Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S - Switch 2 Review

The announcement of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S in the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct back in April was... odd, to say the least. It's not a new game; rather, it's an updated version of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, which launched back in 2020, with some exclusive Nintendo Switch 2 features, including Doubles Mode, camera support, mouse controls and GameShare. So, for the sake of this review, we're only going to discuss these new features, but the final score will be indicative of the package as a whole.

The Good

The new Doubles Mode is a lot of fun and fully embraces the chaos the series is known for. The mode is exclusively multiplayer 2v2 where both players place blocks simultaneously. What adds to this mayhem is that each player needs to place a block in order to receive another and if both players haven't played their piece yet, you can get in each other's way. It's a mode that requires a lot of communication and coordination, and it shines because of it. That being said, my wife is exceptional at Tetris and I am mediocre at best, so I'm not sure how fun she was having when I'd put pieces supposedly in the wrong spot.

GameShare, while a feature that arguably should've been available years ago, is a fantastic feature, and it certainly elevates Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S wonderfully. Being able to play multiplayer on multiple Switch devices provides a lot more versatility, and it's fair to say my wife and I will be playing this game much more as a result.

The camera feature is... cool? It's nothing but a gimmick, as it provides you to slap your face onto the background of your column in multiplayer mode, but it's fun nonetheless. If anything, given the genre, it reminded me of having your photo taken in the arcade. What was that game? Tank! Tank! Tank!—that's certainly a blast from the past! past! past!

TL;DR

• The new Doubles is such chaotic fun
• GameShare: a perfect fit for this game
• Takes advantage of most Switch 2 features nicely

The Bad

The additions to the 2S version are nice, but they're ultimately minor additions that hardly warrant an entire re-release. I'd personally want to see more on offer, or at least some kind of update roadmap if they're choosing to update a five-year-old game to be the go-to version on the Switch 2 from day one.

While the additions are nice, especially if you enjoy Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 for its multiplayer, the fact that there is no upgrade pack is a little ridiculous. If you bought Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on the original Nintendo Switch and wanted to play it on Switch 2 and enjoy these new features, you need to repurchase it, with a full RRP of AU$59.95. I'm of course not aware of the logistics behind the eShop and what publishers need to do to get an upgrade pack available, but if I were a previous customer and long-time fan, I'd be feeling pretty salty, especially when No Man's Sky received a FREE upgrade pack at the same time.

While the fancy new toy on Switch 2 is the mouse controls, it doesn't mean it should be implemented in every game. You can play Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S entirely with the mouse controls, but boy is this a cumbersome way to play. Puyo Puyo and Tetris are games that require quick button movements and precision, and the required movements needed from the mouse controls lose a lot of this fine control.

And finally, just a minor complaint, but GameShare is a separate menu area and in said area, you are unable to access various menu options. My main gripe here is that one of those options you are unable to access is the Settings, so if you want to adjust anything at all (e.g. audio, accessibility, etc.), you need to cancel GameShare, do what you need to do, and reconnect.

TL;DR

• Not much to justify an entire re-release
• No upgrade pack for previous owners of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
• Mouse controls feel cumbersome and lacks the required precision
• Unable to access some menu options in GameShare mode

Final Score: 8/10

While I'm baffled at the lack of an upgrade path for previous owners of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, it doesn't take away from the fact that Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is a fantastic puzzle game that blends two classic puzzle games in one. Not only that, but the additions are mostly complementary to a base product that was already bursting at the seams with content. However, considering the base version has been discounted as low as AU$10.99, you'd be better off simply buying that and then buying this new version when it's inevitably discounted in a couple of years time.

Thank you for checking out our Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S Switch review, thank you to Sega (via Five Star Games) for providing the review code and thank you to our Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:

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