Capcom Puzzle World

For those who knew the joy of dropping quarter after quarter in the addictive coin-op classic Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, boy do I have a game for you. Sure, Capcom Puzzle World joins the ranks of their two Collection compilations for the PSP that resurrects familiar Capcom classics, but when the star of the show is Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and is followed by four other puzzle games, non-puzzle fans will wonder if it’s worth the purchase price. Then again, this is Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo we’re talking about and it’s been formatted perfectly for your PSP along with the likes of Block Block and Buster Bros.  

For those of you who don’t remember Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, it’s a competitive hybrid of Tetris and Columns with colorful jewels and Street Fighter/Dark Stalkers characters tossed into battle. You pick from a short list of familiar characters like Ryu or Chun-Li and clear stages by clearing each bin from colored jewels. That means you’ll be manipulating falling jewels and match them with similar colored jewels the way you would in a game of Tetris or Columns. The only difference here is with each jewel or combination of jewels you’ll clear; your character will land a blow against their opponent.  

The best part is that there are three ways of playing Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo aside from the usual Arcade mode, whether you play the X version (create chains and power gems), the Y version (destroy stacks of three gems of the same color) and the Z version (rotate gems to create power gems to send your opponent’s gem to the top). It’s great stuff, indeed, and if you loved the classic original you’ll love this version that controls nicely thanks to the ability to use either the analog nub or the D-pad.  

Then there’s Buster Bros. and it’s far superior sequel Super Buster Bros. Both games feature two brothers on a quest to save Earth from the evil Bubble King. The object of both games is to burst giant bubbles sent down to Earth with one of your brothers’ wire gun. The trick here is that the bubble bursts into tinnier bubbles until you rid the screen of said bubbles. If this sounds simple to you that’s because it is and the sequel manages to mix things up a little but otherwise both games play the same way. There’s also Buster Buddies, a sort of spin-off game that doesn’t features the two brothers but rather four zany thieves like Don Paco or a cat named Pink Leopold. 

The final game is Block Block, a most obvious knock off of the old Atari classic Breakout. The game feels incredibly dated and despite the fact that you can move the paddle with either the analog stick or the D-Pad, there’s not much to this game except break bricks and hope to catch a power-up. This is actually the weakest game in this collection and one gamers won’t find too fun for long periods of time. 

Capcom Puzzle World does add some interesting features worth mentioning. For starters, the game’s wireless multiplayer works magnificently and helps make even games like Block Block more fun to play. A second player can join you in a co-op match of Block Block for extra help while in the Buster Bros. games another player can take the role of the second brother. Even Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo was made for multiplayer. Then there’s the ability to “capture” a screenshot in games like SPFII Turbo and save them to your memory stick to use as wallpaper for your PSP or to show off for bragging rights. You can even unlock illustrations from each game. 

Many of the games are even easy on the eyes with the Buster Bros. games looking amazing thanks to the visual improvements. The backgrounds for these games really stand out and the character models look sharp and pleasing to the eyes.  Even games like Block Block look pretty good on the PSP. The game’s sound isn’t bad either. There’s some good music for each game and the sound effects aren’t so bad either. 

Capcom Puzzle World for the PSP will not overwhelm gamers with a wealth of different puzzle games but the ones featured here are still loads of fun for any puzzle game fanatic. The great news is that many of your old favorites like Buster Bros. and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo have been slightly improved and thus made all the more addictive. If you’re Ok with these few selections and some interesting PSP extras, this is a game you might want to consider buying.  

Gameplay: 7.5
Despite the repetitive nature of the Buster Bros. games and the dated gameplay of Block Block, the games feel right at home on the PSP thanks to the fact that you can use the analog stick of the D-pad to fit your comfort level. The real treat here is Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, which is practically flawless on the PSP. 

Graphics: 7.6
With the exception of Block Block, all the games look sharp, colorful and downright pleasing to the eye. The Buster Bros. games alone sport some beautiful backgrounds and Super Puzzle Fighter II still retains that old-school charm when it comes to the cute renditions of Street Fighter characters. 

Sound: 8.0
The music found in the game is totally charming and upbeat and works throughout your playing experience. If you thought the music in LocoRoco was cute wait until you hear the music that plays during the Pictures and Screens menu. Oh, and the sound effects are pretty decent too. 

Difficulty: Medium
The usual puzzle game challenges that apply to virtually every puzzle game out there can be found in these games as well. Expect colorful jewels, balloons or balls to move faster and faster the longer you play. Expect to be challenged no matter what game you play in this collection. 

Concept: 8.0
Five games don’t really make up a world but then again these games aren’t anything to sneeze at and since games like Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo have been improved upon these games will definitely keep puzzle fans more than happy. There are some excellent PSP features here and wireless multiplayer is handled beautifully. 

Multiplayer: 8.0
Games like Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo were meant to be played with a second player so you will most definitely want to share the fun with a friend. It’s even more fun having a friend break blocks with you in Block Block so you will definitely appreciate the help. 

Overall: 7.5
It’s quality and not quantity that makes Capcom Puzzle World such a delightful package that should please puzzle fans looking for more puzzle goodness for their PSP. Yes, it’s great to see Block Block again and even the wacky Buster Buddies but you can’t help but wishing for more. Then again, you find it hard to resist these slightly re-tooled classics.