Geek It! Ctrl+Gaming Flashback: Math Blaster

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Suz in Animation, Anime, Arts, Gaming, Geek It!, Spotlight // 0 Comments

As part of any kid’s childhood, it is crucial for kids to learn everything as much as they can and have fun at the same time. Education doesn’t have to be taught via teachers and textbooks. Surprisingly, learning can also be through gaming, and it’s not often that we encounter a game that is both entertaining and educational.

In this flashback ~~(because we love a good #Throwback to the past!)~~, we will be revisiting an old friend of ours from the ’90s — MATH BLASTER.

Originally titled Math Blaster Episode I: In Search of Spot – or, as we personally know it — Math Blaster: Ages 6-9 — is an education game created by Davidson & Associates.

Although there were versions of the game produced and released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis, there was nothing more satisfying than going onto the library/classroom computer and being able to play the game.

In Math Blaster, Spot and Blasternaut was preparing for a journey only to find out that their spaceship has malfunctioned. Blasternaut sends Spot to repair the ship but as Spot was trying to repair the ship, a Trash Alien flies by and decides to kidnap Spot.

When Blasternaut discovers this, he contacts Galactic Commander and notifies her about the situation. Galactic Commander immediately identifies the criminal and sends Blasternaut on a mission to rescue Spot.

Whether it be addition, subtraction or multiplication, the player can choose different gaming modes to challenge their mathematical thinking, knowledge, and skills.

Even though the main setting of the story is space, this rescue mission somehow takes you through various settings such as jungles, generator labs, and dungeons. It’s not easy as it sounds though. While you’re solving mathematical equations, you also have to overcome obstacles such as spiders, cave-dwelling creatures, and boulders from destroying your spaceship.

Rated one of the top 100 CD-ROM games of 1994 by PC Magazine, Math Blaster definitely deserved the honour. The game was so popular that a sequel was created called ‘Math Blaster Episode II: Secret of the Lost City‘.

Featuring a jungle setting with lots of monkeys and bananas, we remember embarking on this game and how it was next-level difficulty for us (see below video). Good times!