Big Core MK II

Big Core MK II (ビッグコアMk-II Biggu Koa Mk-II^?) is a recurring boss in the Gradius series.

Description[]

Big Core MK II is a major upgrade from the original Big Core. He's much larger, has red streaks instead of yellow, can open up to reveal two cores (three in Solar Assault), can shoot many more lasers, and a new attack pattern. He has been featured in several games as well, one of the most obscure is Ganbare Goemon 2 on the NES as a mini-boss. The SNES version of Gradius III calls him Ice Ice. In Gradius Gaiden, he is in the second stage as one of the boss debris. He was not featured in the NES version of Gradius II.

In Solar Assault, core elements like the signature attack are retained in 3D, albeit in a Gradius III SNES fashion; its design, however, slightly resembles the 2nd EWB of Vasteel Original in Thunder Force V.

Attack patterns[]

If you're away from him, he will fire Big Core's signature four laser spread. However, if you're in front of him, he will open up and fire his whole laser array at you. Due to limitations, he can only use the latter attack in SNES Gradius III. When you destroy one core, the other side it's on will stop functioning, meaning only half of his lasers will work and you can stay in that area. This is good and makes the rest of the fight much easier.

In Solar Assault, three satellites (which are destroyable) accompany him to aim at you and protect the cores if he uses the laser attack. If all satellites are down, he will be vulnerable and you can easily destroy his cores. His own laser attack is similar to Big Core MK III's large lasers used to limit player movement.

In Gradius V, he can tilt to face you and shoot and also occasionally tries to ram you. In addition, he will sometimes go berserk, spinning rapidly and firing his lasers randomly. Also in this game, he can now fire his half of laser array 3 times while swinging to cover more area.

In Otomedius Gorgeous, his attack set is mostly imported from Gradius V (sans the berserk moveset) along with the intermediate laser array exclusive to the game.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Other appearances[]

Yu-Gi-Oh: Big Core MK II is also a Yu-Gi-Oh card and makes a cameo in Yu-Gi-Oh Episode 71.
Ganbare Goemon 2 (NES): Appears as Mega Nucleus, a cameo boss.

Gradius II: GOFER no Yabō
Ships	Vic Viper
Stages (arcade)	Artificial Sun • Alien • Crystal • Volcano • Revenge of Moai • High Speed Maze • Boss Rush • Gofer Ship Interior
Port-exclusive stages	Gradius II NES Stage 2 (NES) • Volcano - Crystal (NES) • Enemy Base (NES) • Gofer's Lair (NES) • Temple (PC-E)
Bosses	Phoenix • Big Eye • Giga (NES) • Crystal Core • Death MK II • Jumping Moai • Big Moai • Desert Core (PC Engine) • Big Core MK II • Zub Rush • Big Core • Golem • Tetran • Gaw • Intruder • Zelos Force (NES) • Covered Core • Demos • Crab • Gofer

Gradius III
Ships	Vic Viper
Stages	Desert • Bubble Zone • Volcanic Planet • High Speed Dimension • Moai Zone • Cell Planet • Prominence Planet • Plant Planet • Crystal Zone • Boss Rush • Mechanical Base
SNES exclusive stages	High Speed Zone • Fortress • Cell
Bosses	Goliath • Bubble Eye • Godrei • Big Core MK III • Dogas • Vaif • Twin Vaif (SNES) • Gregol • Wyvern • Vulture Dragon • Choking Weed • Lizard Core • Beacon (SNES) • Tetran • Covered Core • Big Core MK II • Crystal Core • Death MK II • Dellinger Core • Disrupt • Shadow Gear • Shadow Gear MK II (SNES) • Big Core • Golem • Bacterian

