Boss Monster Boss Monster 2 - The Next Level

Step into the 16-bit retro arcade world of Arcadia, construct side-scrolling gauntlets of traps and monsters, and lure gullible adventurers to their doom in the standalone sequel to the hit retro dungeon-building card game.

Boss Monster 2: The Next Level (designed by Johnny O’Neal and Chris O’Neal, published by Brotherwise Games, and distributed in retail by partners including Outset Media / OSM) flips traditional dungeon-crawling fantasy tropes on their head. Rather than commanding a band of valiant adventurers descending into the underworld, players assume the role of iconic, video game–inspired Boss Monsters lurking at the end of a pixelated dungeon. Playable completely out of the box as a standalone 2-to-4-player game or combined directly with the original Boss Monster core set, this sequel expands the formula with more tactical versatility, cycling mechanics, and higher stakes. The primary gameplay objective centers on soul harvesting and survival: players race to build a side-scrolling dungeon capable of luring heroes in and slaying them to harvest 10 Souls before suffering 5 Wounds from adventurers who survive the gauntlet.

The primary mechanical hurdle stems from balancing dungeon damage output against hero lure values, especially with the introduction of Hybrid Heroes and Dark Heroes. Each round, heroes gather in the central town square, attracted to whichever dungeon offers the highest amount of their favored treasure type (Cleric, Fighter, Mage, or Thief). Players build their dungeons room-by-room (up to five rooms wide) using Monster and Trap rooms, which can later be upgraded into Advanced Rooms. However, luring a hero into a dungeon without enough accumulated damage allows the hero to reach your Boss room and inflict crippling wounds. The Next Level refines the strategy with Hybrid Heroes that seek multiple treasure types, Dark Heroes that inflict heavy penalties, flexible "cycling" rooms that let players dig through decks, and more dynamic Epic Spells that offer tactical disruption without entirely breaking game balance. Designed for 2 to 4 players aged 13 and up, an entire run plays out in a brisk 20 to 30 minutes. To claim the title of ultimate video game villain, you must design an impenetrable gauntlet, sabotage rival bosses with wicked spells, and harvest ten hero souls before your own health bar depletes.

Game Specs at a Glance:
Age Range: 13+ Years
Publisher: Brotherwise Games
Play Time: 20-30 Minutes
Player Count: 2-4 Players
Complexity: Light (Dungeon Building, Engine/Tableau Building, Hand Management, Take-That, Retro 16-Bit Pixel Art)

What's in the Box?

• 160 Full-Color 16-Bit Pixel Art Cards:
  • 12 Boss Cards
  • 83 Room Cards
  • 31 Hero Cards
  • 16 Epic Hero Cards
  • 18 Spell Cards
  • 1 Quick-Start and Rulebook