Spark Salamander is a mid-boss in Blaster Master Zero, appearing in Area 4. It later reappears in Area 9.
Contents
Physical Appearance[]
Spark Salamander resembles a giant salamander. It is black in color with yellow markings and has four small, three-toed feet; a stubby tail; four red eyes; and large pincer mandibles that extend beyond the main width of the head.
In Blaster Master Zero 3, Spark Salamander returns as a pair of Spark Salamanders known as Spark Salamander G/C. Spark Salamander C is white with red markings and four blue eyes, and Spark Salamander G is blue with blue/yellow markings and has four red eyes.
General Information[]
Spark Salamander appears as the second mid-boss in the Waterworks Area. Defeating it normally grants the Spark Tackle Sub-weapon, allowing SOPHIA III to perform an invincible dash forward that serves as an attack and an evasive maneuver. In Destroyer Mode, defeating it grants the Laser Shot, allowing SOPHIA III to charge and shoot a laser that penetrates walls and enemies without using energy.
Spark Salamander reappears in Area 9 as the last of three bosses guarding Key 5 (the first two bosses being Hard Shell and Crabularva).
Attacks[]
Spark Salamander starts at the right side of the arena, and stays there for most of the battle. It can attack by extending out its long tongue or by charging up electricity and performing a Spark Tackle. Preceding each attack, Spark Salamander will sidestep, allowing it to move up and down the right side of the arena. The distance covered by each sidestep motion varies, and it does not necessarily alternate (e.g. after moving up, it can move either down or up again). If it performs four motions, it will use its tongue attack; Spark Salamander will usually try to line up with the player before using this attack, however it can adjust its angle slightly before attacking with a maximum of 45° below and above the horizon. If it performs three motions, it will use its Spark Tackle; Spark Tackle also offers a visual cue, as Spark Salamander generates electricity between its mandibles and begins flashing. When Spark Salamander reaches half health, it will perform three tongue attacks instead of one; during a set of three tongue attacks, the boss can turn its head 45° in one direction, increasing its attack range for the second and third attacks.
Strategy[]
| “ | Shoot it as best you can while avoiding its tackle attacks! Watch out for its tongue, too!” |
| — Eve |
Spark Salamander’s tongue attack can be easily avoided by strafing up or down, assuming the player isn't too close. Its Spark Tackle can be avoided through similar means; depending on how close the player is, backing up may be necessary to avoid damage, and if Spark Salamander ends up behind the player, moving out of the way as it returns to the right side of the arena is also necessary. The best distance to be is just behind the halfway point of the arena; any closer will make dodging its attacks nearly impossible unless the player uses a Flash Bomb or other methods of stunning it, and being farther away gives Spark Salamander time to dodge the player’s attacks, and also limits the usage of Gun types with limited range.
Using Wave, Jason is able to keep a safe distance while being able to do high damage. While not as effective, Long Range and Auto can perform similar strategies, but should be at a closer range due to the limit of only three shots at a time for the former and limited range of the latter.
Spark Salamander is weak to Flame, causing it to be stunned for a period of time and taking more damage than usual. In “ideal” conditions—where its first attack is Spark Tackle—it can be defeated in less than 20 seconds.
Destroyer Mode[]
Spark Salamander is immune to all Gun types except Blaster and Wave. If Jason has Wave, he should stay at the far left and keep shooting to the right while strafing to avoid oncoming attacks.
If Jason does not have Wave, he will have to resort to using the Blaster and his available Sub-weapons. The best strategy is to dodge and counter. Jason should be standing just behind the midpoint of the arena to have enough time to dodge, but also be in a good position to approach. When Spark Salamander performs its tongue attack, strafe to the side and run up to it while firing. Jason can also get some hits in while it’s sidestepping, but shouldn’t stay for too long. When Spark Salamander performs its Spark Tackle, strafe to a side while also moving backward. Once Spark Salamander passes Jason, turn 90° (look straight up or down, depending on relative position), and begin shooting it while it makes its way back to the right side of the arena; don’t go too far to the right, though. When Spark Salamander performs its tongue attack at half health, use a Flash Bomb to stun it, then perform a flanking maneuver, preferably to the side of the arena that has most space. Spark Salamander cannot hit Jason while he is directly above or below it, and the extra tongue attacks means Jason will have plenty of time to deal damage; Ignition Bombs are the best option in this situation. Grenades can also be used during the fight to deal extra damage.
Damage[]
The following list shows how many shots it takes from each Gun and Sub-weapon type to defeat Spark Salamander. Stun means Spark Salamander will be unable to act for a brief period of time; weapons can only stun every so often in order to prevent the boss from being stun-locked. Weak means Spark Salamander will take twice as much damage from the Gun than usual; in-game, they flash red, and are also stunned, when this occurs. Sub-weapons do double damage against bosses compared to enemies to mitigate their limited ammo.
- Blaster: 110*
- Long Range: 110
- Penetrator: 110
- Diffusion: 55* (stun) (farthest); 21* (stun) (closest)
- Auto: 275*
- Reflect: No effect
- Striker: 55
- Flame: 138 hits (weak) (direct only); 110 ticks (weak) (burning only)
- Wave: 220 (stun) (1 shot); 74 (stun) (3 shots)
- Grenade Bomb: [10 = ~55.5% HP removed]
- Ignition Bomb: [10 = ~77.3% HP removed]
- Turret: 55 (bullets); 14 (explosion)
- Remote Blast: [15 rockets = ~68.2% HP removed]
*Gun attack deals increased damage to this boss
Trivia[]
- Spark Salamander seems to take on the role of the Poisonous Frog in Area 4 of Blaster Master, being a top-down fight where both enemies can move around and perform attacks with their long tongues. However, the new boss of Area 4, Ribbiroll, has a greater resemblance, albeit being a side-scrolling battle.
- The color scheme of Spark Salamander G/C is a direct reference of Gunvolt and Copen's respective color scheme, both are main characters from Azure Striker Gunvolt seres.
