Parents' Guide to Puyo Puyo Champions

It's hard to improve on a classic. Puyo Puyo Champions' designers were wise in their decision not to mess with the series' winning formula but instead preserve play from two of the franchise's most beloved entries while modernizing the presentation and providing a few bonus features. These include elements like player statistics, the ability to record and watch replays, and the option to customize your avatar's background, music, and style of puyo -- including a retro pixelated design that hearkens back to the very first Puyo Puyo game. Both of these games are focused on strategic play that rewards players who plan ahead; they deliver a sense of fast-paced competition regardless of whether you're playing against AI or human opponents. Make no mistake: While chance plays a role, these are games of speed and skill. They take time to master. And without a tutorial mode to explain some of the subtler elements, new players may be left wondering how to take their game to the next level.

Still, with its bargain price, Puyo Puyo Champions is an easy recommendation for fans of classic puzzle games. The real question is whether it's worth picking up if you've already purchased the much more expensive Puyo Puyo Tetris for Switch, which offers similar Puyo Puyo play along with Tetris puzzling and a story mode thrown in. The answer depends largely on how important the Fever variation is to you, and whether or not you want to prove yourself by chasing a global ranking in online play. Fair warning: Online matches can be extremely challenging, with many seemingly preternaturally gifted players just waiting to eat rookies whole. Puyo Puyo Champions is a good game with an attractive price, but it's likely to appeal to the franchise's existing fans rather than draw in a new generation.