peaks), if applicable, it's good to tag a boss along with it so it is extra memorable. When the player thinks back on what has happened, they'll remember a memorable battle along with whatever else happened.
When I look back at the fondest memories of rpg's in my childhood, I remember nearly every single boss. Even games i can't remember the name of, I vaguely remember the boss encounters.
There's nothing wrong with many bosses. Just remember they should have good variance and different relevant difficulty / reward.

 

[Gallia]

How many bosses depend how long and big your game is.