The 1st Colossus, resembling a minotaur, is one of sixteen bosses fought in Shadow of the Colossus. Located a short way directly south of the Shrine of Worship, this humanoid colossus makes its home on a flat area accessible only from climbing the vines and ruins dotting a tall cliff.
Path to the colossus[]
- See also: Map for this path
Holding up the sword outside the Shrine will reveal a path directly south, toward the cliffs already in sight. The cliffs once housed a temple; once the player rides up some front steps into the entrance, a cutscene will play; these scenes are shown for many of the game's early colossi and hint that Wander is going in the right direction. To his right (the west), there are some vines growing on the wall; climb them and make some jumps off of jutting rocks to proceed. Later on, information will show at the bottom of the screen teaching how to do a rolling dodge to get past a fallen tree that is blocking the way. The maneuver is good for avoiding attacks (especially on Hard, where a single stomp or other heavy attack can kill Wander instantly). The player will also learn how to jump off of a ledge they are currently hanging on from and onto another. (Note that this entire section serves as both a climbing tutorial and a means of separating Wander from Agro. This is a common occurrence; of the sixteen colossi, Agro will only be able to make it to five of them - see the chart in the colossi article to see which ones.) After Wander has jumped successfully to the small path to the top of the cliff, walk a little farther south. A cutscene will play: the small trees at the cliff's edge shake as the 1st colossus steps forward from the west.
Walkthrough[]
The Colossus is walking further south from Wander at the beginning, not having noticed him previously. It will acknowledge him eventually, however, when it reaches the south wall and turns back around, so go ahead and get its attention by whistling to it (the same button used to call Agro) or shooting it with an arrow. Dodge its club if it gets a chance to swing it at Wander - one hit with the tree-sized cudgel means instant death on Hard Mode and a severe health loss on Normal.
Its right leg is armored, but the back of its left leg is fully exposed. If the sword is equipped, it will reveal something further - a minor sigil slightly further up. These spots are not actual weak points, but they do play an important role in allowing the player to reach higher places. Start climbing the leg and stab the point once over it; the colossus will briefly kneel to the ground, giving Wander a good opportunity to climb to one of the platforms on its back. Use these to rest and recover stamina, but don't get thrown off (crouching helps prevents this).
There are two smaller platforms above the bigger one; Hard Mode players will want to jump off the right one to reach the weakspot on its arm. For Normal, keep climbing to reach its upper back and head; the major sigil will start to glow when Wander holds his sword. The colossus will often buck violently to try and throw Wander off, but keep holding on. If his stamina is low, retreat to its upper back and maintain balance. A few good stabs in the head's weakpoint will finish the first colossus for good.
When it falls to the earth, a layer of darkness will erupt from the fatal wound, covering the colossus from head to feet. Several black tendrils will also pour forth from the same space and head for Wander; they cannot be outrun, and they embed themselves into Wander in seconds, rendering him unconscious. Before he reawakens in the temple, Wander hears Mono's voice again.
- Time Attack times in Original and PS3 versions (Normal, Hard): 2:30, 2:50
- Time Attack times in PS4 Remake (Normal, Hard): 2:30, 2:45
Weakspots[]
| Location | Percentage of health | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Hard | |
| On top of its head | 100% | 50% |
| On the back of its right arm | N/A | 50% |
| On the back of its left leg | Used in climbing | |
Tips and tricks[]
- During the cutscene that plays after Wander stabs the minor sigil on its leg and the colossus falls down, the player is in complete control of Wander. If one is quick enough and knows what to do, it's possible to run right up to its head and grab on while it's down.[1]
- It is also possible to use the momentum of the colossus' leg shaking to propel oneself onto the ledge on its thigh by temporarily letting go of
and jumping when it levels its leg out somewhat flatly. - If timed just right, it is possible to jump onto the colossus' large club and use its momentum to launch up to the colossus' head. However, it is very difficult to pull off, so it is best recommended for players that are looking for a real challenge.
- When Wander is attacking the colossus' head, it will often try to throw its head backwards in an attempt to buck him off. Before it does this, however, its head will lower slightly. Stabbing the weakspot during this time with whatever charge Wander has got built up in his stab will cancel the animation and leave him ready for another attempt.
and jumping when it levels its leg out somewhat flatly.
