Duckers are a kind of mobile cannon that walks along the terrain, top or bottom, on two stilt-like mechanical legs. They appear from the left side of the screen, race along the terrain in order to get ahead of thr Vic Viper, and fire back at it. They usually shoot a single basic bullet, but on other games/loops/difficulties, a Ducker may shoot more the one. Duckers have made appearences in nearly every Gradius game, as well as others. They are usually found in the first stages, and then later stages where many mechanical enemies attack.
Attack Patterns
Usually two Duckers will run on screen together, one on the top, one on the bottom, far ahead of the Vic Viper, then stop and fire bullets at it. They will continue running if Vic Viper passes them until they are ahead again, and the pattern repeats.
Trivia
- Duckers sometimes do very weird things in the games. most notably Gradius, in the last level when they try to change elavations, instead there sprite simply moves extremely fast to the required elevation.
- In the game Monster Maulers, and older looking steampunk version of the Ducker is piloted by the first of the game's three bosses, Mr. Chin.