History Main / TennisBoss

* The final showdown of the first ''Bionicle'' movie is [[spoiler: a particularly mean-spirited one-on-one kohlii match (basically fantasy lacrosse) between [[SixthRanger Takanuva]] and [[BigBad Makuta]], calling back to early in the film where Takanuva (as Takua) played in the kohlii tournament. The match consists of the two participants using their weapons to throw balls of [[AppliedPhlebotinum energised protodermis]] back and forth trying to hit each other. Takanuva eventually wins by catching Makuta's shot midair and reversing its momentum with [[ChekovsSkill a flip-technique]] that he attempted but failed back in the tournament.]] The [[RefugeInAudacity audacity]] of the situation is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by [[spoiler:Makuta]] referring to it as "[[spoiler:a simple game of kohlii]]", making it clear that he's [[JustToyingWithThem just toying with]] [[spoiler:Takanuva]].

** In ''Ganbare Goemon 4'', a Japanese-only sequel to the game, the ''final'' boss consists of a minigame where you have to throw a ball back to the sports-obsessed villain until he is crushed by it. It's painfully difficult. And in ''Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon'' for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64, the boss of the Festival Temple Castle, Tsurami, flings spinning plates at the heroes, who must slap them back at her to win.

* The UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade version of ''VideoGame/CastleCrashers'' literally makes you play a game of volleyball with the boss of the Desert Sandcastle.

* In the ''God of War''-like ''VideoGame/HeavenlySword'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, you can deflect the daggers of the crazy mercenary and in the final battle the fire and lightning balls of the mad king.

** The TrueFinalBoss of ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' shoots meteors and various other projectiles that can be reflected back at him--and probably should be, if you don't want the fight to drag on forever. It should be noted that, however, just like in the first ''Rush'' game, this only applies if you're controlling Super Sonic.

** The Ghost Woman of Horo Temple, the first boss of ''Legend of the Mystical Ninja'', requires you to bat her {{Deadly Disc}}s back at her. Your normal weapons will have no effect, since she doesn't have a physical body.
*** The game's final boss requires that this be done with his arrows during his first phase.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Intrusion 2}}'', the boss Maku will surround herself in a blob of energy and fire large grenades at you; the only way to damage her in this form is to shoot the grenades back at her. The missiles fired by Rifle mechs can also be deflected in this manner.

* In ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' games from ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' onward, the physics engine allows for some crazy examples of this, as well-timed explosions or gravity hammer swings can send rockets and grenades ricocheting back at the enemy.
* ''VideoGame/{{Postal 2}}'': You can kick grenades right back at whoever's tossing them. They explode on contact.

** In ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'', the Tower of Yikk (the second giant boss battle for Bowser) at some points will throw a bomb that you must punch back and forth, until it hits below the tower's head to push it back towards the water.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':

** The TrueFinalBoss of ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush]]'', at least in Super Sonic's phase, fires lasers and other projectiles at Super Sonic. Super Sonic has to dash into them to push them into him and damage him.

** The TrueFinalBoss of ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush Adventure]]'' shoots meteors and various other projectiles that can be reflected back at him--and probably should be, if you don't want the fight to drag on forever. It should be noted that, however, just like the prequel, this only applies if you're controlling Super Sonic.

** In ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', the only way for Classic Sonic to damage the Egg Dragoon [[spoiler: and the Phantom Ruby-powered Death Egg Robot]] is to reflect large boulders that Eggman throws at him.

* A ''literal'' example in ''VideoGame/{{BUG}}!''. The boss is an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FCTBsjDRIc octopus who throws fish at you,]] so you take a tennis racket and swat them back at his head.

** ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesOriginalSeries'': In the episode "Recap/PokemonS2E1PalletPartyPanic" when Team Rocket attacks Ash's homecoming party on the ground, captures Pikachu, and then rains bombs down on everyone from their hot air balloon as they leave, Charizard, royally pissed after one destroys the table of food he craves, takes off towards their balloon and uses its wings to smack their bombs back at them, blasting them off and freeing Pikachu.

* A non-damaging variant occurs in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' with the ability Magic Bounce. If the boss ever tries to inflict a status move on the Pokemon with the said ability, it is reflected back.

* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Guile Hideout can reflect a Pokémon's attack back at its user using his sword.
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': In the episode "Recap/PokemonS2E1PalletPartyPanic" when Team Rocket attacks Ash's homecoming party on the ground, captures Pikachu, and then rains bombs down on everyone from their hot air balloon as they leave, Charizard, royally pissed after one destroys the table of food he craves, takes off towards their balloon and uses its wings to smack their bombs back at them, blasting them off and freeing Pikachu.

* In ''[[VideoGame/SaveTheLight Steven Universe: Save The Light]]'', the battle against Squaridot goes like this, as she's up in air in her mini-ship she will occasionally fire spheres that will have to deflected with countering until she gets struck and lands on the ground, allowing an opening for attack.

* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'':

** Brutes in both games are {{Bullfight Boss}}es until you disable a limb, at which point they start spitting exploding balls of gunk at you. Grabbing them and flinging them back with Kinesis is an easy kill.
* ''VideoGame/SpookysHouseOfJumpScares''' one and only boss requires you to do this to make it vulnerable, after which you must AttackItsWeakPoint.

* Due to the sports theme of '' VideoGame/BatBoy'', one of the last two bosses before the final stretch is a literal tennis boss —- but like all the tennis enemies in her level, she can’t be beat at her own game. Hitting projectiles back at enemies is a core component to the gameplay; an optional boss challenges you to “baseball” but seems to have it confused with tennis, so you hit a ball back and forth until someone misses three times. And then she [[TemporaryBulkChange grows into]] a massive tubby BrawnHilda to [[SoreLoser avenge her loss.]]

** In ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'', the Tower of Yikk (the second giant boss battle for Bowser) at some points will throw a bomb that you must punch back and forth, until it hits the tower's head to push it back towards the water.

* While not bosses per se, Ghasts and Blazes in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' spit or throw fireballs at you, respectively. Time it right, and you can knock them back at them with your sword.

* The final showdown of the first ''Bionicle'' movie is [[spoiler: a particularly mean-spirited one-on-one kohlii match (basically fantasy lacrosse) between Takanuva and Makuta, calling back to early in the film where Takanuva (as Takua) played in the kohlii tournament. The match consists of the two participants using their weapons to throw balls of energised protodermis back and forth trying to hit each other. Takanuva eventually wins by catching Makuta’s shot midair and reversing its momentum with [[ChekovsSkill a flip-technique]] that he attempted but failed back in the tournament.]] The [[RefugeInAudacity audacity]] of the situation is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by [[spoiler:Makuta]] referring to it as "[[spoiler:a simple game of kohlii]]", making it clear that he's [[JustToyingWithThem just toying with]] [[spoiler:Takanuva]].

* Due to the sports theme of '' VideoGame/BatBoy'', one of the last two bosses before the final stretch is a literal tennis boss. Hitting projectiles back at enemies is a core component to the gameplay; an optional boss challenges you to “baseball” but seems to have it confused with tennis, so you hit a ball back and forth until someone misses three times. And then she [[TemporaryBulkChange grows into]] a massive tubby BrawnHilda to [[SoreLoser avenge her loss.]]