Columns Crown
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (11 February, 2002)
list price: $29.99
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Editorial Review

Columns Crown reinvents the original smash puzzle game with new modes of play. The princess has searched all over her family castle for the missing Spirit Stones that fill in the royal crown. She can only find four of the magical gems, so she enlists the aid of her friend Milshe, an apprentice magician, and their friend Lote, a young alchemist. Choose between the two friends and help the princess collect Spirit Stones in Flash Columns mode. Link with a friend or play the CPU in Versus mode to unleash devastating elemental attacks with the recovered gems. Your performance in each of the exciting modes will reveal more rare Spirit Stones for you to collect and keep you coming back for more gameplay. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

"You must complete the Columns Crown..."
Columns Crown is a very unique puzzle game that most people should enjoy.I have only played part of the US version, so I don't know any details about any other games that are in this series.

First off, the graphics are very bright and colorful, despite being rather tiny.The little prologue/opening shown before the title screen is very cute and explains why the two characters are searching for the gems.It also provides very brief introductions for each of the three areas to find the gems in.I found it quite nice to have a puzzle game where there is actually an intriguing and fairly realistic storyline.

Also, the music is quite excellent, although I haven't heard that many songs.When a magical gem is used when battling an opponent, there is also a little sound effect (the name of the gem being used is announced..), and the unfortunate victime will recoil a few seconds later.

As a pleasant change from many video games, you have the option of controllingone of two characters.Before you enter one of the three main areas, you will be asked to select which character to use.The different characters will earn different gems in the same area, which means you need to balance your efforts equally between both of them.It's also nice to know that you aren't actually playing as the princess, but as her schoolfriends!

However, players will quickly learn that there is absolutely no way for the randomly-colored gems that appear in chains of three to be rotated sideways.While this adds another unique aspect to Columns Crown, it also results in the game being significantly more difficult than most puzzle games.

The survival mode also becomes very difficult very quickly, so this game may become too frustrating for young children.Players will have to spend much more time mastering Columns Crown than something like Puyo Pop.It's very easy to grasp the basic concept of the game, but it takes a veryyy long time to learn to play Columns Crown well (I'm still horrible..)

Still, for anyone who has the patience to try, try again, Columns' Crown is a vivid and addicting puzzle game.

Fun Game
This game brings me back to the Sega Genesis days. It may be a Tetris [take off], but it's a different concept. Unless you're into classic Sega gaming, this will be a fun you. I recommend this for the the classic gamers.

Not nearly as good as the old genesis versions
This is one of my favorite puzzle games and I wanted a copy of it for my GBA.Unfortunately, this version isn't as good as the genesis versions are.

The gems are now different shapes, which is good for color blind people.

The game speeds to unplayable levels incredibly quickly if you do not get combos of 3 or more.

There is also no "instant drop" button so you can't get the rhythm going that one does in tetris of playing as fast as they can. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NEAJ
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Strategy (Strategic)   

Puyo Pop
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (11 February, 2002)
list price: $29.99
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Editorial Review

Help Arle and Carbuncle make their way home and take on tons of wackycharacters in Puyo Pop, a fast-paced puzzle game. It's a mad scramble toerase Puyo, create chain combos, and fill up your opponent's playfield. PuyoPop features more than 18 levels of gameplay, 15 characters, and the abilityto go head-to-head against up to four players on one cartridge via the Game Linkcable. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Puyo pop
Puyo pop is an awesome game that not only kids will like but adults as well.I got my parents hooked on this game and they love it.

This is a tetris type puzzle game is fun and simple.it is the type of game you play for hours and lose track of time. I would reccomend this game to people of all ages. if your looking for a great puzzle game you've found it!

Puyo Puyo!
This is a great version of the Puyo Puyo series on a portable system.Having played this game on the Nintendo and Super Nintendo, it is great to see that this series has reached American shores under the Puyo name.This is my favorite puzzle game of all time, it is quirky and very addictive.This installment adds more obstacles and innovations in gameplay.
I guess I'm a little disappointed that the Puyos (the little slime things that fall down the screen) don't have visible eyes, as that added to the quirky factor, but oh well, that would be impossible to do on a GBA.
THQ has discontinued this game, so grab it while you can.

