Moai is the third stage in Gradius. It's the first stage to feature the famous Moais. The player must face with more bullets to dodge at the start of the level and new enemies. At the end of the start-up section is a Mother and Child. The level consists of Moai heads that can be destroyed if the player shoots them in their mouths. Finally, there is an onslaught of Mothers and their Children acting as a Sub Boss of the level, and then the usual Boss, Big Core.