Attacks[]
| Attack | Damage (Normal) | Damage (Hard) | Description | Demonstration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Strike | 40 (Shockwave) 60 (Direct hit) |
80 (Shockwave) Instakill (Direct hit) |
The colossus will perform this attack while Wander is far away from it, but still within reach. Avoid standing still at mid-range for too long. | 
|
| Stomp | 40 (Shockwave) 60 (Direct hit) |
80 (Shockwave) Instakill (Direct hit) |
If Wander stands near its hooves, it will adjust itself and lift either its left or right leg depending on the player's location. There is ample time to get away from this attack. | 
|
Music[]
| Phase | Plays in | Music |
|---|---|---|
| Intro | Plays upon reaching the stairs of the entrance to the colossus' lair. | Sign of the Colossus |
| Phase 1 | Plays when the colossus is close enough to the player after it notices you. | Grotesque Figures |
| Phase 2 | Plays once the colossus is crippled and kneeling. | The Opened Way |
Trivia[]
Original[]
- This is the only colossus that is shown to have any form of wildlife near it, as there are several kites continuously circling around its head.
- This is one of only three colossi that wield a weapon, the other two being the 3rd and 15th colossi. It is also the only one of the three whose weapon doesn't resemble a sword.
- The 1st colossus is the fourth-shortest of all the colossi.
- This colossus shares physical similarities with the 6th and 15th colossi.
- The colossus' roars sound very similar to the bellowing of a bull, reflecting the developer nickname, "Minotaur A".
- This is the most centrally-located of all the colossi, with the absolute center of the Forbidden Lands map being located in the northwestern corner of the Autumn Forest intersection between the longitudinal line between "E" and "F" and the latitudinal line between "4" and "5". The four squares surrounding the center of the Forbidden Lands are therefore E4, E5, F4, and F5; the 1st colossus is located within F5.
- This and the 3rd colossus are the only colossi with major sigils on their arms. However, those are exclusive to Hard Mode. The 15th and 16th colossi come close, but they have minor sigils on their arms, not major.
- Stabbing the 1st colossus in the back of its leg twice will trigger the cutscene where it falls over and the music switches to "The Opened Way". If the player only stabs it in the leg once and is quick enough, they can climb it up and slay it with "Grotesque Figures" still playing.
Earlier versions[]
- A Famitsu interview details the 1st colossus' development: "Within the team, we called it 'Minotaur'. Commonly known as the 'Three Minotaur Brothers' (laughs). It's really one of the colossi that has been around since the early stages. Originally, it had much more fur, even growing on both of its legs. Given that it was the first colossus the player would fight against, we modified its physique to make it less intimidating, and added protrusions to its back. In that sense, it's a memorable colossus. The terrain went through several changes before being finalized."[2][3]
- One of the earlier ideas for the 1st colossus' battle was almost identical to the 6th's. Wander had to hide under the temple and wait for it to crouch so he could grab the colossus' head.
- It seems this early idea was what inspired the creation of the 6th colossus, as in later versions the temple stopped being used, eventually being replaced by a ruined version, and the leg strategy was put into practice.
- An unused Dormin introduction dialogue from the 1st colossus was found by Youmoosotc, it reads as: "A giant that walks along the valley... The servant shall rise from behind and make the earth quiver..."
- In the Pre-E3 demo while approaching its location, the theme "Lakeside" plays instead of "Sign of the Colossus", likely as a placeholder.
- In the E3 Demo version, the 15th colossus carries the 1st colossus' club as a placeholder. There are some very minor differences on it that can also be seen in older screenshots of the 1st colossus.
- The 1st colossus' sigil in the E3 Demo has a lightning effect on it. This is also the case for the 11th and 14th colossi.
- In early screenshots and trailers, this lightning effect can also be noticed in the 3rd and 13th colossi.
- In the E3 Demo, the 6th and 15th colossi have animations in their "AnimObjDef" sheets that seem to originate from the 1st colossus, but were made with the intention of being used on the 6th.
- Looking at the animations of 6th colossus, there's: "minotaur_A_add_body_back_damage_forMinoB", which means they were already planning a back weakness for it while testing it in the 1st colossus.
