Review: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S (Switch 2)

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is one of many Switch 2 launch titles. While it might not be as flashy as some of the others doing the rounds, it manages to successfully combine two popular block-dropping puzzlers in a fun and colorful adventure. But is this worthy of your precious time and money on your shiny new Switch 2? 

The first thing to note about Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is that it’s not a new game. In fact, it was originally released on the Switch (among other consoles) in 2020. It serves as a sequel to the 2014 title, Puyo Puyo Tetris. Whether you decide to purchase this outing will most likely depend on whether you caught it the first time around. Although there are a couple of new features to tempt you, it might not be enough. But we’ll get to those soon enough.

For now, let’s outline the premise of the game. Most readers know how Tetris works, so let’s not delve into the basics of Tetretiminos. Puyo Puyo, on the other hand, may not be as familiar. This color-matching puzzle series began life in 1991. Blobs (called Puyos) fall from the top of the screen and move slowly toward the bottom. It’s actually a little like Dr. Mario, whereby you match four of the same color in order to eliminate them. Your overall goal is to hit a certain score or beat your opponent in head-to-head battles.

In Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, you can play either classic Puyo Puyo or Tetris straight from the main menu. These both feel familiar and comfortable, allowing you to jump in and practise any time you like. However, there’s also a third option that reveals a much more robust menu behind the scenes. 

Here, you’ll find single and multiplayer modes aplenty. The Adventure Mode is a great place to start, and it comes with 100 stages to work through. Each one features a battle, alternating between Tetris and Puyo Puyo. There are various conditions to meet, such as reaching a certain score or beating your opponent within a timeframe. Depending on how you fare, you’ll also earn yourself up to three stars, providing an incentive to replay if you want to 100% the game.

Adventure Mode also comes with a cute story, something about two worlds colliding. It should be devastating, but there’s a distinctly anime feel to proceedings, with happy characters and plenty of exclamation points. You can skip the dialogue if you prefer, but it’s a fun way to introduce you to the forty colorful characters on offer. 

The other single-player modes mirror the multiplayer ones, albeit against a CPU. There are more multiplayer modes than can be counted on one hand (eight, in fact). This robust collection is sure to keep you and your friends occupied for some time, assuming you enjoy Puyo Puyo and/or Tetris, of course. I won’t go through each one, but the variety is appreciated. In some battles you can choose your preferred approach (Puyo Puyo or Tetris), while others swap during the round, keeping you on your toes. Other iterations feature an HP bar, with the first person to have their bar depleted losing the match.

Then, there’s a special new feature for this Switch 2 version. Yes, as mentioned at the outset, a couple of new features have been added to the Switch 2 release. Firstly, there’s a new addition to multiplayer, called Doubles. Here, you can team up with a friend to control one falling block each within the same puzzle. Yes, it’s as crazy as it sounds! It’s certainly a fun, new way to play that adds an interesting team dynamic. Be sure to pick a partner who knows what they’re doing, or at least communicates well. You’ll need to coordinate your efforts to ensure your pieces align!

Secondly, there are some simple mouse controls. While this is a novel approach, it doesn’t work as well as you might hope. The Joy-Cons are great mice, don’t get me wrong. However, block-dropping puzzle outings might not be the best use-case for these cool devices. Still, kudos for trying something new, even if it does feel a little gimmicky. 

In terms of downsides, the online play leaves a lot to be desired. In my post-launch testing, I was unable to connect at all. It led me to discover that crossplay isn’t included in this version, meaning there’s only a small population of Switch 2 players who own this game and might be currently online. Perhaps this number will grow, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

This leads us back to our original question; Is Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S worth your time on Switch 2? While it’s neat having an exclusive version for a new console, this title seems like the perfect choice for an upgrade pack alongside a Switch 2 version. Unfortunately, if you own the original Switch outing, you’ll still need to purchase this one outright. The new content is limited and isn’t enough to justify another full purchase. At least the Switch and Switch 2 versions cost the same in the US. (Note: in Australia, there’s an AU$5 difference between the two versions. In this case, go for the Switch 1 version.) 

Conversely, if you haven’t played the original, this is a really fun outing. There’s plenty to do here for fans of Puyo Puyo and Tetris. I’m certainly glad I was able to enjoy it as an existing fan of both series who hadn’t played this outing. 

Overall, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is a colorful combination of two popular puzzle games. It features plenty of single and multiplayer modes to keep you busy, including a robust story and varied ways to play with friends. It might not need to be on the Switch 2, but I’m glad it is. There should be an upgrade option for owners of the original Switch version, though.