The Puyo Puyo Tsuu sequel, deeper and more strategic. Still essential in local multi, one of the console's best versus puzzlers.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle4 players3+
Description
Puyo Puyo Tsuu players compete in this second enriched Compile Mega Drive entry. Published by Compile, released in Japan in March 1994. Puyo Puyo sequel with enriched combos, varied characters, duo mode and in-depth game mechanics.
Puyo Puyo Tsuu review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The sequel keeps the round, colourful creatures but enriches their expressiveness: eyes that follow the stack, grimaces as defeat nears, more elaborate falling animations. The opponents' portraits take up a large part of the screen and react visibly to the chains the player pulls off.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Lining up four blobs of the same colour looks simple, until the counter-and-offset system turns every duel into a battle of anticipation. Building long chains to bury your opponent delivers a satisfaction both instant and deep. This perfect blend of reflex and strategy remains one of the untouchable peaks of competitive puzzling.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Stacking colorful blobs looks childish until the counter system turns every match into a nerve-racking duel. Triggering a huge chain to bury your rival under an avalanche of garbage is instantly gratifying. The tempo spikes fast, fortunes flip in seconds, and the urge for a rematch never fades. A versus puzzler that still feels razor-sharp today.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Mastering the counter to cancel the opponent's attack before riposting with a devastating chain deepens the duel and rewards anticipation. Every round comes down to timing, the rematch imposes itself on its own and the quest for the perfect combo revives the session. The formula stays close to the original, but the added counter grants this puzzle a strategic depth that is dreadfully gripping.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
The peak of Compile's competitive puzzle line, Puyo Puyo Tsuu stayed exclusive to Japan on Mega Drive and never reached the West under this title. Compile's cult standing and the existence of rival 16-bit ports keep targeted demand alive. Complete copies with spine card and manual sit well above the loose carts, which still trade cheaply among versus-puzzle players seeking the definitive home version.
Is Puyo Puyo Tsuu still worth playing in 2026?
An enriched sequel to Compile's puzzle, Puyo Puyo Tsuu introduces countering and offsetting, which let you cancel the blocks sent by the opponent and upend offensive and defensive strategy. This mechanic, which became the standard of the whole series, adds a considerable tactical depth to the original's crisp pleasure. The clarity, the snappy tempo and the intensity of the versus stay exemplary. Considered the reference version, the title remains a peak of competitive puzzling. For a fan of the genre or of Puyo, it keeps an intact richness and replayability.
