"This is an interesting exploration of how the concept of the end-of-level boss was first conceived and how it has developed in subsequent games over the decades. Quite a lot of the bosses turned out to be from the same series of games, and I was surprised how few of the featured games I've actually played - maybe I'll get around to them one day, who knows."
——NetGalley, Melanie Dolhun

★Capturing the fading art of modern video games with a spotlight on 51 famous Bosses in gaming history
★Interviews with developers to learn the stories behind final Bosses such as Golden Dragon and King Koopa
★Including tons of pictures to show how the bosses work and how to beat them

50 Years of Boss Fights celebrates a fading art in modern games. Author Daryl Baxter has written about 51 bosses that have made the greatest impact, ever since the first boss debuted in 1974.

Full of interviews and insights from the developers who helped made the bosses as memorable as they are, includes those who have worked on Mario 64, DOOM, Bioshock, Star Wars, Half Life and many more. Some explained how they came to be, what was scrapped, and, ultimately, if they were happy with them, looking back.

The book goes into detail about the first ever boss from the start, called the Golden Dragon in dnd, which first debuted in 1974. Heralded as the first ever boss in a video game, Daryl spoke to its creators about how it came to be, and how they feel about creating a standard in games.

The book sheds light on what was scrapped in other bosses, and how some bosses were so illegal, they had to be updated in rapid fashion to avoid a potential lawsuit.

Full of photos that showcase how the bosses work and how to beat them, it’s a 50-year record of the best, the most challenging, and the most memorable that you may or may not have beaten so far.

It’s 70,000 words that celebrate the past 50 years of bosses, while giving insight by the developers who helped make them possible.

Daryl Baxter

Daryl Baxter is a writer and podcaster from Lincoln, where his work has featured in sites such as WIRED, TechRadar, SUPERJUMP, Den of Geek and many more. Alongside Sonic and Metal Gear, Tomb Raider was a series he grew up with, wanting to create a writing career borne out of games.
He’s interviewed people in the industry such as David Hayter; the voice of Solid Snake, Ed McMillen who co-created Super Meat Boy, and plenty more throughout his career so far.