History Main / DegradedBoss

* In ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'', most of the game's bosses are simply regular enemy types with more health and the occasional attribute tweak (the Iceman in Fort Frolic is immune to ice attacks, for example). Most bosses are encountered before you fight regular Splicers of that type. For example, the game's first boss Dr. Steinman is a machinegun-wielding Leadhead Splicer, the regular versions of which you don't encounter until 3/4ths of the way through the game.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'': A Green [=ChuChu=] serves as the main boss of Deepwood Shrine. Later, in the Temple of Droplets, a Blue subspecies with electric affinity appears as a miniboss.

* ''Amsterdoom'' has this in every stage, with the boss of the area becoming a recurring type of enemy in the next.

* The first boss of ''VideoGame/BloodyZombies'' is a gigantic zombie brute who returns as a common GiantMook enemy. There are also several early bosses who return later in the game in pairs as {{Dual Boss}}es, where they're actually easier in the second encounter because you have levelled up at that point and obtained far better weapons.

* ''VideoGame/GoldenAxe'' and its sequels. Particularly noteworthy is ''Golden Axe II'' where after fighting four purple Hell Lizards as a boss, they begin returning on a regular basis (sometimes in the stronger green form). Of similar note are the huge minotaurs who appear as palette-swapped bosses twice then return as normal enemies! And remember, this is ''Golden Axe'' -- there's no levelling up in this game!

* Done with the ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage'' series with some of their boss characters. Lampshaded in Streets of Rage 2, with the weaker mook version of the boss "R. Bear" being called "[[OverlordJr Bear Jr.]]" ''2'' takes it pretty quickly, too. After beating the twin robot bosses in Stage 7, the very first enemies you fight in Stage 8 are two more. The fourth game does this only once with three Nora clones fought near the end of stage 11 before fighting [[BigBad Mr. Y]].

* ''VideoGame/DarksidersII'': Gharn, the boss of The Cauldron, is a hard-hitting corrupted [[{{Golem}} Construct]] and the most powerful one you've fought so far. Later on, it's recast as a recurring MiniBoss referred to as "Construct Champion" with almost all the same moves and dangers aside from its [[HavingABlast explosion move]], with Death even being able to fight two at once! And that's not even mentioning "Ghorn", a boss of an optional side quest who's effectively a beefed up [[UndergroundMonkey red]] Gharn [[MagmaMan with lava]], a few new unique moves, and [[AxCrazy more personality]]. {{Justified}} in that Gharn was never a unique Construct in the first place and just one of his type who had the luxury of a name to be told.

* ''VideoGame/RuneScape''

* In ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'', the "elemental orb" boss from the Ginso Tree becomes a common enemy in and near the FinalDungeon.

* The Knight in ''VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterLand'', in addition to having several {{palette swap}}s, also appears as a recurring enemy late in the game, as does the GrimReaper, who also returns in ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIIMonsterLair'''s fifth stage as [[GoddamnedBats swarms of miniature versions]].

* Ascended Sleepers in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind''. Various named Dagoths encountered in the latter half of the main quest are modified Ascended Sleepers, but they're actually downgraded from the normal enemy (which only shows up at extremely high levels -- it is in fact the highest levelled non-unique monster in the game). So it is quite possible to learn to [[BossInMookClothing hate]] Ascended Sleepers before knowing what they're actually called.

** The Queen Bee was the second major boss of the game as the last Amphibian era boss. [[spoiler:Bolbox strengthens and revives her so she can kill anyone who makes it to Africa as a minor, skippable boss]].
** The Tyrannosaurus clan was fought as the third major boss in the Dinosaur era. Come the next chapter, after most of the dinosaurs died, and they're hunted by the Yeti and becomes normal, but strong, enemies. [[spoiler:They also become Bolbox's second line of defense after the Queen Bee in Africa]].

*** After you beat Garula at the Walse Tower, you can encounter it again as a random encounter near the Walse Meteorite. This version won't harm you. Justified in-universe as the boss Garula was controlled by Exdeath and made unnaturally aggresive as part of his ploy to destroy the Water Crystal.

*** ''X-2'' also has bosses from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' return as regular encounters. Because the mechanics of the games are so different, they can be much easier or more difficult then your remember.

* ''VideoGame/OdinSphere'': Inverted. The player normally encounters [[GrimReaper Halja]] in the Netherworld as midbosses, but in Oswald's story, two of them are fought at once as an end-of-stage boss.

