Like Tetris on steroids
You still have to match a series of four or more coloured blobs from the sky but the new "Fever" aspect of the gameplay adds an incredibly frenzied and almost strategic element to the game. As you create chains and combos, you can call down clear "garbage" blobs to fall on your opponents screen (as can your opponent). This is nothing new. However, if you manage to match some blobs before your opponent can land an attack, you can "parry" it, sending the attack back to your opponent and filling up a portion of your Fever meter. When this is full, your screen fills with blobs arranged so it is easy to make a massive combo and thus send a massive attack back on your opponent. If you have played something like Puzzle League it is very similar to the Puzzle mode in that. This makes the game very intense as attacks are rallied back and forth between both sides.
Naturally, being a multiplayer focused game there is a solid multiplayer option too. There is also an objective based mode where you have to follow instructions (for example you might be asked to make a large chain or combo), a Fever mode and an old style Puyo Pop mode.
If Puyo Pop Fever has one flaw, it's the audio. While the music is alright there aren't very many songs in the game so it gets very repetitive. The voices are also incredibly annoying. This is a game you'll want to play with the sound turned off. You'll hear the irritatingly peppy voice of the lead character, a rather "camp" ghost, perhaps the worst imitation of a frog ever and don't even get me started on the cat.
It is hard to update a classic puzzle game. Games like Tetris and Dr.Mario have carried on over the year only adding on small features and probably for good reason, as I can't see any changes to their already enjoyable formulas actually working. Puyo Pop Fever pulls it off with ease making a game that is great for both new and old players.