| “ | Destroy the body! | „ |
| ~ Announcer in Gradius V |
Ground Spider (グランドスパイダー) is the boss of stage 3 in Gradius V and is also the first Shadow Dancer in Gradius V.
Attack patterns[]
Unlike most Shadow Dancers, the Ground Spider has a few tricks up its sleeve; it will fire ion rings (faster in higher loop), as well as a big laser beam in either a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. The player is advised to find shelter under the square pillars whenever the latter is performed in order to avoid getting hit. Be careful, the square pillars will fall off during the fight by its path.
Once it has reach at the bottom, the Ground Spider will start firing red plasma shots at the player's direction and then repeat the process from its previous phase again.
Trivia[]
- It is one of the few Shadow Dancers to fight back with its own set of attacks, the other is Crab, which later gained its own in Solar Assault.
- Apart from Grave and Chichibinta Rika, it is the only Shadow Dancer that is not found in penultimate nor final stages in the entire franchise.
- Even though it has a core, its weakness is still the body since the core itself is only used as a health indicator. As a result, this boss can tank a lot of shots before it goes down.
| 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) | |
| 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 | |