Tetran (テトラン Tetoran) is a recurring boss in the Gradius series.
Description
Tetran is a staple boss of the Gradius franchise, first appearing in the spin-off Salamander as the second boss and making regular appearances since. Most, if not all, Tetran encounters usually plays an arrangement of "Poison of Snake".
Attack patterns
Tetran's main attack is firing bullets and spinning its four arms around in an attempt to destroy the player. Careful maneuvering is often necessary to dodge in the tight surroundings since the arms limit movement. The arms also protect the core as they spin and block the opening, making attack opportunities limited. Furthermore, the opening that gives access to the core is remarkably tight and shots fired by the player's vessel have a high chance to hit the surrounding edges instead. Managing to bring a good number of Options to the battle will significantly lessen the ordeal, as they can deal damage to the core while the player is occupied maneuvering around the boss.
Tetran generally doesn't change its attack abilities too much between games, but later appearances increase its capabilities by adding extra weapons at the tips of the arms and making the arms themselves more unpredictable in their movements. Gradius V in particular features a significant new addition to the Tetran's arsenal by spinning its arms at incredible speeds while firing lasers rapidly, filling the entire area with enemy fire. He can also fire four beams; two from the front and two diagonally from the back.
Gallery
.png "Cruiser Tetran (Salamander MSX).png (3 KB)")
.png "SurpriseCore (Rocket Knight).png (17 KB)")
Trivia
- In Rocket Knight Adventures, the Pulsating Plasma Blaster mini-boss appears as a combination of Tetran and Big Core.
- A bio version of Tetran, Zylom, appears in Life Force (Arcade), which is a different version of Salamander.
- The Tetranducker, an mini-boss appearing in Contra III: The Alien Wars (also by Konami), is inspired by both the Tetran and the Ducker. Furthermore, it is essentially an combination of the two enemies (being a bipedal robot turret like the Ducker and possessing long tentacle-like limbs for legs, similar to the Tetran)
See also
| 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 | |
| Gradius III | ||
| Ships | Vic Viper | |
| Stages | Desert • Bubble Zone • Volcanic Planet • High Speed Dimension • Moai Zone • Cell Planet • Prominence Planet • Plant Planet • Crystal Zone • Boss Rush • Mechanical Base | |
| SNES exclusive stages | High Speed Zone • Fortress • Cell | |
| Bosses | Goliath • Bubble Eye • Godrei • Big Core MK III • Dogas • Vaif • Twin Vaif (SNES) • Gregol • Wyvern • Vulture Dragon • Choking Weed • Lizard Core • Beacon (SNES) • Tetran • Covered Core • Big Core MK II • Crystal Core • Death MK II • Dellinger Core • Disrupt • Shadow Gear • Shadow Gear MK II (SNES) • Big Core • Golem • Bacterian | |
| 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) | |
| 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 | |