If you are familiar with our site, you must know Medicom Toy, the Japanese company behind the UDF, the VCD, but also and above all the Bearbrick. In 100% (7 cm), 400% (28 cm) or 1000% (72 cm), the Bearbrick are available in several models, whether they are inspired by classical artists, films or more recently video games. After, among others, a Bearbrick Space Invader and a model Sonic the Hedgehog, Medicom Toy today returns to a classic video game with Puyo Puyo. Cult in Japan, but not very well known in the West, so we will ask ourselves the following question:
What is Puyo Puyo?
In the beginning, there is Columns...
In 1985, a game reshuffled the cards of the puzzle game. Its principle? Stack Tetrominos to fill in lines and make them disappear. Its name? Tetris. A judicial imbroglio that is crazy enough and too complex to be detailed here, the rights to the game belong to Nintendo in 1988. Its main competitor, Sega did not intend to give Nintendo the monopoly of the genre and bought the rights to Columns to its creator Jay Geertsen. We keep the principle of stacking shapes except that this time, we have to make lines of three colors appear and that, an important difference, gravity is taken into account.
... And Madou Monogatari.
Japanese first-person role-playing game, Madou Monogatari is a game that is now somewhat forgotten. Except that in 1991 a Spin off of the said game landed on the shelves under the name of Puyo Puyo. More or less taking up the concepts of Columns (assembling colors, managing gravity), the game, initially released on arcade machines, stands out thanks to its versus mode. The longer you perform a sequence, the more you will spoil your opponent's game. A great success, Puyo Puyo will have a number of sequels. There are now almost 30 games stamped "Puyo Puyo"
Sonic for Sega...
How to sell to the West in 1991 an obscure puzzle game based on a license never released from Japan? By simply changing the universe. So, when the first Puyo Puyo arrived at our house, it was called "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine" and is set in the Sonic cartoon universe of the time.
... Kirby for Nintendo.
Puyo Puyo will be ported to Super Nintendo in 1993 by Banpresto (which you know well on our site since responsible, among others, of the figurines "Q Posket") under the title of "Super Puyo Puyo". In our country, it will be called "Kirby’s Ghost Trap" ("Kirby’s Avalanche" in North America), and will take over the universe of the small pink ball from HAL Laboratory.
Sonic Team
From 1998, Sega bought the license Puyo Puyo and entrusted, from 2001, the development of games to the Sonic Team, studio responsible for the franchise Sonic the Hedgehog, but also behind Nights into Dreams, ChuChu Rocket! , Samba de Amigo or Phantasy Star Online.
The clash of the titans.
In 2014, Japanese players have the chance to witness the fantasy of any puzzle game player: Tetris meets Puyo Puyo. Released in 2017 in the West, Puyo Puyo Tetris is a great success, including on PC, so that a sequel sees the light of day in 2020. Tetris and Puyo Puyo hand in hand, the loop is closed and so much for Columns who will remain the eternally forgotten.
Bearbrick Puyo Puyo
Bearbrick Puyo Puyo
