R-Type/Stage 8

Planet Bydo
The final stage of the game is actually the shortest, and features the least variety of all. You will be flying through a wide open organic tunnel. All the while, you will have only two threats to contend with. The first is in the form of small green creatures that resemble babies, who appear from anywhere along the top and bottom of the screen, and fly towards your ship. They are easily removed. Before the second threat appears, two power-up transports will appear. The first will provide Counter Ground Lasers, and the second offers a speed-up.

The second threat will arrive shortly after, in the form of a small blue fireball. At the same time, a third transport will appear, with another speed-up. The blue fireball will fly from the right side of the screen around to the left, and then back to the right, where it will fly about in a circle for the remainder of the stage. After its initial passage through the left, it will not return there, so you can safely remain on the left. The “babies” will continue to fly out from the edges toward your ship throughout the stage. Two final power-up transports appear, providing the Anti-Air Lasers, and Reflection Lasers. For the boss fight, which is directly ahead, you will want to end up with the Anti-Air Lasers.

Bydo Core
The boss of the bydo empire lies behind a vibrating mass of tentacles which block all of your attacks. Every now and then, the mass stops, and pulls back just long enough for the boss to eject another fireball at you, which will follow a new path independent of the other fireballs existing on the screen. When four appear, the fireballs will stray from their path and home in on the ship. You can only survive this fate if you have collected enough speed to outmaneuver them. While the tentacles block your shots, you can get close enough to them that your ship can actually fire through them. However, this approach is not recommended as it leaves your ship fairly vulnerable to the fireball circling the right side of the screen, as well as attacks from behind. Instead, the preferred tactic by experts is to wait for the first occasion when the tentacles part and the boss emits a new fireball. At that time, launch the Force into the mouth of the boss, who will then close his mouth around the Force, and allow the presence of Force to constantly damage the boss until it explodes. All you need to concern yourself with are attacks from the “babies” that continue to appear during the fight. Before the boss emits a fireball for the third time, it should sustain enough damage and explode. You will then be presented with the ending credits of the game, before it starts all over again from ../Stage 1/ at a higher level of difficulty. Congratulations.

Alternate tactics
If you are fully powered up and have the bits, sit on the left of the screen in the middle so that your shots are lined up with the centre of the tentacles. When the tentacles move, launch the force into the pod. Hold left on the stick to move the bits forward slightly and keep hammering fire. You will destroy the Bydo core around 10 seconds after the third fireball is launched.

If you are not fully powered up you cannot use the tactic above and must move to avoid the babies. It is possible to defeat the Bydo, you need two speed ups and some practice :-) I call this the 'runaround' tactic. As above, sit on the left middle of the screen and line yourself up with the centre of the tentacles. When they open, launch the force into its mouth and immediately start circling in a clockwise direction - head to top left of screen, then move right and downward, then left and keep repeating this. You must dodge/shoot the babies *and* avoid the fireballs. Just before the third fireball is launched, make sure you are in the top half of the screen because the third fireball launches out and moves downward and will hit you. Keep going for approx 10 seconds and the Bydo core will be destroyed. It is very difficult to get the hang of this but once you get the knack for it you will find that you can usually defeat the Bydo this way without using too many lives. It can get very frustrating trying this so persevere!!!!

Demo of runaround tactic