Boss (video games)

Last updated

A boss fight from Guacamelee! in which the player characters must keep ahead of the boss, a giant rampaging creature, on the left while dodging obstacles and other enemies Guacamelee! screenshot E.jpg
A boss fight from Guacamelee! in which the player characters must keep ahead of the boss, a giant rampaging creature, on the left while dodging obstacles and other enemies

In video games, a boss is a significantly powerful non-player character created as an opponent to players. [1] A fight with a boss character is referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the players have faced up to that point in a game. Boss battles are generally seen at climax points of particular sections of games, such as at the end of a level or stage or guarding a specific objective. A miniboss is a boss weaker or less significant than the main boss in the same area or level, though usually more powerful than the standard opponents and often fought alongside them. A superboss (sometimes 'secret', 'hidden' or 'raid' boss) is generally much more powerful than the bosses encountered as part of the main game's plot and is often an optional encounter. A final boss is often the main antagonist of a game's story and the defeat of that character usually provides a conclusion to the game. A boss rush is a stage where players face multiple previous bosses again in succession.

Contents

For example, in a run 'n' gun video game, all regular enemies might use pistols while the boss uses a tank. A boss enemy is quite often larger in size than other enemies and the player character. [2] At times, bosses are very hard to defeat without being adequately prepared and/or knowing the correct fighting approach. Bosses usually take strategy and special knowledge to defeat, such as how to attack weak points or avoid specific attacks.

Bosses are common in many genres of video games, but they are especially common in story-driven titles, and are commonly previously established antagonists in the plot of the video game. Action-adventure games, beat 'em ups, fighting games, platform games, role-playing video games (RPGs), and shooter games are particularly associated with boss battles. They may be less common in puzzle games, card video games, racing games, and simulation games. The first video game with a boss fight was the 1975 RPG dnd .

The concept has expanded to other genres, like rhythm games, where there may be a "boss song" that is more difficult, or a high-difficulty, computer-controlled opponent in sports games. In multiplayer online battle arena games, defeating a map boss usually requires teamwork of two or more players, but it brings various benefits to the team, such as buffs or lane push power. [3] [4] Some games, such as Cuphead , Furi and Warning Forever , are centered around continual boss fights. [5] [6]

Characteristics

Bosses are usually harder to beat than regular enemies, have higher health points, hence can sustain more damage and are generally found at the end of a level or area. [7] [8] While most games include a mixture of boss opponents and regular opponents, some games have only regular opponents and some games have only bosses (e.g. Shadow of the Colossus ). [9] Some bosses are encountered several times through a single game, typically with alternate attacks and a different strategy required to defeat it each time. [8] A boss battle can also be made more challenging if the boss in question becomes progressively stronger and/or less vulnerable as their health decreases, requiring players to use different strategies to win. Some bosses may contain or be composed of smaller parts that can be destroyed by players in battle, which may or may not grant an advantage. [6] In games such as Doom and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night , an enemy may be introduced via a boss battle, but later appear as a regular enemy, after players have become stronger or had a chance to find more powerful weaponry. [10] [11]

Many games structure boss battles as a progression of distinct phases in which the boss produces different or additional hazards for players. This is often reflected by a change in the appearance of the boss, or by a boss displaying increased frustration. [12]

The Legend of Zelda series and games inspired by it are recognized for having dungeons with bosses that are specifically vulnerable to a special item that is located within that dungeon. Player(s) typically acquire this item while exploring the dungeon and is given opportunity to learn to use it to solve puzzles or defeat weaker enemies before facing the boss character. [13]

Boss battles are typically seen as dramatic events. As such, they are usually characterized by sometimes quite theatrical cutscenes before and after the boss battle and unique music. Recurring bosses and final bosses may have their own specific theme music to distinguish them from other boss battles. This concept extends beyond combat-oriented video games. For example, a number of titles in the Dance Dance Revolution rhythm game series contain "boss songs" that are called "bosses" because they are exceptionally difficult to perform on. [14]

