I have to say, even though the Dreamcast flame was short lived it burned brightly. In the three-year period the system had any relevancy in the US it managed to cover most genres pretty well. One genre that was a bit lacking was the traditional action game. If you liked light gun games you were well served. But titles like Contra were a rarity. For every Cannon Spike you got a half dozen fighting games. With that in mind you would think any entry in the genre would be cause for celebration. But not in this case. Charge ‘N Blast is a decent arcade port but a weak game overall.
The best way to describe Charge ‘N Blast is a small-scale version of Earth Defense Force. As one of three Marines in powered suits you deal with encroaching enemies in a small arena. You have a limited amount of time to eliminate each wave, with any remaining time added to the clock for the next batch. Although I call it an action game Charge ‘N Blast has more in common with rail shooters, from its pace to even its awkward controls.
The main hook and the reason for the title is the charging system. Each character is equipped with three weapons, from rockets to grenades. Each has specific strengths and weaknesses such as charge time, power, and blast radius. Technically you can fire before a full charge but that is usually a waste of time. It is up to you to use the best weapon in each situation for maximum results. The charging system slows down the pace compared to other action games but Charge ‘N Blast has a rhythm all its own.
Charge ‘N Blast released before dual analog controls became the standard. As the Dreamcast only has one analog stick it has to make due with a functional if awkward control scheme. The analog stick controls the targeting reticule while the face buttons charge your weapons. You can use L and R to move to the right or left but that’s about it. It may sound limiting but the game is designed around it. You only ever need to move a few feet to avoid attacking enemies or fire. It only takes a few minutes to adjust and while it isn’t ideal it at least works.
The game’s goofy plot is an excuse to send armored soldiers into all manner of ridiculous situations. The initial mission starts out in the city as it is infested by giant bugs. From there sea monsters make landfall and are led by a poor man’s Godzilla. Of course, they don’t call him that but dude, come on. It moves from one wild scenario to the next and while it is simple there is some nuance. You want to chain kill enemies to conserve time and maximize destruction. Sometimes taking out the environment is the path of least resistance. At its best moments, when the action is frantic and explosions are going off left and right the game is thrilling. The problem is it its over too fast.
Charge ‘N Blast was originally released in the arcade and has the pacing of coin op title. And that is the problem. These types of games were made to be played in quick bursts. Charge ‘N Blast takes that to the extreme, with levels that last less than a minute or two. Unfortunately, there are only five missions which can be beaten in twenty minutes. The game has almost zero replay value after that. There are no branching paths like House of the Dead 2 or random enemy placement to switch things up. There is a Time Attack Mode which challenges you to beat an already short game even faster and a Rank Mode that grades your performance. But those aren’t the slightest bit enticing. At a time where games like Tekken 3 and Soul Calibur were redefining expectations regarding arcade ports Charge ‘N blast comes up short.
In Closing
Charge ‘N Blast is not necessarily a bad game. But the experience is over so fast that it isn’t worth tracking down. Charge ‘N Blast is the type of game that should have stayed in the arcade where its cheap thrills warrant an easy two quarters. The Dreamcast may not have many action titles but it certainly has better games than this.
