# Boss

- Term: Digital term
- Date: 1975
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/boss/

> An especially powerful enemy that caps a level, dungeon or story arc. Boss fights test everything the player has learned and are often the most memorable moments in a game.

An especially powerful enemy that caps a level, dungeon or story arc. Boss fights test everything the player has learned and are often the most memorable moments in a game.

**Origin:** The PLATO game dnd (1975) is credited with the first video game boss, guarding an orb at the bottom of its dungeon.

## Quick answers

**What does "Boss" mean?**
An especially powerful enemy that caps a level, dungeon or story arc. Boss fights test everything the player has learned and are often the most memorable moments in a game.

**Where does the term "Boss" come from?**
The PLATO game dnd (1975) is credited with the first video game boss, guarding an orb at the bottom of its dungeon.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.