The popularity of puzzle games is rising. With games likePuyo Puyo Championsbringing puzzle games into the realm of esports they are set to have more visibility than ever before. Not to mentionTetrisgetting its own movie. Put both of these fantastic franchises together into one package andPuyo Puyo Tetris 2is born!
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Puyo Puyo Tetris 2addedmany fantastic new featuresand the franchise is now more accessible than ever before to audiences. Players have gotten their taste of just how fun puzzle games can be and need more to play. Fortunately, there are many great options to choose from.
10Tricky Towers
Tricky Towersis the best take on physics-basedTetrisavailable on the market. Building the tallest tower or fitting the most blocks in tight spaces is challenging enough. Add magic spells to the list and it becomesa real brainbuster! The game contains just enough wackiness to make it amazing in multiplayer matches as well. Bust outTricky Towersat a party and let the good times roll.
9Lumines Remastered
Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man behindTetris Effect, didn’t just make one puzzle game.Lumines Remasteredlet players experience the epic 2x2 box placement that started it all. Name a modern console and this game is playable on it making it easier to try than ever before. The graphics are stunning, the soundtrack sublime, and the gameplay hasthe high quality the series is known for.
8Drop Mania
What if we told you one of the best puzzle games out there was sold only from ice cream trucks? What if we then said those ice cream trucks were only found in Finland? We don’t have a brain freeze, we just know aboutDrop Mania!
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Published bySuomen Kotijäätelö Oy, the gameplay inDrop Maniais so strongKonamiwould publish a knock off of sorts years later on theGameboy Advance.Drop Maniais now abandonware andcan be played for freeby anyone interested in experiencing this hidden gem.
7Dr. Mario
Dr. MarioandTetrisonce shared a cartridge so it’s no surprise it makes the list. Whilethe mobile game was a serious failure,Dr. Mario ExpressandDr. Luigiwere both still released recently enough to be readily available. Placing pills to knock out viruses is extra satisfying in 2020. Just imagine they’re allCOVID-19and clear that screen!
6Octomania
With over 1500 games for theNintendo Wii, it’s easy to miss a few hidden gems on the console.Octomaniawas one of those puzzle games and was even created under the supervision of Moo Niitani, the creator ofPuyo Puyo! Sorting out octopi while sending the opponent sea urchins is not only fun but incredibly quirky and cute. Who knew cooking up takoyaki could make for such fun gameplay?
Thankfully, the game is still readily available and isn’t too expensiveon websites like eBay. Players can still grab this one if they want to pull out theirWiifrom the closet and fire it up!
5Anode
Kittehwave Softwareknows how to make a good puzzle game! It takes the classic block falling formula while adding lines to link between the blocks with couplers. Anode works in both single-player and multiplayer making it a flexible gaming experience. For only $3.99 it’s hard to find another puzzle game with so much value.
4Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
What do fighting games and puzzle games have in common? A whole lot actually! Especially in competitive titles likePuyo Puyo Tetris 2. The originalSuper Puzzle Fighter IIwas released all the way back in 1996 in arcades and borrowed mechanics fromPuyo Puyo 2. It even originally outperformedTekken 2back in the day!
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The game features rebalanced characters and new game modes making the gameplay more polished than ever before. It’s hard to find a better competitive puzzle game.
3Blockout 2
The originalBlockoutwas released back in 1989 and gave first-person games a whole new perspective. Players look down from above a three-dimensional pit to place down Tetris styled blocks. While the game hadn’t seen any ports since its lacklusterVirtual Boyrelease, the game retained a hardcore fanbase.
A loving homage to the original, Blockout 2 was released in 2007. The game has a serious graphical updateand is free to playfor anyone interested in giving it a try.
2Spaera
Spaerahas a unique match-3 cascading mechanic that makes it stand out against other competitive puzzle games. The game has eight characters packed with charm to chose from while duking it out against other players. It’s easy to pick up yet has the depth and complexities puzzle gamers are looking for in a title. It looks to be perpetually stuck inSteam Early Accessbut it already has enough content to make it worth a purchase.
1Tetris 99
Beating a single opponent in aTetrismatch feels good. Beating 99 of them feels incredible.Tetris 99takes puzzle games and combines them with the battle royale genre to create the ultimate competitive experience. The game hascountless crossoverswith otherNintendotitles for themes and skins in the game giving it even more flavor. Anyone who claims to be aTetrismaster needs to test their mettle in this game.
