Puyo Puyo Champions Review Summary

Fun and addictive with nice graphics and good matchmaking, but suffers from reused assets, lack of content, poor difficulty balance, and low player population.

Fun and addictive gameplay: The core gameplay is described as fun, addictive, engaging, and simple to learn but with deep complexity and a high skill ceiling, providing stress-free enjoyment and rewarding practice.

Good online matchmaking: Online matchmaking works well, is active, and has decent player counts, with quick matchmaking and minimal lag, though some early beatings from strong players are temporary.

Nice graphics and audio: The game features nice graphics, clean interface, cute characters, great music, and solid voice acting in both English and Japanese, with a bright and cheerful art style.

Frequent and cheap sales: The game is frequently available at a low price, often around $3-10, and is considered affordable and good value for the content offered.

Best Puyo Puyo experience: This version is considered the best Puyo Puyo experience on the market, especially for competitive play, offering a pure Puyo experience without Tetris imbalance.

Reused assets and lack of content: The game is seen as a bare-bones, overpriced reskin of Puyo Puyo Tetris, with reused assets, fewer characters, and only two modes (Tsu and Fever), making it inferior to its predecessor.

Poor difficulty balance and matchmaking: The AI is either too easy or too difficult, human opponents are too hard for beginners, and matchmaking is poor due to low player count, creating a frustrating experience for new players.

Low player population: The game suffers from a very low player population, leading to dead online lobbies, lag in worldwide matches, and a general lack of online activity.

Lack of content: The game is severely lacking in content overall, with only two modes and no variety, making it feel incomplete.

Missing tutorial and challenge modes: The game launched without tutorial, lesson, or challenge modes, which are important for new players to learn and enjoy the game.

Competitive Puyo Puyo modes: The game focuses on the two classic Puyo Puyo rulesets: Puyo Puyo 2 (Tsu) and Puyo Puyo Fever. These modes feature chain combos, garbage puyo, counterattacks, and fever gauge mechanics, intended for competitive multiplayer.

Fever mode mechanics: Fever mode features multicolored puyo, fever gauge, pre-made chains, crazy chain reactions, and longer matches. It adds variety but is one of only two main modes.

Online and local multiplayer: The game supports online competitive play, local multiplayer for up to 4 players, and tournament mode for up to 8 players. This caters to both casual and esports-focused audiences.

Minimal content for singleplayer: The game lacks a story mode and has limited solo content, such as CPU opponents, challenge modes, and practice vs AI, but no practice tools (stop, undo, replay) or unlockables, making it feel barebones.

Esports and competitive focus: The game is designed for online PVP with a ranking system, Elo, leaderboards, and spectator mode. It's described as a pared-down version of modern Puyo specifically for ladder play, emphasizing competitive atmosphere.

Great performance on low-end PCs: The game runs smoothly even on a 12-year-old computer, with minimal input lag and no lag despite lacking rollback netcode.

V-sync causes performance issues: Disabling V-sync, either in-game or via the NVIDIA control panel, or reducing the frame rate to 60fps can resolve stuttering and slowdown problems.

Online stuttering with high latency: Players experience stuttering in online matches when latency is high.

Only for dedicated Puyo players.: The game is strongly recommended for hardcore or competitive Puyo Puyo fans, especially those who want to play classic modes like Puyo Tsuu or Fever. Casual players or those expecting a story mode are advised to look elsewhere.

Worthwhile for dedicated fans.: Despite criticisms, many hardcore Puyo Puyo players find the game worth owning, especially for classic modes and practice tools. It is described as a must-have for series enthusiasts.

Best for Puyo Puyo 2 and Fever fans.: The game specifically appeals to those who want to play Puyo Puyo 2 and Fever modes without Tetris elements. It is a niche pick.

Not recommended for beginners.: New or casual players may find the game too difficult because of experienced opponents and a steep learning curve. Some suggest starting with Puyo Puyo Tetris or lesson modes instead.

Online multiplayer is lacking.: The PC version suffers from low online activity, no crossplay, and lag issues. Many reviewers suggest PC players should avoid it for versus and opt for console versions instead.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00.

Puyo Puyo Champions is fun after players invest time in the tutorial and practice, especially in multiplayer settings, but the lack of a proper tutorial creates a barrier for newcomers.

Friction: lack of in-depth tutorial or training mode; steep learning curve for newcomers; limited single-player content.

Unlock drivers: tutorial mode; practice and trial-and-error; playing with friends.

Competitive Puyo Veteran: Focuses on ranked online matches, practices chain combos and timing, seeks high-level competition with minimal single-player distraction. Motivation: Mastering the deep mechanics of Puyo Puyo and climbing the competitive ladder. Stance: buy.

Casual Single-Player Seeker: Prefers story-driven or solo modes, plays against CPU or in endurance mode, may try online casually but is put off by the lack of content and high skill floor. Motivation: Enjoying Puyo Puyo at a relaxed pace with meaningful single-player progression. Stance: no buy.

Local Multiplayer Enthusiast: Plays with friends on the same screen, uses CPU opponents for practice, values social fun over ranked competition. Motivation: Having fun with friends in a party setting, enjoying the chaos of local matches. Stance: sale.

Linux and Proton: No Linux/Proton compatibility issues reported. The single review discusses Denuvo DRM in general terms without linking it to Linux. Based on the available data, the game appears to work well on Linux/Proton, or no conclusion can be drawn due to lack of relevant feedback.

Future DLC interest: Players are expressing interest in future downloadable content that could expand the game's music library and character roster, indicating a desire for ongoing support and variety.

File size noted: The game's file size of 9 GB has been noted, which may be relevant for players with limited storage space or slower internet connections.