Blaster Master Zero 3

Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.

84%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

stability, grinding

88% User Score Based on 402 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Blaster Master Zero 3" is a Metroidvania-style game where players control mutant hunter Jason and his tank, Gaia-Sophia, traversing diverse environments to defeat the evil mutants. The game features side-scrolling and top-down perspectives, with new abilities and weapons to discover. The story builds on the previous entries, with Jason uncovering a conspiracy threatening the galaxy and seeking to stop it.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 413 reviews

gameplay40 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Blaster Master Zero 3 offers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, with engaging gameplay and a compelling story that ties up character arcs effectively.
The game introduces new mechanics, such as the VRV system and a revamped weapon system, enhancing the overall gameplay experience and providing more strategic options.
The pixel art and music are top-notch, contributing to a nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere that appeals to both new players and long-time fans of the series.

The game can be frustratingly difficult, with some bosses and enemies requiring memorization of patterns, which may deter casual players.
Keyboard controls are poorly implemented, making it challenging for players who prefer not to use a controller, leading to confusion with button mappings and in-game prompts.
The level design can feel cluttered and confusing at times, with some areas lacking clear direction, which may result in players feeling lost during exploration.

gameplay
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
74%
2%
The gameplay in "Blaster Master Zero 3" has received mixed feedback, with many praising its slick mechanics and integration of sidescrolling and top-down elements, while others criticize certain new features and increased difficulty. Players appreciate the refined weapon system and the introduction of the VRV mechanic, although some find it confusing and frustrating. Overall, the game builds on its predecessors, offering a fun and challenging experience, but opinions vary on whether it surpasses the gameplay of the second installment.
- “The gameplay is slick as ever, getting better as you go, the characters are amazing, the story kept me hooked, and while I didn't mention it in my previous reviews, hot damn the songs throughout this series are stellar, with one of my objective favorites coming from this one.”
- “At last, the sidescrolling and top down sections are truly integrated, with items collected in the overworld allowing for dungeon advantages and bosses requiring fighting in both; at last, the dungeon sections have reached their apex, with dashing and counters making gameplay fast and exciting in contrast to the sluggishness that plagued its predecessors; at last, player choice is brought to the forefront, with each weapon in their arsenal made far more situational, unique and balanced than bmz1 and 2's dominating strategies; at last, the true ending sequence is something absolutely unforgettable, no longer bogged down by tedious and confusing gameplay but elevated by unique challenge.”
- “In my opinion, this is the best gameplay this series has seen so far, and it resembles much more of a metroidvania than the other two installments in the best way possible.”
- “Most of the introduced/revamped mechanics feel like they're here just to genuinely make you not want to play.”
- “Unfortunately a couple steps back from the 2nd in some areas like having randomized dungeon layouts instead of entirely unique ones and a couple overly gimmicky sections that bog things down.”
- “Blaster Master Zero 3's gameplay is probably its weakest point.”
story
167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The story of "Blaster Master Zero III" serves as a compelling conclusion to the trilogy, following Jason's quest to find Eve and unravel the mysteries surrounding the planet Sophia. While it effectively ties together plot threads from the previous games, newcomers may find it confusing without prior knowledge of the series. Overall, the narrative is praised for its engaging twists and character development, though some feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor.
- “Amazing game that wraps up the story of the Blaster Master Zero trilogy wonderfully.”
- “The story is fantastic, and a wonderful way to round off the Jason saga.”
- “Blaster Master Zero III is a magnificent-looking game that successfully concludes the trilogy with solid gameplay, engaging story, and a memorable soundtrack.”
- “The story will be confusing to those who have not played the first two games in the series.”
- “Put simply, the story just isn't that interesting, or more accurately the only events of interest happen in the true ending after the game is already over.”
- “Binding controls were a bit of a pain at first, the world map/dungeon maps are kind of confusing until you understand what you're looking for, and the story is forgettable.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
27%
6%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features, often describing it as catchy, memorable, and reminiscent of classic retro tunes. While some players found the music to be a perfect complement to the gameplay, others noted a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over previous entries in the series, contributing to an engaging and immersive gaming experience.
- “The music is probably the best thing about the game, with most tracks feeling quite close to Sunsoft's NES games (aside from the original Blaster Master), although a little more variety would have been nice.”
- “The best gameplay and music that the series has seen so far and an amazing ending.”