In combat-focused games, a boss may summon additional enemies, reinforcements, or minions ("adds") to fight players alongside the boss, increasing the boss fight's difficulty. These additional enemies may distract from the boss battle or give time for the boss to regain or regenerate health, but may also give players opportunity to regain health from health boosters and ammo dropped by the boss's defeated minions. [15]

Specific boss types

Miniboss

Miniboss in the 2015 video game Broforce, a run-and-gun platformer Broforce miniboss animated.gif
Miniboss in the 2015 video game Broforce , a run-and-gun platformer

A miniboss, also known as a "middle boss", "mid-boss", "half-boss", "sub-boss" [16] "semi-boss", or occasionally "tank", is a boss-like enemy weaker or less significant than the main boss in the same area or level. Some minibosses are stronger versions of regular enemies, as in the Kirby games. [17] Others may be a recurring version of a previous boss, who is either weaker than previously encountered or is less of a challenge later in the game due to character or equipment progression. An example is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 's Gaibon and Slogra. [18] Other video game characters who usually take the role of a miniboss are Vile ( Mega Man X series), Allen O'Neil ( Metal Slug ) and Dark Link ( The Legend of Zelda series, though he appears as a final boss in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link ). [19] [20] [21]

Superboss

A superboss is a type of boss most commonly found in role-playing video games. They are considered optional enemies and do not have to be defeated to complete the game. However, not all optional bosses are superbosses. They are generally much more powerful than the bosses encountered as part of the main game's plot or quest, more difficult even than the final boss and often players are required to meet certain conditions in the game or complete a sidequest [22] or the entire game to fight the superboss. The first such superboss (or secret boss) was Akuma in Super Street Fighter II Turbo , that required players meet certain conditions before he would appear as the final boss. [23] In Final Fantasy VII , players may choose to seek out and fight the Ruby and Emerald Weapons. Some superbosses will take the place of the final boss if certain requirements are met. [24] [25] Some superbosses can yield special items or skills that cannot be found any other way that can give players a significant advantage during playthrough of the rest of the game, such as added experience or an extremely powerful weapon. For example, the "raid bosses" from Borderlands 2 give rare loot unavailable anywhere else. [26] Some superbosses in online games have an immense amount of health and must be defeated within a time limit by having a large number of players or parties working together to defeat the boss. Examples of such superbosses can be found in games like Pokémon Go and World of Warcraft , and are generally referred to as a raid. [27] [28] Toby Fox's games Undertale and Deltarune both feature superbosses in the form of Sans, Jevil, and Spamton NEO. [22] [29] [30] Some major video game series have recurring superbosses such as the Ultima Weapon and Omega Weapon in Final Fantasy and the Amon clan in Yakuza . [31] [32] [33] The Warden from Minecraft could be considered a superboss, as it is vastly more difficult to fight than the final boss, the Ender Dragon. However, Mojang, the developer of Minecraft, has explicitly stated that the Warden was not intended to be fought by players. [34]

Wolfpack boss

A wolfpack boss is a group of enemies who may be considered weak on their own, but in large groups can be considered strong enough to be a boss. They come in many variations, such as the Chargin' Chuck Swarm encountered in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam , [35] the Armos Knights from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past [36] or the Battle of 1000 Heartless from Kingdom Hearts II . [37] A main requirement with most wolfpacks is that the whole group must be defeated in order to win; in order to prolong the fight, many wolfpacks, particularly in games with turn-based combat in lieu of real-time, will summon reinforcements to replenish their lost numbers. An example of this is Astaroth in Diablo IV . [38] Many other wolfpack bosses empower themselves when one of the other enemies in the battle is killed to keep the threat level from falling over time. [ citation needed ]

Final boss

Mother Brain, the final boss of Metroid and Super Metroid Motherbrain.jpg
Mother Brain, the final boss of Metroid and Super Metroid

The final boss, last boss or end boss, [39] is typically present at or near the end of a game, with completion of the game's storyline usually following victory in the battle. [40] [41] The final boss is usually the main antagonist of the game; however, there are exceptions, such as in Conker's Bad Fur Day , in which the final boss, Heinrich, is the alien pet of the antagonist, Professor Von Kriplespac. Final bosses are generally larger, more detailed or better animated than lesser enemies, often in order to inspire a feeling of grandeur and special significance from the encounter. [42]

