foozle

Some games offer semi-puzzles during the Foozle fight - like destroying the machines which make the antagonist invincible, or shooting arrows into a mirror to bypass an enemy's defense - but they still feature a prominent Foozle (The Escapist Magazine)

Dragon Age: Origins forces the player to make actual choices. Even if the choices are ultimately illusory and the Foozle still must be fought, most (but not all) of the major decisions are through dialogue trees and the result of player choice. (/project/multiplexer)

Not to mention, people would simply burn through it no matter what. There is a reason for the amount of pointless tasks in modern MMOs: they slow you down and eliminate the need to grind. Yes, you might have a bunch of “kill ten foozles” or “deliver these candies” quests, but they are a necessary evil. (Game by night)