Gradius V
Ships	Vic Viper T-301
Stages	Planet Gradius Satellite Orbit • Planet Gradius City Sky A • Planet Gradius Urban Underground Hierarchy • Bacterian Cell Center • Asteroid Front Base • Bacterian Multiplication Plant • Bacterian Fortification Center • Planet Gradius City Sky B
Bosses	Big Core MK-I Rev.2 • Venom (lower) • Death MK III • Tetran • Big Core MK II • Big Core MK IV • Ground Spider • Huge Heart • Blaster Cannon Core • Rolling Core • Circle Core • Big Core MK III • Covered Core MK II • Beacon • Keeper's Core • Elephant Gear • Venom (upper)

Solar Assault
Ships	Vic Viper • Lord British • Alpinia
Stages	The River Styx • Fierce Blaze • Curse • Abyssal Forest • Speed Demon • Solar Assault
Bosses	Big Core MK I • Intruder • Tutankhamon • Dinosaur • Big Core MK II • Crab

Otomedius
Main Characters	Aoba Anoa • Erul Tron • Emon • 5 • Madoka • Diol Twee • Tita Nium • Esmeralda • Poini Coon • Arnval • Strarf • Gesshi Hanafuuma • Kokoro Belmont
Supporting Characters	Operetta • Princess Irene • Konami Lady • Emon • 8 • Pastel
Antagonists	Eliza • Titi XIV • Yoshiko • Gofer Sisters • Meta Lium • Neko Sencho • T.B. Rika • Ryukotsuki • Shiori Fujisaki • Ruby and Cobalt • Dark Force
Otomedius / Gorgeous stages	San Salvador Island • Tokyo • Canadian Rockies • Easter Island • Alexandria • Antarctica • Valhalla
Otomedius Excellent stages	The Big Wave • Midnight Tetran • Spelunker of Hell • The Ancient Bacterian • The Return of Cosmic War • Dark Force's Ambition Part 1 • Dark Force's Ambition Part 2 • Dark Force's Ambition Part 3 • Skills to the Test • Message from Emon-5 • The Reunion
Otomedius / Gorgeous bosses	Princess Seiren • Eyegol • Big Core DX-01 • Scarab Core • Crystal Core D-X02 • Big Core • Abaddon Warship • Mayhem Warship • Tetran • Viva Core • Manbow • Big Core MK II • Rolling Core • Covered Core MK II • Death • Zelos Force Fortune • Odin Core
Otomedius Excellent bosses	Mirrored Core • Tri-Pod Core • Serpent Core • Big Core DX • Old Big Core • Heaven's Gate • Perla Meralda • Neo Big Core • Misfit Warship • Dellinger Core • Metal Slave • Gunner Wall • Black Viper • Death Bringer • Scramble Ship • Bisumaru Excellent • WinBee

Core Warships
Big Cores	Big Core MK I (Old Big Core) • Big Core Custom • Big Core MK-I Rev.2 • Big Core MK II • Big Core MK II Kai • Big Core MK III • Big Core MK IV
Big Core variants	Beacon • Big Core Duo • Blaster Cannon Core • Boost Core • Bubble Core • Circle Core • Coreship • Crater Core • Crystal Core • Dellinger Core • Desert Core • Heaven's Gate • Juggler Core • Laser Core • Lizard Core • Mirrored Core • Neo Big Core • Parasite Core • Perla Meralda • Planet Core • Rexion Core • Rolling Core • Serpent Core • Shining Core • Super Big Core • Terra Core • Vanishing Core • Genocide Core • Odin Core
Core-style bosses	Abaddon Warship • Covered Core • Covered Core MK II • Dead End • Kraken • Mayhem Warship • Metal Slave • Misfit Warship • Queensrÿche • Riot Warship • Plate Core
Pseudo-Cores	Death • Death MK II (DeathDouble) • Death MK III • Beta Core • Nobil • Tri-Pod Core • Triple Core • Crash Bam
Tetran variants	Tetran (Zylom) • Covered Tetran • Crystal Core D-X02 • Laser Tetran • Tenny Rop
Parody Cores	Candy Core • Decoration Core • Decoration Core MK II • Viva Core