Planetary destruction is a good thing
Now, years and years after Tetris, the puzzle genre is still going relatively strong. Admittedly, it suffered a bit of dead time for a while there; it seemed to some people like all the puzzling possibilities had already been exhausted. Well, surprising as it may be, it was actually Nintendo that brought new life to the puzzle genre, first with its intergalactic space puzzler Meteos.
At first glance, Meteos may seem like a touch-screen rip-off of Tetris (don't worry, though; if that's what you're looking for, there's always Tetris DS for you). Blocks…disappearing blocks…lining up blocks. Lots of blocks, and doesn't it all sound familiar?
Well, that's part of the charm of Meteos. While in one respect, it all feels a bit nostalgically familiar, at the same time, it brings something very new and innovative to the table. Of course, probably the most new aspect of Meteos, at least with respect to other puzzle games, is its setting.
You take on the role of one of several planets, each full of their own special citizens and each with its own specific attributes. The evil Planet Meteo has begun launching projectiles at all the planets in the galaxy, attempting to wipe out everybody and take control of the galaxy. Naturally, we can't have that, so delegates from each planet create the Metamo Arc and go on the offensive against Planet Meteo.
Admittedly, Meteos does have a weak story, but do you ever purchase a puzzle game solely for its story? I didn't think so. And besides, the lack of depth in terms of plot is more than made up in terms of game play. Like I said, it borrows a few foundational elements from the popular puzzler Tetris. Mainly, the fact that everything essentially evolves around getting blocks to disappear.
The differences stop there, however. Because, in Meteos, getting blocks to disappear is done in a very interesting fashion. Rather than simply filling up a line with blocks, you must line up three blocks in a row that are the same color, either horizontally or vertically. Just use your stylus; touch a block and slide it up and down. And, beyond simply disappearing from your screen, the blocks will then launch into space, carrying with them any blocks that are piled above. It's important not to let blocks sit, though, because you will die if you let the blocks reach the top of the touch screen.
This game play mechanic really does allow for an incredible amount of player customization and innovation. Incredibly, you can actually implement some sort of strategy while playing. Sometimes, it's advantageous to let blocks pile up, set up a threesome, then move it into place at the last possible moment and unleash a huge barrage of blocks at your foe. Other times, though (if blocks are coming down quickly), you're going to be better off just frantically sending up as many blocks as you can, as fast as you can.
Also in terms of customization comes the vast number of playable planets in the game. You'll start out with only a few, and slowly unlock more as you progress further and further into the game. What's cool about all the planets is that each one has a very distinct gravity. Gravity, as you might expect, affects how easy it is to launch blocks into space. Planets with less gravity make it easier to launch off large amounts of blocks, while its harder to so when you are on planets with a stronger gravitational pull. It may seem as if the low-gravity planets have a huge advantage, but as you progress deeper into the game and learn for yourself some of the playing strategies, you'll see that having strong gravity can actually sometimes be helpful.
Aside from simply offering a fantastic, varied game play mechanic, though, Meteos also offers quite a few game play modes. Star Trip is essentially the story mode of the game; this is the part of Meteos where you'll play through its weak story. While you've got no incentive to play thanks to the story arc, it's still plenty of fun playing a random variety of enemy planets. In addition, there are a number of different game endings in Star Trip depending on decisions that you make throughout your current game. While the endings are by no means anything incredible, they do allow you a few special unlockables if you collect all of them.
Star Trip is really only the beginning, though, because there are several other enjoyable game play modes. Free Mode is there when you just want to play a straight-up stock or timed match. It's fun, addicting, and a great way to improve your block-launching skills and to experiment with all the planets you've unlocked. Another favorite of mine is Deluge Mode, in which your faced with an unrelenting barrage of blocks. Your only goal is to stay alive as long as possible; it's tough because the longer you stay alive, the faster the blocks rain down. It's great mainly because it really epitomizes the frantic, exciting puzzling action that Meteos, at its core, is all about.
And even once you think you might have exhausted all the resources that Meteos has to offer, you can still keep on playing. Because, in addition to offering one of the most fun and addictive game play mechanics I've ever experienced, there are tons of unlockables, all of which are going to require rather extensive play time on your part. Every time you lanch a block into space, no matter which mode you're playing in, you get "credit" for that block. Special items and soundtracks are available for you to unlock, but you will have to spend some of the blocks that you've earned. Likewise, you can unlock new planets by spending blocks that you've earned through playing. It takes an ungodly amount of blocks to unlock every soundtrack, item, and planet, so if you're a completionist, rest assured that there's tons of gaming time for you with Meteos.
It's worth mentioning that the music in Meteos is really top-notch. While it's not the sort of music that games like Fire Emblem or Advance Wars sport (that is, really awesome-sounding music that you could listen to hours on end), it still does a great job of fulfilling its purpose in the game. That is, it's very, very immersive. Each planet has a very distinct theme (some are underwater planets, others are full of mechanical beings. Regardless, though, each planet's respective soundtrack is perfectly meshed with the feel of that planet. The result: incredible, albeit quirky, immersive music.
The one big stumbling point of Meteos is its graphics. They're simplistic, roughly done, and just not all that pleasing on the eyes. Admittedly, graphics are never all that important for a good puzzle game. Still, though, good graphics will certainly never hurt a game, and the one of the few things that holds Meteos back from being a truly perfect game is just the fact that the graphics are rather poorly done.
Further adding on to the pure awesomeness of Meteos is a killer multiplayer mode. It features both single card and multi-card play. Unfortunately, single-card play is rather shallow; the downloading opponents are forced to all play as the same, basic planet, which is rather disappointing. If you have some friends with a copy of the game, though, you'll have access to all the planets as you play up to four player intergalactic death matches. Multiplayer doesn't do anything new with the game; it just takes the game play mechanic and gives it multiplayer capabilities, and trust me: it's awesome.
Meteos really is one of the best reasons to purchase a Nintendo DS. At least in my opinion, it really is the best puzzle game to come along since Tetris. It's addicting, has tons of replay value and unlockables, and sports a killer multiplayer mode. It's a great game for anybody looking to see just what the DS is capable of -- it really does show off how touch screen control can make even a seemingly clichéd idea fresh and exciting. So, if you've got a DS, try and find a copy of Meteos. If you stop playing long enough to register a complete though, you'll be glad that you made the purchase.