Gaming Target - Game Boy: Pokemon Puzzle Challenge

Written by Derek Noad on August 29, 2001

Review: Pikachu becomes puzzled..and confusedЕhe's gotta lay off the dope.

It's a little old and Pokemonified but still a great addition to any portable collection. For any old Tetris Attack fans, read no further, go out and buy this game. For those who need a little convincing keep on reading. Nintendo has been proven to milk the Pokemon franchise and if putting Pikachu on the cover sells one hundred more units they'll do it. We've seen the pocket monsters star in RPGs, photo safaris, pinball, card games, and now a puzzler. Does the classic gameplay enhanced with cuddly creatures warrant a purchase? I'm afraid so.

Tetris Attack is not only worthy of a portable update but it seemed like a profitable idea. Those annoyingly cute Pokemon replace Yoshi and friends along the side of the action. Also the modes receive an upgrade. Mainly you will have to move colored blocks from left to right so you can line they up in rows or columns of three to five. Once they are lined up properly they will vanish and other blocks will drop thanks to gravity. However, the stack slowly rises and if it hits the top it's game over.

Just as you wouldn't complain if Tetris had poor visuals, you need not worry that the presentation of Pokemon Puzzle Challenge (PPC) isn't all that wonderful. The menus and layout are well done. Even the challenge mode offers some pleasant "cut-scenes". So while you won't find anything amazing, the sharp and vibrant puzzle pieces are portrayed well enough that you should not have any problems accomplishing your task.

Depending on how much you liked Pokemon Gold and Silver you may enjoy or despise PPC's audio. Mainly you will hear re-mixes of battle or overworld themes. Most should find the music enjoyable and useful as it warns you of impending death when it hastens to rapid pace. The sound effects of the moving and vanishing blocks are tolerable. One grievance I have is the Pokemon "cries". Any old Pokefans should know what I mean, those "unique" noises each Pokemon makes. They all sound the same and they are extremely annoying at times. When the computer completes a huge combo and a ton of garbage that is about to end your game, the last you want to hear is a loud metallic whine. Then again, this puts more pressure on you to win. Excluding the cries the audio is usually a light jingle that should entertain.

The real reason for picking up PPC is the gameplay. It's what can make or break a puzzle game. At the low speeds and difficulties the premise seems simple and childish. As the speed increases with the difficulty you will soon realize your old strategy won't get you through the first 5 seconds (literally). It takes strategy and lightning reflexes to keep up with some of the challenges ahead. You will need to set up your moves so that the pieces that fall will strategically drop into another set of three. These are called chains. You will also be able to do combos that eliminate up to 10 blocks. Combos and chains slow the blocks advancing to the top giving you more precious time. But trust me, it's a lot harder than it sounds. The fusion of combos, chains and garbage (in some modes) provide a frantic and mind-racking gaming experience.

Puzzle Challenge is loaded with features. First it boasts the traditional Marathon mode so you can puzzle until you lose. Feel free to set the difficulty to one of the 99 speeds for a greater marathon challenge. Next you can try to set a high score in a set period during Time Trials. Challenge mode allows you to take on trainers and gym leaders in attempts to make enough combos and chains before you're buried in garbage. You will also find Line Clear, complete moves until you reach a designated point as the speed increases each stage. Finally you can try the Puzzle mode. You will have to clear all the blocks in only a few moves. That about does it for single player options. Try linking with a friend for some multiplayer madness in three more styles of play. Plus beginners can check out the tutorials to pick up helpful strategies for the many modes. There is plenty to explore of PPC's various features.

Puzzle games are notorious for replay and when you have so many modes, PPC fits the bill perfectly. With so many things to try and Pokemon to unlock you will have you hands full with puzzling fun. The save feature allows you to pick up where you left off so you can continue a huge marathon or any of the other modes. Plus the game saves your highest score, longest chains and biggest combos.