This latest one isn't much of a collection. There is one legend, three games that are almost the same and one that only has value due to the fact that it hasn’t been seen much outside of Japan. Capcom Puzzle World doesn’t really contain that much, but one of the games almost makes up for this on its own, as does the budget price. The 'collection' is as follows:
- Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
- Buster Bros.
- Super Buster Bros.
- Buster Buddies
- Block Block
Yay!
If there is one game that makes this little collection worthwhile, it’s Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. It’s an excellent little game that is arguably one of the best to come out on one of these compilations. Considered by some to be the most robust of Puyo Puyo/Puyo Pop clones, players choose an avatar of their favourite Street Fighter 2 or Darkstalkers character, and “fight” by compiling groups of gems. Hitting these groups with 'crash' gems will launch attacks on the opponent. These attacks culminate in block gems that will pile up on the opponents side and stop them from getting groups together.
On the surface, the game may seem like a cute, shallow puzzler. In reality, the game is really quite deep and full of variety. As far as puzzlers go, this is one that is easy to learn but quite a challenge to master. Not to mention, the game is also famous for the fact that the lady friends of gamers have been known to become incredibly proficient at the game. There have been more than a few instances where a gamer has been upstaged by his mate’s girlfriend.
Even though Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is not far away, this is probably the most comprehensive presentation of the game so far. As well as the normal 'X Mode', the game includes the Y and Z modes that were found on the Dreamcast version. Y mode basically has you creating consecutive gems of three or more, as well as combining breaks to form chain attacks. Z mode is similar to X, except the gems appear from the bottom rather than the top. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix also has a few nifty extras, such as the ability to create your own puzzles and you can pause the game at any time to take a screenshot of that particular moment. These “shots” will then be saved as jpegs on your memory stick. So it is a slightly more featured version the the one released on GBA a few years back.
Nay
Apart from Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, which really does very well to retain its classic status, the other four games are best described as dated. With Buster Bros., Super Buster Bros. and Buster Buddies, you’ve got enough options among them to almost justify their inclusions. However, the three games are essentially the same, which is demonstrated rather blatantly when held next to the three modes in Puzzle Fighter. There is a puzzle element punctuated by action but the controls feel loose, adding to the dated feel.
Then you’ve got Block Block, which is essentially a paddle game similar to a one-man Pong and just about every other similar game from the past 25 or so years. Despite the fact that it hasn’t been seen much outside of Japan (it did make an appearance on the PSP collection Remixed) and that there is reasonable amount of content within the game, it hasn’t been well tuned to the PSP, so that controlling with either the d-pad or the analog nub is quite imprecise.
OK, so Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is by far and away the best title in the collection, out of the five that are available. Even though the game will be coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 in the near future, does that in any way diminish the value, given that the game is being sold at below retail value? Well, it would have been appreciated if a game share feature were implemented, as it would have increased the value of the collection. Otherwise, the multiplayer set up is a bit awkward. It isn’t the jumping-in-any-time arcade set-up from the previous collections, which is disappointing.
Yay again.
Just like the quality of the gameplay, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of visual and audio presentation. While it is nothing technically outstanding, the display has been very well adapted to the PSP and it runs well. The other Buster games are clean but not as well adapted. Block Block looks small and crammed. In terms of sound, some have argued that they are not arcade perfect but in the least, Puzzle Fighter manages to retain its quaint charm, though it’s best heard through headphones. This applies to all the games, as they sound a little quiet.
While the game is called Capcom Puzzle World, it might as well have been called Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, including four other random (and dated) titles. If you don’t own a 360, PS3, or GBA/DS, this is currently your best option if you want to play Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo on a current console. However, you’re going to have to convince your friend to buy it as well if you want to utilise the multiplayer. Otherwise, the collection had some nifty extras and things that you could do. It would have been great if game share and more flexible options were added and even some more puzzle-orientated games would have been nice. Capcom surely has some of them hiding in their archives. If you do indeed get the game, try to keep it away from your better half. That is, if you still want to play your PSP.
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