Info about Puyo Puyo Champions:

Official game description:
Two Legends Reunite for the Ultimate Puzzle Match
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Japan’s beloved puzzle game series Puyo Puyo and the world-renowned Tetris® game franchise have teamed up again to deliver even more Puyo-popping and Tetrimino-clearing fun!
Update Notes
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**Challenge Mode**
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This new mode has three different challenges to take on: Official Challenge, Score Challenge, and Time Attack.  
*   Official Challenge: Score Challenge with official rules. Aim for a high score in 2 minutes.  
*   Score Challenge: Score as many points as possible within the target time.  
*   Time Challenge: Reach the target score as quickly as possible.
**Lessons Mode**
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For those who are new to Puyo Puyo or looking to step up their game, Lessons mode will help teach you everything from fundamentals to high-level strategies. Included are Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced tutorials, going over techniques like Stair Stacks, Sandwiching, the Turn Around, and more. It also includes the Problem Series, which features over 200 interactive problems to put your learnings to the test. Perfect for beginners just learning how to chain.
Tutorials
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**Every champion starts somewhere!**
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Whether you’re an aspiring newcomer or a well-seasoned expert, there’s always ways to improve your game in Puyo Puyo Champions.  
Check out these tutorial videos for some expert tips at improving your Puyo game!  
About the Game
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**Fun, fast-paced, competitive puzzle action!**
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Easy to learn, tough to master! Jump straight into fast-paced puzzle action with features fit for both friendly rivalries and competitive tournaments in Puyo Puyo Champions. Challenge your friends and family in local multiplayer or compete against players from around the world through online matchmaking. Built for all ages, this classic puzzle game comes with a surprisingly competitive edge.  
 Craft strategic chains and drop devastating attacks with your favorite characters from over 25 years of Puyo Puyo history.  
 Competitive multiplayer modes feature fan favorite rulesets from Puyo Puyo 2 and Puyo Puyo Fever.  
 Hop online to battle in Puyo Puyo League matches or play casually via Free Play.  
 Run your own local tournaments with up to 8 players for the ultimate bragging rights!

Release date: May 6, 2019

Categories: Competitive Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Puzzle Solving, High Score Chasing, Timing-based Mechanics, Skill-based Mastery, Replayable

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 0; verdict: Works Well; summary: 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.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews show mixed sentiment: some players feel the $10 price is justified for dedicated fans, especially for online Fever mode, while others note the limited content and suggest waiting for sales (often $3–5). Non-English reviews (Japanese, Spanish) reinforce that the game is considered 'cheap' but not worth full price for everyone. The community consensus points to a fair base price between $5 and $10, with $10 being acceptable only for enthusiasts and $5 being a more general value.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Reviews emphasize quick, short sessions ('隙間時間に遊ぶのにちょうどいい' and 'bajo una duración de 2 en el modo Desafío Oficial'), indicating a session length of around 2 minutes. No reliable evidence was found for game completion, story/campaign completion, or endgame playtime. 'Endless hours of fun' and 'lots of hours' are too vague for specific completion metrics. Hence session length is 0.033 hours (2 minutes), all others null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: 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.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After learning basics through tutorial and practice
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - 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
  - Conditions: playing with friends locally; competitive multiplayer mindset; willingness to practice and learn
- Player Archetypes:
  - Competitive Puyo Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering the deep mechanics of Puyo Puyo and climbing the competitive ladder.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on ranked online matches, practices chain combos and timing, seeks high-level competition with minimal single-player distraction.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: hardcore puyo player; competitive player; Puyo Tsu enthusiast
    - Reference games: Puyo Puyo Tetris; Puyo Puyo eSports
  - Casual Single-Player Seeker (no buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying Puyo Puyo at a relaxed pace with meaningful single-player progression.
    - Playstyle: 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.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: casual player; story mode fan; solo player
    - Reference games: Puyo Puyo Tetris; Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
  - Local Multiplayer Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Having fun with friends in a party setting, enjoying the chaos of local matches.
    - Playstyle: Plays with friends on the same screen, uses CPU opponents for practice, values social fun over ranked competition.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: local multiplayer fan; party gamer; social player
    - Reference games: Puyo Puyo Tetris; Puyo Puyo (any local multiplayer version)


