Metal Gear Solid – Unconventional Methods To Defeat Bosses

Boss battles are some of the most memorable aspects of the Metal Gear Solid series. They often come with creative designs, and really chew the scenery when they make their presence known before the big fight begins. The battles in Metal Gear Solid themselves prove to be well-thought-out from a creative standpoint, throwing in some nasty attack patterns and tactics to dodge and memorize.

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Unlike some games, the key to victory isn’t always as simple as whipping out the most powerful gun available and unloading it as quickly as possible when in range. That crafty Hideo Kojima and the clever developers at Konami implemented more than a few creative ways of beating their bosses.

1 Swapping Controller Ports Vs. Psycho Mantis

Metal Gear Solid

The fight against Psycho Mantis is most certainly an iconic one in Metal Gear Solid. Having the psychic break the fourth wall, in between pulling off freaky tricks like blacking out the screen to make it look like someone was fiddling with the TV remote during gameplay, were all unheard-of design choices for the time.

The latter ability can prove to be irritating, as it essentially pauses the game for a few brief moments when it happens. Asking Colonel Campbell for ideas, he, too, breaks the fourth wall and suggests putting the controller in the Player 2 slot on the PlayStation console. It’s a completely unexpected tactic, but a very helpful one at that.

2 Fighting The Harrier With A Pistol

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty

This tactic was made famous by enthusiasts who wanted to explore different ways of defeating a boss, and while it may not be the most practical option, it is still well worth mentioning. After all, why bother trying to shoot down Solidus Snake’s Harrier jet in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty with a homing missile launcher when the SOCOM handgun can be used?

Granted, this will take a long while. In fact, some YouTube playthroughs last upwards of more than 2 hours, as the pistol’s.45 ACP rounds barely skim the health bar. Thankfully, Pliskin will occasionally throw a bit of ammo here and there during the battle. Still, as much of a slog as it is to do, it’s no doubt impressive.

3 Using Stinger Missiles On Vamp

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty

Vamp’s boss battle further showcases his complete disregard for physics as he balances atop of railings, freezes Raiden in place, and tosses knives that can be shot down in midair. In between attacks, he may decide to swim in the surrounding waters - something that would instantly pull the player in with no hopes of getting back up to the surface.

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Those going for non-lethal runs may think that they’ll need to tickle Vamp into submission with the M9’s tranquilizer darts, yet the Stinger rocket launcher can drain his stamina when fired repeatedly in the water, all the while prematurely forcing him back out much faster. There’s no need to even fire them directly at him!

4 Poison The Fear

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The Fear is the second boss of The Cobras, an elite squad of WWII heroes that defect to the Soviet Union alongside their leader, The Joy (or The Boss, as Naked Snake knows her). He mixes psychological warfare with stealth, firing poison crossbow darts and crawling up trees like a spider while camouflaging himself.

When low on stamina, like Snake, he’ll try and eat whatever food is nearby – including wildlife. To exploit this, poisoned mushrooms and rotten food can be tossed into the fray, where The Fear will frantically try and consume what’s been dropped. It’s a great example of Kojima’s love for attention to detail.

5 Snipe The End Early

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

During one particular cutscene in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the elderly sniper known as The End is seen sitting in a wheelchair in a coma, saving up his stamina for what will be his final battle against Naked Snake. Providing the player as a sniper rifle of their own, his lifespan can be prematurely cut short.

Shooting the soldier pushing his wheelchair will only result in The End being pushed through a door, where he’ll not be seen again until the boss battle. The nearby oil barrels can be detonated, killing him and sending his wheelchair hurtling towards the player as a bit of karma for such a cheap tactic.

6 Death By Old Age

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Unsportsmanlike tactics to defeat a boss is one thing, yet wasting time is another. After The End’s introductory cutscene before the boss battle, there was a cheeky trick that players could pull off to defeat The End by making him die of old age: turn the console’s internal clock ahead by a week. Alternatively, simply saving and not playing the game for that long before returning to it results in the same outcome.

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A unique set of cutscenes and a radio call with Major Zero will occur between him and Naked Snake, who laments the fact that he didn’t even have the chance to battle him fair and square. With such clever ideas like this, it's no wonder the third game is so beloved by fans.

7 Playing Music Vs. The Beauties

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots

The so-called Beauties of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots are an unsettling group of bosses. Uncontrollably screaming, laughing, and crying during their battles, it makes their presence all the more disturbing, a stark contrast to their prettiness, hence the name.

During the fights with them, one must avoid these bosses after going from their ‘beast’ to their ‘beauty’ phase. They must not be damaged for three minutes, so avoiding them outright is best. The Beauty in question will be taken to a white zone alongside Old Snake. Opening the iPod and playing 'Teo-Han Seikatsu' will result in her dancing along to the music, giving players a chance to deliver some pot shots.

8 CO-OP Weaponry

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

There are a hefty number of boss encounters in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, along with a considerable amount of re-skinned versions and tougher variants. Many of these are intended to be tackled with a team, rather than solo.

True, heavy and explosive weaponry may indeed be a preferable choice to take on tanks, helicopters, and giant mechs. It’s a viable tactic solo, so, why not in teams? Nevertheless, CO-OP weapons are an option for those playing online. There are giant slingshots and tank boxes (one drives while the other fires the cannon) that can be used together to defeat vehicles or patrolling enemies. While unconventional, they may very well be a valuable asset.

9 Drench The Man On Fire

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

How does one defeat a boss engulfed in flames? The obvious choice would be to use water. While Venom Snake can blow up a nearby water tower to soak the Man On Fire in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain or push him into the nearby pool with an explosion, in typical Kojima fashion, there are other means of making a splash.

Roughly 60 shots from a fully upgraded Water Pistol will be enough to beat the blazing boss, though this is a bit of a tricky task as his barrage of fiery attacks needs to be constantly avoided all the while. Waiting around for it to eventually rain also works, though it’s much easier to call in a Weather Modification from the Fire Support menu (if the ability has been researched). So, there really isn’t any need to fight fire with fire.

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