Its time to analyze another fan made game on another popular puzzle series from the 90’s. Like Columns, this was another one of Sega’s premier puzzle titles.  It set the tone for future titles like Tetris Attack, with the concept of garbage blocks being used against your opponent, not only messing up your combos, but requiring you to deal with these garbage blocks before your screen filled up. While the concept may not seem to be that difficult, it can get challenging with a computer opponent playing at the same time as you.  And if you think the challenge is too easy, jack up the difficulty level and see how long you can last. In FloboPuyo, this is the concept where you challenge a computer opponent, and try to out-last them by creating combos and eliminating the puyos (aka sort of jelly looking faces).  How long you last depends on how well you do. It’s a great fan made game from the series, with some alright music and the option to play with a friend.  It’s a great all around game that any puzzle fan should check out.

Once you load up the game, head on down to the option menu, and fiddle around with the controls should you choose to do so. Oddly enough, one of the controls is not set.  It's not exactly a mandatory control since it refers to moving the puyo block as they move down the screen to the left instead of only to the right as the default controls are set. If you wish to add another control, feel free. Next, if you wish to refer to the rules once again, you can do so for a reminder, then choose whether you wish to play single player or 2 player.  If you choose to play single player, set your difficulty level, and you're on your way.

Now, the object of the game is to link up to 4 puyos together to eliminate them from your screen. However, the more puyos you link together, the more points you will get, and the more ghost puyos will end up on your opponent’s screens. Continue making combos and trying to eliminate both your puyos and the ghost ones, until either your or the computers screen fills up, to win the level and move onto the next. If you find the pace of the game too easy, you can always move the difficulty up.  But keep in mind your computer opponent will get tougher and you will have to react quicker to the combos they make, so do it at your own risk.

The game is an accurate representation of the original game, and all the elements from the original are here, minus a story, which existed in the original game, and would have been nice to see. Despite this, it does not really hurt the game.  The main objective anyway is the whole creating combos, staying alive as long as you can, and racking up a high score.

The music in the game is alright, while it may get annoying for some.  You can always turn it off, should you choose. The sound effects too seem accurate for this type of game, and do not seem out of place. What is great about this game is the 2 player multiplayer you can choose. You can use the same keyboard, and challenge your friend to see who will be the FloboPuyo champ. Also, what is interesting is that the winner of the match will start the next round with a full round of ghost puyos, to make it more challenging for them. The more you win, the more rows of ghost puyos you will have.  Not the fairest idea, but at least it may give your friend a chance to perhaps win a match.

The only concern with the game was that there are only 2 backgrounds, a light one and a black one; it would have been nice if there were more backgrounds that could have been seen as you proceed through the levels.  But it’s not a big deal, just a minor concern.

Nevertheless, if you played the original Puyo Puyo, or are just looking for a new puzzle game to challenge your mind, look no further than this one. It’s called FloboPuyo; see it for yourself in action.