Blaster Master Overdrive
Blaster Master Overdrive is the first new entry in the Blaster Master series in quite a while. The latest was a PSX game called Blaster Master: Blasting again, which most fans have wiped from memory. The original Blaster Master was a port of a Japanese title “MetaFight” and featured the main character Jimmy who goes in search of his runway frog and comes across a battle tank named S.O.P.H.I.A. which he uses to defeat evil mutants living underground. While the plot wasn’t the games strongest suit, the game itself was very fun. The game was a platform as you drove the tank through environments, search for where to go next. The tank could jump, and at any time Jason could get out of the tank and enter nearby caves. In caves the game would change to a top down perspective and played more like an overhead shooter.
Blaster Master Overdrive goes back to its roots with this formula and player very much like the original. The biggest critique of the original was that it was too difficult, there was no passwords or save points, you and the game was pretty tough. Overdrive features a steady stream of save points, and provides a map so you don’t get lost as often. It feels more like a Metroidvania than the original game, as you go around looking for powerups and bosses to advance through the game. The plot is more serious than boy fights mutants; in this game you control Alex, a biologist who’s searching for information about a virus that is turning Earth’s animals into monsters.
The one big drawback to the game is that it only uses the wiimote for control, and that control scheme sucks. You need to use the A button to change weapons, which I can live with, but the B button strafes, which is absolutely necessary to survive. In the overhead caves you’ll probably strafe more than just walking, and this makes for a VERY uncomfortable control method.
For $10 I recommend this to any old Blaster Master fans, or anyone who loves retro titles. It’s really fun if you can get over the control scheme.
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