Sega
Last yr , Sega discover a newfound commitment to its wide catalog of franchises . In December , it announce thatseveral series would get the revival treatment , include long - abeyant franchises like Crazy Taxi . We ’d even get a coquette at that IP comeback with threenew Samba de Amigo game , which were released across Nintendo Switch , VR , and mobile .
While there was a recollective stretch where it sense like Sega was incite past its classic games , we ’re at the oncoming of a retro renaissance . And judge byPuyo Puyo Puzzle Pop , Sega is n’t take that opportunity for grant . Puyo Puyo Puzzle Popis a new reading of the classic match - four puzzler that ’s uncommitted now exclusively onApple Arcade . It ’s the first Puyo Puyo game in four geezerhood and it comes loaded with enough content to fulfill that interruption . It does n’t do much to meaningfully stimulate up the series ’ winning formula , but it does n’t need to . Sega rather puts its effort into making this version of Puyo Puyo the good it can be , which is something all of the company ’s approaching revival meeting should reach for .
Sega
Popping Puyos
Rather than leaning on a big central gimmick , likePuyo Puyo Tetrisdoes , Puyo Puyo Puzzle Popis a more square reading of the classic teaser game . instrumentalist drop colourful guck ballock into a well and match four of the same color to clear them . Combos are as key as ever , as Puyo Puyo is about stay three steps ahead of the panel to aim for grownup string reactions . That playstyle has always made it less newcomer - well-disposed than something likeTetris , butPuzzle Popis more attached than ever to onboarding fresh participant .
It features a whopping 50 tutorial , which cover everything from the bedrock to expert jazz band planning . It ’s perhaps the best debut to the series Sega ’s ever made . It aid that it ’s easy to control on a touchscreen too . I plainly want to dredge a finger on the left field of the screen to move a falling piece and tap on the right-hand side to rotate it . While it can be a little hard to quick drop small-arm or move them into tricky spots with precision , it ’s as elegant as it needs to be .
What really digest out , though , is just how much capacity Sega packs into an unassuming Mobile River package . That starts with a meaty single - participant campaign that ’s as robust as what we saw in last year’sSamba de Amigo : Party - to - Go . I move through a lighting , but duologue - leaden story featuring a expectant fistful of the serial ’ character . Each one receive their own set of mission filled with battles ( each of which has its own set of challenges to chase ) , puzzle diversions , and treasure chests to unlock .
The vocalisation acting is incredibly grating and the one - on - one battles can get repetitive tight , but the morsel - sized challenges are pure for some fast sessions when I ’m just looking to kill a few minutes while hold off for a sandwich at the bodega . I ’m more impressed when I head back to the primary computer menu and start exploring the other modes included here . A stratified challenge mode has me aiming for a high-pitched account in the chain - focused Endless Fever or fulfill my well with more ball than common in Tiny Puyo .
Solo mode sound even thick . That card lets me take on a CPU in head - to - head fight using seven potential rulesets . Mission Puyo has us fighting to unmortgaged specific objectives before the others can , while Mega Puyo has me deal with tremendous goo balls . Some deep cut return here too , like the first-class Mini Puyo Excavation fromPuyo Puyo ! ! 20th Anniversary . That ’s a apt mode where players start with a well full of Puyos and need to pop their means down to attain a maven at the bottom . inclusion like that make this palpate like a robust starting point , peculiarly since Sega design to support this post - launch with Modern content .
A few extra touches go a foresighted way toward givingPuzzle Popsome foresightful - terminus note value . I can collect coins in just about every mode and it can be spend on a shop class full of cosmetic . That includes customization for my on-line participant card , as well as the power to buy Puyo skins from older game ( include the classical pixel art vogue ) . There ’s even a surprising Photo Mode include that rent actor create and break down images using characters , backgrounds , and more .
All of that — alongside online play , unlockables , and daily objectives — make this feel like a amply formed package that could have launched on any modern console . It ’s not thatPuyo Puyo Puzzle Popdoes anything raw to revitalize the series . If you ’ve never get through with this format , this plot is unlikely to pull ahead you over now . Its Apple Arcade exclusivity may also be a bit frustrating to longtime rooter who do n’t own Apple devices .
Even with those caveats , Puzzle Popcomes packed with just about everything you could need in a Puyo Puyo game at launching . It ’s the discussion a legendary serial like this deserves and I desire to see that same exploit applied to Streets of Rage , Shinobi , and more Sega undertaking in the coming years . Puyo Puyo Puzzle Popis now available for iOS gimmick via Apple Arcade .