Gradius V

[Geoff D]

Ok shooter heroes, I need help - level 2 boss is pwning me at every turn; it's all in the mother****in' tentacles...

Any tips would be much appreciated - which order to destroy the cores etc. I lose all 3 lives on him every time

[Saurian]

As it comes in, concentrate all your options on the core.

The arms will spin out so back off to avoid them and do an anticlockwise circle in that area towards the core, back out to avoid the arm and back round into the core until you roun out of space.

When this happens fly round between the two arms, orbit round to the back of the boss and return to the front - as you get there the arms pause so stop and evade.

The boss now fires pulses of blue shots - they follow a rhythm, so catch that and time getting into and out of the core area.

The boss backs off and fires loads of fast shots, concentrate the options on the core and use slight up and down moves to dodge the shots from the far left of the screen (it should die on or just after this attack)

[Square]

I think he means the final boss from Level 2 Saur...

I too am having a bit of trouble with that git.

[SuperBeatBoy]

like ikaruga, gradius v's bosses are very formalic so to speak. once you learned their patterns they are quite simple, i can do the first 2 level bosses without loosing a life now.

[Saurian]

That one's heavy!

Ok when it comes in - line your ship up so that the beam concentrates into one at the far left of the screen just above the power-up meter.

When the boss sets up the beam will start taking out the lower core plates, just before the wave laser beam hits you move upwards but try to keep the options in position as long as you can.

Now get in front of the lower core and destroy it, you will get a gap between those orbs that follow the laser wave. As soon as you destroy that one pick a middle one and concentrate the beam on it.

The boss will start firing vertical pulses from the waves - stay in front of the boss to avoid them while keeping the beam on the cores, you should kill both cores here. If you are playing type B you should aim the laser up at the top core as soon as you kill the middle 2.

The arms retract, if you havent killed both middle cores here is another chance. Keep your position in front of the boss, all you do here is stay still while the red beams charge then move a character space when the fire. Keep this up until the arms retract then repeat the first technique of lining up the laser with the top core and getting in front of it when the laser wave is about to hit. It dies here.

[Geoff D]

I think he means the final boss from Level 2 Saur...

I too am having a bit of trouble with that git.

Yep, the big bast at the end - he's got 4 cores & 2 extendy arms. Things get extremely cramped very quickly when he gets going :/

[PH]

I always take out the 2 central cores first. Thats the easy bit. You should be able to do this just before or after the first tentacle attack is finished.

Then the tentacles are deployed diagonally across the screen. This leaves you in a pocket. I just try and survive here and take a few pot shots avoiding the red lasers.

Third tentacle attack is where you can make your move. The tentacles are deployed horizontally across the screen. Notice how the blue laser moves in a wave motion. Position you ship inside a pocket within the blue laser as far to the right of the screen as you can and in line with either the upper or lower core. Start shooting at the core and move backwards with the wave staying in the pocket. When you run out of room quickly fly out and position yourself near the core again and repeat. You should be able to destroy both cores (they seem weaker than the 2 central ones) just before the tentacles are brought back in.

Hope i explained that ok??

[Geoff D]

That's great stuff chaps, many thanks - that 4 core wielding, tentacle waving, blue laser having mo'fo will be toast tonight!

[venom743]

Man, wait till you guys see the bosses on stage 6! The earlier bosses dont even compare!

[Square]

Stop it, you're scaring me!

I can only make level 3 so far.

[MarkyB]

I'm sure they are... i'm jus sucking atm, will get it sussed tonite ^_^

[hyn]

Stage 6.
How are you supposed to manage to dodge all those slimey thingies?
They are everywhere. And sometimes this gate doesn't open and I get trapped.

[venom743]

Stage 6.
How are you supposed to manage to dodge all those slimey thingies?
They are everywhere. And sometimes this gate doesn't open and I get trapped.

3 words. Speed, luck and practice.

[horribleman]

I've had this a couple of days now, and I started off using type 2 options, but I now think that the best type is type 1, since you can anticipate the enemies and shoot past barriers and walls with careful positioning.

I'm getting up to the bit on stage 3 where the little bosses chase you down the tunnels and keep on crashing into the walls.

Any tips for this bit, or is it a case of learn it by heart?

[venom743]

Go to practice mode and just learn that part by playing it repreatedly. The enemies attack in set patterns so just practice.
On a side note, Im totally owning the stage 6 bosses now!

> LV 7 1 life!