Puyo Pop is one of those games that I must confess wouldn’t interest me just from the name, and box art. Add to that I really don’t play puzzle games that often. However, this game is a real gem, read on to find out why.

Sonic Team have really done their homework when it came to improving a genre. Puyo Pop is modeled after Tetris, in that there is a pit where blocks (Puyo) fall from the top. They fall two at a time, and the game is over when the Puyo stack up to the top of the play field. The way you get rid of said Puyo is to connect four or more of a kind, and they will disappear. To make this easier you can rotate these blocks either clockwise, or counterclockwise. You can build chain reactions with this logic, and make several different kinds of Puyo disappear.

What Puyo does is that they give you two windows that show you the next Puyo, and the one after that, allowing you to formulate a strategy as to where and what Puyo to place. This helps making the game less random, and more of a reward when you pull off 3 or 4 chain reactions. When playing with a computer or a human opponent, when one player makes a Puyo vanish, they will appear on the other players screen. Depending on the mode and the level, different rules apply in order to get rid of these extra Puyo.

The game also has alot of modes, for both single and multiplayer. Story pits you Arle Nadja, against different characters who challenge you to games of Puyo Pop. Each character plays differently, some are very offensive, others are extremely defensive.

Endless mode is just erasing an infinite amount of Puyo, either with rules or not. This is a great place to practice, and just have fun.

Double Puyo, and Everybody Puyo are just great multiplayer modes where up to four people can play. You can use one cart, but if everyone has a Puyo Pop cartridge you can set up rules, and you don’t have to wait so long to play the next game.

Graphics are nice, but nothing incredible. The art style is lush, and anime in nature. The look fits perfectly with the game, and it never takes away from the action.

The Music, and sound effects are a catchy, and very cute. In story mode Arle yells out different phrases in Japanese, but it just adds to the overall cuteness of the game.

The real draw to this game is the gameplay, it is hands down one of the best puzzle games available. And the multiplayer just adds to the fun. It is very addictive, so plan on pulling this cartridge out, again and again. With portable gaming, Puyo Pop is a fantastic investment. It is perfect for waiting for the bus, or just sitting on your couch. The game seems to resound the phrase, “pick up, and play mechanics”. If you like puzzle games at all, do yourself a favor, and get this game.