Just like the Switch before it, there’s a Puyo Puyo (and Tetris) game at launch from SEGA.

As far back as 1991, iconicised in Japan, Puyo Puyo became something of a puzzling hit, but it wasn’t until a mashup with Sonic the Hedgehog in Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine in 1995 that it really hard-dropped in the West.

SEGA have recently decided to go one further and present a mashup with the world’s biggest puzzling hit, Tetris, and in that, have built one of the most engaging, interesting games in the genre. The first was a blast and this one is just as good, but also full of things to do.

Like Sonic X Shadow Generations before it, this one was already on Switch and sadly, also doesn’t have a paid upgrade path, but there’s definitely some clear marked differences between the two games.

The most obvious, of course, is the quality of visuals. The game unsurprisingly is silky smooth and runs like a dream whether you play docked or handheld. Not that there were any issues on the Switch beforehand, but with the updated processing power of Switch 2, this is as good as playing the game anywhere.

And that’s what leads me to my ultimate conclusion, that there is no better place to play the game than on Switch 2. Firstly, the control options are much more vast than anywhere else. In addition to the Pro Controller and playing on individual JoyCons, you can also play using touchscreen on Switch. And now, it also boasts mouse support!

Basically, this might be one of the most control accessible games on the market right now. Having tried all modes, me personally, I’m still a Pro Controller player. I feel that’s where I’m fastest and most responsive, but I’m imagining a world now where an even larger base of players can now get into the game, whether they prefer to use their touchscreens, growing up in an iPad generation. But also with the JoyCon mouse 2, you also have a new, fluid way to control.

Admittedly, I did have some problems with the mouse scheme. While the mouse part is smooth, responsive and very reactive, the button pressing was a bit hit and miss. You have to really get your finger in the centre of the button and put some considerable force behind it in order to spin your Tetronimo/Puyo. Once I found the sweet spot, I was sailing, but it wasn’t easy. I’m also a hard-dropper and for the mouse, trying to drag it down, I often found I was missplacing my Puyo.

There’s a button attached to it, but weirdly I found that if I pressed them, the game sometimes got a bit confused between whether I was playing with a tilted JoyCon or as a mouse. I just felt like there were some communication issues there, and it’s not something I’ve found in other titles. Like, say, Nobunaga’s Ambition or the Welcome Tour, where it’s seamless.

And in the team-based skill games, it’s actually a little tricky to use the face JoyCon buttons in order to activate your power with the way your hand is positioned, which is concerning considering the Skill Based portion of 2S is considered one of the big selling points of this new Switch 2 edition.

But all that said, there is something really inherently satisfying about being able to navigate these menus with a mouse pointer now – and indeed, the Switch 2 menus in general. And for the most part, the mouse controls do work, though perhaps another update will help enhance them even further.

The other two big new features to talk about are, again, GameShare. You can now find yourself in the bizarre position of hosting a game of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S on Switch 2 to play it on a Switch 1. So it’s almost like having the game there but not really. Of course, just like Split Fiction, this is yet another massive win for this game, opening it up to even more players, whether you’re playing locally or online – providing you’re in GameChat.

And with GameChat, of course, you can have the camera on so this also adds another level of fun and frolics to the action as you can see your friend stressing out live while you play. Good times. GameShare works just great and means only one friend actually needs a copy of this game to keep a group entertained. Which is pure wizardry and generosity all at once.

The other implementation is definitely for more hardcore players and for me, comes with more mixed results. That’s 2v2 Doubles Battles where essentially you and a buddy – or CPU if you’re feeling really feisty – play in the same grid. Yes, two of you are popping Puyos or lining up Tetronimos in one half of a screen. It’s as chaotic as you can imagine.

And it works about half the time to be honest. Quite often I found we were blocking each other from moving around the grid as my Puyos worked better on the right and my ally’s on the left. You can add hard drops in the menu of course, or set up the games however you like but later on when the grid fills up, you just end up getting in one another’s way, especially if you’re completely out of sync. I guess that’s kind of the fun part, right?

But it’s also a fantastic way to really get bonuses and you’ll notice you are rapidly adding to your score tally, marking it up enthusiastically when everything goes right. It’s a fun additional inclusion at least and could be a real lure for the Puyo Puyo/Tetris players who are craving something totally off the wall and challenging, but to the average player, this is not going to be your preferred way to play.

Fortunately, the game is full of options and more than justifies its price tag. Aside from the fairly robust adventure mode -which does have a story, by the way and some quirky characters to go along with it. You’ll get to meet the entire roster and play out various battling scenarios with them of increasing difficulty. It’s a good way to get to grips with the game, though long term you’ll probably just be dipping in here for battles.

There’s even a Lessons mode too that can teach you some advanced techniques and tactics for both Puyo Puyo and Tetris, but also teaching you about the team-based skill battle and the wild Fusion mode which basically sees you play with both Puyo and Tetris at the same time.

And in terms of modes, there’s so much to unpack here between the standard versus battles, party modes and even single player challenges that include Tiny Puyo, Marathons and getting the highest score possible in three minutes.

All of which can be played online in competitive ranked modes and friendlies and in local. This is also a great way to watch people’s replays and see how the best in the world play. You might learn a thing or two.

Between the Puzzle Leagues and Battles, there’s even a Boss Raid where you and a group can work together to take down an enemy. The problem I had was finding a game. It’s a week on from Switch 2’s launch and I was really struggling to find folks. This is the big worry about games not coming with cross-play these days and the worst part? Because the Switch 1 and 2 versions are different, that also means it’s not cross-play between them either.

I respect SEGA have added some new features here and increased the value proposition of the game, its really commendable and you can see this is more than just a tangible upgrade. But at the very least having cross-play between Switch owners in the modes shared between the games feels like it should have been added here. Because now it isn’t, there’s quite a small player pool online which might hurt the game’s long term tail outside of local.

And unfortunately for SEGA because of the nominal additions added, few people are going to pick this up if they own the game already, especially without some form of upgrade path. It’s kind of backed itself into a corner with this one, sadly.

So on the one hand, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, absolutely, unequivocably is the definitive edition of a robust, enjoyable title with a control scheme that means almost anyone can now play the game. And with GameShare thrown into the mix, you can even share the experience far and wide with just one copy of the game. But GameShare is going to have to do a lot of legwork because online feels a bit of a ghost town with no cross-play right now, and there’s a lot of Switch 1 owners, understandably, refusing to buy it without an upgrade path.

Still if you’ve never played this before or don’t own this version of the game, this is an absolute steal at this price and next to Mario Kart, potentially the most generous multiplayer offering on the Switch 2’s launch lineup.

Verdict

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is the definitive way to play this incredible puzzle mashup with all the updates and content. With such variety in control schemes, it might even be one of the most accessible games on the market to play right now, and with so many modes it more than justifies its asking price, especially by making great use of GameShare and GameChat. Unfortunately, without cross-play and without an upgrade path from Switch 1 to Switch 2, online is feeling a little bit empty right now which might hurt the game’s long term potential. A shame considering the modes and options available to players. And ultimately the new offerings don’t quite go far enough to double-dip if you already own this one on Switch.

Still, a must if you’ve never owned or played this before and the perfect multiplayer alternative to Mario Kart World!

Pros

---

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is out now on Nintendo Switch 2

Played on Switch 2

Code Kindly Provided by SEGA for review purposes