Puyo Pop Fever DS
_While Compile is sadly no more, their demise did not spell the end for their beloved Puyo Pop franchise. The license is now in the hands of Sonic Team but do not worry as Puyo Pop Fever doesn't replace any of the characters with those from Sonic games as last seen in Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine for the Megadrive. In this fifth installment of the franchise, you join the search for Ms. Accord flying cane by challenging a group of motley characters to a game of Puyo Puyo.
Like Tetris and Columns, Puyo Pop fever falls into that special catagory of puzzle games where you have to match up like coloured objects falling from the top of the screen. Place four or more same coloured Puyos (coloured blobs) together and they will pop. Pop a few of them in a chain reaction and you will drop some nuisance (colourless) Puyo on your opponents side of the screen. The goal is to survive until your opponents screen is filled up without it happening to you first. It is very simple but also quite fun and addictive. This version of the game features some new additions in the form of the titular "Fever" mode and new Puyo groupings. Fever mode is triggered by filling up a bar in the centre of the screen. Once activated you have a limited amount of time to clear the screen of pre-existing blocks using chains. With some skill, you can practically bury your opponent under nuisance Puyos. Veterans will also notice the groupings of three and four Puyos that fall down instead of just the traditional two. You will also find that the different characters have different block patterns, which adds some variety. Visually the game is not going to turn any heads as it used very simple two dimensinoal sprites for everything. It is very colourful and has a certain charm but does not look much better than the original games. In Single Player mode, you have your pick of the beginner, intermediate and advance levels where you battle against AI foes to progress along the whimsical storyline. All the characters have full voice acting to back their silly lines so brace yourself for a lot of squeaky shouts. It is all very corny but once again has that Puyo Puyo charm. The highlight of the game is of course the single cart multi-player. Up to eight players can compete against each other in a fast-paced challenge. Do not worry as there is still an endless mode where you can either opt for the original or fever mode enhanced gameplay. The game features touch-screen support, which makes menu navigation easier but playing still works better with the d-pad and buttons. While Puyo Pop fever does not look much better than a Gameboy Advance title there is still a lot to like. The gameplay is as addictive as ever and the multi-player is a blast. The characters who all sound like they are screaming at the top of their helium-filled lungs will definitely put off some people however. The game is available on virtually every format known to man but while not as flashy on the DS, it more than makes up for it by being portable. If you are tired of the formula there is probably not enough new features to lure you back but fans and newcomers will definitely get their moneys worth with this one. |
TAGS: Amitie, Accord, Rider, Puyo Pop, Fever, Raffine, Popoi
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