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Arle, resident nymphette of the Nadja woods, plays hard and works seldom, preferring to spend her days with her friend, Carbuncle. The colourful spirits of the woods - Puyo Puyo - ador Arle as she allows them freedom to do as they will. As you might expect, Arle's woods are the most wonderful dwelling place in all Nadja. This could all change as dissatisfied inhabitants of the Nadja countryside are challenging Arle's rights to the woods! In order to stake their claim, the various imps and sprites are required to prove their mastery over the Puyo Puyo by persuading the jellylike beings into forming strings of four or more. After so much freedom, the Puyo Puyo aren't likely to follow suit so easily!

Puyo Puyo is a game for one or two players in which the fight for control over jellylike blobs takes place in both co-operative or simultaneous-play situations. It's brilliant fun. So is this review. Possibly.

Sega have joined with Compile to produce Puyo Puyo in the hope of creting a worthy contender for the Tetris crown.

In two-player mode, each time a line is formed, a single transparent Puyo Puyo drops onto the other player's screen. But that's not the end of it!

Should a player successfully create a chain-reaction in which several lines of Puyo Puyo are formed the cry of 'Hiya' or what sounds like 'Cantona' is issued and hoards of transparent Puyo Puyo drop onto your opponent's screen. Devastating!

Carbuncle is Arle's life-long, long-eared companion. But when it comes to the plight of the Puyo Puyo Carby has no favourites. He is known to help both sides whenever it takes his fancy! If a player is struggling, Carbuncle wanders through the mass of Puyo Puyo, leaving a trail of identical Puyo Puyo in his wake. This line inevitably disappears and the player is afforded a little more time to sort things out.

Occasionally a huge Puyo Puyo falls from the top of the play-area too, taking a load of his pals with him.

In fact, it's hard to retain a respectable facial expression as the brain enters new realms of mental torture. Nonetheless, it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Two-player games are the best, where the pleasure of inflicting a startling 'Cantona' becomes a necessity, particularly when such a move proves fatal to another player!

It also helps that the presentation is wonderful too. Providing each character with a unique tactical approach increases both the game's aesthetic appeal and its guarantee of long-term value.

Despite the persuasions of my learned friend, Puyo Puyo is quite close to Columns. But sometimes small improvements reap large benefits, and that can be the only explanation as to why Puyo Puyo has been played constantly this month.

The two-player head-to-head is Columns in a new class of its own. Throwing a massive 'Cantona' that buries your opponent, or fighting it out at the very brim of the trenches is an experience that Columns could never aspire to.

This is the best two-player puzzle game on the system. Get it, even if you do already have Columns.

Presentation 90%
P. How the heck do you present such an obscure game in the best possible way?
N. Exactly like this!

Sound 79%
P. Minus the usual plinkety-plonk of other puzzle games. The soundtracks in Puyo Puyo makes for some happy listening. The speech samples are clear, adding more life.

Playability 91%
P. Beware! Once a player has enjoyed one game - and enjoyment is inevitable - the Megadrive's joypad becomes moulded to the hands!

Lastability 89%
P. There are infinite permutations of lines to learn and master. The amount of satisfaction available in this game is potentially endless.

Overall 90%
Add Puyo Puyo to your collection of Megadrive cartridges or forever miserable be!