Console: NES

Company: Sunsoft

Release Date: November 1988

Genre: Action/Adventure

Number of Players: 1

Save Feature? No

Blaster Master is one of my favorite games of all-time! With its dazzling graphics, sensational soundtrack, solid play control, and challenge that won't quit, this game is a rare gem indeed. Although several sequels have been released, none can touch the original in terms of atmosphere and overall playability.

Overview: In terms of nostalgia, it is so hard to beat Blaster Master. Some of my fondest memories include playing this great game over at my good friend Wesley Messer's back in 1988. I remember Wesley, his older brother Denny Jr., and myself jamming away at Blaster Master for countless hours back in those days. We were just so amazed with the incredible atmosphere and unique gameplay. Besides, you can't beat playing a great game surrounded by friends! I will never forget hearing the Stage 1 music for the first time or the incredible feeling of beating the Stage 1 boss and successfully making it to Stage 2. And when Denny Jr. made it to Stage 4 one day, I thought that he was amazing! Hey, back in the day, only the very best gamers could make it that far man. :)

Although Blaster Master was a blast to play, it was also one of the most challenging games of its day. For one thing, Blaster Master has got to be one of the largest games ever released for the NES. With eight huge levels and countless bases to explore, even avid adventurers will have trouble with this one. I remember playing this game virtually non-stop for 9 months or so back in 1989 and I still didn't find everything! However, when I finally managed to find and defeat the Master Boss, I was the most excited eight-year old on the planet! That I promise you! :)

Regarding the gameplay itself, Blaster Master was actually quite innovative for its day. While the main overworld scenes involved you jumping and blasting mutants in your super-cool rover, there were times when you had to exit your vehicle (by pressing the Select button) and explore the large bases/labyrinths that lay scattered throughout each level. Since each stage contains approximately five bases and the mutant boss can be found in only one of them, you will have to do a lot of exploring. This isn't a bad thing though; many of the bases are filled with loads of weapons and gun power for yourself and your rover. As an added bonus, it makes finding the location of the boss all that more rewarding. However, just because you locate a boss, don't expect an easy battle. Some of the bosses (notably the Stage 6 and 7 goons) are incredibly tough!

One really cool thing about Blaster Master is that your acquire some really cool power or ability by defeating a boss. After defeating a major boss you might be able to fire the dazzling Crusher, hover in the air, move quickly underwater, or even scale the walls! Not only are these abilities a lot of fun to use but they are essential to making it to the next level. You might be able to blast away blocks that you couldn't touch before or unlock an area that was previously blockaded.

On top of that, even finding the next stage can be tricky in this game. Blaster Master had to be one of the first non-linear games released for the NES. I have always loved the irony of the Stage 4 entrance being found at the very beginning of the game. On the other hand, I remember trekking through Stage 7 for hours trying to find the elusive Stage 8. It wasn't until later that I figured out that the entrance to Stage 8 was actually way back in Stage 3! The level layout definitely made the game much more interesting.

Graphics: As far as graphics go, Blaster Master simply blew away the rest of the field. For a 1988 release, the graphics rock! The attention to detail and impressive animations (e.g. mutant frog boss lashing its tongue at you) create a really neat atmosphere. Although the graphics are very crisp and colorful, they seem to have dark undertones (after all, you are underground). The result is a mysterious, eerie feel. The background graphics add to the game's feel as well. The dark blue sky at the beginning of the game is simply marvelous!

Even the special weapons are fun to watch! The Crusher (blaster you receive after defeating Boss #2) has a beautiful rainbow effect while the lightning attack is simply dazzling. However, the most impressive graphics have to be when you fight the giant bosses. And believe me; I mean it when I say "giant bosses." When Sunsoft said that the bosses would literally fill the entire screen, they weren't kidding!

The animation in Blaster Master is a mixed bag. While your vehicle moves very fluidly, there can be a lot of image breakup during some of the boss battles (especially boss #6...hoo boy). Overall though, the graphics in Blaster Master blew away the rest of the 1988 competition.

Music: As if the stunning visuals weren't enough, Sunsoft gave Blaster Master a very memorable soundtrack as well. The music in Blaster Master is...well...music! You don't have to put up with little tunes that go nowhere and grate on your nerves; Blaster Master's soundtrack is nothing but solid, adrenaline pumping music! It does a fantasic job of creating the game's atmosphere and just strikes me as being very appropriate.