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Fun and addictive gameplay (weight 0.97): 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 (weight 0.59): 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 (weight 0.58): 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 (weight 0.54): 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 (weight 0.51): This version is considered the best Puyo Puyo experience on the market, especially for competitive play, offering a pure Puyo experience without Tetris imbalance.
- Good for practice and training (weight 0.46): The game is good for short sessions, practice, and training, with lesson modes, challenge modes, and tutorials that teach basics and advanced techniques.
- Variety of game modes (weight 0.4): The game offers multiple modes including Fever mode, score/time challenges, leaderboards, theater mode, and the ability to play two popular rulesets online.
- Great local multiplayer (weight 0.37): The game supports local multiplayer with friends and family, including 4-player offline, team battles, and a tournament mode, making it a great party game.
- Classic characters and content (weight 0.3): The game includes many classic characters, music, and nods to older franchise entries, such as Serilly, Harpy, and characters from the 20th anniversary edition.
- Easy to learn controls (weight 0.3): The game has easy-to-understand explanations, simple controls, great tutorial and practice puzzles, and multiple control options including gamepad support.
- Stable and optimized (weight 0.3): The game runs well on old PCs, has decent optimization, no serious bugs, no Denuvo DRM, and a uniform UI, making it a stable experience.
- Multiple rule sets (weight 0.3): The game includes multiple rule sets such as Puyo Tsuu, Fever mode, and other modes, allowing players to enjoy different gameplay styles.
- Nostalgic and localized (weight 0.28): The game evokes nostalgia with classic 90s gameplay, childhood memories, and is the first Spanish localization in over 10 years, appreciated by fans.
- Many characters and customization (weight 0.26): The game features many characters, character strength variety, and extensive customization options including avatars, block skins, and settings.
- Challenging difficulty (weight 0.19): The game offers gradual difficulty increase, tough challenges, and challenging AI that suits various skill levels, providing a rewarding experience.
- Colorblind accessibility (weight 0.12): The game includes accessibility features for colorblind players, such as a color vision accessibility update.

Common complaints:
- Reused assets and lack of content (weight 0.56): 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 (weight 0.42): 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 (weight 0.36): 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 (weight 0.21): The game is severely lacking in content overall, with only two modes and no variety, making it feel incomplete.
- Missing tutorial and challenge modes (weight 0.12): The game launched without tutorial, lesson, or challenge modes, which are important for new players to learn and enjoy the game.
- No crossplay (weight 0.12): There is no cross-platform play, which limits the potential player base and makes it harder to find matches.

Gameplay feedback:
- Competitive Puyo Puyo modes (weight 0.77): 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 (weight 0.67): 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 (weight 0.56): 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 (weight 0.43): 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 (weight 0.39): 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.
- Training and tutorial modes (weight 0.3): The game includes lesson mode with guided tutorials for chains and advanced techniques, as well as a training mode added in an update. However, some players note the absence of practice tools initially.
- Technical issues and bugs (weight 0.26): Players report bugs in the matching system causing freezes, imbalances, score manipulation, and lack of bug fixes. Low player population and imbalanced matchmaking also detract from the experience.
- AI difficulty options (weight 0.24): The AI has different difficulty settings and strength variations among characters. However, some note the absence of CPU difficulty settings, leading to unbalanced practice.
- High skill gap and learning curve (weight 0.18): The game is easy to learn but hard to master, with a significant skill gap between veterans and new players. It's described as for experts, with high combo potential and advanced techniques.
- Voice and sound design quirks (weight 0.17): Some note the absence of Arle voice, chain voices changed to numbers, and mention of sound 'lapislazuli'. Voice types and background music are points of feedback.
- Accessibility features (weight 0.13): The game includes color vision accessibility options, simple controls, and controller support, making it accessible to a wider audience.
- Replay and spectator features (weight 0.13): Replay features allow jump-to-major-plays and move-by-move analysis. Spectator mode and free play lobbies support competitive viewing and practice.

