why do we call them "bosses" in video games?

why do we call them "bosses" in games? sure, sometimes they command their underlings, but usually they just have lots of health and come at the end of a level. if they're not physically 'bossing' anyone around, why not call it the "final monster", or the "last enemy"?

join me on my new series, "video game etymology", as we uncover the history of the boss fight and how it came to be named as such...

---

some video credits and thanks go to:
Wander Kyoto for their video of the nintendo hq in kyoto:    • [4K] Walk in Kyoto, Japan. Nintendo Headqu...  
GeoKoer, for his video on this question:    • Beat the Boss  
Geoff Quest, for his playthrough of "dnd":    • Видео  
TJ Ferreira, who's bosconian let's play i am reserving for a later video as well...    • Bosconian - Sord M5 Computer - Retro 8bit ...  

creds to Nobuyuki Ohnogi, composer for galaga and creator of this great little tune:    • Видео  
all the other music in the video is my own.

---

CHAPTERS:
0:00 intro
1:14 tabletop origins
2:16 a trip to the arcade
5:18 the mark of a martial artist
7:13 任天堂の「ボス」
9:40 what's next?

---

meikkon, 2022. some rights reserved.
https://meikkon.io