Citations:boss

English citations of boss

(video games) An enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress

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• 1980, Space Panic arcade game manual, Universal Co., Ltd:

A monster, boss, or don does not die unless they drop more than 1, 2 or 3 floors, respectively.

Note: Here the term refers to a specific type of enemy, not an unique foe as in today's sense.

• 1981, Galaga arcade flyer, Midway Mfg. Co.:

The top line 'Boss' Galaga must be hit twice to be destroyed. […] If player hits this 'Boss', the fighter descends into tandem team with double firepower.

Note: Here the term refers to a specific type of enemy, not an unique foe as in today's sense.

• 1982, Time Pilot / Pooyan arcade flyer, Konami Co., Ltd:

The only way to complete this scene is to beat the Pink Wolf(Boss) who appears in the end by throwing meat or shooting arrows at least five times.

Note: Here the term is likely meant in the traditional sense, "boss" as in "leader of a group", but is notable as an early use of the term to refer to one unique opponent.

• 1985, Shao-lin's Road arcade manual, Konami Co., Ltd:

Each stage consists of two parts. The boss enemy appears in the second part, he has special means of attack!

• 1985, Kung Fu instruction booklet, Nintendo of America, Inc.:

Stick Fighter (1st Floor Boss) […] Boomerang Fighter (2nd Floor Boss) […]

• 1987, Battlantis arcade manual, Konami Co., Ltd:

His [i.e. the player's] ultimate goal is to defend his castle throughout, defeating the Boss Enemy (Asmodeus) and his followers.

• 1988 July/August, “Zelda: The Second Quest Begins”, in Nintendo Power, page 33:

  The enemy bosses are just three Dodongos.

• 1988 September/October, “Blaster Master”, in Nintendo Power, page 75:

  Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to fight off the evil mutants in each of the eight stages, then find and defeat the boss at the end of each stage.

• 1988 August, Bill Morris, “Channel Three”, in Computer Play, page 51:

  At the end of each level is a Big Boss, something like the tough kid of the block out to beat you up.

• 1989 June, “Nastar”, in ACE, page 23:

  One or two players can join in this horizontally-scrolling hack-em-up that boasts loads of extra weapons to pick up and loads of baddies to kill, including end-of-level bosses, and loads of jumps and moves.

• 1989 December, “Switchblade”, in The One, page 114:

  A Boss character appears every 25 screens or so […] Bosses include a Scorpion-creature, a shuffling Armadillo and Havok himself, who can only be defeated with the reconstituted Fireblade.

• 1992 October, “Stuntman Seymour”, in Your Sinclair, page 54:

  To do this he advances through the level, shooting cowboys and indians […] before taking on an end-of-level boss baddy type.