If you like puzzle games, then Puyo Pop Fever needs to be in your collection.
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If you have never heard of Puyo Pop, you probably are not alone. However, this mega entertaining game has been around for quite sometime. Although mostly popular in Japan, the U.S. has had its share of Puyo Pop games including a GBA version, GC version, and even a SNES version hidden under the name of Kirby’s Avalanche. But if you like puzzle games in the lieu of Tetris or Dr. Mario, Puyo Pop will feel right at home.
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Just like Tetris, Puyo Pop is a game where pieces fall from the top of the screen. These living blobs are called Puyo. Once four of the same colored Puyo connect, they explode. If the stack reaches the top of the screen, the game is over. However, the biggest gameplay enhancer is the use of combos. If chains are connected, Nuisance Puyo are sent to your opponent, hindering his progression. These colorless pieces can only be cleared when adjacent Puyo are cleared. The bigger the combo, or chain, the more Nuisance Puyo are delivered.
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The gameplay is simple enough for any gamer, puzzle fan or not, to pick up, play, and form combos within minutes. But for those who want a bit of training, the game offers a quick tutorial mode. Here, players will learn about all aspects of the game.
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Besides the tutorial, there are a few other gameplay modes. First, is the main story mode. Here, players assume the role of an annoying little girl on her quest to… do… something. While the story mode is quite lacking, it is, however, narrated through voice acting. However, all voice acting sounds like the actors are just plain reading their lines from a cue card. The extremely weak story line and lame voice acting pretty much shoots any concept of a story straight to the pooper. But in all honesty, that is perfectly fine. This game does not need a story line as the puzzle style gameplay holds all the entertainment value anyway.
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Despite the frail story line, the main quest mode is still enjoyable. No matter who the main character meets up with, they always wind up challenging each other to a game of Puyo Pop. But besides the main story mode style of single player gameplay, the best way to play this game is with other human players. Up to eight players can all compete with a single game card.
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VS mode is definitely the shinning star of Puyo Pop Fever. But thanks to the use of two screens, every player’s screen is always in display. The top screen can display up to four opponents while the bottom can display another four. This is a great way to keep an eye on your opponent to determine who to send your nuisance Puyo to.
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What separates Puyo Pop Fever from the other Puyo Pops is the Fever mode. Fever mode, while present in the GameCube version, is still the newest addition to the Puyo Pop series. Fever mode is basically a one shot instant kill to your opponent. First, Fever mode must be gradually built before it is activated. The Fever meter is accumulated by stacking three Puyos of the same color or by taking a beating. Fever mode is automatically activated when the time is right. Then the screen cuts out to a pre-deployed set of Puyo pieces. The player then has one chance to lay the given piece in the correct spot, causing a massive chain, which in turn, will bury your opponent alive. This hit or miss style of gameplay can be seen either as a curse or a blessing. For one, it can be a cheap way to defeat your opponent, but on the other hand, you can defeat your opponent using this feature to your advantage. Considering Fever mode as a part of your strategy is now a crucial part of survival. Is it a welcomed addition to the Puyo Pop series? Again, it can go either way.
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The graphics are pretty simple and contain a cartoony gentle theme. All sprites are brightly colored and each match is linked through a smooth Puyo shaped screen transition. The music is really nothing to gloat about and as previously stated, the voice acting is pretty bad. The musical tunes are no where near as catchy as the Tetris theme, or Fever or Chill from Dr. Mario, but they are pleasant enough to suit this puzzle game.
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If you are a fan of Tetris or any other puzzle game, you will definitely love Puyo Pop. The main single player does have a weak story line, but the multiplayer is a total riot. This game’s single card link mode is some of the best the DS has to offer. If you have played Tetris DS to death, unlocked everything in Meteos, then Puyo Pop Fever would be the next great game to follow up with.