Mechbeth is a boss from Star Fox 64 deployed by a nameless train engineer on the planet Macbeth. The name of the boss is very easy to mix up with the planet it appears on since they are so similar. Mechbeth is a flying weapon tethered to a moving train that, unlike traditional bosses, shows up halfway through the stage instead at the very end. Once it appears it performs swoop attacks and launches giant iron bars that create barriers on the ground. It moves quickly through the air and cannot be locked on so only rapid fire and smart bombs can damage it. When its head and lower section has been destroyed, the train starts dropping mines. Shooting the train when it opens will allow players to finish Mechbeth off.
This boss fight can also be bypassed by shooting eight switches earlier in the stage and changing the track. This sends the train and Mecbeth crashing into a weapons factory to cause a massive explosion. Failing to hit the switches means the boss fight continues normally. At this point there is an unspoken time limit. If a certain amount of time passes and the boss is not defeated, the engineer will get tired of the battle and send Mechbeth to kill the player in one hit. This is the only instance in Star Fox 64 where a boss has a one hit kill move.
The Star Fox 64 Nintendo player's guide explains that Mechbeth's power generator is still under development so it needs a constant source of energy from the train. This is why shooting the back of the train as it opens causes Mechbeth to flail about in the air.
Log in to comment