- For enemies in related Duke Nukem games, see here.
The enemies in Duke Nukem 3D are 22 in total, including seven that were introduced in the Atomic Edition and 20th Anniversary Edition. Most of these enemies make recurring appearances throughout the game. Five are considered bosses.
Recurring enemies
In the original 1996 release, Duke Nukem 3D featured twelve recurring enemies. Two more were added in the Atomic Edition, and another three were introduced in the 20th Anniversary Edition.
The enemies in Duke Nukem 3D are diverse: five drop ammunition when killed, five explode when killed, five wield explosive weapons, four wield hitscan weapons, five do not wield physical weapons at all, two can jump, seven can fly, and three are recurring, miniature versions of bosses.
 Assault Captain |
 Assault Commander |
 Assault Trooper |
 Battlelord Sentry |
 Enforcer |
 Octabrain |
 Pig Cop |
  Protozoid Slimer |
 Recon Patrol Vehicle (RPV) |
 Sentry Drone |
 Shark |
 Turret |
 Pig Cop Tank |
 Protector Drone |
 Cycloid Sentry |
 Firefly Trooper |
 Overlord Sentry |
Bosses
Duke Nukem 3D also includes five bosses. Three were included in the classic edition, but the Alien Queen and Cycloid Incinerator were introduced in the Atomic and 20th Anniversary editions, respectively.
Bosses typically appear only once, at the end of each of the five episodes. Killing a boss will usually end the level. However, the Alien World Order episode is an exception to both of these rules; bosses from previous episodes can be found and killed without ending the level.
