Boss Monster is a game where you are the evil ruler of a stereotypical fantasy dungeon. You preside over a lair composed of cards you play, each equal parts deadly and alluring. Because like any good dungeon, yours is filled with treasures to lure greedy adventurers.

The game plays fairly simply. You draw cards, play them in a line, and make them as murderous as possible. Each card has a hazard for potential adventurers as well as a treasure value to draw certain types of hero to your murder-maze. Every turn, a hero will test their mettle (and metal, in the case of knights) against the defenses of the player whose depths hold the most of the type of loot they lust for. If they choose yours, you hope they die to the traps so you can collect their soul (i.e. points toward winning). If they choose one of your opponents, you hope they make it through so they can whittle away at the health of your enemies.

While simplistic, the gameplay is engaging. The art is lighthearted and leans heavily into its 8-bit retro vibe. Everything looks like it could have been in an old Nintendo game, to the point where even the box artwork is reminiscent of an old Super Nintendo cartridge retail box (for the pedants: yes, Super Nintendo was 16-bit; it’s an homage, not a video game history lesson).

The downside is that after a few games, it can get a little stale. But once you’ve taken a break from it, coming back is just as delightful. Wonderful how nostalgia works, right?

Grab a copy for retro-evil fun.