In some games, a hidden boss, referred to as the "true" final boss, is present. These bosses only appear after the completion of specific additional levels, choosing specific dialogue options or after obtaining a particular item or set of items, such as the Chaos Emeralds in the Sonic the Hedgehog series or performing a series of tasks in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker . These bosses are generally more difficult to defeat. In games with a "true" final boss, victory leads to either a better ending or a more detailed version of the regular ending. Examples of a "true final boss" include the Radiance in Hollow Knight and the Moon Presence in Bloodborne . [43] [44]

The term "Foozle" is used to describe a cliché final boss that exists only to act as the final problem before players can complete the game. [45] [41] Scorpia stated in 1994 that "about 98% of all role-playing video games can be summed up as follows: 'We go out and bash on critters until we're strong enough to go bash on Foozle.'" [40]

History

A precursor to video game boss fights is Bruce Lee's Hong Kong martial arts films, including The Big Boss (1971), in which Lee fights a criminal gang before battling the eponymous "big boss", and Game of Death (1972), where Lee fights a different boss on each level of a pagoda, which later inspired the boss battles of martial arts action games such as beat 'em ups. [46] Another precursor is tabletop role-playing games starting with Dungeons & Dragons (1974), in which in a typical dungeon campaign there would be one powerful enemy acting as the boss of the weaker minions that players would face beforehand, in the same sense as a crime boss, which later inspired the boss battles of role-playing video games.

The first interactive video game to feature a boss was dnd , which was released in 1975 for the PLATO system. [47] [48] [49] dnd was one of the earliest dungeon crawl video games and implemented many of the core concepts of Dungeons & Dragons. [48] The objective of the game is to retrieve an "Orb" from the bottommost dungeon. [50] The orb is kept in a treasure room guarded by a high-level enemy named the Gold Dragon. Only by defeating the Dragon can players claim the orb, complete the game and be eligible to appear on the high score list. [47]

In 1980, boss battles appeared in several arcade action games. In March 1980, Sega released Samurai, a jidaigeki-themed martial arts action game where player samurai fight a number of swordspeople before confronting a more powerful boss samurai. [51] SNK's Sasuke vs. Commander , released in October 1980, [52] is a ninja-themed shooting game where the player character fights enemy ninjas before confronting bosses with various ninjutsu attacks and enemy patterns. [53] It was one of the earliest games with multiple boss encounters, and one of SNK's earliest games. [54] Phoenix , released in December 1980, [55] is a fixed shooter where players's ship must fight a giant mothership in the fifth and final level. [56] At several points in Namco's vertically scrolling shooter Xevious (1982), players must defeat an Andor Genesis mothership to advance. [57]

In side-scrolling character action games such as beat 'em ups, Irem's 1984 arcade game Kung-Fu Master established the end-of-level boss battle structure used in these games, with players progressing through levels (represented by floors of a temple) and fighting a boss character at the end of each level; [46] [57] in turn, this end-of-level boss battle structure was adapted from the Bruce Lee film Game of Death, where Lee's character fights a different boss character on each floor as he ascends a pagoda. [46] The game was distinctive for giving both players and each boss a health meter, [57] [58] which leads to the game temporarily becoming a one-on-one fighting game during boss battles, a concept that Kung-Fu Master designer Takashi Nishiyama later expanded on when he created the fighting game Street Fighter (1987) at Capcom. [57] [59] The term "boss" was used in reference to the game's final boss by Mike Roberts in a review of the game published in the May 1985 issue of British magazine Computer Gamer , while he used the term "super baddies" for the end-of-level bosses. [60]

Sega's arcade game Fantasy Zone (1986) popularized the concept of a boss rush, a stage where players face multiple previous bosses again in succession. [61]

Etymology

Michael Fahey of Kotaku noted in a podcast that usage of the term "boss" by Nintendo Power grew sharply around 1988, and that there was no clear single etymology of the term. In the same podcast, former Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo speculated that bosses became known as such because they were "in charge of all the enemies". [62]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Player character</span> Character controlled by a game player

A player character is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by the game itself in video games, or according to rules followed by a gamemaster refereeing tabletop role-playing games. The player character functions as a fictional, alternate body for the player controlling the character.

