If you owned an NES back in the day, chances are you played Blaster Master. With its emphasis on exploration and upgrades that gave you access to previously unreachable areas, it was the next best thing to a Metroid sequel on the system. Ten-year old Daemon was amazed at the graphics -- those bosses were huge! There have been several follow-ups to Blaster Master over the years, including Blaster Master 2 on the SEGA Genesis and Blaster Master Boy on the Game Boy. But it's been nine years since the last appearance of the SOPHIA tank in Blaster Master: Blasting Again on the original PlayStation. So here we have Blaster Master Overdrive on WiiWare, a new retro game that plays very similarly to the original. While it's initially exciting to relive those 8- and 16-bit glory days, this rebirth is too clumsy and frustrating to be considered a complete success.
Although the graphics have been upgraded to the level of a Super Nintendo game, Overdrive's gameplay doesn't stray from the 8-bit original. The action is a mix of side-scrolling platforming with your SOPHIA tank and overhead on foot dungeon diving. Basically, you use the tank to get the driver to a dungeon so he can get out, kill the boss inside, and receive a tank upgrade that will give you access to new areas, new dungeons, and new power-ups. It can be a rewarding formula and as I mentioned before it feels a lot like Metroid. Fans will also find remixed versions of the original's familiar tunes. The giant, screen-filling bosses are still here, and figuring out their patterns and weak spots is generally a good time.
Your SOPHIA tank can be upgraded to pull off some pretty nifty tricks.Inside dungeons players have three different weapons at their disposal and each can be powered up several levels by finding items. Powering up is satisfying, but every time you take damage your equipped weapon will lose a level, so players are doubly punished for not dodging a bullet. This is just one annoying aspect of Blaster Master's design. While exploring in your tank you have a handy map at your disposal, but the dungeons don't come with any chart and there are too many dead ends and enemies that fight dirty to make exploring them rewarding.
Overdrive is too firmly rooted in the past and doesn't make use of modern conventions like reasonable save points or control schemes. It's pretty frustrating when you are killed and lose a considerable amount of progress merely because the last save point was way back in another area of the map. Games are supposed to be fun, of course -- if they are frustrating, it's a big problem. Overdrive is a reminder that games have gotten easier over the years, and I think they are more fun for it. Dying is also a time sink because instead of letting you continue right from your last save point the game kicks you back to the title screen and makes you load again.
Another issue is the baffling control scheme. While on foot you'll constantly need to strafe, but in order to pull off this maneuver you must hold down the B trigger while moving the D-pad. It's pretty awkward and could have been avoided by simply supporting the Classic Controller.
Yet another strange omission: Overdrive doesn't run in progressive scan, so the visuals aren't as crisp as they could be.
Closing Comments
The fact that Blaster Master Overdrive plays so similarly to the original may tickle your nostalgia bone. But there is no reason we couldn't have had a few more save points to keep frustration levels down and a control scheme that won't give us cramps. With a little more effort this could have been another great new retro game for WiiWare, much like Konami's ReBirth series or Mega Man 9. Those gamers that are gluttons for punishment and don't mind dated mechanics will probably enjoy this return to simpler times. But for those of us that expect a game to be user-friendly, Overdrive is just too clunky and discouraging to get much mileage out of.
(This Brings Back Good times)
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