Does the world need another Puyo Puyo Tetris? Don’t get me wrong, I liked the original game a lot. I have an English version on Nintendo Switch and a Japanese copy on PS4.
The reason I ask is because that first game covered so much ground. Already packed with a ton of modes and a single-player campaign flush with more story than I’d ever want from a puzzle game, it doesn’t feel like there’s much room left for improvement.
Nevertheless, here we are. Does the world really need Puyo Puyo Tetris 2?
The Tetris community in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is tough, but I’m not backing down! I put forth a great effort and even get some good wins! Throughout the stream, we also discuss a number of topics, such as the questionable value proposition of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, pushing past your limits in video games, and the concept of “empty calorie” video games!
Click through for the full video, highlights, and shoutouts!
The Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 community doesn’t mess around! I play a couple of 1v1 matches and really struggle against some talented Tetris players. Along the way, we talk about my overall thoughts on Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, and close the door on a crappy 2020.
Click through for the full video!
Once upon a time, Tetris on the NES was sold as a full-priced game. Even back then, its feature set was lacking, as it didn’t have local multiplayer. All you could do was chase for a high score. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the world from buying it in the millions.
Imagine asking players to spend full price on a Tetris game now? No way! Even with the VR support and numerous gameplay modes that it offers, Tetris Effect didn’t launch as a full-priced game. That still didn’t stop many from being critical of its value proposition, specifically its distinct lack of multiplayer. Tetris 99 isn’t full-priced if you buy the standalone edition, nor is Puyo Puyo Tetris, which is essentially two full puzzle games in one. Even I complained about Treasure Stack, a game that I bought on sale for $5 CAD, because its value proposition felt thin.
Taking a step back, it’s been interesting to see how one of my favourite genres has been devalued over time.
In an age where pretty much every major console is region-free and most games are localized globally anyway, the allure of importing games is not what it used to be. However, there was a time when Japan would get games years before the rest of the world. At times, notable games would never make it across the shore. Heck, it took decades for the now-massive Fire Emblem franchise to get a chance at international stardom.
Though I remember the days of seeing import order sheets in the back of video game magazines, I didn’t really start importing games until the Nintendo DS era. The advent of online made it not only easier for me to learn about these great Japan-only games, but to buy them as well. Here are a few titles I bought from a faraway land!
At its core, Tetris hasn’t changed. This is still a game where you stack blocks that will disappear when you create a full row. Eventually, the blocks will get to the top and you’ll lose.
Under the hood, Alexey Pajitnov’s iconic puzzle game has actually received a number of mechanical tweaks that change the game quite a bit. So much so, that one can draw a hard line between “classic” Tetris and “modern” Tetris. If you grew up on the old games and are trying out one of the newer ones for the first time, it’s easy to not see the differences. For new players going backwards, they’re in for a rude awakening when things they took for granted aren’t there anymore.
I’m not an expert when it comes to the inner workings of Tetris, but I thought it would be neat to talk through a handful of the mechanical changes that impact how the game is played.
In just a few days – April 25th to be exact, Puyo Puyo Tetris will hit store shelves for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Having played the Japanese PlayStation 4 version for a few months now, I can tell you that it’s a good game. Personally, I thought that the Switch version would be a home run, as the portable nature of the platform made it seem like a perfect fit. Right now, I’m not so sure I’m ready to jump in.
Taking on a skilled rival in the Tetris part of Puyo Puyo Tetris!
Buy Puyo Puyo Tetris Now From Amazon.com
Coming soon to North America for the Nintendo Switch, Puyo Puyo Tetris has actually been available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Japan for a few years. Figuring that this one would never make it to the west, I bought an Japanese copy of it on PlayStation 4 from a vendor at Fan Expo. What can you expect when it finally makes its way here? Well, I can’t read Japanese, so I can’t assess everything in the game. However, I think I’ve played enough of it to give you the scoop on what to expect.
Trying out my imported copy of Puyo Puyo Tetris! Check it out before it comes out on the Nintendo Switch!
Watch me play at twitch.tv/jettftw
[UPDATE: Stream is over! Thank you to everyone who watched! Archive above!]
Buy Puyo Puyo Tetris Now From Amazon.com
In Third Person 