Blaster Master: Destination Fred- April Fools joke or not?
posted:
4/6/2010 12:55:00 PM
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Blaster Master: Destination Fred
See another reason to dislike April Fools Day... I have been sitting on this news posting for a few days now, since it was originally released on April 1. I wanted to report on it but feared that it was just another joke for that annoying day on the calendar. Even now, I do not know if it is 100% legit or not, but it is worth mentioning anyways.
On April 1, Sunsoft issued a press release stating that they would be releasing a previously unreleased sequel to the classic Nintendo game Blaster Master onto Nintendo’s Virtual Console later this month. The new game, Blaster Master: Destination Fred, was announced to be launching on April 26, 2010 for 500 Nintendo points. The game is “supposedly” a title that was developed for Nintendo’s PlayChoice-10 arcade series. The game is a difrect sequel to the original title and picks up right where it left off.
I hope that this is true because this would be a perfect example of the niche market that the Virtual Console needs to focus on. Much like Sin & Punishment before it, the Virtual Console platform offers a chance for games to be released that may not have gotten a chance to see the light of day beforehand. Sin & Punishment was one of those games that was released in Japan, but gamers over here in the States missed out on. I was a huge fan of the original Blaster Master game for the NES and would have welcomed a sequel with open arms back in the day. I guess that we will just have to wait until 4/26 and see if it actually gets released or if it in fact turns out to be nothing more than a cruel, and unusual joke...
You can read the full press release that was issues after the jump.
On April 1, Sunsoft issued a press release stating that they would be releasing a previously unreleased sequel to the classic Nintendo game Blaster Master onto Nintendo’s Virtual Console later this month. The new game, Blaster Master: Destination Fred, was announced to be launching on April 26, 2010 for 500 Nintendo points. The game is “supposedly” a title that was developed for Nintendo’s PlayChoice-10 arcade series. The game is a difrect sequel to the original title and picks up right where it left off.
I hope that this is true because this would be a perfect example of the niche market that the Virtual Console needs to focus on. Much like Sin & Punishment before it, the Virtual Console platform offers a chance for games to be released that may not have gotten a chance to see the light of day beforehand. Sin & Punishment was one of those games that was released in Japan, but gamers over here in the States missed out on. I was a huge fan of the original Blaster Master game for the NES and would have welcomed a sequel with open arms back in the day. I guess that we will just have to wait until 4/26 and see if it actually gets released or if it in fact turns out to be nothing more than a cruel, and unusual joke...
You can read the full press release that was issues after the jump.
BLASTER MASTER™: DESTINATION FRED COMING TO WII VIRTUAL CONSOLE
Redding, CA – April 1, 2010 – Sunsoft, a division of SUNCORPORATION (JASDAQ: 6736), has today announced that Blaster Master™:Destination Fred will be released for the Wii Virtual Console on April 26th.
Originally created for the Nintendo PlayChoice-10 arcade system, and tested in only a few locations in and around Los Angeles, CA during 1989/1990, Destination Fred is a continuation of the story started in the original Blaster Master™, and a proper sequel to the beloved NES classic. The game has been lost to the market since the original test market timeframe, and was never released for the home NES. “I was blown away when I saw these”, said Victor Ireland about the PlayChoice-10 cartridges stored away at Sunsoft Japan’s office. He then continued, “When I was going through boxes of stored code, promotional items, and ROMS to see what we had on hand to release for the US Virtual Console market, finding these nine completely unknown cartridges literally stunned me. I knew it had to be put up on the Virtual Console as fast as we could make it happen.”
The game centers on Fred, Jason’s pet frog that was rescued in the original Blaster Master™ game. The Plutonium Boss intended to inject microbots into Fred and Jason so they would be destroyed even if Jason defeated him, but he only managed to inject Fred. After the opening story, the game begins with Jason and Sophia being miniaturized and injected into Fred to seek out and destroy the microbots and the diabolical structures they are creating inside Fred that will soon prove fatal. “It’s a pretty clear video game spin on Fantastic Voyage kind of adventure.”, Ireland stated.
