Boss Galaga

Boss Galaga
Artwork of Boss Galaga from Mario Kart Arcade GP DX
First appearance	Galaga (1981, outside media) Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, Super Mario-related media)
Latest appearance	Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)

Boss Galaga is an alien species from the Namco-developed Galaga games. In this franchise, it is an enemy that uses a tractor beam to capture the player-controlled spacecraft and bring it on the enemy side. Boss Galaga is also present as an item in several crossovers with the Super Mario franchise, where it displays similar capabilities.

History

Mario Kart series

Boss Galaga appears under the name Galaga Boss as one of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man's special items in Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX. Galaga Boss is thrown forward in a straight line. Upon hitting a rival racer, Galaga Boss will lift them into the air with its tractor beam, causing them to lose time in the race.

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Boss Galaga in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Boss Galaga also appears as a regular throwable item in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Once a player picks up and throws it, it searches for an opponent to begin sucking up with its tractor beam. Once it successfully does so, it stalls momentarily before flying up in the air and taking the player off the stage, costing the player a life. It is possible for a player caught in the beam to be freed if Boss Galaga is struck enough times or hit out of Boss Galaga's grasp before it completely flies off the stage. Players caught can also escape by button mashing, but this becomes more difficult the higher damage accumulated for the caught player. It turns blue to indicate it has been hit to indicate damage and will "break" with another strong hit. Unlike the Beetle, this attack is not affected by the caught fighter's weight.

A Boss Galaga with modified behavior is also used in the Event Match "Enough with the Kidnapping". This variant infinitely spawns and will only target the player who controls Peach while they battle Bowser and Bowser Jr. This Boss Galaga will also only affect Peach ignoring Bowser and Bowser Jr. even if they walk into its traction beam. Otherwise, this Boss Galaga works the same when it flies towards Peach, beaming her up if caught and then taking her away, "kidnapping" her to keep with the event match's theme.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The Boss Galaga item returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with the same function. Here, as an opponent is caught, the background changes to the scrolling star scenery from the original Galaga. A fighter who is taken away also has the older "star KO" animation where they spin in a sided angle while in the grasp of Boss Galaga compared to the newer animation where they spin facing the player, although sometimes the regular KO effect occurs instead.

The game also features Boss Galaga as a spirit, which grants the user immunity to burying attacks. In World of Light, the spirit is encountered on the Mysterious Dimension sub-map of the Dark Realm. To obtain it, the player has to win a battle against a team of five tiny Pac-Men on the Lylat Cruise stage. The only items spawned during the battle are Boss Galaga. Alternatively, the player can obtain the spirit by summoning it with the cores of a Swooping Snitchbug and a Bandit.

Profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy

Name	Image	Appears in	NTSC-U Description	PAL Description
Boss Galaga		Arcade Galaga (1981)	A boss enemy from Galaga. When thrown, it will spiral skyward and hang out for a time and then descend and pull in fighters with a tractor beam. If you get caught, try to escape by wiggling around as best you can. Unfortunately, there is no bonus fighter for defeating this enemy...	A boss enemy from Galaga. When thrown, it spirals into the air and drifts for a while before descending on a fighter and using a tractor beam to pull them up. If the beam touches you, you'll be captured and carried off, so all you can do is wiggle around and try to escape! Defeating the Boss Galaga won't net you another fighter. Sorry!

Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit

Name	Image	Series / game	Type	Class	Strength / effect(s)	How to obtain	Spirit battle
							Opponent(s)	Battle conditions	Stage	Song
Boss Galaga		Galaga Series	Support (1)	Advanced	Bury Immunity	World of Light (Mysterious Dimension); Summoned with a Swooping Snitchbug and Bandit core	Tiny PAC-MAN ×4	Rule: Item: Boss Galaga Items will be pulled toward the enemy The enemy is easily distracted by items Defeat an army of fighters	Lylat Cruise (Battlefield)	Galaga Medley

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ボス・ギャラガ[?] Bosu Gyaraga	Boss Galaga
German	Boss Galaga[?]	Boss Galaga
Russian	Босс Galaga[?] Boss Galaga	Boss Galaga