<i>The Legend of Zelda</i> (video game) 1986 video game

The Legend of Zelda, originally released in Japan as The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu, is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo. The first game of The Legend of Zelda series, it is set in the fantasy land of Hyrule and centers on an elf-like boy named Link, who aims to collect the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom in order to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The player controls Link from a top-down perspective and navigates throughout the overworld and dungeons, collecting weapons, defeating enemies and uncovering secrets along the way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Role-playing video game</span> Video game genre

A role-playing video game, role-playing game (RPG) or computer role-playing game (CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character that will undergo some form of character development by way of recording statistics. Also, they are usually immersed in some well-defined world. Many role-playing video games have origins in tabletop role-playing games and use much of the same terminology, settings, and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replay value and immersion. The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences.

An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and platform games. Multiplayer online battle arena and some real-time strategy games are also considered action games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ganon</span> Video game character

Ganon is a character and the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda video game series and franchise, as well as the final boss in many Zelda titles. In his humanoid Gerudo form, he is known as Ganondorf. A massive and malevolent porcine creature, Ganon first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda game in 1986, while his alter ego, Ganondorf, was introduced in Ocarina of Time. He has since appeared in the majority of the games in the series in various forms. He is the archenemy of the protagonist Link and Princess Zelda of Hyrule and originally the leader of the Gerudo, a race of humanoid desert nomads before becoming the ruler of his demon army.

<i>An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire</i> 1997 video game

An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls.

<i>Kung-Fu Master</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Kung-Fu Master, known as Spartan X in Japan, is a 1984 beat 'em up game developed and published by Irem for arcades. It was distributed by Data East in North America. Designed by Takashi Nishiyama, the game was based on Hong Kong martial arts films. It is a loose adaptation of the Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao film Wheels on Meals (1984), called Spartan X in Japan, with the protagonist Thomas named after Jackie Chan's character in the film. The game is also heavily inspired by the Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1972), which was the basis for the game's concept. Nishiyama, who had previously designed the side-scrolling shooter Moon Patrol (1982), combined fighting elements with a shoot 'em up gameplay rhythm. Irem and Data East exported the game to the West without the Spartan X license.

<i>Ultima III: Exodus</i> 1983 video game

Ultima III: Exodus is the third game in the series of Ultima role-playing video games. Exodus is also the name of the game's principal antagonist. It is the final installment in the "Age of Darkness" trilogy. Released in 1983, it was the first Ultima game published by Origin Systems. Originally developed for the Apple II, Exodus was eventually ported to 13 other platforms, including a NES/Famicom remake.

Several LCD games based on the video game series The Legend of Zelda have been released. The first, Zelda, released in 1989, was developed and manufactured by Nintendo; later LCD games were licensed to other developers. The Legend of Zelda game watch (1989) is a wristwatch game produced by Nelsonic as part of their Nelsonic Game Watch series. Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce is a fighting game produced by Epoch Co. for the Barcode Battler II, and was released only in Japan.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara</i> 1996 arcade game

Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara is an arcade game developed and published by Capcom in 1996 as a sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom. The game is set in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Mystara.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom</i> 1994 arcade game

Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, published in 1994, is the first of two arcade games created by Capcom based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game and set in the Mystara campaign setting. It is a side scrolling beat 'em up with some role-playing video game elements for one to four players. The game was also released on the Sega Saturn, packaged with its sequel, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara, under the title Dungeons & Dragons Collection, although the Saturn version limited the gameplay to only two players. In 2013, both games were re-released for PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360 and Wii U as Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara.

An action role-playing game is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre.

<i>Freshly-Picked Tingles Rosy Rupeeland</i> 2006 video game

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is an adventure video game developed by Vanpool and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in Japan in September 2006, and in Europe in September 2007.

