Game Debate #166: Blast Corps

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

[Gloves | 11,789]

Never played it, but wasn't this featured on Video & Arcade Top 10? I feel like I recognize it from there. Or maybe I saw it at Blockbuster or something. 

[OptOut | 8,889]

Amazingly fun game, absolutely packed with stuff to do and some insane ideas. There really isn't a game like it, honestly, I don't think there is any other game that plays like Blast Corps, it's a truly original game concept.

Personally, I rate it as the 4th best Rareware game on N64 after Goldeneye, PD and Banjo-Kazooie, high praise indeed.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

22 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Never played it, but wasn't this featured on Video & Arcade Top 10? I feel like I recognize it from there. Or maybe I saw it at Blockbuster or something. 

Shouldn't you recognize it from being a hardcore gamer?

[Gloves | 11,789]

8 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Shouldn't you recognize it from being a hardcore gamer?

Ooohhh! That's what it was! 

[Brickman | 3,990]

10. Absolutely love this game, there's something so satisfying about blowing up stuff or flinging your truck into buildings. I spent a lot of time with it growing up and got 100%. This was when Rare were at their peak.

[Sumez | 2,963]

Been in my backlog for too long

[DefaultGen | 5,407]

I don’t think I remember it enough to rate it.  I got it from the bargain bin and thought it was fun. I remember a level with a dump truck having to powerslide across train tracks that was very hard for me. I’d probably appreciate how unique it is and think kid me sucked at games if I played it today.

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by DefaultGen

[cartman | 195]

Never heard of it

[fox | 1,667]

Fun because all of the different vehicles you can pilot and destruction you can cause.  But it is still just Escort Mission: The Game.

[OptOut | 8,889]

1 hour ago, fox said:

Fun because all of the different vehicles you can pilot and destruction you can cause.  But it is still just Escort Mission: The Game.

Hard disagree on bolded. The nuclear carrier acts as a physical representation of a mission timer, essentially, with the added risk of potentially colliding with it and ending the mission early. 

However, the simple mission of clearing the route for the carrier is only the first of various objectives across the many storyline levels of the game. Much of the fun comes from replaying the levels once the nuclear carrier has already gone, and you are free to explore the levels at your leisure, clearing the remaining objectives, unlocking further routes and missions and vehicles, and furthering the story.

All this is without mentioning the wide variety of levels that do not include the carrier whatsoever, which actually constitute the MAJORITY of levels in the game (

Spoiler

including all post-game levels throughout the solar system

).

Anyone who hasn't played this game really should give it a try, it's highly addictive and fun! Coincidentally I have recently been replaying it on Xbox ONE, and anyone who has Xbox gamepass can play it for free by downloading Rare Replay.

[Brickman | 3,990]

1 hour ago, OptOut said:

Hard disagree on bolded. The nuclear carrier acts as a physical representation of a mission timer, essentially, with the added risk of potentially colliding with it and ending the mission early. 

However, the simple mission of clearing the route for the carrier is only the first of various objectives across the many storyline levels of the game. Much of the fun comes from replaying the levels once the nuclear carrier has already gone, and you are free to explore the levels at your leisure, clearing the remaining objectives, unlocking further routes and missions and vehicles, and furthering the story.

All this is without mentioning the wide variety of levels that do not include the carrier whatsoever, which actually constitute the MAJORITY of levels in the game (

  Hide contents

including all post-game levels throughout the solar system

).

Anyone who hasn't played this game really should give it a try, it's highly addictive and fun! Coincidentally I have recently been replaying it on Xbox ONE, and anyone who has Xbox gamepass can play it for free by downloading Rare Replay.

Beat me to it and couldn’t have said it better.

This game isn’t just about escorting the tanker. The fun is in all the added objectives and the puzzles you have to figure out in it. It’s a beautiful combination of action and puzzle game all while causing destruction.

Not to get into too much spoiler territory for the post game content but they even have some Pac-Man inspired levels which are a lot of fun.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

I haven't played it since it was new, but I thought it was a really fun and unique game. 8/10.

[TDIRunner | 2,742]

Never played it, but I've heard of it.  I also just recently picked up a copy from the Gaming Box Train, so I should probably try it out.  

[The Count | 527]

Great game, with great dynamics. I enjoyed finding secrets throughout the levels the most. 8/10.

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

I had a buddy who had this back in the day.  One of the 4  N64 games that made me want one.  

[DefaultGen | 5,407]

8 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

I had a buddy who had this back in the day.  One of the 4  N64 games that made me want one.  

Crazy that the other 7 games on the console didn't do it for you.

Edited August 9, 2023 by DefaultGen

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

15 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

Crazy that the other 7 games on the console didn't do it for you.

Somehow I managed to resist Quest64

[rdrunner | 422]

Haven't taken enough time to rate it, but I've enjoyed it so far.  Great music too!

[GPX | 1,370]

One of the few N64 games I played some 20 years ago. I can’t remember much about it other than it’s about  using various modalities to destroy the general environment. What I do remember though was that I had a fun heck of a time! The kind of fun that was also a unique experience. Rare was a truly awesome company back in the N64 era. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

Back in the 90s I got all golds and reached the moon, or Pluto, or whatever the end was.  Never tried for plats though.

I really enjoyed it, but have no idea how well it holds up.

[phart010 | 1,707]

I got stuck at the power slide truck level. One of the hardest stages in my opinion 

[Tanooki | 4,934]

I used to like this one back when it was new.  I've had it off and on in the last 15 years as things come around, the last time within the last 3-4mo.  I can't get into it anymore, and the reasons why are ones that go back to the original release.  While it is fun, and the locations and vehicles are varied, the controls are not the best and kind of get in the way of enjoying it some.  I have less tolerance for putting up with it as I did back then, so I'll play like 5-10+ stages in and move on, it sits, then I sell it.  It's not a bad game, but the controls and handling could have been refined a bit better since you have a literal nuclear ticking timebomb just trucking along so it gets annoying the deeper you get into the game fighting against it.

[koifish | 556]

On 8/8/2023 at 11:27 PM, DefaultGen said:

I don’t think I remember it enough to rate it.  I got it from the bargain bin and thought it was fun. I remember a level with a dump truck having to powerslide across train tracks that was very hard for me. I’d probably appreciate how unique it is and think kid me sucked at games if I played it today.

 

that dump truck was hard to use. Made some levels very challenging.

 

In fact, barring perhaps trash titles like superman 64, I might dare to suggest that blast corps is one of the hardest N64 games, especially if you want 100%. Maybe I haven't played enough RC pro am, but I found the race maps especially difficult.

On 8/9/2023 at 1:47 AM, fox said:

Fun because all of the different vehicles you can pilot and destruction you can cause.  But it is still just Escort Mission: The Game.

the escort part makes it really funny. You have to go and blow up all the buildings, because if you don't, the nuke will explode...blowing up all the buildings. It's possibly the best plot in a video game, because it makes absolutely zero sense and never once tries to. Hilariously nonsensical, I use this game constantly as an example of why I don't think games need stories. It's fun as hell and they gave it an absurd premise to boot.

 

Can't decide my rating. I like this game a lot but it's hard as hell, last I tried anyway. If you're a completionist you'll suffer and strain to get that 100%. Yet this game is just freaky fun. Also the music is aces. Anyone who can't boogie to Beeton Trax doesn't belong in my dance club.

[DefaultGen | 5,407]

I can't imagine slogging through Aidyn Chronicles, but Blast Corps would be a lot of fun. So no matter how hard it is I don't think 100% in Blast Corps would be the worst N64 game to beat.