- This article is about the boss. For the lesser enemy, see Phoenix (enemy).
| “ | Shoot it in the head! | „ |
| ~ Gradius II announcer |
The Phoenix (フェニックス Fenikkusu) is a boss in the Gradius series.
Description[]
As its namesake suggests, the Phoenix is a large space bird made entirely out of fire. It is presumably a larger version of the Fire Bird enemies from Salamander. The Phoenix appears as the first boss in Gradius II and in Nemesis 3, where it is known as Geezer Butler.
In all versions, its weak spot is the head.
Attack patterns[]
The Phoenix has the same general attack patterns in all versions of the games it appears in, although its movement tends to differ between ports. In the original arcade version of Gradius II, it warps around the screen, meaning the only safe area is toward the back. The player must time their attacks between warps and get back to a safe area. In the NES version, it actually moves between positions, making the fight slightly easier.
The Phoenix will fire a large volley of lasers from its wings, followed by a heavy volley of fireballs from its beak. The fireballs can be destroyed quite easily by staying near the mouth, but the lasers must be avoided.
It's usually dead by the time it has finished its second attack. In the PC Engine version, however, it has more health and thus will accomplish more.
Salamander anime[]
The Phoenix appear in the final episode of the anime as the ultimate enemy the heroes face, being born from the fusion of both Paula and Gofer.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Geezer Butler is the same name of the notorious bass player from Black Sabbath, one of the most influential heavy metal bands from 1970s.
| 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 | |
| Nemesis | ||
| Characters | James Burton (Metalion) • David Burton (Vixen) • Gaudie • Venom • Venom's Aides • Lars 17th • Wreek | |
| Nemesis 2 stages | Colossus Planet • Plant Planet • Ancient Planet • Floating Continents • Planet of Fire • Living Planet • Sin • Asteroid Belt • Water Planet • Venom Mothership | |
| Nemesis 3 stages | Sun • Plant • Gravity • Past-Boss • Moai • Hell • Sand • Cell • Factory • Gofer Ship | |
| Nemesis 2 bosses | Sodd • Riot Warship • Misfit Warship • Big Core X10 • Mayhem Warship • Doom • Sinar • Abaddon Warship • Venom | |
| Nemesis '90 Kai exclusive bosses | Lizard Core • Laser Core • Big Core MK II Kai • Beta Core | |
| Nemesis 3 bosses | Geezer Butler • Hans Naughty • Tetran • Abaddon Warship • Misfit Warship • Big Core • Armored Saint • Lynyrd Skynyrd • Triumph Kicks • Killer Dwarf • Crab Warlock • Queensrÿche • Gofer | |
| Salamander (OVA) | ||
| Episodes | Episode 1: Salamander • Episode 2: Paula's Meditation • Episode 3: Gofer's Ambition | |
| Characters | Ike Lord British • Dan • Stephanie McBain • Eddie Evans • Doromo • Ministers • Lee McBain • Paula • Gofer | |
| Enemies | Rugal • Sharp Cross • Golem • Giga • Zelos Force • Intruder • Tentacle • Big Core MK I • Moai • Xaerous Brain • Fire Dragon • Death Hand • Big Eye • Dee-01 • Phoenix • Amoeba • Nucleus | |
| Organic bosses | ||
| Space entities | Nucleus • Intruder • Phoenix (Geezer Butler) • Goliath • Bubble Eye • Wyvern • Vulture Dragon • Blizzard Crawler • Yorogaton Chimera • Gillador • Volleone • Doom • Lynyrd Skynyrd • Triumph Kicks • Gaw • Giga • Killer Dwarf | |
| Body horror | Abadon • Golem • Zylom • Big Eye • Gregol • Mad Skin • Brachion Eye • Biter • Berial • Huge Heart • Crawler (X) • Infected Statue | |
| Plantlife | Choking Weed • Stinger Kid • Hunter Fang • Giga's Rose • Dendrodium • Hans Naughty | |