Blaster Master successfully mixes two styles of play into one immensely enjoyable subterranean adventure. The meat of the game is piloting S.O.P.H.I.A. (a tank-like vehicle), but Jason, the protagonist and S.O.P.H.I.A.'s pilot, can also exit the vehicle to explore doorways, climb ladders, and fit into small crevices and paths that S.O.P.H.I.A. cannot. The underground environments make good use of a small range of drab colors, creating detailed textures for rocks and platforms. The non-linear level structure lets you to move at your own pace, and acquiring items allows you to take S.O.P.H.I.A. into previously unexplored areas, adding new dimensions to familiar ground.