Quick-witted intensity with Touch Generations charm.
To excel through the game, players must move blocks around in order to link same-colored blocks in sets of three. While that part's easy, it gets more difficult when shooting for the high score: if you want to reach the top, you've got to take advantage of the many combos and chains possible on the provided gridded playing field. Linking more than three blocks will award you combos, while setting off reactions will assign you varying degrees of chains. Chains are the most important, awarding gamers high amounts of points as they obtain 14 or even 15 (or even higher!) reactions set off from their original 3-block set. Not to mention, chains are almost necessary for multiplayer victory. It's all too fortunate a tutorial is included for all Puzzle League newbs; I woudn't have survived without it.
On the other hand, any modes other than Endless and Garbage Mode seemed frivolous at first: puzzle mode, an adventure through different sets of...well, puzzles, gives you the answers, while Clear Mode (clear a certain amount of blocks as fast as you can) unashamedly hands out infinite retries. Actually, almost every mode in the game (other than Endless and Garbage Mode, of course) is designed to ease players into PPL's plethora of complexity. Seems like the perfect idea for nongamers, those Touch Generations folks. Daily Mode shows your progress on a day-to-day basis (kinda similar to Brain Age...). Having problems making active chains? Use Active Puzzles mode. Though it gives you the answers, it's all meant for perfecting your skill; something you'll definitely need in the multiplayer arena. One mode that seems to be missing, however, is a "skins" mode. Throughout playtime, players will be given options for multiple playing field designs and layouts. If anybody remembers Q? Entertainment's own puzzlers Lumines and Meteos, gamers may unlock additional skins for their viewing pleasure. Is it a required feature? No. But I'd really like to add on to the already ultracool styles PPL is shipped with.
Though the majority of content won't blow the minds of Puzzle League veterans, this iteration in the series proves that Puzzle League is still one of the most in-depth, skill-based puzzle games ever made (next to Tetris, duh!). And if you're new to any of this, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be making Puzzle League old-timers cry for their mommies thanks to simplified modes and the godly inclusion of touch controls.