Are there any arcadey 2d action games that operate on a sort of "boss rush" level structure, but instead of fighting different minibosses, you repeatedly fight one recurring enemy per stage who gains a larger moveset or whatever in between each fight?IE stage segment / platforming beating up mooks -> fight stage baddie -> more platforming / beating up mooks -> fight stage baddie again (new moves) -> more mooks / platforming -> final battle with stage baddie (full moveset) -> end stageI'm thinking sort of like how you fight each of the main bosses in Devil May Cry 1 multiple times over the course of each segment of the game, but more in that classic arcadey 2d vein. I'm sure there are individual stages that do this also but I wonder if there are any games that make this the whole gimmick the whole way through.
Moon Crystal has one reoccurring boss that does that, but it's only one boss out of many that don't do that
>>12027873Warning Forever is the closest thing I can think of what you're describing but it's a pure boss rush with an enemy that constantly evolves into new forms based on your performance during the previous fight.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCr2PNGluqA
>>12027873Rapid Hero and Gekirindan have you covered for shmups. Picrel its the guy from the former.
>>12027873Viewtiful Joe 2 has that annoying dinosaur boss who keeps reappearing with new moves.
>>12027873>I wonder if there are any games that make this the whole gimmick the whole way through.I can't think of any, but I do wonder if that would even be enough to carry an entire game.Like, how far can you push what is essentially a single boss fight? Can you spread the same boss across the full length of a game and still keep him fun? What would the final stage of this monstrosity look like? I honestly don't know, but it sounds so ambitious that I wouldn't be surprised if it's never been tried. At least not on purpose, or successfully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad_gafBRM_s