Is Wolfgang Krauser (FF2/FFS) the most "fair" SNK boss?

[aria]

I was just thinking about how awe inspiring his final stage was in FF2 (which I had the fortune of buying when it came out -one of the handful of games I bought before I discovered the beauty of eBay in Dec. 98), but then I realized he was actually relatively reasonable to beat compared to the nightmares of the virtually every other game, fighter (WH, KOF, etc) or not (Nam, KOM2, etc).

What do you think?

 

[LWK]

I was just thinking about how awe inspiring his final stage was in FF2 (which I had the fortune of buying when it came out -one of the handful of games I bought before I discovered the beauty of eBay in Dec. 98), but then I realized he was actually relatively reasonable to beat compared to the nightmares of the virtually every other game, fighter (WH, KOF, etc) or not (Nam, KOM2, etc).

What do you think?

Hes a pretty straight forward design. Of the entire CPU cast in ff2, the only moderately challenging bastard would be Billy.
I never touch FF2 anymore sadly, FFS gets that attention. Its kind of sad though that Jubei and Kim totally rule the FFS scene. I use Kim myself, but Geese and Krauser I just can't ignore, and I've been into using them for and eternity.

I remember when the ffs snes port was the "shit"
Considering that sound effects had fart sounds for hits.

Thank god I bought a neo down the line, hell the first game I bought for it was FFS.
To this day I still have not found a game with a better stage entrance then Krauser's. FFS Tung's is my second fave to that, then Geese's (IMO)

 

[SouthtownKid]

I consider Krauser fair in FF2, both Krauser and Geese to be fair in FFS, and everyone is tough but pretty fair in FF3. I think the thing that might make people not think Geese and Krauser are fair, is the grabbing out of the air moves, and their counters. But if you play a little while, you should know when you're about to be grabbed out of the air. You can feel it coming. It's one of the (many) things I've always liked more about FF than KOF. All bosses should be this fair.

 

[Takumaji]

Krauser in FFS is more than fair, and he keeps the cheese at a minimum even on the highest diff. His Blitz Ball patterns are very predictable, and as long as you dodge or counter his plane attacks, he's quite easy to beat.

However, I really love playing around with patterns to beat those crazy bosses like Dio in WH2. Or take Rugal in KoF2k2, he seems tough at first but there are a lot of charas/patterns that work like a charm against him, like Andy's hcf+K Kuuha Dan, Takuma's new-style qcf+P Ko'ou Ken, Chin's roll+standing D, etc.

Many ppl find it annoying to lose to a difficult end boss 20 times in a row but IMO it's better to be challenged even by a cheap boss than to work your way through a fighter just to encounter a lame boss a la Zero in KoF2k, what a let-down.

 

[SouthtownKid]

However, I really love playing around with patterns to beat those crazy bosses like Dio in WH2.

It's funny, but whatever character I used to use, beating Dio always seemed to come down to reverse-reverse-reverse-reversing throws... but yeah, I used to enjoy fighting him.

 

[EX_Andy]

Mizuki from SS2 is probably the most "fair" boss. She's properly terrifying as a boss should be (at least at first) and she'll bury you if you're stupid. But you can take her in a straight fight with just about anybody if you're skilled enough and don't mess up. Also, if you completely suck at the game, you can abuse a couple of patterns against her.

When you beat Mizuki, you usually leave feeling satisfied, and unless you totally suck at the game, when you lose to her (if you do), you can usually tell that it was your fault, and you'll know what mistakes you made. Great boss, great game.

 

[Atro]

Krauser is fair enough to beat, but Rugal in KOF98 is way easier with a lot of charcacters even in level-8.

 

[Kazuki Dash]

I was just thinking about how awe inspiring his final stage was in FF2

Totally agree. When I first got to him in the arcades and saw the cathedral with its accompanying orchestral flourish I knew this was gonna be damn cool. Then he went and started his little smack talk about my grave and I knew I had to bust him up for that.
Too bad I wound up losing...doh!

...but then I realized he was actually relatively reasonable to beat compared to the nightmares of the virtually every other game, fighter (WH, KOF, etc) or not (Nam, KOM2, etc). What do you think?

Heck yes. Even though I lost quite a few times to him at first, to me it felt more like I had given him the wins cuz of mistakes/carelessness on my part as opposed to some uber-godly overprioritized moves he did. In short, he won fair and square cuz he played better than I did, simple as that.

This meant that I was never frustrated and pissed about losing to him, but just way more psyched to come back and have a go against him one more time. That alone is something that I cannot say about too many bosses and is something that made beating him that much sweeter. Hell, even in defeat Krauser is man enough to give you props. "You were perfect! I met...my maaaatch!"

I'd also like to add that the whole buildup to the fight with Krauser in FF2 was done superbly...those screenshots of him wasting past bosses in between rounds really made me stoked to meet the guy responsible for all that mayhem. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while GEESE will always be the main villain of the FF series, I'm glad they made another high quality baddie in Krauser (and that he is great yet again as a boss in Real Bout FFS).

 

[roker]

Mizuki from SS2 is probably the most "fair" boss. She's properly terrifying as a boss should be (at least at first) and she'll bury you if you're stupid. But you can take her in a straight fight with just about anybody if you're skilled enough and don't mess up. Also, if you completely suck at the game, you can abuse a couple of patterns against her.

When you beat Mizuki, you usually leave feeling satisfied, and unless you totally suck at the game, when you lose to her (if you do), you can usually tell that it was your fault, and you'll know what mistakes you made. Great boss, great game.

well said

then again, IMO, SSII is one of those rare games of utter perfection

 

[Garlic Butter]

Final boss of KOF '99 imo is hard but not "OMG YOU CHEAP WANKA" so I'd make him the most fair boss

 

[buster_broon]

i thought amakusa from sam spirits was one of the easiest bosses around and rugal comes in a very close second

krauser makes you work for the victory

 

[Jedite]

Kruaser is about medium for diffculty, he's a little hard, but, isn't cheap. Rugal in '94 is the cheapest bastard.