Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 - Review

When the Nintendo Switch released, one of the earliest reviews that I did was for Puyo Puyo Tetris and it was a fun game. A few years later the series was back with a new entry and while I bought the game on PlayStation 5, I never actually reviewed it. So, with Nintendo Switch 2 and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, it felt like the right time to review the game and see if these new additions, were worth the price of re-entry.

Look, for the most part the game on offer here is identical to what was released a few years, the story mode is the same, the versus mode is the same and even the challenges are the same. So, if the game did not do anything for you when it first released, then there is nothing here that will get you excited to play. That is not to say there is nothing new in this release, there are some new features, but if you have played the original release, the additions here are not likely going to demand your attention again. So, what is new, well the biggest addition is that you can now see your face in the game, well if you have a camera attached to your Nintendo Switch 2. This is not like Mario Kart World where your face appears in a small circle on the screen, but rather it takes over the entire background of the playing space. The other really unique addition to this release is that it supports the mouse mode of the Joy-Con 2. It does work, but as someone who has been playing Tetris since the Game Boy, it feels wrong to me, but this may be a way you prefer to play, so it is a nice inclusion.

Now there is a new gameplay mode, a double mode if you will. Now I know what you are thinking, the game already has a mode where you play both Puyo Puyo and Tetris, swapping back and forth between them. This Puyo Tetris Double Mode is not that, instead two players will play on the same board, which means you have to coordinate your actions. I would love to say how great this mode is, or if it sucks completely, but it is not actually in the game yet, it is coming via a free update later. My issue here is that this is the one new game mode that actually adds something to the game, and it is not included at launch.

The saddest part is that without that new mode, everything is the same as the non-S version of the game. This means you get the same versus modes, the same challenges, the same story, the same everything really. As someone who has sunk in a lot of time to the PlayStation 5 version of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, I knew what to expect and I understand why, but it sucks. But a camera showing my face or the ability to play with a mouse do not make for a compelling reason to pick up the game, and I am not sure the extra game mode would be enough on its own either.

Don’t misunderstand me, there is still a lot to enjoy here. The games lessons are still a great way for new players to understand the rules of the games and they are a nice break from the chaos of the other modes. The story mode, while basic does provide for a fun way to meet the character and experience the various modes on offer and the multiplayer options are quite robust. It is just the lack of anything new feels like a missed chance to really stand out.

If you have not play either of the previous entries in the series then this is a fantastic game to add to your library. Even if you only play one half of the puzzle games on offer here, you are going to get an insane amount of game for your gaming dollar. If you already own the original release of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, there is really nothing here that makes it a need to buy again release. If there was a way to buy an upgrade for this release for existing owners, then sure, but a full buy is a bit much. Given the amount of content and hopefully the new mode comes sooner rather than later, there is a lot to enjoy, just not enough for existing owners to buy again.

The Score

8.0

Review code provided by Sega

The Pros

Contains a lot of game for what you pay, including two very fun standalone modes of each game

The lessons might not be for all, but they do break down some key functions of both games

The Cons

There is nothing really special about this release, the camera mode is fun but not really a reason to buy

Advertising a mode exclusive to the game, but not having it included at launch feels cheap