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THE CREATIVITY OF
BOSS BATTLES The vast majority of video games out there include a boss of
A boss personifies the obstacle to overcome, the agenda of
they ramp up the stakes, tempo, and difficulty and bring
on a dragon lizardʼs head three times scored with staccato up-
some kind. Boss battles are the holy grail of gaming gratification;
excitement through quick successions of split second decisions.
Over the years, many different games in all genres and platforms have included boss battles; they are the single recurring element
throughout all facets of gaming. Boss battles are the final challenge, the piece de résistance. Games tend not to end with a whimper, but with a bang.
the antagonist, and the necessary yang. Where once jumping tempo blips would suffice as a thrilling boss fight and healthy conflict resolution, today we see an increasing complexity in
both the approach and execution of boss fights. Obviously, due
to massive leaps in the flexibility of game engines as well as sophisticated artificial intelligence, boss battles have evolved alongside their medium.
Article by Dave Perotti
The Tiers of a Boss A good boss battle manages to exceed the threat of all that came
the guard of its respective location. In most cases, in order to
where most, if not all, of the skills the player has acquired over
this gatekeeper.
before it. It expands the scope and scale of gameplay to a point
the course of the game are needed. A final exam, if you will. There
are (sometimes) three tiers of boss fights: the mid-boss, the level or area boss and the final boss.
The mid-boss is typically a slightly bigger version of regular
enemies. Perhaps he is a squad commander, a gang leader or
just a guy with colourful pants and a bigger health bar. He is simply there to diversify the cannon fodder. The level or area boss is usually placed at the end of a level or area and is considered
proceed to the next level you have no choice but to vanquish
The final boss is an altogether different beast. In terms of scale, drama, gameplay and story, the final boss marks the very climax
of the game, the apex of character growth and the culmination
of various gameplay elements, instruments and skills acquired throughout the game. Barring an epilogue or denouement,
defeating the final boss usually marks the end of the heroʼs journey and concludes the story.
Cinematic or skill-based? Naturally there are games that buck the trend, or games that
simply combine core gameplay elements with the boss fight itself.
For instance, in Shadow of the Colossus any given boss is equal parts level design, core gameplay, and narrative, as well as a
thrilling clash of sword and stone. Shadow of the Colossus was
a near-perfect game in terms of design. Not a single element is
unnecessary and everything in the game is purposefully designed to aid in the climactic battles. Everything from the sword to the
horse, the bow and arrow, the character itself and every structure in the game, including the sun, absolutely needs to be there to
set the stage for the massive battles. Not only is Shadow of the
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