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Some Puzzling Choices
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I'm so frustrated by Capcom Puzzle World that I'm going to have to go at this review on a step by step method, otherwise I'll just be spewing forth angry gibberish onto my keyboard.
Let's take it from the top by explaining what probably happened to spur the development of this game: Sensory Sweep Studios noticed that Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo was a favorite among gamers in the puzzle world, often hailed as one of the greatest puzzle games of all time (excluding Tetris, of course). Still, knowing that they couldn't justifiably sell this game on its own at full price, it was decided to create a compilation of small games, include Puzzle Fighter, and call it Capcom Puzzle World.
Crappy Marketing gimmick? You bet.
Did it fool anyone? Not a chance.
Now, if this wasn't bad enough, the games that they added to the compilation were an insult to humanity. Not that they were completely terrible, but you can't include the same Buster Bros. game three times, add in a rip off of Breakout, and expect the title to be considered anything more than fluff for the PSP.
Buster Bros., for those who don't know, is a game that pits players against a giant ball. Your character can only shoot his rope gun up, and once you've shot the terrorizing ball, it divides into smaller balls that bounce at lower heights than the original. Shooting these lesser balls causes another divide into more, lower bouncing balls. Differing weapons are available as they pop up on the screen, and as the levels progress, obstacles are introduced to make the game harder.
In Capcom Puzzle World, players are given three versions of this game, including Buster Bros., Super Buster Bros., and Buster Buddies. Each version has its own features-differing modes of play, various power-ups, even different characters to choose from (Buster Buddies)-but, despite all their efforts, they are essentially the same game.
Capcom Puzzle World's version of Breakout, which they are calling Block Block, has you in control of a platform which ricochets projectiles into a ceiling of blocks. This game has a multiplayer option, which is something if you enjoy playing pong against a wall with friends and loved ones.
As for Puzzle Fighter, you get to choose a player to play as, and then move on to drop gems against an opponent. With every group of gems you successfully clear, blocks are added to the opponent's side. The overall point of the game is to overwhelm the challenger with so many gems that they won't be able to move. Cut through enough opponents to complete your character's personal quest.
The game has traces of Tetris, but with a lot more action and a lot more eye candy. There are three different game styles, Puzzle fighter X, Y, and Z, and though the nuances are nice to have, it's still essentially the same game. Despite this, it is easily the best thing that Capcom Puzzle World has to offer.
What they should have titled it: Capcom's Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and A Lot of Other Crappy Puzzle Games that You'll Probably Never Play, and That's If You Can Get the Game to Work Properly in Your PSP and Avoid All the Glitches"World.
Oh, did I not mention that last bit?
As an extra to this already wonderful line-up, Capcom Puzzle World is filled with glitches that will freeze gameplay and cause you to lose progress when playing Puzzle Fighter and the crap-tastic games that come with it.
Capcom has stated that the glitches found in Capcom Puzzle World are due to the latest PSP Firmware version 3.5 update and not their game, though I say that it doesn't really matter who holds blame if you can't play the thing.
So, all that said, if I had a choice between smashing my toes with a hammer and putting up with all the pointless problems that come with Capcom Puzzle World, I'd probably never be able to walk again. And though I'm sure that the ratings for this game would have been much higher had the glitches not come along, my overall ruling is to stay away from this game at all costs.
James Maddox is a writer based in Marietta, Ohio. His experience living and dealing with gamers in Korea has uniquely shaped his opinions on games and the industry.
James Maddox, Capcom, Sensory Sweep Studios, PSP