* ''VideoGame/NintendoLand'' goes nuts with this in its [[VideoGame/{{Pikmin}} Pikmin Adventure]] and [[Franchise/TheLegendofZelda The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest]] attractions. Had trouble against the Greater Bladed Baub? Let's see how you fare against ''three in a row!''[[note]]The third one doesn't even bother waiting until the second is down.[[/note]] You know it's bad when ''[[spoiler:Ganon]]'' gets this treatment. However, it's inverted in the [[VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Metroid Blast]] attraction. The first time you face Ridley, he gets no fanfare and is treated as a normal enemy. Every time you face him after that, he gets an intro cutscene reserved for bosses.

** ''Series/GenseishinJustiriser'': Bulgario gives the Justirisers a lot of hassle in its first appearance. During the FinalBattle, a massive GiantMook army of them gets sent out that the Justirisers [[ConservationOfNinjitsu have little trouble destroying]]. Even the JSDF manages to take down a few of them.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'': Many of the mini-bosses from early levels show up as regular enemies later in that same game. In some cases, there's a new weapon that makes it easier. In other cases, not so much.

* It seems that ''Series/GameOfThrones'' will be setting this up with the White Walkers. The first White Walker was a great threat and was terrorizing Samwell Tarly since the end of Season 2 and was notable for being the first White Walker we clearly saw onscreen. Samwell is considered TheHero after miraculously killing him. The second White Walker who seemed to be one of the Night's King's lieutenants was a very difficult challenger for Jon Snow. But it seems that at the end, there will be a big battle against White Walkers with all of them as {{Mooks}} and the Night's King as their leader.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'' are filled with degraded boss versions of bosses from earlier entries in the series. Facade goes from 6th dungeon boss in ''Link's Awakening'' to 2nd dungeon miniboss in ''Oracle of Seasons'', while ''Oracle of Seasons''[='=] fourth dungeon miniboss, Agunima, and ''Oracle of Ages''[='=] final one, the Blue Stalfos, are expose of ''Agahnim'', a major story villain from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]''. On the other hand, the ''Oracle'' games also ''invert'' this trope with Vire, the sixth dungeon miniboss in both games, which uses the exact same sprite as a regular enemy from the final dungeon of ''Link's Awakening'' and similar tactics, though this miniboss version naturally takes a lot more hits and moves [[LightningBruiser even quicker.]] On top of that, Vires were ''very'' unremarkable enemies in the original Legend of Zelda, wandering around the room and splitting into two even more unremarkable bat enemies called Keese -- the weakest enemies in every game they're in -- if hit (at least, until you're powered up enough to take Vires out in one hit). This Vire is a fast flier with ''three'' types of attack, intelligent enough to try and dodge your sword, and who does much more damage than the original, and when you've finally defeated him, the two bat enemies he splits into are similarly much bigger of a nuisance than a Keese.

** The Pacifistas. The first one encountered by the Straw Hat Pirates required the joint effort of all the crew members in order to defeat it. Cut to 2 years later, where Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji alone now can easily destroy two of them (although it's worth noting that the Pacifistas they defeated were [[VillainForgotToLevelGrind outdated models]]). [[spoiler:Much later, after the Warlord system is abolished and the Marines go to capture Boa Hancock, with Blackbeard eventually showing there for her fruit, the secret project Vegapunk was working on to replace the Warlords turns out to be the Seraphims, newer and more effective Pacifistas modeled after the Warlords AND Lunarians, able to fight and put both the Blackbeard Pirates and the Kuja on the ropes.]]

* ''{{VideoGame/Diablo}}'':
** The Butcher is an Overlord demon and a challenging boss early on, but later you can dispatch countless Overlords who are even stronger, albeit without the cleaver. Lampshaded in the third game with Cain's lore entry on the Butchers after killing one as a boss.
** Zhar the Mad appears halfway through the game as a boss. Dark mage type enemies resembling him are later found in the final Hell levels.
* ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' mostly averts this by having bosses use unique models. The single outlier is Iskatu who is followed by identical Terror Demons, though they lack his abilities.
** Inverted with the boss Izual whose model, while reskinned, is the same as the Destroyer mooks fought throughout Act IV before and after him.

** ''VideoGame/{{Battletech}}'' continues the tradition. The first time the player character fights [[TheBaroness Victoria Espinosa]] directly, she's piloting a 60-ton ''Catapult'' and leading a lance that's made up of two similarly heavy mechs and one relatively fragile but still quite dangerous ''Firestarter'': Unless you've done an awful lot of grinding for better hardware, this mission becomes a nasty wakeup call. By the last two or three story missions you've acquired at least one 90-ton ''Highlander'' (guaranteed by a previous story event) and probably have several more mechs of equal tonnage and firepower.

