Crab (クラブ Kurabu) is a boss in Gradius II and the final boss for Solar Assault.
Description[]
Crab is the first Shadow Dancer to appear in the Gradius series. In the arcade version of Gradius II, Crab is indestructible; however, in the NES version the player can destroy it. It's also the penultimate boss in the NES version of Gradius II, while merely being an obstacle in the arcade version. In Gradius Gaiden, it also appears amongst the debris of the second stage.
Attack patterns[]
Gradius II[]
Crab just walks around, hoping to step on you with one of its six sharp legs. The only real danger are the Duckers that constantly walk in. While it cannot be destroyed in the arcade version of Gradius II, in the NES version the player needs to shoot its body in order to kill it (it has a relatively low amount of health).
Solar Assault[]
In Solar Assault, it shoots lasers from its body and bullets from the legs aiming at the player. To make things worse, its health is higher than in the NES version of Gradius II. The good news is that its top legs are destroyable, so the player should destroy them before going for the core. It is recommended to be careful when destroying the core, as it shoots homing needles targeted at the player. The time limit for this boss fight is 1 minute and 40 seconds. This version of Crab is notable for its added capability to fight back against the player, and this novelty is not repeated for 8 years until the introduction of Ground Spider in Gradius V.
Gallery[]
(arcade)
(NES)
Trivia[]
- Although the Solar Assault Core is the de jure final boss, Crab serves as the de facto final boss in Solar Assault. This effectively serves as the only Shadow Dancer that is considered the final boss in the entire franchise.
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Mechanical bosses | ||
| Gunwalls |
Fortress Valis • Demos • Disrupt • Bloody Gate • Keeper's Core • Enigma • Crystal Gust • Cliff Core • Gunner Wall • Core Reactor • Fortress Gate • Plate Core • True Venom | |
| Shadow Walkers |
Electronic Cage • Crab • Shadow Gear • Shadow Gear MK II • Sol • Crab-II • Rotating Wall • Ground Spider • Elephant Gear • Electronic Cage MK2 • Crab Warlock | |
| Other | Reckless • Striker • Grave • Heavy Ducker • Hydra • Cerberus | |
| End bosses and major enemies | ||
| Major Recurring Foes | Gofer • Bacterian • Dr Venom • Zelos Force (Zeros) • Lars Empire | |
| Minor Enemies | Xaerous Brain • O.V.U.M. • Eleos Brain • Mother Computer Z • Guardian Core • Crab • Central Server • Genocide Core • Metal Slave • Zelos Barrier • Doom | |