Preview: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

21 Nov 2020
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Hello to all the puzzle fans out there! Today, we had the chance to take a look at the upcoming Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. Personally, I put many an hour into the original, so I’m quite excited to share this sneak peek of the Nintendo Switch version with you.

For those who haven’t played the original, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a mash-up between Tetris, the classic falling-block game which is among my favorites of all time, with Puyo Puyo. Some people in North America and Europe may not have heard of Puyo Puyo, but may also have in fact played it without realizing it; versions of the game existed on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Super Nintendo known as Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine and Kirby’s Avalanche, respectively.

PPT2 features a wide range of modes of Puyo, Tetris, and even modes which combine the two. In fact, PPT2 has all of the content of the first game along with most of its unlockable content available from the start.

This is what I noticed quickly as I began to play, and I initially asked, “So what exactly is new to entice players of the first game to buy this?” Primarily, the game features a brand new sequel story (Yes, a puzzle game with a story).

We were only able to look at the first chapter for this preview, but the story is clearly intended to be a direct follow up to that of the first game, with familiar characters and settings. And for what it is, it’s pretty enjoyable. It’s silly, but it’s designed to be that way and expands upon the Puyo Puyo universe which, unlike most of the Tetris franchise, has always had a story. The Adventure mode features full voiceover, which is surprisingly good for a game like this, and dozens of stages over several chapters.

The main new feature is a game mode: Skill Battle. This mode adds some RPG elements to the game, like stats and special abilities. Form a team of the various characters in the game, level them up, and gain access to special powers you can use to turn the tide as you play. It also changes the objective from “Make them fill up their board” to “Reduce their HP to zero.”

Like most of the other modes in PPT2, each player can individually choose to play Tetris or Puyo within the same match. It certainly felt weird at first, particularly when you suddenly lose or win due to taking HP damage. But it does feel like a creative addition that hasn’t been done many times before, and the team forming and special abilities add new strategy elements to the game.

I have to be honest, from what I’ve played, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is feeling more like an expansion pack than a brand new game. Things like the menus and UI are nearly identical to the first game, with a bit of spit and polish.

That said, the new mode, story, and various improvements are welcome additions to what was already a great experience, so I think there is definitely still plenty to look forward to.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is set for release on December 8, 2020 on most platforms, with a PS5 version following shortly after and Steam in early 2021. If you love Tetris, or Puyo Puyo, or Puyo Puyo Tetris, mark your calendars!


Screenshots taken by writer.