Capcom Puzzle World

By Liam O'Connor

Capcom sure do love their compilations, and Capcom Puzzle World for PSP is the latest offering from the Japanese giant. As the name suggests, it’s a package of Capcom’s puzzle games. It’s odd, if only because Capcom is better known for their shooters and fighters, as well as the odd RPG, than their puzzle games.

That’s not to say that Capcom can’t make a decent puzzle game. And the headliner of Capcom Puzzle World, Super Puzzle Fighter 2, is a very strong puzzle game that lots of people have strong feelings for. Of course, that might be because it includes super-cute ‘chibi’ versions of Street Fighter characters that duke it out depending on the player’s skill with the puzzle pieces. Or it might be because Super Puzzle Fighter 2 was actually a surprisingly deep game that took a long time to master.

Whatever the case, its inclusion should please many. Additionally, it has been fleshed out with extra modes that have never existed outside of Japan. X, Y, and Z modes will allow players to engage with the game in new ways, and will certainly keep masters on their toes. For example, one mode causes blocks to rise from the bottom, rather than fall from the top.

The other two games, Super Buster Bros. and Block Block, however, aren’t much of a draw card. Indeed, Block Block has already been included on Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for PSP along with 19 other games. And Super Buster Bros., while enjoyable enough in its balloon-popping action, isn’t really anything special and will only please the most diehard of fans.

All of the games will include Ad Hoc wireless mode for multiplayer play, will be customized for the 19x6 screen, and will include special features unique to the PSP. One such feature is the ability to use custom pictures as backgrounds. Nothing earth-shattering, but welcome nonetheless.

But to be honest and rather blunt, this is essentially a port of Super Puzzle Fighter 2 for the PSP. The other two games are merely being included as freebies, in an effort to try and deceive people into believing the package might offer some sort of value. It’s a shame, because Super Puzzle Fighter 2 is a brilliant game. But at the same time, it’s hard not to be cynical of these ports to PSP, as they appear to be nothing more than an attempt to charge new money for old content.

If you’re just itching for some Super Puzzle Fighter 2, or even Super Buster Bros., you’ll want to stay tuned to NZGamer for a full review in the future, which will reveal whether the port is faithful to the original and offers enough content to justify the price.

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