--> "Finally, a boss fight."
-->-- '''Gene''', ''GodHand''

--> "Time for a boss battle, suckers!"
-->-- '''{{Deadpool}}''', ''MarvelUltimateAlliance 2''

A climactic confrontation with a unique, stronger than average, and often monstrous enemy creature. It has several important features depending on the genre of game in which it is found.

In old-school ShootEmUps and 2D {{Platformer}}s, the boss comes at the end of a level or series of levels (commonly called a "world"). He will often require a [[PuzzleBoss special trick]] to defeat, or have a targetable WeakSpot.

In {{FPS}}, [[ThirdPersonShooter 3PS]]'s, and 3D {{platformer}}s, they divide up the game. There's usually not that many of them, three or four total.

In {{RPG}}s, they wait at the end of dungeons. They have a mountain of HitPoints. If they're the last one, you'll fight them [[SequentialBoss more than once]]. Most have a [[ReviveKillsZombie specific weakness]].

In a FightingGame, the boss is simply the last character you fight, in that even when the rest of the battles have you going up against a randomly-selected opponent, the boss is always the same. Occasionally, the penultimate battle will ''also'' be against a "boss". (The penultimate opponent is often dubbed a "MiniBoss".)
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!!Tropes
* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield
* AnticlimaxBoss
* AttackItsWeakPoint
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking
* BaitAndSwitchBoss
* BattleshipRaid
* BonusBoss
* BossArenaIdiocy
* BossArenaRecovery
* BossBanter
* BossDissonance
* BossGame
* BossInMookClothing
* BossRemix
* BossRoom
* BossRush
* BossSubtitles
* BraggartBoss
* BreatherBoss
* BullfightBoss
* CatAndMouseBoss
* ChasingYourTail
* ClimaxBoss
* ColossusClimb
* CoresAndTurretsBoss
* CowardlyBoss
* DamageSpongeBoss
* DualBoss
* DuelBoss
* DegradedBoss
* TheDragon
* EarlyBirdBoss
* FightingYourFriend
* FinalBoss
** TrueFinalBoss
* FinalExamBoss
* FisticuffsBoss
* FlunkyBoss
* GetBackHereBoss
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere
* GoddamnedBoss
* GoldfishPoopGang
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong
* HighAltitudeBattle
* HighSpeedBattle
* HopelessBossFight
* JawsFirstPersonPerspective
* KingMook
* LoadBearingBoss
* TheManBehindTheMan
* MakeMyMonsterGrow
* MarathonBoss
* MiniBoss
* MirrorBoss
* MookPromotion
* PlayingTennisWithTheBoss
* PuzzleBoss
* ReactorBoss
* RecurringBoss
* RecurringBossTemplate
* RingOutBoss
* ScriptedBattle
* SequentialBoss
* SheatheYourSword
* SkippableBoss
* SNKBoss
* StationaryBoss
* TacticalSuicideBoss
* TeleportSpam
* ThatOneBoss
** ThatOneAttack
* TimeLimitBoss
* TragicMonster
* TrainingBoss
* TrickBoss
* TurnsRed [Less Health = More Powerful]
* UnderwaterBossBattle
* WakeUpCallBoss
* WarmupBoss
* WolfpackBoss
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