<i>Golden Axe Warrior</i> 1991 video game

Golden Axe Warrior is an action-adventure role-playing video game, developed and published by Sega. It was released on the Master System in 1991 as a spin-off of the Golden Axe video game series. The game follows a young warrior who tries to avenge the death of his parents by exploring ten labyrinths, collecting nine missing crystals and battling with the evil tyrant Death Adder. Players must cross a large world, fight enemies, seek mysterious labyrinths, fight bosses, and obtain the crystals that are guarded by many monsters. All the playable characters from the original Golden Axe make cameo appearances.

<i>pedit5</i> 1975 video game

pedit5, alternately called The Dungeon, is a 1975 dungeon crawl role-playing video game developed for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's PLATO computer network by Rusty Rutherford. In it, the player controls a character exploring a fixed, single-level dungeon containing randomly-generated monster encounters and treasure. When they encounter a monster, they can fight the monster with a weapon or spells, or attempt to flee. Characters can be saved between sessions.

A beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, while a number of modern games feature more open three-dimensional (3D) environments with yet larger numbers of enemies. The gameplay tends to follow arcade genre conventions, such as being simple to learn but difficult to master, and the combat system tends to be more highly developed than other side-scrolling action games. Two-player cooperative gameplay and multiple player characters are also hallmarks of the genre. Most of these games take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical, science fiction or fantasy themes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health (game terminology)</span> Gaming-related attribute

Health is a video game or tabletop game quality that determines the maximum amount of damage or fatigue something takes before leaving the main game. In role-playing games, this typically takes the form of hit points (HP), a numerical attribute representing the health of a character or object. The game character can be a player character, a boss, or a mob. Health can also be attributed to destructible elements of the game environment or inanimate objects such as vehicles and their individual parts. In video games, health is often represented by visual elements such as a numerical fraction, a health bar or a series of small icons, though it may also be represented acoustically, such as through a character's heartbeat.

<i>Telengard</i> 1982 video game

Telengard is a 1982 role-playing dungeon crawler video game developed by Daniel Lawrence and published by Avalon Hill. The player explores a dungeon, fights monsters with magic, and avoids traps in real-time without any set mission other than surviving. Lawrence first wrote the game as DND, a 1976 version of Dungeons & Dragons for the DECsystem-10 mainframe computer. He continued to develop DND at Purdue University as a hobby, rewrote the game for the PET 2001 after 1978, and ported it to Apple II+, TRS-80, and Atari 8-bit computers before Avalon Hill found the game at a convention and licensed it for distribution. Its Commodore 64 release was the most popular. Reviewers noted Telengard's similarity to Dungeons and Dragons. RPG historian Shannon Appelcline noted the game as one of the first professionally produced computer role-playing games, and Gamasutra's Barton considered Telengard consequential in what he deemed "The Silver Age" of computer role-playing games preceding the golden age of the late 1980s. Some of the game's dungeon features, such as altars, fountains, teleportation cubes, and thrones, were adopted by later games such as Tunnels of Doom (1982).

<i>Wayward Souls</i> 2014 action-adventure video game

Wayward Souls is a 2014 action-adventure video game developed by Rocketcat Games. It is a follow-up and spiritual successor to their Mage Gauntlet and was released for iOS and Android. A Windows version was later released in 2019. The gameplay resembles that of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past crossed with the randomly generated dungeons of a roguelike and the escalating challenge of the Dark Souls series. Rocketcat has continued to update the game since its launch, adding new playable characters and increasing the base price of the game. Currently, the game has six playable characters.

<i>Minecraft Dungeons</i> 2020 video game

Minecraft Dungeons is a 2020 dungeon crawler video game developed by Mojang Studios and Double Eleven and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is a spin-off of the sandbox video game Minecraft and was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in May 2020. It was also adapted into an arcade video game by Raw Thrills. The arcade version released in May 2021. The game would later cease development on September 28, 2023.

