Blaster Master was published in Japan by Tokai Engineering as Chō Wakusei Senki Metafight (超惑星戦記メタファイト, lit. "Super Planetary War Chronicle: Metafight") in June 1988 for the Famicom, and in the United States by Sunsoft as Blaster Master in November 1988. An European version was also published by Sunsoft in April 1991.
There are major differences between the Japanese and international versions, with Blaster Master having a new title screen, a new intro, a modified section in Area 4 and graphical changes. The European version has a few exclusive bugs such as stopping movement by pausing and allowing double (and more) jumping. Also in that version is a changed zip mechanism which allows warping through things you really shouldn't be able to warp through.