Tarantox
| Tarantox | |
|---|---|
| |
| First appearance | Super Mario Galaxy (2007) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) |
Tarantox is one of the bosses in Super Mario Galaxy, being a gigantic spider-like creature that is seemingly related to the Spoings and Spanglers. It is found wrapped up in a web inside the Phantom Boss Spider Zone in the Space Junk Galaxy. Its name is a portmanteau of "tarantula" and "toxic." The music while fighting Tarantox is the same as while fighting both versions of Dino Piranha.
Mario reaches it by using a Sling Pod to break the shell off of the Phantom Boss Spider Zone, revealing its web and the spider in a cocoon. Mario then must use another Sling Pod to tear the web and free the spider, then battle it.
In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Cave Spiders are replaced by Tarantox. Spider eyes are replaced by Tarantox's eyes.
Appearance[edit]
Tarantox has three wide oval eyes, wings, and a nozzle-like mouth. Its feet are similar to suction cups. It has horizontal stripes on its body, two small pairs of insect-like wings, four glowing growths on its sides, and one giant one on its behind. It attacks Mario by flailing its legs around and spitting acid from its smaller buttons. It also has three large growths on its underside, which Mario must pop.
Battle[edit]
This battle makes extensive use of Sling Pods. To damage Tarantox, the player must use Sling Pods and throw himself at the largest glowing growth (the one on Tarantox's rear) to pop it. They can also sling Mario either at Tarantox's eyes or at the bumps on its side, which will cause the boss to cover its face in pain, rendering it stunned for a very short period of time. Once the player hits the growth on Tarantox's rear, the spider will fall upside down, revealing three more red bumps on its underbelly. Once all of them are popped, the spider regains its feet and attacks faster. During the second round, the side glowing buttons start blasting toxic liquid so it is harder to hit Tarantox, though like in the first round, popping them will both stun the spider and disable the toxic liquid. Once the player pops the red bumps on its underbelly once more, Tarantox is defeated, falls through its web, and goes flying into space, revealing a Power Star which must be collected using one of the Sling Pods.
Tarantox is the only boss in Super Mario Galaxy whose battle takes place in a 2D segment.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
| Tarantox | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| |||
| Dome | Fountain | Galaxy | Space Junk Galaxy |
| Mission | Tarantox's Tangled Web | Reward | 
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Trading card description[edit]
| Image | Name | Description
|
|---|---|---|
 |
Tarantox | A giant, triple-eyed space spider in the Space Junk Galaxy, Tarantox is a formidable boss Mario must battle for a Power Star. Reach the acid-drooling arachnid by sling-podding into its web. Catapult Mario into Tarantox's weak spot (the orbs on its back) to flip the spider on its back. Continue to hit the ones on its belly to hurt it. Do this twice to win the Power Star! |
Gallery[edit]
Concept art from Super Mario Galaxy
Concept art from Super Mario Galaxy
Key artwork
Screenshot of Tarantox's underside from Super Mario Galaxy
Screenshot of Tarantox's cocoon from Super Mario Galaxy
Screenshot from Minecraft: Wii U Edition
Additional names[edit]
Internal names[edit]
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Galaxy | ObjectData/TombSpider.arc | TombSpider | Tomb Spider |
| Super Mario Galaxy | StageData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl | トゥームスパイダー (Tūmu Supaidā) | Tomb Spider |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | クモキング[?] Kumo Kingu |
Spider King | |
| Chinese | 蜘蛛王[?] Zhīzhū Wáng |
Spider King | |
| French | Arachnoboss[?] | From "arachnide" and "boss" | |
| German | Königsspinne[?] | King-Spider | |
| Italian | Tarantorex[?] | From "tarantola" (tarantula) and "rex" (Latin for king) | |
| Korean | 거미킹[?] Geomi King |
Spider King | |
| Spanish | Reina Araña[?] | Spider Queen |