- Looking at the animations of the 15th colossus, there's: "minotaur_A_add_mune_l_damage_forMinoB.anb", meaning "left chest damage", suggesting that the Hard Mode sigil present in the 15th colossus from the final game was originally intended for the 6th colossus instead, and was also initially tested on the 1st colossus.
- In one of the early images of the 1st colossus, its weapon is missing from its right hand. It's possible that this was a test for the 15th colossus, as in its battle you need to drop its weapon to access the hand sigil.
- To further confirm this, in the E3 Demo, all minotaurs have a sheet named "AnimObjDefMINOTAUR_WEAPON", while the 1st and 15th colossi also have one named "AnimObjDefMINOTAUR_C_WEAPON". The Minotaur Weapon sheet has animations listed that seems to imply were used by the 1st colossus, they are:
- objanim_minotaur_weapon_default
- objanim_minotaur_weapon_fall_start
- objanim_minotaur_weapon_land
- objanim_minotaur_weapon_land_loop
- camera_minotaur_weapon_c_fall_camanime
- To further confirm this, in the E3 Demo, all minotaurs have a sheet named "AnimObjDefMINOTAUR_WEAPON", while the 1st and 15th colossi also have one named "AnimObjDefMINOTAUR_C_WEAPON". The Minotaur Weapon sheet has animations listed that seems to imply were used by the 1st colossus, they are:
- The kites that fly over the colossus were a feature present since the really early periods of development.[4]
- As seen in early footage and listed in the data sheets, the 1st colossus had a unique HUD icon, which is an icon in the shape of the colossus that used to show the weakpoint locations in early builds.
Gallery[]
Original[]
Remake[]
Earlier versions[]
Other media[]
References[]
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovt7d13wXJA&t=0m35s | Normal Time Attack #01: Valus 0:31:52.
- ↑ https://teamico.fandom.com/wiki/File:FamitsuNicknameInterview.png | December 2nd, 2005 Famitsu - The Colossi Nicknames (1st to 10th Colossus)
- ↑ https://teamico.fandom.com/wiki/File:FamitsuNicknameInterviewTranslation.png | December 2nd, 2005 Famitsu - The Colossi Nicknames, translated by Kepekley23.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/V62bwg5Arc8?t=99 | August 2004 promo footage.
| The game | ICO ( Demo · Revisions from U.S. version · Ico HD ) | |
| Characters | Ico · Yorda · The Queen · Shadows · Shinkan | |
| The Castle | Idol Gates · Yorda's language · Saving Benches Altar • Warehouse • Spiral Stairs • Old Bridge • Stairs • Trolley 1 • Trolley 2 • Crane • Chandelier • Drawbridge • Main Gate • Graveyard • Dark Room • Sunbeams • Stone Pillar • East Crag • East Arena • East Idol Stairs • East Reflector • Waterfall • Sluice • Cogwheel • Gondola • Water Tower • West Crag • West Arena • West Idol Stairs • West Reflector • Cage • Pipe • Elevator • Wharf • Queen's Room • Sandy Beach | |
| Other Media | Ico ~Melody in the Mist~ · Official Game Guide · Ico: Castle in the Mist | |
 Walkthrough | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Wander · Mono · Agro · Dormin · Lord Emon · Guards · Shadows |
| Colossi | I · II · III · IV · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X · XI · XII · XIII · XIV · XV · XVI |
| Locations | The Forbidden Lands · Shrine of Worship · Colossus Arenas |
| Main Items | Power-ups (Lizards · Fruit) · Weapons (Ancient Sword · Sword of the Sun · Queen’s Sword · Sword of Dormin · Bow & Arrow · Ancient Bow · Harpoon of Thunder · Life Sword) · Collectibles (Relics) |
| Gameplay | Hard Mode · Save shrines · Time Attack · Reminiscence Mode · Watermellon · Barrel |
| Media | Roar of the Earth (OST) · Official Art and Guide Book · Nico Bonus DVD · Film · Interview Archive |
| Releases | OPM Demo · PS2 original · PS3 remaster · PS4 remake · Credits |
| Early Builds | Preview version · PSU Preview version · E3 Demo |
| Unused Content | Unused Colossi · Colossus Test Stages · Unused Locations · Beta Mountains · Development Timeline of Shadow of the Colossus |