Performance notes:
- Great performance on low-end PCs (weight 0.2): 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 (weight 0.12): 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 (weight 0.07): Players experience stuttering in online matches when latency is high.

Recommendations:
- Only for dedicated Puyo players. (weight 0.66): 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. (weight 0.47): 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. (weight 0.42): 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. (weight 0.28): 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. (weight 0.28): 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.
- Buy Switch version instead. (weight 0.27): The PC version is criticized for having a small online player base and no crossplay. Multiple reviews recommend getting the game on Nintendo Switch for a better multiplayer experience.
- Play with friends or offline. (weight 0.24): The game is best enjoyed with local multiplayer or AI opponents, as the online community is small and matchmaking slow. It is recommended for groups or solo practice sessions.
- Good for competitive puzzle fans. (weight 0.23): The gameplay is praised for its fast-paced, challenging duels that cater to high-level players. It is considered a solid choice for those interested in mastering competitive Puyo Puyo.
- Tutorials are valuable for learning. (weight 0.19): The game includes tutorials that are helpful for beginners intimidated by Puyo Puyo, making the purchase worthwhile for those who want to improve their skills.
- Not recommended for casuals. (weight 0.15): The game is explicitly not for casual players due to difficulty and lack of casual-friendly features. It is primarily for those who enjoy competitive play.

Other player notes:
- Future DLC interest (weight 0.06): 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 (weight 0.05): 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.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Players are disappointed due to a lack of content, missing story mode, and reduced features compared to previous titles. The online community is dead, and the game feels unfinished for competitive play, with recycled assets and missing characters.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration stems from a steep learning curve, unbalanced AI, and persistent bugs like freezes and lag. The dead playerbase and unfair matchmaking, along with hackers and exploits, ruin the online experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Satisfaction comes from good matchmaking, input buffering, and rewarding gameplay after practice. The return of classic characters and good value for the price also contribute to positive feelings.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Appreciation is expressed for online features like active Puzzle League and spectator mode, as well as accessibility options like color vision support. The replay system and AI customization are also valued.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is driven by great tutorials, deep gameplay complexity, and a high skill ceiling. The first Spanish release and new Puyo solo game in the west also generate enthusiasm.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment comes from vibrant, fast-paced multiplayer and cute design. Playing with friends and the extensive replay features enhance the experience.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): Enthusiasm is fueled by improved matchmaking after Tetris players left and the enduring game design with Fever mode. Good value at a low price also sparks excitement.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is triggered by nods to older characters and similarities to childhood games. The detailed history of the Puyo Puyo series also evokes fond memories.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Gratitude is expressed for the amazing lesson mode and Sega bringing the game stateside. The training mode update is also appreciated.
- Concern (weight 0.02): Concern arises from low player count limiting competition and online matches full of masters, making it difficult for beginners. The shrinking new player base is a worry.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from the lack of DLC extortion and no Tetris, along with self-deprecating humor about being bad at the game.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is directed at developer negligence in fixing acknowledged exploits and bugs after months or a year. The lack of patches and ignoring issues frustrates players.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness is derived from the release of the Steam version and enjoyable Fever mode battles.
- Warning (weight 0.02): Warning is given about veterans not showing mercy to newcomers and the lack of connection quality filtering leading to stress.
- Neutral acceptance (weight 0.01): Neutral acceptance is shown despite a dead online community, as players still find challenging opponents.
- Endorsement (weight 0.01): Endorsement is given for good value for experienced players, especially when on sale.
- Skepticism (weight 0.01): Skepticism is expressed about e-sports claims not being backed by meaningful changes.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love is felt for great gameplay mechanics.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Approval is given for good controls and fun gameplay.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt for wasted money, as the game is considered the worst Puyo Puyo.}