Puyo Pop Fever

"Sega's Best Puyo Puyo Rendition Ever!"

First off, I'd like to remind the readers that this isn't the first time we've experienced Puyo Pop Fever. It's been released to the Nintendo GameCube here in the USA and in Europe was released to all major consoles, with the GBA and DS versions coming soon to them. Japan had it on just about everything, from PDAs to the arcade and Dreamcast. I'm not talking about Puyo Puyo in general, I'm talking Fever. It has been ported to just about everything with little or no changes in between.

So, what makes the Nintendo DS version so special? Well, firstly, it's just so darn spiffy in presentation. Sega made colourful use of the two screens and added touch and microphone odds and ends all over, and even unlockables by inserting the GBA version into the bottom slot. But the biggest change? The multiplayer area. Previous versions only allowed up to two players, and the GBA was the only one to have up to four. The DS? It can go up to eight players, and that sets ground for some major chaotic fun. It's utter madness as everyone rushes to stay alive and ahead of the others. This truly shines in this game, as no Puyo Puyo has supported this many players to date.

Don't have enough people to go eight-way? Then set up computer players! Yep, this is also the only Puyo Pop Fever to inject computer-controlled players into the multiplayer arena. You can even play seven computers alone for good practice. You don't have to go two, four, or eight players like the mode names suggest, either. You can disable players/computers to go head on to suit any odd number of players. Team battle is also a new feature, where players and computers alike can join teams to wage war on sides. The game has no restrictions, so you're free to set up any kind of unfair battle you want. Just make sure the victims are aware. Heheh.

Of course, if you've played the heck out of the console versions, then you won't see much new other than it's portable and goes past one opponent for a challenge. But don't worry about nobody else having the game. It's easy to pick up and if they have a DS, it only takes around twenty to thirty seconds to send it over to them and go multiplayer. Everyone I've played with who don't have the game yet were instantly hooked and keep coming back for more.

So there's alot of multiplayer goodness, but what about those flying solo? Well, if you're into puzzle games, this is definitely for you. There's alot of modes to keep you satisfied, and even if you prefer the old-school way of playing Puyo Puyo, then that's available too. This is for all Puyo Puyo and puzzle game fans out there. It caters to everyone.

If you ever have a decision of which console to buy Puyo Pop Fever on, get the DS version. It's the best one yet. If you want smoother graphics, though, the PlayStation Portable version offers up graphics that are on par with the console versions, but I hear it only goes up to two or four players. (I need to do more research on this) The good thing is that it has the ability to play head-to-head, meaning that one person can take one end of the PSP and the other take the other end and use the PSP's wide screen to play against each other on one screen. Although nice, this is still only two player capable and doesn't offer up the mass mayhem the DS version does.

In short, this is the best puzzler on the DS yet. It's very sleek, the colourful graphics are as trippy as always, and the features and modes make up for the best Puyo Puyo experience I've seen. I don't think I wasted a dime by importing it months before the US release. It was well worth it, and I'm not the only one who believes that.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/25/05