Puyo Pop

"Color-poppin' insanity"

I'll admit it: I've never been the biggest puzzle fan. However, Puyo Pop!, for the Gameboy Advance, is one of the most innovative titles for the system. Although the Puyo! license hasn't been treated well in the US, resulting in ''ports'' of Puyo classics, changing the sprites to characters of familiar US-popular franchises. This one, however, remained Puyo!-istic, and that was definitely for the best.

The concept is a very simple one, in the vein of the classic Russian wonder, Tetris. Line up the colors of the blobs, attempt to get combos, etc. However, this simple concept is carried out very well, with hilariously odd cinemas, goofy sound and visuals, and tons of gameplay options.

Believe it or not, the single player mode isn't limited whatsoever. Unlike most puzzle games, there are several options, each containing different ''feels'' of gameplay. Test your reflexes, brain, or patience; whichever floats your boat. Of course, the multiplayer mode is also a blast, but it isn't the only reason to own the cart. If you happen to have three friends, and your three friends happen to each have a GBA, then prepare for some frantic, chaotic fun.

The ''story'' is absolutely hilarious. In fact, I wouldn't reccomend reading it when sober. It's impossible to describe, but basically, the main character goes from spot to spot, challenging various characters. The characters, such as aliens and bear-like things, sport phrases such as, ''I don't have time to play house with a kid like you!'' It scares me highly... but in a good way.

Gameplay
Frantic, color-matching fun. Puzzlers just don't get any better than this. 10/10

Graphics
There isn't much to these, but the goofy, surreal visuals are very attractive, and fit the game's insane atmosphere. There could have been better backgrounds during the puzzles themselves, though, as the grey is a bit bland. 9/10

Control
Very responsive, as any puzzler should be, but sometimes touchiness ensues. This can be annoying, but the controls aren't too bad overall. 9/10

Sound
This fits, as it's very odd and whimsical. I love it. 9/10

Replay Value
It's very important that puzzlers have this, and Puyo Pop! is equipped with plenty of it. There are many things to do, and each mode is very well-balanced. 10/10

Overall
I'm not the biggest fan of puzzle games, but I keep popping this in my GBA on a regular basis. Absolute excellent gameplay, with a goofy, surreal presentation makes this game one of the best on the GBA. 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/09/02, Updated 03/09/02