ASCII Art Archive v2 – Now live with a new layout and weekly updates. Read more.
Dodge, loot, and slash through a four‑phase Final Boss in a tight, readable ASCII arena, fast to learn, tough to master.
_ ____ ____ ___ ___ ____ ____ _ _ _ / \ / ___| / ___|_ _|_ _| | __ ) ___ ___ ___ | __ ) __ _| |_| |_| | ___ / _ \ \___ \| | | | | | | _ \ / _ \/ __/ __| | _ \ / _` | __| __| |/ _ \ / ___ \ ___) | |___ | | | | | |_) | (_) \__ \__ \ | |_) | (_| | |_| |_| | __/ /_/ \_\____/ \____|___|___| |____/ \___/|___/___/ |____/ \__,_|\__|\__|_|\___|
ASCII Boss Battle is a fast-paced roguelike duel rendered entirely in ASCII, pitting you against a multi-phase Final Boss that evolves and becomes deadlier with each stage. Choose your difficulty, move with WASD, attack with SPACE, and keep an eye on your HUD for health, boss HP, inventory, and a live timer for speedrun challenges. Collect potions to heal, shields to block damage, buffs to boost attacks, and the rare Legendary Sword for a permanent power increase. Each boss phase brings new tactics, closing in, teleporting, flooding the arena with projectiles, or unleashing brutal melee strikes, forcing you to adapt quickly. With clean visuals, clear symbols, instant restarts, and endlessly replayable battles, every run is a tense fight for survival through all four phases to earn ultimate victory.
Player HP: 10 |
Final Boss HP: 30 |
Inventory: {} |
Time: 00:00.00
Instruction
Controls:- Move: W A S D (or arrow keys)
- Attack: SPACE (adjacent to the boss)
- Restart: R (after win/lose)
Settings:
- Difficulty: Pick Easy, Normal, or Hard on the start menu (affects HP, damage, projectile rate, and spawn rates).
- Timer: Starts when you choose a difficulty; shown in the HUD.
Items & Symbols:
- @: You (player)
- Ö / Φ / Ω / X: Boss (phase 1 → 4)
- P: Potion (restore HP)
- S: Shield (blocks the next hit)
- F: Buff (single‑use damage boost)
- W: Legendary Sword (permanent +1 damage)
- *: Projectile (blink trail)
Goal & Tips:
- Reduce the boss to 0 HP after it has entered Phase 4 to win.
- Stay mobile to avoid projectiles; grab potions/buffs whenever safe.
- Use SPACE only when adjacent to the boss; plan around teleports in later phases.
- The boss moves when you move.
Acknowledgments and credits
ASCII Boss Battle is an original game created, designed, and programmed by Paul Rosell, and developed under the Injosoft brand. All rights to the game name, source code, design, and ASCII artwork are reserved by Injosoft. Any reproduction, modification, or redistribution without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.Thanks for playing and keeping the ASCII gaming spirit alive!
Want More? Try These ASCII Games
ASCII Block Dropper – A retro ASCII Tetris clone where falling blocks meet colorful themes and custom symbols. Rotate, drop, and stack for combos, chase your high score, and enjoy smooth animations.
ASCII Alien Attack – A retro-style ASCII art shooter inspired by the legendary Space Invaders. Defend your base from relentless alien waves, protect your shields, and aim for the highest score in this text-based arcade challenge.
ASCII Dot-Eater – A retro-inspired Pac-Man game built in ASCII art. Choose different map sizes and themes, eat dots, and escape ghosts or chase them when powered up. Clear as many rounds as you can.
ASCII Bird Shooting – A fast shooter with a twist: friendly birds score points, red birds of prey hunt your cursor, shoot one and it’s Game Over. Keep the sky clear, dodge the plane and chase a high score before the 2‑minute timer.
Need a Break? Read These ASCII Articles
What Is a True ASCII Game – Explore what truly defines an ASCII game. Learn the difference between pure ASCII, hybrids, and pseudo-ASCII, and why the definition still matters to retro fans.
Rogue the Dawn of Roguelikes – Discover the origins of roguelikes in Rogue, the ASCII classic that turned simple symbols into epic adventures and defined an entire genre.
Adding Color and Animation to Your ASCII Games – Learn simple tricks to make your ASCII games feel alive using colors, flickering effects, and basic animations while keeping the retro charm intact.
Top 10 ASCII Games You Can Still Play – A nostalgic look at ten must-play ASCII games, from legendary roguelikes to quirky modern titles. All are still available to play today.