Great game
This was a great buy for my 7 year old.Great for long plane rides.Easy to maneuver & play.Very addictive. ... Read more

Asin: B00005V3F6
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Strategy (Strategic)   

Rampage Puzzle Attack
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (22 November, 2001)
list price: $39.99
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Editorial Review

Rampage Puzzle Attack is a fast-moving puzzle game that features more than five gameplay modes, password saving, and link cable support for two players on a single cartridge. Players maneuver a cursor on a sliding horizontal line of blocks, flipping the position of two colored blocks to create links of the same color. If you're good, you can create chains as the pile settles into the bin. In clear mode, you try to clear more than 50 levels of color blocks. Rescue mode gives players the opportunity to rescue fellow monsters from their cages before they are crushed. Completing this mode unlocks all the monsters for play in other modes. In puzzle mode, you have to clear all the color blocks on the playing field with a limited number of drops. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Password is Annoying!
This is a great puzzle game and would be well worth 5 stars if this game didn't have passwords for each level.This is a GBA game, shouldn't we be pass the password stage?I have just finished level 4 and in the beginning I thought this game would be easy.Boy was I wrong.Around level 4 things begin to pick up and the game becomes more the puzzle game I was expecting.The best way to compare this game is to Tetris 2 because of the matching colors and the stars, but really I haven't met any comparison to this game.
The really neat thing about this game is of course the monsters.They climb up and down the puzzle grid which can be really cool and the noises they make are great.As the game goes along you pick up more monsters to pick from and they all have their different quirks as they go up and down the puzzle grid.For those who are fans of puzzles, keep playing the game and it will become addictive.Just realize, passwords are annoying but it can be fun just to watch the different monsters and their different antics, especially on the rescue stage, which is a lot of fun just to watch the monsters.
If you hate passwords, though, stay away from this game because as I said, GBA and still have passwords.I don't think so.If passwords don't bother you, then this is a great puzzle game.

Rampage history
if your a big rampage fan then don't buy this it's not like any of the others. But if you like Tetris or just puzzle games you might be impressed with this game. It was ok but not as fun as the others.
graphics-5
gameplay-3
rating-3

Rampage history
if your a big rampage fan then don't buy this it's not like any of the others. But if you like Tetris or just puzzle games you might be impressed with this game. It was ok but not as fun as the others.
graphics-5
gameplay-3
rating-3 ... Read more

Asin: B00005RCQN
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Strategy (Strategic)   

Snood
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (28 September, 2001)
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $14.88
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Eliminate funny faces by firing color-coded ammo into matching groups
• For multiplayer games, two Game Paks are required
• For 1 or 2 players
• Game Boy Advance version of the popular PC puzzle game
• Launch disembodied heads (Snoods) upward and attempt to free matching Snoods trapped above

Reviews (17)

Good game
This game is similar to the pc version. Snood is a puzzle game where you try to clear the board. If you match 3 or more of the same color, it will dissapear.
The graphics for the game are ok but the lighting is horrible. I would recomend this game to those who like tetris.

A little disappointing
One thing about this game-- it can be very addicting.A couple things I found frustrating: 1) there is no way to "undo" a move.This would come in extremely handy.2) I wish there was some way to regain some of your lives.I can only get so far on the lives I'm given at the start of the game.3) It's also frustrating to be on a level and not get a piece you need!Some of the levels start out so close to the bottom that you need a certain piece to get some room, and then you don't get it.Impossibility in a game is kind of annoying.I still found myself playing, despite my complaints, so like I said-- it can be addicting.

Great Puzzle Game
Great PC and handheld puzzle game. If you want a game that you will start and not be able to put down for a while, 'Snood' is the game for you. The one downside to this game: very dark graphics. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NPXX
Sales Rank: 623
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA   

Fortress
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (13 August, 2001)
list price: $39.99
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Editorial Review

A cross between the definitive puzzle game Tetris and the nichearcade classic Rampart, Fortress has plenty of substance, butdoesn't take advantage of the Game Boy Advance's visual and aural capabilities.The game challenges players to construct towers from Tetris-like pieces,while simultaneously trying to destroy their opponent's structure and defendingtheir own.

Players use a variety of weapons and units to achieve their aims. Twerps are thegrunts of the game and come in two varieties: offensive and defensive. Offensivetwerps attack your opponent, while defensive twerps help repair your structure.Wizards will summon monsters that can inflict massive damage to your enemy.Weaponry is dependent on which level you are playing--prehistoric, medieval,pirate, or space. Prehistoric weapons are primitive (rocks and slingshots),while space weapons are futuristic (plasma cannons).

