Final Blaster

Gameplay

Final Blaster is a vertically scrolling shooter. The player controls the Blaster Mark II "Phoenix" starfighter, starting with a vulcan gun that fires projectiles. Collecting red power pods dropped by enemies increases the number of shots fired, while blue power pods grant new weapons such as piercing lasers or zig-zagging ring shots. Holding the fire button charges energy, allowing the ship to morph into a raging firebird that destroys anything in its path. The game spans seven stages with landscapes including mechanical bases, asteroid fields, and organic-like structures, each ending with a boss. The player can control scrolling speed by moving up or down, and a difficulty meter at the end of each stage determines the next stage's challenge. Some enemies, such as the invincible Bacura boards from Xevious, appear.

Development and release

Final Blaster, the third and final game in Namco's Bosconian series, launched for the PC Engine in Japan on September 28, 1990. Development initially fell to Namco subsidiary N.H. System, creators of the arcade title Märchen Maze, but shifted to Japanese studio Nova after N.H. System dissolved earlier that year. Programming assistance came from Aisystem Tokyo, a group company of Aisystem. The story follows 1989's arcade game Blast Off. A digital re-release hit the Japanese Wii Virtual Console on September 8, 2008. Sweep Records issued a soundtrack compilation on November 30, 2018, combining music from Final Blaster, Märchen Maze, and Blast Off.

Reception

Final Blaster was generally well-received by critics, who frequently drew comparisons to Hudson Soft's Gunhed. ACE commended the game for its vibrant visuals, engaging gameplay, diverse enemy types, and strong audio design. Computer + Video Games described the detailed graphics, original mechanics, and music as "pretty damn addictive," and deemed it a strong rival to Gunhed. Aktueller Software Markt also praised the soundtrack, playability, and art style. Raze magazine highlighted the game as one of the few standout shooters on the PC Engine, alongside Sega's canceled Space Fantasy Zone. Famitsu appreciated the colorful graphics and nods to other Namco titles like Xevious.

Not all opinions were unanimous. Power Play felt the music was mediocre and the game failed to distinguish itself from other shooters, also criticizing the levels for being too brief. ACE noted that the player's ship was rendered too small and that the high difficulty might discourage some players. Conversely, Computer + Video Games argued the game lacked challenge, stating that genre veterans could finish it with ease. Famitsu found the game both unremarkable and overly difficult, and pointed out that aside from cameos and the story, it had little connection to the original Bosconian.