puzzlefest that somehow got Sega and Atlus in bed together, then the chances are you’re

already familiar enough with the concept. But this DS version puts the heralded puzzle

action into your pocket, where the best puzzle action belongs. Like I.Q. Mania on the PSP,

which we never got here in the States, and I’M TOTALLY NOT BITTER. But anyway. Some

have expressed that the weird sideways panning and strange camera effects of the GameCube

version rubbed them the wrong way. Well, this DS outing can’t be arsed. Sure, the “Set

‘em up and knock ‘em down” Fever mode remains, but without the nausea-inducing visual

effects. Seriously. It was like Puyo Puyo meets Laugh-In.

The Puyo Pop Fever spread to most consoles in Japan and Europe, while here in the States

we only got the GameCube and this DS version. That said, this portable offering serves up

pretty much everything its console cousin did: Story modes of varying difficulties,

mission mode, fever mode, a classic endless mode, and... a shrill girl in a giant Puyo-shaped

hat who keeps exclaiming that things are “WICKED” like she’s at a Pats game. Rather unfortunately,

her vocal performance - as well as the voices of everyone else she happens to run into while

enacting her cute, slimy kill-wish - are included, so you might want to turn the audio down if

you don’t want to constantly have your ears blown out by... well, this.

But audio inconvenience be damned, it’s still a portable Puyo and it’s still an

entertaining game. This is one of those evergreen puzzle series, that with just a new coat of

paint is ready to go for a new generation, because the mechanics are, were, and will

continue to be tight and sound. But what the DS adds is - Say it with me - DOWNLOAD PLAY.

Yes, the most awesome part of the DS. You can broadcast the download to your nearby

friends, and not have to worry about not having enough GameCube controllers. It’s a boon

to any puzzle game like this, and really it’s the only thing that the DS offers the Puyo

experience. Throughout most of the game, the bottom screen just shows the faces of the

characters involved, or maybe some statistical information if you’re doing a challenge

mode. All the action takes place up top, preventing a split through the middle of the playfield

like Mr. Driller inflicted. So put on a podcast or two, turn down the sound, and keep your

eyes on the next puyos to fall, because I got a fever, and the prescription is... 200

mg ibuprofen, a cold compress, and plenty of fluids.