Lumines (PlayStation Portable, 2005)

Lumines really seems to of come from the same mold as Tetris, in the fact that the you will be dealing with blocks that fall from the top of the screen. The one difference here is that instead of the blocks being different shapes as in Tetris, the blocks are made up of 2 colors. Lumines is a falling block game, made very simple by requiring just one of two colors of blocks be matched in a square shape, when a square is made the square of color will disappear, the more squares of the same color that you can make the more points that you acquire. The controls are very simple. You use the d-pad to move the blocks from left to right, if you hold the down button the blocks fall faster and the x button rotates the blocks. Sounds easy right? well read on to find out more

The pieces that fall from the top of the screen are always squares and unlike Tetris and many other puzzle games, the blocks will fit into any space without making gaps. The blocks split and fall in half if the block is placed on a ledge. Whether they will make a color combo when they fall is something else, it can either help you out immensely or it can make your life miserable, but really this is a simple game where you drop blocks, match colors, and make squares.

There are a few different modes of play. You can do a challenge mode where you are able to win more skins and music tracks. You can play single game mode where you can pick the back ground you want to play on. There are also options where you can play against the computer or against another PSP via Wi-Fi. In the Vs mode the screen is split into two. The idea is to make as many combos as you can, the more combos you make the smaller your opponents playing field gets, when it gets to small for your opponent to play you win! I have not played against another PSP as of yet but imagine that it will be a lot of fun.

AND NOW FOR THE TWIST

There are always twists in puzzle games like this, although there was not a super puzzle piece in Tetris, their is one in Lumines. Every now and them a square will drop that has a little green jewel in the middle of it, if you are able to use this jewel, every block that is the same color of the block that has the jewel in it when connected by direct touch (i.e. edge-to-edge) will be included in your combo. The amount of combos you can make by using these are limitless. I have at one point been able to clear 75 - 80% of one color from my game board, and the cool thing is when all of the squares that are in the combo disappear, all of the remaining blocks fall down and they could make even more combos for you.

Lumines as with most puzzle games looks very simple. There are no flashy graphics, everything has been made as simple as can be. There are different backgrounds (or skins as they are called in the game) that become available the further you get through the game. The skins range from being in space to being able to see people dance in the background to being above busy freeways. The skins are actually very cool, and add a lot of replay value to this game. You will find yourself coming back again and again trying to unlock all of the skins that are in the game.

Lumines is a very simple game but let me tell you, it is extremely addictive. The Puzzle game genre is not my favorite but Lumines has blown me away. Since I brought the game 4 days ago I have not been able to put my PSP down. This is without a doubt one of the best, if not the best game on the PSP!