History VideoGame / BlasterSeries

True to being both educating and entertaining, the Blaster series centered on an astronaut called Blasternaut (get it?) and his RobotBuddy Spot, a little blue droid. They worked for the Galactic Commander, who herself helped to run a [[TheFederation federation-like]] organization that spanned the galaxy to apprehend criminals. Eventually Galactic Commander (or GC, as the others called her) joined the team. Their images changed rapidly - for example, Spot eventually became a robotic dog named MEL while G.C. became a 12 year old girl instead of a female adult and Blaster became a 12 year old boy instead of a green astronaut like man. This last version of the characters was featured in the SaturdayMorningCartoon series ''Blaster's Universe'', produced by {{Nelvana}} in 1999.

* ImpossibleThief: In the first ''Reading Blaster'', [[MeaningfulName Illiteria]] steals all language from the planet Earth. (CarmenSandiego would attempt this three years later in ''Carmen Sandiego: Word Detective''.) In ''Math Blaster Pre-Algebra'', Dr. Dabble uses an [[AppliedPhlebotinum electrochemical math magnet]] to steal all math from the world.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: When ''Reading Blaster Vocabulary'' was repackaged as ''Reading Blaster for 5th Grade'', the new box claimed that the storyline involving a U.F.O. spotted over Bizzaroville. This storyline is one of fourteen separate missions in the game, which are assigned to the player in a randomized order, making it completely obvious that the marketeers just plopped in the CD and wrote down the first thing that happened.

* CowboyBeBopAtHisComputer: When ''Reading Blaster Vocabulary'' was repackaged as ''Reading Blaster for 5th Grade'', the new box claimed that the storyline involving a U.F.O. spotted over Bizzaroville. This storyline is one of fourteen separate missions in the game, which are assigned to the player in a randomized order, making it completely obvious that the marketeers just plopped in the CD and wrote down the first thing that happened.

* AlphabetSoupCans: Wonderfully parodied in the ending cutscene of ''Math Blaster Ages 9-12''. Blasternaut and G.C. are pretending they're leaving Spot behind for the purpose of an escape plan. Spot sobs, to stereotypical sad violin music, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfAo1WNmt1A&t=2m5s "What about all these years of solving math problems together? Did they mean anything to you?"]]

* AlphabetSoupCans: Wonderfully parodied in the ending cutscene of ''Math Blaster Ages 9-12''. Blasternaut and G.C. are pretending they're leaving Spot behind for the purpose of an escape plan. Spot sobs, to stereotypical sad violin music, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfAo1WNmt1A "What about all these years of solving math problems together? Did they mean anything to you?"]]

* AlphabetSoupCans: Wonderfully parodied in the ending cutscene of ''Math Blaster Ages 9-12''. Blasternaut and G.C. are pretending they're leaving Spot behind for the propose of an escape plan. Spot sobs, to stereotypical sad violin music, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfAo1WNmt1A "What about all these years of solving math problems together? Did they mean anything to you?"]]

* AlphabetSoupCans

* HauntedHouse: Dr. Dabble's mansion, hunted by its previous owner, Lydia Novella, who also serves as your guide throughout the game.

* HauntedHouse: Dr. Dabble's mansion, hunted by it's previous owner, Lydia Novella, who also serves as your guide throughout the game.

* LargeHam: The old guy in ''Math Blaster: Ages 9-12''.

True to being both educating and entertaining, the Blaster series centered on an astronaut called Blasternaut (get it?) and his RobotBuddy Spot, a little blue droid. They worked for the Galactic Commander, who herself helped to run a [[TheFederation federation-like]] organization that spanned the galaxy to apprehend criminals. Eventually Galactic Commander (or GC, as the others called her) joined the team. Their images changed rapidly - for example, Spot eventually became a robotic dog named MEL while G.C. became a 12 year old girl instead of a female adult and Blaster became a 12 year old boy instead of a green astronaut like man. This last version of the characters was featured in the SaturdayMorningCartoon series ''Blaster's Universe'', produced by {{Nelvana}} in the early 2000s.

EdutainmentGame series from TheNineties created by the company known as Davidson, aimed largely at elementary schoolers, though a few have been aimed at middle schoolers. First there was ''Math Blaster'' and then ''Reading Blaster''. Very briefly, there was ''Science Blaster'', ''Geometry Blaster'', ''Spelling Blaster'' and ''Word Blaster'' (don't ask how that last one is any different than ''Reading Blaster'').

* PluckyComicRelief: Max Blaster.

* ChooseYourOwnAdventure: ''Reading Blaster 2000'' features three stories that function like this. Each time you reach a certain goal, you get another chapter.

Another universe appeared in the BlasterSeries with a kid named Rave going up against the MadScientist Dudley Dabble. Rave is a green creature with a yellow horn growing out of his head and most of the other inhabitants of his world appear to be monsters and/or creatures of some description, with the odd exception of Dabble, although he was eventually given blue skin. While generally unrelated to the original universe, there were a couple crossovers wherein the original heroes fought against Dr. Dabble.

* ChooseYourOwnAdventure: One of the Reading Blaster games features three stories that function like this. Each time you reach a certain goal, you get another chapter.

* HauntedHouse: Dr. Dabble's mansion.

