Blast Corps

Blast Corps
Studio	Rare
Publisher	Nintendo
Senior Developer	Chris Stamper
Erstveröffent- lichung	: February 28, 1997 : March 21, 1997 : September 1, 1997
platform	Nintendo 64
genre	Action , puzzle
Game mode	Single player
control	Nintendo 64 controller
medium	Cartridge
Age rating	USK

Blast Corps (in Japan Blast Dozer ) is an action game released in 1997 by the English developer Rare for the Nintendo 64 console . A game concept that is extremely rare in this consequence - the player has to destroy buildings and other obstacles with various demolition vehicles - is well implemented in Blast Corps . The title is one of the best games released for the N64 because of the original idea and successful implementation.

action

A missile carrier loaded with two nuclear missiles is only controlled by an autopilot after a defect. The nuclear cargo is leaking, so no personnel can jump up and get the van under control. The programmed course to a safe detonation area leads fatally through built-up areas. Since the autopilot does not avoid obstacles, every piece of the route not razed to the ground leads to a collision with a subsequent explosion of the nuclear missiles. A nuclear winter would be the consequence.

As a driver for the demolition company Blast Corps, the player has the task of tearing down buildings, filling trenches and taking other measures to create an unobstructed route for the nuclear transport. A whole range of vehicles and machines with destructive potential of all kinds and other aids such as TNT are available to him.

Game flow

The game starts on a world map with only one available carrier level . Upon successful completion, the carrier levels of the higher difficulty levels will gradually be unlocked. By finding hidden communication units, bonus levels can be unlocked on the world map.

Each level is initially marked with a shadow, which can, however, be filled with an award that you get for completing the secondary goals in carrier levels or for achieving a good time in the bonus missions. Each level is surrounded by a red or green ring in the world map view. A green ring means that not all communication units have been found and that bonus levels can still be activated. If there is a red ring, all communication units in the level have been found.

The primary goal in the game is to complete all carrier levels , but there are also many other tasks to be solved afterwards.

Level

Carrier level

The carrier levels form the central point of the game. Here the transporter has a fixed route that goes through some obstacles - usually several buildings. The player starts in a demolition vehicle such as a bulldozer called a ramdozer , but finds other vehicles in the level. Such levels are mostly about action. The player must destroy the buildings before the transporter collides with them. Some obstacles require you to solve puzzles, for example by moving TNT boxes or bridging ditches with blocks. The player receives a gold medal for clearing the path.

As soon as the way is clear for the transporter, the player can select the level again and search for all secrets without time limit and fulfill the secondary objectives. This includes the demolition of all buildings - which also frees the residents who are trapped in them. In addition, the player must find a number of Radiation Dispersal Units (RDUs) that are distributed throughout the level. Some are arranged to show the player the way. 100% fulfillment of the secondary tasks will be awarded a further gold medal, in total the player will receive up to two gold medals per carrier level.

Bonus level

With the bonus levels the player must either destroy all buildings and objects within a time limit, find all RDUs or drive a race. In later bonus levels with the robot J-Bomb (see section demolition vehicles) the player can fail if the robot lands on water or lava.

Before each racing level, the player can choose the vehicle he wants to use. However, vehicles are only available here if they have been found and driven in carrier levels . Some races prohibit the selection of the vehicle.

Depending on the time the player reaches, he will receive a bronze, silver or gold medal for this.

As soon as all carrier levels have been completed, a space shuttle level opens the way to a bonus level on the moon, where there is low gravity. If the player has unlocked all bonus levels and won the gold medal everywhere, four more planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune) with low gravity will be unlocked. If these are also completed, the player can play all carrier levels again with a time limit. It is important to clear the transport route as quickly as possible in order to obtain a bronze, silver or gold medal, depending on the time. If the player has again won gold everywhere, he can reach platinum in an even shorter period of time. Reaching platinum requires a high level of playfulness, as any mistakes cost time.

Demolition vehicles

There are several demolition vehicles in this game. Each has a different method of demolishing buildings, from Ramdozer , a simple bulldozer, to J-Bomb - a robot that soars to demolish buildings.

• Bulldozer (English Ramdozer) is an ordinary bulldozer that tears down smaller buildings by simply driving into them, but causes little or no damage to larger buildings. He can easily push TNT boxes, which allows him to destroy larger buildings.
• Monster Truck (Backlash) The Backlash is a fairly slow dump truck. Ramming is his big weakness, but his armored rump is tremendously destructive if it skids and rams buildings. Alternatively, some areas can be used as a ramp to allow the vehicle to take off and drive through buildings with ease. As with the Ramdozer , this only makes sense against smaller buildings.
• Turbobuggy (Skyfall) is a small and fast dune buggy with a turbo, but which has a very limited supply, but regenerates itself when it is not needed. Its main method of destruction is to go up ramps and land on the obstacles. This vehicle can only be used against relatively small obstacles.
• Donnerfaust (English Thunderfist) is a very large human-like robot that is ideal for destroying large buildings such as towers. He runs into the buildings and then swings aside. Sometimes he swings his arm like a boxer's chin hook. The machine appears to be missing an arm, electrical circuits and cables protrude from one shoulder, and the occasional sparks can be seen.
• Crasholator (English Cyclone Suit) is also a robot that is slightly larger than the player character, with which medium-sized buildings can be torn down. The cyclone suit makes acrobatic jumps into the building.
• J-Bomb is the third of the destruction robots and is slightly smaller than the Thunderfist . He has a jetpack on his back that he uses to fly up a target building. The J-Bomb can then land in a flash, destroying the building. The jetpack also allows the J-Bomb to reach areas that are inaccessible by other vehicles.
• Rocket Crusher (English Ballista) is a motorcycle that uses a rocket launcher to destroy buildings. The rockets are available in limited quantities in ammunition boxes that are distributed throughout the level.
• XR7 Protocrash (Sideswipe) is a vehicle that destroys targets with battering rams on the left and right of the vehicle. The battering rams can only be used for a limited time, however, battering ram strikes can be renewed by collecting "ammunition boxes", which look very similar to the Ballista ammunition boxes.

other vehicles

There are also a few smaller vehicles that are mainly used in races. These include a police car, a "Hot Rod" (modeled after General Lee from Ein Duke rarely comes alone ), a sports car based on the Ford Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch , and a replica of the van from the A-Team . Each of the vehicles differs in handling, top speed and acceleration, which makes some of the vehicles more attractive for certain levels. The sports car is the only one capable of driving off-road and under water without losing speed. Certain levels also contain a train or a boat, which follow a fixed route and are primarily used for transport.

The lifting crane

The hoisting crane is immobile and slow and can only destroy something under certain conditions by dropping something on it. It is necessary to move vehicles to another point that they would otherwise not be able to reach.

The ranks

Blast Corps distinguishes the player by giving him ranks. The ranks are related to the medals. There are 31 ranks, which follow one another in a certain order, the higher the player's score. The points are related to the number and type of medals:

• 1 point for each bronze medal
• 2 points for each silver medal
• 3 points for each gold medal
• 4 points for each platinum medal

Every 12 points the player receives a new rank.

Reactions

In a ranking list with the best games for the N64 console compiled in 2000, i.e. a good year before the appearance of the successor system, the US game portal IGN Entertainment placed Blast Corps in 21st place and praised the game as the most original N64 title at all.

Web links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Blast Corps at MobyGames (English)
• Peer Schneider: Blast Corps (meeting). IGN Entertainment, March 26, 1997.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ IGN Team: The Top 25 N64 Games of All Time. June 12, 2006.
2. ↑ IGN Team: Most Original N64 Games. June 12, 2006.