Another year has gone by, and so has another GameSpot level. I'm officially level 22: Blaster Master. Wikipedia sums up the meaning of this rank quite nicely:

Blaster Master is often cited as one of the most original and best games for the NES, owing to a successful combination of the genres of side-scrolling action and overhead exploration. Like The Legend of Zelda, Blaster Master featured the gameplay mechanic of allowing players to revisit previous areas at will; in fact, this is necessary to complete the game. Another notable aspect of the game, the player's ability to gain powers from defeated bosses, seems to be inspired by the game Mega Man. Blaster Master is also regarded as one of the most challenging games for the NES, along with Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden.