Blast Chamber for the PS1

Blast Chamber is a game released by Activision for the PSOne in 1996. This was back when Activision was big, but not the behemoth that it is today as Activision Blizzard. This game is pretty simple- and it’s meant to be a multiplayer game, though you can play solo if you want to. You are in a cubicle arena with a bomb strapped to your chest. Everyone else does too. There is a crystal floating around, which I like to call the crystal football. If you put it in your opponent’s zone, which looks like a light pyramid- you take time off of their bomb. Put it in yours and you add time to your bomb.

You push, shove and jump around the arena, and I HAVE been physically punched over this game. More than just a one time gig, blast chamber features some interesting powerups and debuffs. For example, mercury makes you run retardedly fast, handy when you don’t want to get knocked over and lose the crystal. There’s freeze frame, where you freeze everyone in place. There’s a crystal bomb too- which If you get the powerup, it turns the crystal into a bomb and instantly detonates the next player who picks it up.

When the action is heated, sometimes people don’t notice until it’s too late. There are many level designs and they are pretty clever for the time. This is one of those games where a multitap will come in handy so that you can play with four players. Score and keep the crystal away from other people- that’s how you win at this game. It’s possible to have tournaments too- giving 4 points to first place, 3 to second, and so on.


I’ve never played a Mario Party game so I can’t rank the frustration there- but this is one of those games that a crowd can watch and get some amusement out of. I am absolutely ashamed of myself that I didn’t bring this down to be played in college. I’ll get the chance here when I move at the end of the month to play with friends. I picked up my copy brand new around the year 2000 for $8. You can have it for around $10-$15 on Ebay and about $10 on Amazon.com from various third party sellers. They are out there- and they are affordable. If you want good, safe drunk fun, this is a game you want to add to your retro collection. I’ll give blast chamber a 8.7/10. 3…. 2…. 1… goodbye…