Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

Building on the success of the first game, which smashed two of the most popular puzzle games in the world together into an amazing game, this sequel provides lots for players to explore. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is smart enough not to reinvent the wheel, keeping modes that made the original game popular. The Adventure mode features a brand-new story revisiting the goofy cast of characters from the previous game, along with a few new faces and extras to unlock, battling it out in increasingly difficult matches as the plot unfolds. Adventure mode is colorful and cute, but also a nonsensical time sink. Big Bang mode is back, testing players' abilities to clear pre-set patterns faster than the opponent, while Fusion and Swap modes keep players on their toes by combining both Puyo Puyo and Tetris gameplay into single matches.

New to the series is the almost RPG(role-playing game)-like Skill Battle. Players create teams of three characters, all of which have their own unique sets of stats and special skills. Teams battle against each other, chipping away at each other's health bars and casting game changing spells to alter the course of the match. Players can also equip Item Cards to further customize their teams' potential. There's a lot more setup here than with the other game modes, but it makes for a deeper and much more rewarding experience when players' finely tuned teams take out the opposition. While the computer makes for a challenging opponent, the game really shines in multiplayer mode. Outside of the single player Adventure, all the other game modes can be played in local or online play for two to four players. It's great to get some friends or family together in the same room for a puzzle party, and even the online play feels a lot smoother and more stable than the previous game. Overall, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 does a great job of improving on the original game, welcoming newcomers to the quirky crossover while giving returning fans something to come back for as well.