Tarantox

Tarantox
Galaxy	Space Junk Galaxy
Mission(s)	Tarantox's Tangled Web
Dome	Fountain
Star given

Tarantox is one of the bosses in Super Mario Galaxy, being a giant spider monster that is seemingly related to the Spoings and Spranglers. He is found wrapped up in a web inside the Phantom Boss Spider Zone in the Space Junk Galaxy. His 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 him by using a Sling Pod to break the shell off of the Phantom Boss Spider Zone, revealing his web and the spider in a cocoon. Mario then must use another Sling Pod to tear the web and free the spider, then battle him.

In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Cave Spiders are replaced by Tarantox. Spider eyes are replaced by Tarantox's eyes.

Appearance

Tarantox has three wide oval eyes, wings, and a nozzle-like mouth. His feet are similar to suction cups. He has horizontal stripes on his body, two small pairs of insect-like wings, four glowing growths on his sides, and one giant one on his behind. He attacks Mario by flailing his legs around and spitting acid from his smaller buttons. He also has three large growths on his underside, which Mario must pop.

Battle

Tarantox spitting acid

This battle makes extensive use of Sling Pods. To damage Tarantox, Mario must use Sling Pods and throw himself at the largest glowing growth (the one on Tarantox's rear) to pop it. Mario can also sling himself 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 Mario hits the growth on Tarantox's rear, the spider will fall upside down, revealing three more red bumps on its underbelly. If Mario pops all of them, the spider regains its feet and attacks faster. During the second round, the side glowing buttons start blasting toxic liquid so it is harder for Mario to hit Tarantox. If Mario repeats the procedure one more time, Tarantox is defeated, falls through its web, and goes flying into space, revealing a Power Star which Mario has to use a Sling Pod to collect.

Super Mario Galaxy trading card description

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

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  Concept art from Super Mario Galaxy

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  Concept art from Super Mario Galaxy

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  Key artwork

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  Screenshot of Tarantox's underside from Super Mario Galaxy

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  Screenshot of Tarantox's cocoon from Super Mario Galaxy

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  Screenshot from Minecraft: Wii U Edition

Additional names

Internal names

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

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	クモキング[?] Kumo Kingu	Spider King
Chinese	蜘蛛王[?] Zhīzhū Wáng	Spider King
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