Kiharu Yoshida, President of SUNCORPORATION added, “I am happy that we can offer such a satisfying game to fans in the US. Perhaps now this will not seem too hard to complete. Please enjoy it.”
The lost treasure of Sunsoft’s archive, Blaster Master™:Destination Fred will be released for the Wii Virtual Console on April 26th for a completely reasonable 500 Wii points.
About SUNCORPORATION. Located in Aichi prefecture in Japan, SUN CORPORATION has been innovating electronic equipment and software for almost forty years. Their corporate slogan, “Dream, Challenge, and Creation” perfectly summarizes the spirit that gave birth to their software company Sunsoft. Worldwide, Sunsoft has developed or published almost 100 games for both consoles and arcades. They also publish for iPhone and Windows mobile platforms.
About GAIJINWORKS. GAIJINWORKS was founded by Victor Ireland after spending more than 15 years as President of console game publisher Working Designs, where he innovated deluxe packaging, special premiums, pack-in soundtracks and game documentaries for their RPG product. Many of the practices he innovated have become standard in the RPG segment, and console video games in general. GAIJINWORKS is focused on continuing a tradition of fanservice for game fans.
Redding, CA – April 1, 2010 – Sunsoft, a division of SUNCORPORATION (JASDAQ: 6736), has today announced that Blaster Master™:Destination Fred will be released for the Wii Virtual Console on April 26th.
Originally created for the Nintendo PlayChoice-10 arcade system, and tested in only a few locations in and around Los Angeles, CA during 1989/1990, Destination Fred is a continuation of the story started in the original Blaster Master™, and a proper sequel to the beloved NES classic. The game has been lost to the market since the original test market timeframe, and was never released for the home NES. “I was blown away when I saw these”, said Victor Ireland about the PlayChoice-10 cartridges stored away at Sunsoft Japan’s office. He then continued, “When I was going through boxes of stored code, promotional items, and ROMS to see what we had on hand to release for the US Virtual Console market, finding these nine completely unknown cartridges literally stunned me. I knew it had to be put up on the Virtual Console as fast as we could make it happen.”
The game centers on Fred, Jason’s pet frog that was rescued in the original Blaster Master™ game. The Plutonium Boss intended to inject microbots into Fred and Jason so they would be destroyed even if Jason defeated him, but he only managed to inject Fred. After the opening story, the game begins with Jason and Sophia being miniaturized and injected into Fred to seek out and destroy the microbots and the diabolical structures they are creating inside Fred that will soon prove fatal. “It’s a pretty clear video game spin on Fantastic Voyage kind of adventure.”, Ireland stated.
Kiharu Yoshida, President of SUNCORPORATION added, “I am happy that we can offer such a satisfying game to fans in the US. Perhaps now this will not seem too hard to complete. Please enjoy it.”
The lost treasure of Sunsoft’s archive, Blaster Master™:Destination Fred will be released for the Wii Virtual Console on April 26th for a completely reasonable 500 Wii points.
About SUNCORPORATION. Located in Aichi prefecture in Japan, SUN CORPORATION has been innovating electronic equipment and software for almost forty years. Their corporate slogan, “Dream, Challenge, and Creation” perfectly summarizes the spirit that gave birth to their software company Sunsoft. Worldwide, Sunsoft has developed or published almost 100 games for both consoles and arcades. They also publish for iPhone and Windows mobile platforms.
About GAIJINWORKS. GAIJINWORKS was founded by Victor Ireland after spending more than 15 years as President of console game publisher Working Designs, where he innovated deluxe packaging, special premiums, pack-in soundtracks and game documentaries for their RPG product. Many of the practices he innovated have become standard in the RPG segment, and console video games in general. GAIJINWORKS is focused on continuing a tradition of fanservice for game fans.
