SD: Gradius V Bosses using Type 1 (And edit mode w/freeze)

[landshark]

The following applies mainly to edit mode with the missles that create the large blue radial blasts (I think they are spread bombs). I also use the following strategies for vanilla Type 1, but the bosses take a little longer.

Level 1:

You should have 4 options, freeze them like this:

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x
  o
     o  o  o

And then freeze and lower them over the bottom left and bottom cheerio spawners. It will take them out quick. Move up a little and take out the bottom right. Then change to this:

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      o    o
  o
  o
  x

And you can easily take out the top left and top. Then take out the top right however you want.

This can all be done pretty quick.

Then setup your options for:

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              x  oo

Basically overlapping each other and place them directly on top of the core. You should be able to kill it just as it starts to rotate (or possibly just before).


Level 2:

4-arm boss

Hold your options like this for the entire fight:

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x  o  o  o  o

Every chance you get, hover in front of him with the last option sitting on the core and the rest sitting on the bars. You can take out the boss before he ever gets a chance to shoot a laser (when it curves it's arms). Usually it gets off a few, but it's a really quick kill.

Real Boss:

Start with options like so:

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x
  o
     o  o  o

It'll shoot out it's arms. You can just hover around in front and your bottom options will take out the bottom core.
Switch to:

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x  o o o o

And take out the middle 2 cores.

If there is time (he'll probably be ready to shoot it's arms out in the X pattern), you can take out the top core before he gets a chance to shoot into the X-form. If not, make your options like:

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x  o  o  o  o

And get to the top left corner. After it's arms are out you can place the options over the remaining core and take him out easily.

Level 3 (walker)

When you get to the boss, get your options like (or something similar):

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   o
x  oo
   o

And sit inside for a few steps taking out the cheerios.

Get below him and (before the turrets show up):

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o

o

o

o

x

You can keep the screen clear of cheerios for a while.

Once the turrets start showing up, I usually keep my options like:

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o
  x
o
o
o

So I can still take out cheerios from above, and the turrets below. The spreadbombs have good range around them so the turrets are easy to take out. Try to make sure you have a shield at this point, and if you can, keep your powerups on shield as well to re-raise it if you lose it.

The main turrets you have to worry about are the ones that arrive on the screen as you are hiding under the middle column as the mega-laser sweeps across the screen.

As soon as they come on the screen, they will shoot at you. It's not hard to dodge if you know it's coming, but I still get hit from time to time.

If you have the time right before he sweeps, you can setup your options like:

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          ox
o  o  o

So you can take out the turret as it arrives and hopefully it won't get a shot off at ya.

If you are confident enough, you can have your options above the entire time and be shooting the core during most of the turret portion. If you can sit your options directly on the core, it does mass damage with the spread bombs.

As it's taking the set of columns out, you should be on the left side of the screen with your options like:

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   o
   
   o
  
   o
  o
x

So you can shoot the core as it's walking down.

As soon as you can, ( just as the walls widen again), get inside his legs and place all options on top of the core and unload.

I usually kill it before the walker hits the bottom and it never gets a chance to shoot it's red-bomb things.


Level 4:

This is one of the easiest bosses. There's a safe spot for part of the boss.

Just before the electricity columns show, align your options like:

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  x
o

o
o
o

And fly up to the top right corner as high as you can go (you can't hit the ceiling and die, don't worry), and as far right as you can go (you CAN hit the wall and die). This is a safe spot while the columns are moving. You'll never get hit by the electricity, it might look like it, but you won't.

And you'll be hitting the boss the entire time if you have your options setup correctly.

When the columns pass, place all your options in front of you (close together) and freeze them and hover over the moving piece of the boss, you'll take it out and then you can damage the entire boss. Get in as much of that as you can.

I can't remember which part is next. If it's the acid blobs, go to the bottom left of the screen and:

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  o  o  o  o
x

Hover the options over the bottom spawner and keep shooting, you'll be safe. As soon as the acid disappears, hover your options on the boss again (take out the moving thing, then shoot the core when you can).

During the laser part, just move around in the center for a while then at the last moment move to the top or bottom left corner. Dodge the lasers etc... There's really no trick here.

For the flame that leaves a trail you can place your options like:

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x  o  o  o  o

So you can hit the boss even if you get stuck inside one of it's loops. However, as soon as it starts exploding into fire-shrapnel, stop shooting. It's REALLY hard to see with spreadbombs going off and you want to be to dodge the shrapnel.

Rinse and repeat. I usually kill the boss before the 2nd episode of electricity columns.


Level 5:
I haven't found a secret to this boss. Dodge the asteroids and bullets ... it sucks. When the laser part starts, I usually have my options like so:

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  o  x o  o  o

... while there are still asteroids. Hang around the middle and you'll damage the core. I have 1 option behind me to deal with asteroids that try to crawl up your ass.

As soon as it goes into the all-lasers-shooting-at-once, I have my options like:

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x  oo

(basically all on top of each other) and I have them all sitting on the core.

I can usually take out the core before it gets a chance to shoot the mass-bullet spreads for a 2nd time.

Ok... I'm sick of typing. This would be a whole lot easier with video Still procrastinating on sticking that video capture card in.

This should probably also go in the strategy forum.

