Big Core MK III

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

Description[]

Big Core MK III is the third boss to be dubbed Big Core and it debuted in Gradius III. It is drastically different than either of the two previous ones. As you may have already guessed, this one has three cores to destroy. The SNES version of Gradius III calls this QB2B.

Attack patterns[]

Note: All attack names are purely conjectural.

"Reflect Laser": Big Core MK III attacks by opening up and shooting lasers out of its wings. Then a reflective laser shoots and bounces off of the giant lasers (it is fired once in Gradius III SNES, three times in Gradius III Arcade, five times in Gradius V).
"Laser Volley": If the front cores are destroyed, then the reflecting lasers are exchanged for mini lasers. It should be noted that Big Core MK III will still shoot lasers out of its wings to limit player movement and for some strange reason it still shoots laser volleys after it finishes shooting lasers out of its wings in Gradius III AC.
"Beam Shot MK III": When closed, it fires five lasers, unless the front two cores are destroyed, then it fires four lasers (either the traditional Big Core MK I pattern or two normal and two semi-auto). When you get above or below it, it fires four lasers behind itself, and eventually it will move towards the left side of the screen and attack you with them.

Big Core MK III in Gradius IV is actually a slightly modified version called Big Core MK III Kai (改). It has ability to change the angle of its wing, making its laser attacks more confusing. Since the Big Core MK III in Gradius V wasn't the 'Kai' version, it didn't have this ability.

Exclusive to Gradius V[]

Gradius V adds some new tactics to Big Core MK III:

"Ramming": Big Core MK III will attempt to ram you similar to Big Core MK II.
"Straight Lasers": It will shoot straight lasers out of the wings while shooting bullets and sometimes, even turn around to attack regardless if the front cores are destroyed. It can shoot straight lasers in front of the core. Always paired with Bullet Shot if performed at the back, but it leaves its back core vulnerable to the player.
"Bullet Shot": Along with Straight Lasers, Big Core MK III will shoot bullets in a slight haphazard direction.
"Homing Lasers S": Periodically, it shoots homing lasers to catch the player off guard.
"Laser Barrage": Big Core MK III will perform a barrage of lasers in a random manner.

Gallery[]

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 IV: Fukkatsu
Ships	Vic Viper
Stages	Liquid Metal • Plant • Bubble • Magma • Moai • Cell • High Speed • Boss Rush • Final Fortress
Bosses	Yorogaton Chimera • Dendrodium • Bubble Core • Gillador • Alpha/Omega • Berial • Rolling Core • Vanishing Core • Big Core MK III • Covered Tetran • Berserk Core • Planet Core • Bloody Gate • Crab-II • Gofer

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)

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 • Berserk Core • Big Core Duo • Big Core DX-01 • Big Core Orthos • Big Core Prometheus • 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 • Bolboros • Covered Core • Covered Core MK II • Dead End • Deltatry • 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 • Tetran Sweeper • Tetran Scavenger) • Covered Tetran • Crystal Core D-X02 • Laser Tetran • Tenny Rop
Parody Cores	Candy Core • Decoration Core • Decoration Core MK II • Viva Core