Puyo Puyo Tetris Review

Sonic Team proves that sometimes an unlikely mash-up is even better than the originals that inspired it.

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Let’s Pop:

It’s been a long time since a puzzle game grabbed my attention the way Puyo Puyo Tetris has. Had you asked me a few years ago whether mashing two different games together would be a recipe for success I’d have responded with a pretty resounding no, especially two games so visually similar but mechanically different. It just shouldn’t work on any level, but Sonic Team have proven me wrong by making this mash-up one of the best games of either series.

Gameplay:

We’ve all been playing Tetris since our first Game Boys: it was a ‘game your grandmother would play’ long before the Wii coined the phrase. Puyo Puyo, on the other hand, has proven a harder idea to sell the West. It’s had a couple of localized versions but the vast majority of them simply don’t hit our shores, and I’m inclined to believe that was a large reason behind this mash-up took so long to reach us. I’ll be honest, I’d had very little time with Puyo Puyo (or Puyo Pop, over here) before sitting down with this version, and whilst the learning curve was steep at first – the adventure mode throws some really nasty difficulty spikes early on – it’s brilliantly rewarding once you’re popping with the best of them (note: I’m not quite there yet).

What the game boils down to, across all modes (and there are an absolute boatload, I should add), is playing a descending-blocks puzzle game against AI or Player controlled opponents. You might be sending down classic Tetronimoes whilst colourful Puyos are descending in the opponents play-space, but you’re essentially playing the same game: Score big combos and fill your enemy’s screen with trash, causing them to fail.

It used to be enough to simply sit there, chew some gum and see how long I could last in Tetris, but now that it’s a competetive sport there’s a lot of invaluable tactics and depth that I never knew I had to wrap my head around. The same goes for Puyo Puyo, and I’d really recommend checking out Sega’s official Youtube channel to get some pointers in combo set ups (especially if you’re a complete Puyo-noob like myself). Combos are wildly important in PPT, and they have the ability to seal the fate games in just one or two moves.

Multiplayer:

And these tips will see you through the many, many modes on offer. Each one – Adventure mode, lessons, challenges, arcade and more – have multiple variations, and there’s a huge suite of local and online multiplayer offerings. I’ll be perfectly honest: when I took the fight online, I got schooled continously. I did leave each battle feeling like I’d learned something, but also feeling like I just got my head shoved in a toilet by the school bully. Puyo Puyo Tetris feels like a hard meta to crack into, but that wont stop me trying in the coming months.

And I think that’s a hugely positive thing to say about the game. Despite the fact that I’m getting repeatedly rinsed by far better players than myself, I’m having an engaging enough time that I want to get better. Luckily, there’s so much content in the package that can help me do just that. It’s a great loop where each mode makes you feel like you’re making progress, not just with the game but your own skill.

Elsewhere the local play was more instantaenously gratifying, as my partner is just as rubbish at Puyo Puyo as I am. From a rookie’s perspective, Tetris players seem at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to creating huge combos – Puyos are much more adaptable to create longer chains – but the Tetris attacks might be weighted differently to account for this. If you’re looking for an in-depth analysis of the balance of this game, it’s probably better to ask someone who doesn’t cheer every time they get more than a five-chain.

Presentation:

Puyo Puyo Tetris is a treat for the eyes, a saccharin blast of Skittles-flavoured colour in an industry which is otherwise preoccupied with browns and greys. Sonic Team has never skimped on buckets of colour – just check out Chu Chu Rocket, one of my favourite games of all time, for further proof – and I’m glad to see they’re as artistically exuberant as ever here. The only downside to such a cartoony, Saturday-morning visual style is that you might confuse PPT for something aimed towards children, when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

For a game that took so long to come out over here, I’m glad that reluctance didn’t result in a lazy localization. It’s voiced in English and the massive adventure mode gives the numerous characters a distinct flavour of their own. There’s a great soundtrack bubbling under the over-the-top sound effects too, and it all meshes together for a surprisingly coherent package.

 

Conclusion:

There’s a hardcore shell to crack under the vibrant exterior of Puyo Puyo Tetris, but its definitely one worth investing the time it takes to crack it. What begins as a fluffy mash-up of two of gaming’s puzzle giants ends with one of the best games in either series. For any puzzle fans out there – especially ones who have never popped a Puyo before – prepare to lose a lot of your life to this massive beast. Combo up.

Good

  • Smart mash-up that respects both series
  • Endlessly inventive slew of content
  • An explosion of colour

Bad

  • Puyo newbies have a mountain to climb
  • Early difficulty spikes
  • Online is a slaughtering ground for casual fans
8.8

Great

Graphics - 8.5
Sound - 8.5
Gameplay - 9
Multiplayer - 8.5
Value - 9.5
Reviewer - GamerKnights

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