References

  1. ↑ Burt, Andy (2008–4). "No More Heroes: The Killer Boss Guide". GamePro . vol. 235. p. 66.
  2. ↑ Schroder, Ben (15 November 2006). "The Top 7... Big Bosses". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Roshan Dota 2 Guide". FirstBlood®. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  4. ↑ Rendina, Brandon "Garamor" (27 October 2017). "Heroes of the Storm: How to Fully Utilize Boss and Mercenary Camps - Articles - Dignitas". team-dignitas.net. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "Cuphead review – a uniquely beautiful and worthwhile challenge". VentureBeat. 7 October 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Warning Forever – First Person Scholar". www.firstpersonscholar.com. 17 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  7. ↑ Thompson, Clive (6 May 2004). "Tough Love: Can a video game be too hard?". Slate . Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
  8. 1 2 "The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z". Next Generation . No. 15. Imagine Media. March 1996. p. 30.
  9. ↑ Roper, Chris (17 October 2005). "Shadow of the Colossus Review". IGN . Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Higham, Michael. "Doom Eternal Will Have Wild Boss Fights, Here's A Look At Doom Hunter". GameSpot. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Turelli, Andrew; et al. (27 March 2012). "Gaibon and Slogra - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Wiki Guide". IGN. Retrieved 5 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Agriogianis, Theodore (2018). The Roles, Mechanics, and Evolution of Boss Battles in Video Games (pdf) (Thesis). Long Island University. p. 31-32.
  13. ↑ Ryckert, Dan (27 September 2011). "The Legend of Zelda's Ten Best Bosses". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  14. ↑ Dodson, Joe (15 October 2007). "Dance Dance Revolution: SuperNOVA 2 Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  15. ↑ Houghton, David (16 October 2013). "8 tired boss fight tropes that need to die". GamesRadar . Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Sub-boss". Next Generation. No. 15. Imagine Media. March 1996. p. 41.
  17. ↑ rawmeatcowboy (2 April 2022). "Do you know about Kirby and the Forgotten Land's hidden mini-boss rush?". GoNintendo. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  18. ↑ Johnson, Blake (4 June 2022). "Castlevania: How to Beat Gaibon and Slogra in Symphony of the Night". CBR. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  19. ↑ cdamm, PSICODROMO; et al. (22 September 2015). "Best way to kill Allen O'Neil ? Metal Slugs". Neo-Geo Forums. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  20. ↑ Thielenhaus, Kevin (26 July 2018). "Mega Man X Legacy Collection: How To Beat Every Boss | All Weaknesses Guide". Gameranx. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  21. ↑ Reynolds, Johnny (7 May 2020). "The Legend of Zelda: Every Appearance of Dark Link, Explained". CBR. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  22. 1 2 Flores, Sky (5 October 2021). "Deltarune Chapter 1: How to Find (& Beat) the Secret Boss". ScreenRant. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  23. ↑ ImAScreenLooker, ShaymusGiven; et al. "How to fight Akuma as end boss.....? - Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers". gamefaqs.gamespot.com. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  24. ↑ "Final Fantasy VII Side Quests: Emerald Weapon - Jegged.com". jegged.com. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Final Fantasy VII Side Quests: Ruby Weapon - Jegged.com". jegged.com. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  26. ↑ MentalMars (27 May 2023). "Borderlands 2 Farmable Bosses and their Legendary Drop Guide". MentalMars. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  27. ↑ Petrovich, Erik (22 February 2021). "World Of WarCraft: 13 Hardest Raid Bosses Of All Time, Ranked By Attempts". Game Rant. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  28. ↑ Knezevic, Kevin. "Pokemon Go Mega Raids Guide: All The Mega Raid Bosses And Best Counters". GameSpot. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  29. ↑ Hughes, Bryan (24 December 2022). "Sans Undertale Guide: Mr. Funny Bones - Indie Game Culture" . Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  30. ↑ Woodrick, Sam (19 September 2021). "Deltarune Chapter 2: Spamton Boss Fight Guide". Game Rant. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Ratcliff, James (24 January 2023). "Final Fantasy 14 Patch 6.31 Adds The Omega Protocol and More". Game Rant. