Sonic Blast Man (1990). Play online

Summary

Sonic Blast Man (sometimes called Sonic Blastman) turns the arcade cabinet into a literal punching bag. Players slip on oversized boxing gloves and smash a rising mechanical pad; each hit depletes the “tons of resistance” displayed on on‑screen enemies and targets. You only get three blows per opponent, so timing and power are everything, and the challenge ramps up over five increasingly tough stages.

The game’s hype turned into a health scandal when Taito recalled the machines in 1995 after several gamers injured themselves, leading to a $50,000 fine for nondisclosure the next year. It spun off a sequel, Real Puncher, which added new levels and a photo‑capture mode for faces in‑game. Despite the controversy, Sonic Blast Man topped U.S. arcade redemption charts in February 1995 and was the highest‑grossing new arcade title on RePlay’s 1991 list, cementing its quirky place in arcade history.

Storyline

In Sonic Blast Man, the player steps into the shoes of a super‑powered hero racing against a series of chaotic emergencies. The first stage drops you into a city alley where a woman is being assaulted by a thug, and you must punch through the assailant to rescue her. The next level shifts to a busy freeway: a baby carriage has rolled into traffic and a looming truck threatens to crush it, demanding precise timing to smash the vehicle and save the infant. Later, an armed group has seized a skyscraper, turning it into a hostile headquarters you must infiltrate and clear room by room. The action then moves to the high seas, where a giant crab terrorizes a cruise ship, and your powerful blows are the only thing that can halt its rampage. The final showdown pits Sonic Blast Man against an asteroid hurtling toward Earth, forcing you to deliver a decisive, earth‑shaking punch to avert disaster.