*** Ultima and Omega Weapon, usually {{Bonus Boss}}es, have been relegated to random encounters for this game. Surprisingly, Omega is the easier of the two.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' has a couple cross-game inversions: The Immortal and Ochus were regular, if strong and rare, enemies in the first game, but are unique {{Bonus Boss}}es here. There are also regular examples cross-game such as the Dreadnaught (still a fairly tough enemy but nowhere near boss-material).

** The fangame ''VideoGame/ConcealedTheConclusion'' is full of them: Flandre and Mokou ({{Bonus Boss}}es in original games) are stage 1 {{miniboss}}es, Kaguya and Mima (originally {{Final Boss}}es) are stage 1 bosses, powerhouses like Remilia, Eirin, Eiki and Yuuka are on stages 2-3, etc.

** In ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'', the second Wily Stage's boss is a ship that has three parts, each with their own health bar and attack pattern. The battle is pretty tough, especially because it's a Wily boss, so you have to conserve weapon energy. So what do they do? They take the [[NintendoHard already super-tough]] [[BonusBoss downloadable Fake Man stage]] and stick in the ship along with several mini-bosses. And because it's a Time-Attack-only stage, you have only one life and no E-tanks. What you basically have is a Degraded Boss who takes this trope in a bunch of different directions. Better hope the enemies [[RandomDrop drop some energy pellets]], because you'll need them.

** [[WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} Ice Titan]] is a multiple-game example, and while it never becomes a mere enemy, its Boss status has degraded as the series progressed. In ''Kingdom Hearts I'', it was a BonusBoss. In the ''{{VideoGame/Kingdom Hearts|Coded}} [[UpdatedRerelease Re:Coded]]'', it was a world boss. In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', it's fought alongside the other titans as [[WarmUpBoss the first world boss]].

* Atomic Boo debuted as an [[BonusBoss optional boss]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. In ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', they are rare enemies.

* ''VideoGame/TheBattleCats'' uses this liberally. Almost every enemy in the game, even the former [[FinalBoss final]] or [[BonusBoss bonus bosses]], will show up again later in the game, either in [[ZergRush greater numbers]] or [[TookALevelInBadass under a greater strength magnification.]] One particularly notable example: [[TheDreaded Berserkory]] is introduced as a boss in his first appearance, with special music and [[FlunkyBoss only a few]] [[FragileSpeedster Brollows]] [[FlunkyBoss for support]]. The very next level includes no less than ''three'' Berserkories, no less powerful than before.

** The bosses of the shareware episode of the first game, the Barons of Hell, become more common in the retail episodes. Again, they're just as tough as they were as bosses, though the energy weapons (the plasma gun and the {{BFG}}) that you acquire later on make quick work of them.
** ''Doom II'' also adds the Hell Knights, a PaletteSwap of the Baron with half the health [[GlassCannon but the same power]]. Combined with the addition of the double-barreled shotgun, they show up more than the Barons without unbalancing things too drastically. Likewise, the Arachnotrons are basically smaller versions of the Spider Mastermind with plasma cannons instead of a chaingun.
** In ''Doom 3'', in a homage to the original ''Doom'', you fight a pair of Hell Knights as bosses right before you teleport into Hell. Starting with Hell you encounter them as regular enemies (but now they actually have less hit points than when they were bosses).
** Vagary, the first boss of ''Doom 3'', later reappears as a {{mook|s}}, albeit a tough one.

* The boss of the first level in ''VideoGame/TheLionKing'' is a hyena. They are demoted to "mere" DemonicSpiders in the Elephant Graveyard and even further to common {{Mooks}} in the later adult Simba levels.

*** [[spoiler:Metal General]] from ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'' returns as a common miniboss in the final area under the name [[spoiler:Security Force]]. By the end of the game, it further degrades into a GiantMook.
*** In the last normal level (6-5), much like in ''Return to Dream Land'' and ''Triple Deluxe'', you'll be facing swarms of [[MiniBoss mid-bosses]] (including the one above)... with your [[MiniMecha Robobot Armor]] [[UnexpectedShmupLevel Jet Mode]]. Once again, they all [[CurbStompBattle drop like insects]] before your special powerup.

** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'': Rebonack, a mounted Iron Knuckle who starts out as the boss of the Island Palace, appears as a miniboss a couple times in the sixth palace. Horsehead also reappears in the fifth, but only in the FDS version (he's replaced by a blue Iron Knuckle in the US version).