This series provides examples of:

''Blaster's Universe'' provides examples of:

-->'''Max''': Yeah! What a blast!
-->'''Pirate''': What? Head's up, what?!
-->'''MEL''': Head's ''up''? (''looks up'')
-->'''Max''': No, MEL, "head's up" means... (''sees a cannon'') ...DUCK!

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* [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair You Gotta Have Purple Hair]]: Galactic Commander, aka GC, in her later incarnations.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Max.
* [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair You Gotta Have Purple Hair]]: GC, again.

EdutainmentGame series from TheNineties created by the company known as Davidson, aimed largely at elementary schoolers, though a few have been aimed at middle schoolers. First there was ''Math Blaster'' and then ''Reading Blaster''. Very briefly, there was ''Science Blaster'', ''Geometry Blaster'', ''Spelling Blaster'' and ''Word Blaster'' (don't ask how that last one is any different than ''Reading Blaster'').

True to being both educating and entertaining, the Blaster series centered on an astronaut called Blasternaut (get it?) and his RobotBuddy Spot, a little blue droid. They worked for the Galactic Commander, who herself helped to run a [[TheFederation federation-like]] organization that spanned the galaxy to apprehend criminals. Eventually Galactic Commander (or GC, as the others called her) joined the team. Their images changed rapidly - for example, Spot eventually became a robotic dog named MEL while G.C. became a 12 year old girl instead of a female adult and Blaster became a 12 year old boy instead of a green astronaut like man. This last version of the characters was featured in the SaturdayMorningCartoon series ''Blaster's Universe'', produced by {{Nelvana}} in the early 2000s.

Another universe appeared in the BlasterSeries with a kid named Rave going up against the MadScientist Dudley Dabble. Rave is a green creature with a yellow horn growing out of his head and most of the other inhabitants of his world appear to be monsters and/or creatures of some description, with the odd exception of Dabble, although he was eventually given blue skin. While generally unrelated to the original universe, there were a couple crossovers wherein the original heroes fought against Dr. Dabble.
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This series provides examples of:

* AlphabetSoupCans
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The back of the early instruction books lists all of the Blaster series' main antagonists, in the form of a WantedPoster. Dr. Dabble is wanted for "robbery, grand larceny, and non-payment of electric bill".
* {{Badbutt}}: Most of the main characters (Blasternaut, Galactic Commander).
* BrokenBridge
* ButtMonkey: Spot showed occasional shades of this.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Does it ever?
* ChooseYourOwnAdventure: One of the Reading Blaster games features three stories that function like this. Each time you reach a certain goal, you get another chapter.
* DifficultyLevels
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: In Math Blaster Ages 9-12.
* FetchQuest
* FloatingPlatforms: Pretty ubiquitous.
* ForTheEvulz: The Trash Alien just litters around space for the spite of it.
* HauntedHouse: Dr. Dabble's mansion.
* IdleAnimation
* ImpossibleThief: In the first ''Reading Blaster'', [[MeaningfulName Illiteria]] steals all language from the planet Earth. (CarmenSandiego would attempt this three years later in ''Carmen Sandiego: Word Detective''.) In ''Math Blaster Pre-Algebra'', Dr. Dabble uses an [[AppliedPhlebotinum electrochemical math magnet]] to steal all math from the world.
* TheJoyOfX: The first ''Reading Blaster'' game was subtitled ''[[InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers Invasion Of The Word Snatchers]]''.
* KidHero: Rave.
* MadScientistLaboratory: Dr. Dabble's laboratory.
* NoEnding: Lydia's journal in ''Reading Blaster 9-12'' ends on a cliffhanger with no resolution whatsoever.
* TheOtherDarrin: Rave in ''Reading Blaster 9-12'' sounds like a preteen, but in ''Reading Blaster Vocabulary'' he sounds like a young child.
* RobotBuddy: Spot.
* RobotDog: MEL in the later versions.
* RolePlayingGame
* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: Naturally.
* TheVoice: Lydia the Ghost in ''Reading Blaster Ages 9-12'' is a disembodied voice occasionally represented by floating objects. In the sentence spinner game, a pair of disembodied feminine eyes serve as her avatar while your avatar is a picture of Rave.
* [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair You Gotta Have Purple Hair]]: Galactic Commander, aka GC, in her later incarnations.
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''Blaster's Universe'' provides examples of:

* AnimatedAdaptation
* DeadpanSnarker: GC.
* {{Duck}}: Happens once in the episode "You're History":
-->'''Max''': Yeah! What a blast!
-->'''Pirate''': What? Head's up, what?!
-->'''MEL''': Head's ''up''? (''looks up'')
-->'''Max''': No, MEL, "head's up" means... (''sees a cannon'') ...DUCK!
* EdutainmentShow
* PluckyComicRelief: Max Blaster.
* RobotDog / TalkingAnimal: MEL.
* SaturdayMorningCartoon
* TeamPet: MEL.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Max.
* [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair You Gotta Have Purple Hair]]: GC, again.
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EdutainmentGame series from TheNineties created by the company known as Davidson, aimed larely at elementary schoolers, though a few have been aimed at middle schoolers. First there was ''Math Blaster'' and then ''Reading Blaster''. Very briefly, there was ''Science Blaster'', ''Geometry Blaster'', ''Spelling Blaster'' and ''Word Blaster'' (don't ask how that last one is any different than ''Reading Blaser'').