Boss (video games)
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A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in video games.[1] Boss battles are generally seen at the climax of a particular section of the game, usually at the end of a stage or level, or guarding a specific objective, and the boss enemy is generally far stronger than the opponents the player has faced up to that point.[2] A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle.[3]
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[edit] History
The first interactive game to feature a boss was dnd, a 1975 computer role-playing game for the PLATO system.[4][5] One of the earliest dungeon crawls, dnd implemented many of the core concepts behind Dungeons & Dragons.[5] The objective of the game is to retrieve an "Orb" from the bottommost dungeon.[6] The orb is kept in a treasure room guarded by a high-level enemy named the Gold Dragon. Only by defeating the Dragon can the player claim the orb, complete the game, and be eligible to appear on the high score list.[4][7]
The first arcade game to feature a boss was Phoenix, a fixed shooter developed by Taito in 1980.[8] Phoenix includes five levels ("Rounds") which pit the player against swarms of alien birds. During the first two Rounds, the player is assaulted by the pigeon-like "Scouts", whereas the more formidable "Soldiers" are introduced in Rounds 3 and 4. On disposing these enemies, a giant mothership appears in the fifth and final Round.[9]
[edit] Characteristics
Bosses are "super-powered" in comparison with regular enemies, and are usually found at the end of a level or area.[10] Most games also include a "final" boss, which is usually the main antagonist in the story, at the very end of the game.[original research?] While most games include a mixture of boss opponents and regular opponents, some only have one or the other—for example, Shadow of the Colossus for the PlayStation 2 has no enemies other than bosses.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ Burt, Andy (2008-4). "No More Heroes: The Killer Boss Guide", GamePro vol. 235., pg. 66.
- ^ Thompson, Clive. (2006-05-08) Who's the Boss? Wired. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- ^ Top 5 boss battles. MSNBC. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ a b Gary Whisenhunt, Ray Wood, Dirk Pellett, and Flint Pellett's DND. The Armory. Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
- ^ a b dnd (The Game of Dungeons). Universal Videogame List. Retrieved on 2008-04-09.
- ^ The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 1: The Early Years (1980-1983). Gamasutra. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- ^ Dnd (computer game). Spiritus-Temporis.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-03.
- ^ Sterbakov, Hugh. (2008-03-05) The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time. Gamepro. Retrieved on 2008-04-28.
- ^ Phoenix. Arcade-History. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Thompson, Clive (6 May 2004). "Tough Love: Can a video game be too hard?". Slate Magazine. http://www.slate.com/id/2100116/. Retrieved on 1 March 2009.
- ^ Roper, Chris (2005). "Shadow of the Colossus Review". IGN. http://ps2.ign.com/articles/658/658991p1.html. Retrieved on July 21 200.