* In ''VideoGame/SuperLesbianAnimalRPG'' the Core Guardian's design is recycled to create a mass produced version, although it's ability to transform and it's dhield mode were removed. The Abominable Automaton [[spoiler:Also known as Glyph]] also has a Mass Production Automaton counterpart which the party encounters while exploring the Crypt

** ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow Aria of Sorrow]]'' loved this. The first four bosses -- the Creaking Skull, Manticore, Giant Armor and Big Golem -- reappear in later levels as regular, if [[BossInMookClothing rather tanky enemies]], with stronger [[PaletteSwap palette-swapped]] versions of the Creaking Skull and Giant Armor even replacing them down the road. This is reflected in their relatively basic movesets, and that all subsequent bosses also have at least two phases. The Man Eater is an inversion. It's a regular enemy that shows up in the BossRush mode for some reason. ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' brings it back as a full-fledged boss.

** Various Telethia fought [[spoiler: before Shulk revives and Dickson escape in Colony 6]] become optional enemies throughout the rest of the game.

[[folder:Action Adventure]]
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'': The first four bosses -- the Creaking Skull, Manticore, Giant Armor and Big Golem -- reappear in later levels as a regular, if [[BossInMookClothing rather tanky enemies]], with stronger [[PaletteSwap palette-swapped]] versions of the Creaking Skull and Giant Armor even replacing them down the road. This is reflected in their relatively basic movesets, and that all subsequent bosses also have at least two phases.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' makes considerable use of this. Dodongo, Manhandla, Gleeok, Digdogger, and Gohma all reappear in later dungeons as normal enemies. Dodongo even appears in threes later, Gleeock grows extra heads (it has two in its first appearance, three later on and four eventually, although the latter is for when it is reused as the boss of Level 8), and Digdogger splits into three after playing the Flute anywhere but its debut, where it splits into two. That's just the first quest; they show up sooner and more often in the second one. In the case of Dodongo, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', Dodongos are run-of-the-mill nuisances. In fact, ''Ocarina of Time'' has [[KingMook King Dodongo]] as the boss version to differentiate it from the regular version, operating much like the original Dodongo.

** ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow Aria of Sorrow]]'' loved this. The first four bosses become regular enemies later. There's even [[PaletteSwap more powerful]] versions of these enemies later on. The Man Eater is an inversion. It's a regular enemy that shows up in the BossRush mode for some reason. ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' brings it back as a full-fledged boss.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'': Gooper Blooper is fought twice as a boss in its debuting world (Ricco Harbor), but is reduced to a MiniBoss in Noki Bay (hence why the BattleThemeMusic used in the later is that of the actual minibosses).

* In the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' series, some xenomorphs are victims of this trope. A sole warrior is the main villain of the first movie, while in the film ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', the warriors are demoted to EliteMooks. Easily [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by how the lone aliens in the first and third films are stalking prey that has no effective weaponry with which to fight back. In general, Xenomorphs are less threatening when they're up against [[SpaceMarine colonial marines]] rather than unarmed civilians, though they still shouldn't be underestimated.

* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'': The third game brings back several bosses from previous installments in the final stage, but as various MiniBoss enemies encountered halfway and easier to destroy than their original counterparts. Notably the Hairbuster Riberts airship which is fought on a JetPack instead of on foot (making his attacks easier to avoid), the Hi-Do (where the boss area now contains an automatic gatling gun), as well as the Rugname (which you fight in outer space with a jet booster, allowing you to dodge majority of it's attacks by flying to the top of the screen). The Dai-Manji also returns, as a GiantMook trio you defeat before facing the Dai-Manji.

* Wendigo in ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor''. It's still referred to as a fearsome demon in cut-scenes even when you're strong enough to take on five teams of Wendigos at once. It's actually even {{invoked|Trope}}, as one of your party members will mention how Wendigo appearing as a regular enemy means that you're fighting tougher demons now.

* The first boss you fight in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney'' is Orias, who shows he's serious by killing off several Strike Team members [[spoiler:and [[SacrificialLamb Commander Gore]]]]. He's level 7, and can't do anything but attack. A few sectors later, Orias is a random encounter... and he's level ''27'' and throws [[BlowYouAway Magarulas]] around like they're free candy.
* A few bosses in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'' are fought in later dungeons as random encounters. This includes Forneus, the Troll (although he was only a miniboss to begin with), Ose, Yaksini (same as the Troll), and a few others.