- “Inti Creates kept on building, and building on it until the story, graphics (yes, I’m praising the ultra-gorgeous pixel art of the 3 games here), music, and gameplay are perfect.”
- “It's an hour or two or three of otherworldly pink and magenta accompanied by relaxing music that just makes me irrationally angry when put next to the high-octane shooting gameplay.”
- “Music is meh.”
- “Retro music.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The graphics in the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the stunning retro pixel art and overall visual appeal, describing it as "ultra-gorgeous." However, some users noted issues with graphical execution, including bugs and scaling problems, which detracted from the experience. Overall, while the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, there are areas that could benefit from improvement.
- “Upgrades are more exciting, the plot thicker, graphics more stunning, challenge more interesting, music more memorable, characters deeper and more realized than ever before.”
- “The levels, music, graphics, environments, story, everything coalesces into an action game masterpiece.”
- “Inti Creates kept on building, and building on it until the story, graphics (yes, I’m praising the ultra-gorgeous pixel art of the 3 games here), music, and gameplay are perfect.”
- “Jarringly stupid changes in game design, sloppy and buggy execution of graphics scaling and dialogue/cutscenes, cheap hits and a nerfed weapons system.”
- “Some new graphical effects or hazards unique to it could have done a lot to set it apart.”
- “- retro graphics style.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report feeling a strong emotional impact from the game's true ending, describing it as both thematically and visually beautiful. Many were surprised by the depth of their emotional response, with some expressing that they cried during this poignant conclusion, highlighting the game's ability to evoke deep feelings despite its 8-bit aesthetic.
- “I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a bit emotional at the true ending, which was beautiful both thematically and visually.”
- “The true ending had me a bit emotional at points, which I also didn't expect.”
- “Never thought I would get this emotional over the ending of an 8-bit game.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for frequent softlocks occurring without player-induced glitches, alongside buggy button mapping at launch. Reviewers noted significant issues with game design changes, graphics scaling, and dialogue execution, contributing to an overall perception of sloppiness and instability.
- “This is the only game in recent memory where I managed to softlock myself without doing any crazy glitches or acrobatics.”
- “The button mapping at the game launch is also quite buggy.”
- “Jarringly stupid changes in game design, sloppy and buggy execution of graphics scaling and dialogue/cutscenes, cheap hits and a nerfed weapons system.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some moments are enjoyable and the integration of gameplay elements enhances excitement, others describe the overall process as tedious and perplexing. The game improves upon its predecessors by offering more balanced player choices and unique challenges, but navigating the world can still feel cumbersome at times.
- “This game had some fun moments resembling Blaster Master Zero, but ultimately, it was just really tedious.”
- “Figuring out where to go next can sometimes be perplexing and tedious; the game world is less captivating than the one in Blaster Master Zero 2.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game is noted for its strong optimization, providing the best gameplay experience in the series despite initial control issues that could hinder playability. Improvements to the weapons system enhance accessibility and performance, contributing to a refined overall experience.
- “With all the improvements done to the gameplay throughout the series, three gives the best gameplay experience by refining the G-Sophia weapons system from Z2 and changing the overhead weapons system to give you access to all weapons from the start, with the gun level affecting performance and strength rather than determining what weapon you have.”
- “It's probably the hardest of the three, but it's also the most well-optimized, even if some serious control foibles at the start nearly prevented me from playing it.”
- “With all the improvements done to the gameplay throughout the series, three gives the best gameplay experience by refining the g-sophia weapons system from z2 and changing the overhead weapons system to give you access to all weapons from the start, with the gun level affecting performance and strength rather than determining what weapon you have.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, while the latest installment offers engaging gameplay and a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, players find the first two games more replayable due to their abundance of side modes and optional challenges, including difficult dungeons and the pursuit of a true ending.
- “While the gameplay changes are great and the storytelling did a well enough job bringing closure to the trilogy, I still find the first two games more replayable due to the fact that they have a bunch of side modes.”
- “It's got replay value thanks to the many difficult optional dungeons, and there is a true ending to earn.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely driven by the dynamic between the two main characters, resulting in numerous funny moments that enhance the overall experience.
- “The dynamic between the two makes for some very funny moments throughout the game.”

81%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

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