As I said before, the Stage 1 track is exceptional. It is upbeat, catchy, and does a great job of setting the stage for the rest of the game. For some reason, I have always liked the Stage 2 track a lot as well. It is a little dark and mysterious which fits the whole underground ancient castle theme nicely. The Stage 5 tune is another great track. Soft and serene, it creates the perfect atmosphere for the game's underwater level. The Stage 6 tune follows things up with a fantasic, upbeat theme with some cool background sounds.

Although some of the tunes in Blaster Master would be lousy stand alone tracks, they create the absolute perfect atmosphere. The incredibly eerie Stage 8 track is a perfect example of this. It is definitely not CD material but within the game, man does it ever do the job. I remember getting really nervous late in the game thanks to this tune. It is not upbeat or anything; just really quiet and eerie.

I should note that another great thing about the Blaster Master soundtrack has to be its staying power. After 16 or so years, I still find myself humming tunes from this game every now and then. I can't say that about very many games.

The sound effects are actually very impressive for an NES game. Little things from blowing an enemy away and the warning sound of a land mine to the weapons and special abilities (such as hover) sound just right. I love the sound when you hit a big boss as well. Very cool!

Play Control: In all my years of video game experience, I have come across way too many games that deliver high quality graphics and music but get tripped up by having lousy play control. Thankfully, Blaster Master is not one of those games. Within minutes, you'll be jumping and blasting with the best of 'em! I like how you can fire in several directions with your rover and how easy it is to use special weapons like homing missiles. As good as the controls are in vehicle mode, it's even easier to control Jason in the overhead mode. You can move in eight directions (yes, even diagonally!) and everything just feels very fluid. Believe me; in a game this tough, responsive play control is a must!

Challenge: Blaster Master remains one of the most challenging NES games out there. However, I feel that the challenge level is just right. Blaster Master is tough as nails yet it doesn't cause you to quit in frustration like the infamous Battletoads. Once you begin playing this game, you just have to complete it. It took me over 9 months to finish Blaster Master yet I never got tired of it or frustrated to the point of quitting. It takes a very special game to keep me involved for such a long time.

Storyline: Okay, so Blaster Master doesn't have the best plot ever. It involves Jason (the hero) diving in a deep chasm searching for his beloved frog (who had just had a nasty encounter with plutonium). However, it turns out that there are mutants underground; hideous mutants that have the strength to destroy the world. However, Jason discovers a mysterious underground rover and before you can say "frog legs," Jason dons a special suit and begins his journey into the underworld.

I will admit that it's one of the cheesiest storylines ever; however, you have to admit that it's at least creative. I like the idea of fighting mutant frogs, crabs, and an incredibly vile underworld king (see, there's more than just saving your frog). To me, anything is better than the stale "save the princess" plot.

Funfactor: When all is said and done, the most important aspect of any game is its funfactor; the overall gameplay. Is the game an enjoyable experience or does it become stale quickly? You can have all the eye and ear candy you want but if the game doesn't have smooth, engrossing gameplay, it will fall into the ranks of mediocrity very quickly.

Thankfully, Blaster Master comes out a big winner because it is an extremely fun game to play. It probably fits somewhere in my Top 10 games of all-time list and that is saying a lot! There just aren't many games that keep me coming back like Blaster Master. It just never seems to get old and that is a credit to the great gameplay and the incredible depth. Sunsoft really pulled out all the stops with this game and although they have been known for a lot of great games, Blaster Master has to be their crown jewel. If Sunsoft had only released an NES sequel...

Negatives: What makes Blaster Master so great is its lack of any real weakness. I really can't say that about many games. Sure, there is some image breakup and slowdown during some boss battles but that's a rather minor problem. And while the story is not exactly Chrono Trigger material, it doesn't distract from the game at all.

Not related to the gameplay itself, Blaster Master really needed a save feature of some kind. As a result, you have to beat the game in one long marathon session. Since the game is so huge, it takes around two and a half hours to beat if you know where to go. If you explore thoroughly, it will take a lot longer than that.

Ratings:

Graphics: 4.8
Music: 4.8
Play Control: 4.5
Challenge: 4.7
Storyline: 3.9 
Funfactor: 4.9

Overall Score: 27.6 out of 30.0 
Overall Rating: Golden Classic!!

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