[Dewclaw]

I'll definately get some use out of this, thanks alot Landshark.

[MovingTarget]

Much thanks landshark. Why dont you make an ST Strategy for the strategy section? Would be much appreciated by me, I still cant figure out the damn speedy sections

[Stormowl]

STUFF

this definitely needs to go into the strategy section.

[Zach Keene]

Made it so.

[MovingTarget]

wow just like magic!

Landshark no pressure man but we need more

[landshark]

wow just like magic!

Landshark no pressure man but we need more

I'm heading over to Fry's tonight if I can get my co-worker to go along. I'm going to pick up a video capture card. Hopefully I can make some boss recordings and get some screenshots and I'll start working on a full strategy page.

Anyone have a place that can host large video files?

Edit: gonna have to wait a day or two as I can't get to Fry's til tomorrow or hopefully wednesday.

[MovingTarget]

The post is handy for people who dont have fast net connections, such as myself. So videos arent really practical for me but screenshots are....

Have you any advice for manouvering the options into place? Its this that kills me a lot when using type 1.

[landshark]

For maneuvering into place, it depends on where you are at.

Up until stage 6, you only really need to be able to get into this position in a limited amount of space.

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x  o  o  o  o

And that is just a matter of moving left, hold freeze, move right, let go, move left, hold freeze, move right, let go .... you get used to doing that really quick.

At stage 6, you need to be able to get into this position in a limited amount of space (the corridor leading to the acide):

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x
  o
    o
      o  o

You also need to flip that into the opposite to clear the top spawner in the same corridor.:

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      o  o
    o
  o
x

Option manipulation is also very helpful for the vertical scrolling acid-areas.

But most of the time, I get into the option position by following that path with my ship, then holding freeze.

Another useful one is:

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     o
 o
    x
 o
     o

This is useful before boss rushes when a bunch of those little power-up spawning guys bum-rush you. Put your options around you like that and keep TAPPING your laser; don't hold the laser button down. This way you are pretty much constantly shooting and they won't run into you (I move around).

To get into that position, move your ship in a small counter-clockwise circle sorta like:

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  2   1
3
     7
4       6
    5

and hit freeze.

As for 56k dialups. I'd get the screenshots from the videos. But you can't show everything easily with screenshots.

[MovingTarget]

Thanks, what speeds do you use by the way?

[landshark]

I really don't know. I think I have 1 or 2 speeds up until level 7 at which point I go to 3 I think.

[MovingTarget]

Much Thanks

[captain ahar]

sincere thanks for the strategy tips. kinda funny though, a lot of this stuff i've found on my own. makes me feel good about myself, hyuk. now it's just a matter of playing the game smartly so i can get far(ther).

[MovingTarget]

Any advice for the bit leading up to the stage 5 boss, where the screen is completely filled with asteroids and the bosses go round dropping exploding mines? This bit is a nightmare for me and worse than the main boss itself.

[Icarus]

Any advice for the bit leading up to the stage 5 boss, where the screen is completely filled with asteroids and the bosses go round dropping exploding mines? This bit is a nightmare for me and worse than the main boss itself.

Easiest way I've found is to group your Options so you have three directly above you and one below you, at least half a ship to a ship thickness away. Using Laser, this should give you protection from any asteroids, and allow you to move somewhat freely through the asteroid field before the boss.

Speaking of this guide, I had a bunch of Type 1 Boss clips I recorded during my run through the Euro competition, which were intended as speedkill demonstrations. I can pop up a batch torrent on request, or upload single, individual boss clips to the server as direct download.

[MovingTarget]

Easiest way I've found is to group your Options so you have three directly above you and one below you, at least half a ship to a ship thickness away. Using Laser, this should give you protection from any asteroids, and allow you to move somewhat freely through the asteroid field before the boss.

Coincidentally I discovered this last night, except with the three options placed beneath the ship. Made it much easier, easier than with type 2 even.

[MovingTarget]

For the asteroid and bullet dodging part of the stage 5 boss my strategy is to constantly move from the top to the bottom and up again with 1 speed up. Spreads the bullets out among the asteroids meaning less will get through so you can concentrate more on the asteroid dance.

Anyone have a preferred strategy for this part?

[landshark]

I put my options in a ball behind me and sweep up and down the left side of the screen as you describe. However, I do it slowly, trying to stay in one spot for as long as I can (hiding behind large asteroids).

I use a similar tactic for the asteroid field during the pre-boss section. I make a stack of 2 options above me, sometimes 1 or 2 below me. But I tend to swing them around while I'm in the field, depending on where I need them.

[MovingTarget]

You put your options bunched behind you to destroy any asteroids blocking your path?

Moving slowly up and down makes sense.

Used to think type 2 with lasers was fun, but now I'm definetly a type 1 convert

[landshark]

You put your options bunched behind you to destroy any asteroids blocking your path?

Yes, because sometimes so many asteroids show up at once that it's too risk to squeeze between them. So I take a few out.

Moving slowly up and down makes sense.

You have to be careful. Sometimes the asteroids shielding you will break as you are sweeping up and down. If they break above you as you are going down, you might run into the steady stream of bullets as you are going back up. So I tend to slow down in the middle. When I get to the ends, I speed up so the bullet-stream spreads out more in case I need to dodge the bullets.