Lumines Remastered (for Nintendo Switch) Review - Review 2022

It's hard to compete with Tetris. After more than three decades, the Soviet cake-dropping title is notwithstanding one of the all-time puzzle games always made. Puyo Puyo has admirably built upwardly its own popularity, particularly in Nippon (and was outright combined with Tetris in the excellent Puyo Puyo Tetris), but nearly every other block-dropper is at best a shallow fake of the original. There was a time, however, when 1 promising upstart made a stand. Q Entertainment's (now Enhance's) Lumines was that upstart, and it first made that stand up on the PlayStation Portable. It's now come to Nintendo Switch, and even without adding any new ideas to the mix, the unproblematic, mesmerizing, engaging gameplay earns Lumines Remastered our Editors' Option.

The Lumines Legacy

Lumines combines Puyo Puyo'southward gravity-based block physics with a sweeping erase organisation that enables circuitous, layered combos. The game as well incorporates hypnotic electronic music that adapts to how you play, striking beats as blocks drib and squares line upwardly. Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez, Infinite Channel 5) designed the striking game for the PSP, a system which never reached the Nintendo DS's popularity. Lumines stands out equally 1 of the well-nigh engaging and addictive PSP titles, spawning sequels and revisions for the PS2, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, too every bit for mobile phones.

The latest incarnation, Lumines Remastered ($14.99), brings the game to the current console generation and is the outset in the series to appear on a Nintendo system. In addition to the Nintendo Switch version I tested, Lumines is available on the PS4, Xbox I, and PC. Lumines Remastered is as as hypnotic and addictive as it was 14 years ago and feels perfectly at home on both the Switch's console and handheld modes.

Block-Dropping Beats

Lumines' gameplay is simple. Ii-by-ii-block squares drop from the top of the screen in a broad playfield of x by xvi tiles. Each block is one of two colors, which makes for six possible combinations of squares. You rotate these squares with the face buttons and motion them horizontally around the field as they autumn. When at least four blocks of the same color line up together in two-by-two-or-larger patterns, they glow. A line sweeps across the field from left to correct, erasing the glowing blocks. Any remaining blocks drop down in their place.

Lumines' concept is similar to that of Puyo Puyo, merely requires same-colored clusters of at least ii-by-two blocks instead of groups of at to the lowest degree three in whatever shape. Also, with Lumines, you just deal with two possible colors at any one time, as opposed to Puyo Puyo'southward several. In both games, you line upward blocks on a grid and accommodate them in complex combinations in the hope that that erasures will leave blocks of the same color together.

Despite the gameplay similarities, Lumines' visuals, audio, and stride all vary wildly. Playing the game normally cycles through different skins, which alters the groundwork fine art, the appearance of the blocks, the music, the audio effects, and fifty-fifty the speed of the sweeping bar. At that place are 40 skins in total, about one-half of which are available from the first and the other half unlockable by completing the game's diverse challenges and modes. Each peel sounds as different every bit it looks, giving you dozens of hypnotic trance and ambience tracks to relish while you drop blocks.

Solo Modes

Lumines' primary game mode, Claiming Mode, is a basic block-dropping puzzle affair. Yous need to reach level 100 to complete the Bones game type, at which bespeak you unlock the Endless mode. This more-advanced mode keeps the action going until y'all tin can no longer driblet any more blocks into the play area. Basic and Endless game types cycle through predetermined lists of skins, while Shuffle randomizes all of your skins and challenges you to play through every single one. You can also create your own playlists of up to x skins in Skin Edit mode.

Fourth dimension Attack Mode is a standard loftier-score variant of Challenge Mode. Instead of playing until you go through all the skins or simply stop, Fourth dimension Attack lets yous play for 60, 180, or 300 seconds at a time. Y'all follow the same bones rules, only need to piece of work fast and build up your combos as much equally possible to get high scores with such limited time on the clock.

Puzzle and Mission Modes are more deliberate problem-solving game types. Puzzle presents you with a specific shape to form with the squares, like an X or a canis familiaris. Mission invites you to accomplish set tasks, like clearing a predetermined stack of blocks. Both modes start out deceptively simple, merely get remarkably difficult equally you lot progress. I freely admit that I started getting stumped around the intermediate-level puzzles and missions.

Local Multiplayer

Finally, Lumines' Vs. CPU and 2P Boxing allow yous compete against the estimator or nearby friends. These modes split the playfield in half, with each histrion taking a side. Building bigger combos than your opponent during a sweep pushes the dividing line between the halves toward your competitor's side, effectively expanding your play area. Whoever fills their play area and can't drib any more blocks first loses the match.

Vs. Com pits you against an increasingly challenging series of 10 computer opponents. 2P Battle lets you play against a friend on the same Switch. Unfortunately, Lumines Remastered has no direct competitive mode for online multiplayer. You tin can compare your scores in different modes with other players on online leaderboards, but you can't go head-to-head similar you can in Puyo Puyo Tetris ($33.73 at Amazon) . This is the game's one major omission.

Still Hypnotic and Addictive

It'south hard to explain what makes block-dropping games and then enjoyable or what makes specific ones work better than others. Lumines, like Tetris and Puyo Puyo, is just a matter of matching sure patterns in a grid. Build a foursquare. Build a bigger square. Build a cascade of squares of different sizes that neatly fall together equally the bar sweeps across the screen. Add the thoroughly chill electronic beats of the game's soundtrack and you lot have a hypnotic, satisfying feel you can just sit back and relish in any state of listen.

I played a lot of Lumines when it offset came out on the PSP and again when its sequels arrived on other systems. At present I've played even more Lumines on the Switch and it's equally as addictive as it was years ago. I've sunk hours into this latest iteration, mostly with the Endless and Shuffle challenge modes because they're then uncomplicated and pure. I've also experienced the Tetris event with Lumines; subsequently dropping blocks for hours at a time I start to see more blocks drop when I close my eyes. Lumines is easy to first playing, easier to keep playing, and simply stays with you when you practise stop.

A Must-Purchase Game

Lumines Remastered on the Switch is a worthy port of the sleeper striking from the PSP era. The lack of directly online multiplayer is disappointing, but it's the but shortcoming of a $xv packet that tin can consume hours of your time with mesmerizing cake-dropping. And thanks to the Switch'due south unique design, you tin play information technology on your TV at dwelling house or whenever you're out and accept a few minutes to impale. Lumines is a full puzzle game experience for a bargain price and stands with Puyo Puyo Tetris as one of those simple, addicting games every Switch possessor should keep in their systems.

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Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/migrated-51983-games/28267/lumines-remastered-for-nintendo-switch-review

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