| “ | Destroyer Mode features powered up mutants waiting to take on Jason and SOPHIA III. On top-down view maps, enemies can only be damaged by using certain guns. On side view maps, defeating enemies creates extra danger. While the challenge is greater than Normal Mode, if you saved the Earth once before, you should be able to do it again! Enjoy this tougher adventure!” |
| — Destroyer Mode Game Start Description • Blaster Master Zero |
Destroyer Mode is a special Jason-only mode in Blaster Master Zero that was released in Version 1.2. It is a more challenging play mode than the normal game, and is meant to give advanced players an additional challenge.
Destroyer Mode, initiated for new games within the Extra menu, must first be unlocked by completing Normal Mode, requiring the player to collect all key items from the first eight areas and defeat Invem Sophia. Save files for Destroyer Mode are marked with a red-on-black "DESTROYER" label near the upper-right corner of the details display.
Changes from Normal Mode
General
- SOPHIA III and Jason have a different color scheme, now being gray and orange instead of red and gray.
- Most enemies have more health, with the exact health multiplier varying based on enemy type.
- Standard red bullets now pass through walls.
- In side view, enemies (not including bosses) spawn bullets on death, regardless of the cause of death.
- These bullets fly in the direction of the player's location at the time of enemy death.
- In top-down view only, enemies (including bosses) lose all their normal weaknesses and are instead vulnerable only to certain Gun attacks.
- If Jason's Gun level is not high enough to access an enemy's normal Gun vulnerability, that enemy typically gains a temporary vulnerability to Blaster (Level 0 Gun).
- Jason's sub-weapons, which are not affected by enemy Gun immunities, are the only means of defeating enemies without any vulnerabilities (e.g. Hard Shell).
Items
Many of SOPHIA III's main weapons and sub-weapons (and one of Jason's sub-weapons) have been given different locations.
| Area | Boss | Normal Mode Power-up Item | Destroyer Mode Power-up Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area 1 | Thousand Vios | Thunder Breaker | Life Up |
| Drap Trappers | Ignition Bomb | Life Up | |
| Area 2 | Biby Legion | Homing Missile | Ignition Bomb |
| Crabularva | Laser Shot | Shield Mine | |
| Area 3 | Obliteration Lasers | Flash Bomb | |
| Photophage | Jump Booster | ||
| Area 4 | Tadroll's Snack Time | Maximum Shot | |
| Spark Salamander | Spark Tackle | Laser Shot | |
| Area 5 | Ambush Room | Shield Mine | Homing Missile |
| Gurnahide | Turret | ||
| Area 6 | Peeper's Den | Cannon Shot | Spark Tackle |
| Remote Blaster | Remote Blast | ||
| Area 7 | S-1000 Generator | Life Up | Thunder Breaker |
| Venom Master | Acceleration Blast | ||
| Area 8 | Cell Rejection | Life Up | Cannon Shot |
- With the exception of Maps, Support Items (Energy Guard and Life Ups) have no permanent effects; Life Ups fully heal Jason/SOPHIA, and the Energy Guard fully upgrades the Blaster Rifle. Their collection is still required to reach Area 9.
- Only small Capsules can be found in an area of by defeating enemies, with SP Capsules being the only exception.
- In many top-down view boss fights, boss minions and solid projectiles are only able to drop specific capsule types; see individual boss pages for restrictions on capsule sources available in their fights.