Puyo Puyo Tsu (J) [M]

Puyo Puyo Tsu (J) [M] is the Japanese WonderSwan port of the classic arcade puzzle game Puyo Puyo 2, originally released by Compile in 1994. This version arrived on Bandai's handheld in 2000, bringing the competitive chain-based puzzle action to a portable audience. The [M] in the title likely indicates a modified or patched ROM, but the core game remains the faithful Japanese release, with all menus and text in Japanese. It's a solid representative of the series' golden era on a unique platform.

The gameplay revolves around dropping pairs of colored blobs called Puyos into a well from above. Your goal is to align four or more of the same color vertically or horizontally to clear them from the board. Clearing Puyos causes any above them to fall, potentially creating chain reactions that send nuisance Puyos to your opponent's side in versus modes. The game offers a single-player story mode, endless survival, and a two-player battle mode via link cable. Mastering chains and reading the board ahead is key to success, as the speed gradually increases with each cleared set.

On WonderSwan, Puyo Puyo Tsu stands out for its crisp, colorful visuals and responsive controls that capture the addictive nature of the arcade original. While the handheld's smaller screen and lack of a backlight could challenge timing, the game remains one of the strongest puzzle titles in the WonderSwan library. It holds up well today for fans of competitive falling-block games like Tetris or Dr. Mario, especially those curious about the Puyo Puyo series roots. The Japanese text might deter some, but the gameplay is universal and immediately satisfying.