Lumines Plus just might be the best twenty bucks you can spend!
Let's get the basics out of the way. If you are new to the Lumines series then you'll want to read carefully. Lumines Plus follows the same rules and formula set forth by the original game for the PSP. Lumines Plus is a puzzle game in which blocks, divided into four squares, drop from the top of the screen to the bottom. The squares feature one of two colors per board or skin (more on skins later). The idea is to match up the colored squares into their corresponding colors so they will disappear. By pressing the circle/X buttons or the triangle/square buttons the blocks rotate so the squares will match up however the player chooses. If you can get four colors to match up they will amount to one block and disappear. When you match up more than one block's worth it yields more points. The way the blocks disappear is determined by a bar that moves across the screen from left to right constantly. When you start making blocks you want to make as many as possible before the bar crosses over the blocks you've made so you can build up more points. Be careful though. The blocks fall and stack so if you haven't matched them up properly then you will have to work on getting rid of them by matching the colored squares with what's left behind. If the unused blocks stack up to the top of the screen, GAME OVER!
Once you build more points you will be rewarded with a new skin. Skins are a sort of level progression where the music, background, and colors of your squares change. It doesn't change the game play at all, it only adds a variety which keeps you addicted and clamoring for the next skin. The skins also present a slight challenge in that it takes a bit of time for the player to get used to the new music, background, and color that the new skin features. Also some of the skins can be a little distracting in the form of flashy backgrounds or strange new colors. It's never to the point of annoyance. It only lends to the challenge of the game.
There are different mode you can play in the game. Each mode offers a different challenge. -Challenge Mode is where you play progressively until you just can't play anymore. This single player mode is the mode in which you earn new skins for the game.
-Single Skin Mode. This is where the player can choose a skin he/she has earned in Challenge Mode and play till his/her heart is content. Nothing ever changes as far as the skin is concerned. You just play for as long as you can on one skin.
-Time Attack Mode. This is where you get to choose from a set time limit and your goal is to match up as many blocks as you can before the time runs out. Build up as many points as you can in 60, 180, 300, or 600 seconds of playtime.
-VS. Mode. Here you can play in either a 2-player mode or single player mode where you face off against the computer. The rules are the same for either choice but 2-player is the way to go here. The screen is divided in half and each player controls blocks on their designated side of the board. Once the blocks start falling each player is to make matching colored blocks as usual. But here's the kicker; the dividing line starts to move in that it gives the winning player the advantage with more space and the losing player less space to work with. Once falling behind it can be quite a chore to catch up because you are given less space to work with. It's intense multiplayer action and it really makes this game a blast to play. The main draw in playing VS. Mode against the computer is you can earn a few extra skins this way which adds to the game's appeal.
-Puzzle Mode. In this mode you are given a shape of something like a letter X or a dog and you are to replicate that shape with the colored squares within the blocks. The physics of the game remain the same but you are supposed to make the shape rather than make blocks of the same color disappear. You are also given a time limit for each shape you are to make. It's a different and interesting take on Lumines and can be quite a challenge.
That's it. Does all this sound like just another puzzle game? Believe me it's not. Lumines Plus is an amazing game and holds itself up against giants like Tetris and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. Lumines Plus is addictive, fun, and one of the best bargains you could ask for on the PS2. What sets Lumines Plus aside from many other puzzle games is its presentation. This is a Tetsuya Mizuguchi game. If you are unfamiliar with his work then you owe it to yourself to check him out. He is responsible for many quirky games that have blended music and imagination with incredibly creative game play. His track record includes games like Space Channel 5, Rez, Meteos, and Every Extend Extra to name a few. If you know any of those titles then you are familiar with how important a role music plays in his games. Each of the skins in the Lumines series features wonderful visuals and absolutely stellar music. The tunes range from great electronica to Beethoven redone in a jazz flavor. It's candy for the ears. And the best part is with each new skin there is a whole new sound and sight to behold. It is truly amazing.
Lumines Plus sets itself aside from its brethren in a few ways. Yes it's Lumines all over again. It doesn't anything new to the formula. But that's really a good thing. Look at what happens every time some new company messes with Tetris. Lumines Plus keeps with the mantra, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." What makes Lumines Plus better than Lumines I or II is that it incorporates skins from both games into one package while adding a few new ones on its own. What Lumines Plus doesn't take from Lumines II is the song list. I actually prefer it that way as hearing and The Black Eyed Peas just doesn't seem to feel right with this game. It's also prettier on your TV screen than on the PSP and is a lot easier to control with the PS2 controller. It blows away the Xbox Live version in the control department. It's also offers a full game at a great price rather than having to pay for new modes and skins as they come. Lumines Plus has all the skins you could want, all the modes included, and offers superior controls at a price of only twenty bucks. My only gripe is that there is no online mode. I kid you not, if Lumines Plus offered online vs. game play, I’d be giving it a 10. If you haven't gotten it by now then I'll just say it. This is an awesome game and should be in everyone's PS2 library. Everyone's! The music and the joy of progression make this game worth owning alone. Put all that together with incredible game play, addictiveness, multiplayer madness, and a dirt cheap price and you have yourself a sure fire winner. Don't pass this up as a mere port of a PSP game. It's more than that. Don't overlook this game because it's just another puzzle game. It's more than that. If you are looking for a great game to own for PS2 this year then look no further. You owe it to yourself to pick up Lumines Plus. Like I said, it just might be the best twenty bucks you could spend!