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  32. ↑ Pelliccio, Meg (9 January 2021). "Final Fantasy: 10 Awesome Things You Didn't Know About Ultima Weapon". Game Rant. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  33. ↑ Ribalta, Jose (28 July 2022). "Yakuza 0: How To Defeat So And Jo Amon". TheGamer. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  34. ↑ Morton, Lauren (30 October 2020). "Mojang don't want you to fight the scary Wardens in Minecraft's Caves & Cliffs update". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  35. ↑ Koczwara, Michael; et al. (16 February 2016). "Backtracking Galore - Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam Guide". IGN. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  36. ↑ White, Keaton (2017). The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia. Nintendo. p. 163. ISBN   9781506706382.
  37. ↑ Candelora, Dylan (6 September 2021). "5 Ways Kingdom Hearts II Is The Series' Best Game (& 5 It's The Original)". CBR. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  38. ↑ Sirio, Paolo (2 June 2023). "Diablo 4: how to beat Astaroth in Act II". Video Games on Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  39. ↑ Rossi, Matthew (13 June 2012). "Know Your Lore: The true end boss of Mists of Pandaria?". Engadget . Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  40. 1 2 Scorpia (August 1994). "Scorpia The Avatar". Scorpia's Sting. Computer Gaming World . No. 121. pp. 29–33. Archived from the original on 2 January 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  41. 1 2 Kaiser, Rowan (13 July 2010). "Stop Killing the Foozle!". The Escapist . Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  42. ↑ Sims-Korba, Keitha (9 January 2023). "10 Biggest Bosses In Video Games". TheGamer. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  43. ↑ "How to Defeat the Moon Presence in Bloodborne - Hardcore Gamer". hardcoregamer.com. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  44. ↑ Raj, Alisha (10 August 2022). "Hollow Knight: How to Defeat the Radiance". Game Rant. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  45. ↑ Scorpia (20 May 2009). "Looking Evil". Scorpia's Gaming Lair. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  46. 1 2 3 Stuart, Keith (9 April 2014). "Bruce Lee, UFC and why the martial arts star is a video game hero". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  47. 1 2 "Gary Whisenhunt, Ray Wood, Dirk Pellett, and Flint Pellett's DND". Armory.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  48. 1 2 "dnd (The Game of Dungeons)". Universal Videogame List. Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2008.
  49. ↑ Lee, Tyler (28 September 2015). "An annotated history of video game boss battles". Polygon. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  50. ↑ Barton, Matt (23 February 2007). "The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 1: The Early Years (1980–1983)". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  51. ↑ "1980". Sega Arcade History. Famitsu DC (in Japanese). Enterbrain. 2002. pp. 40–42 (40).
  52. ↑ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 18. ISBN   978-4990251215.
  53. ↑ "Arcade Archives: Sasuke vs. Commander for Nintendo Switch". Nintendo.com . 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  54. ↑ Moyse, Chris (14 February 2020). "SNK obscurity Sasuke vs. Commander returns on PS4 and Switch". Destructoid . Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  55. ↑ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 42, 114. ISBN   978-4990251215.
  56. ↑ Sterbakov, Hugh (5 March 2008). "The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time". GamePro. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  57. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Andrew (16 March 2017). History of Digital Games: Developments in Art, Design and Interaction. CRC Press. pp. 76, 143–6. ISBN   978-1-317-50381-1.
  58. ↑ Lendino, Jamie (27 September 2020). Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games. Steel Gear Press. pp. 289–90. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  59. ↑ Leone, Matt (7 July 2020). "Street Fighter 1: An oral history". Polygon . Vox Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  60. ↑ Roberts, Mike (May 1985). "Coin-Op Connection". Computer Gamer . No. 2. United Kingdom: Argus Press. pp. 26–7.
  61. ↑ "Fantasy Zone – 2014 Developer Interview". Shooting Gameside. Vol. 10. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  62. ↑ Grayson, Nathan (19 February 2021). "Why Do We Call The Hardest Video Game Enemies 'Bosses,' Anyway?". Kotaku . Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.