There are three gameplay modes: battle, blitz, and tournament. Unfortunately,the modes are very similar and don't greatly affect the way you play the game.Single-player games are great for quick doses of addictive action, buttwo-player games through a link cable can be outstanding. The caveat is that thegame's nuances might be difficult for some users to pick up. The manual does afine job of defining everything that's in the game, but a poor job explaininghow to tie it all together. An in-game tutorial would have helped immensely.While the graphics and sound won't dazzle anyone, this game is both addictiveand deep--a winning combination for a puzzle game. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Epic two-player battles, if both players understand the game
• Single-player sessions are short and sweet
• Deep strategy

Cons:

• Proper strategy isn't covered in the manual
• Bland graphics
• Annoying sounds

... Read more

Reviews (20)

Difficult game but fun none the less
I'm 25 and can't win. Although I'm not the best at all video games but I think I'm decent. It's hard for the little ones but it is fun even if you don't win.

Fortress
This game is okay.It's not the most exciting game, but if you need something to get started with, I would reccomend this game.

It's a nice game for the price
...Who ever gave thisvideo game 1 star probably doesnt remember that they only spent [a little] on this game. And for [a little] game..it's pretty good. It's a pretty simple concept with some strategy added on the side. The battles are short, the blitz's are short, and the tournament's are short. There is no actual "end" to the game..which in this case is sort of a good thing. Just mindless fun. And hey..there's multiplayer! What more could you ask from one of the cheapest video games ever made for gameboy? I should warn you though..Don't be fooled by those cute little characters on the box! This is DEFINITELY NOT a game for little kids..not because of violence or anything..just the whole concept if probably a little out of their range. RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE WITH NO MONEY OR ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO THE GAMEBOY ADVANCE CONTROLS ... Read more

Asin: B00005BJ9E
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Strategy (Strategic)   

Tetris Worlds
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (27 September, 2001)
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $14.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Deceptively simple and completely addictive, Tetris Worlds adds colorful graphics, all-new gameplay variations, and intense multiplayer action to this classic game. Six modes of play challenge you with new rules, while its six different worlds evolve in complexity and difficulty as you clear one level and move to the next. Compete with up to four players to see which one clears levels the fastest. And best of all, this game is so straightforward that you can play it right out of the box. ... Read more

Features

• Six modes of gameplay, each with unique rules for playing Tetris.
• Multi-player game lets up to four players see who can clear levels the fastest.
• Play Tetris in six different worlds, each evolving as you clear levels.
• Increasing levels of complexity and difficulty as players complete each level.
• Simple gameplay, easy to pick up without instruction, and completely addictive!

Reviews (35)

Good tetris, Bad backgrounds
I just bought this Tetris game.I grew up with the black and white computer game "Nyet", before it was even called Tetris, so I love the Tetris game.The Tetris game itself was fine.

However, the backgrounds were horrible - mostly dark, with animated animals and an annoying flying cube with eyes getting in the way.The distractions might be good for building my concentration, but the backgrounds were so darkly colourful that I had trouble seeing the blocks properly.So they were a) cheesy, b) distorted the outline of the tetris blocks, and c) walked/swam/flew around a lot, so that it made the tetris blocks even harder to see.

I bought this game despite the mostly negative reviews because there wasn't another tetris gameboy advance game at the stores around my place.So it's enough to satisfy my Tetris fix, but I really wish it were better.That is, simpler, like white blocks on a black background, so I could concentrate on the game more than the bad graphics

Great game, new ideas...
This newest breed of Tetris starts out like any other. You have the option to play the classic Tetris game that everyone, including Homer Simpson, has played. But, there are also 5 new play modes, included Fusion which is the most unlike classic Tetris. Each of the games offers hours of reply.

This game also includes an outline option to help you see where your piece will land, for newer or less skilled players. As well as being able to see the next four pieces ahead.

Additionally you can swap out one piece by pressing the L or R button, and trade that piece with any piece later in the game... this option is very helpful for storing straight pieces.

Unfortunatly each game only has 15 levels, unlike the nearly limitless play of the origional title.

Another flaw on my system is that most of the backgrounds are so dark you have to be in a very well lit area to play, this is a typical flaw of all gameboy games without an SP, but the purple pieces are almost invisible without some serious overhead lighting.

All in all this game offers a new look at a great game, and offers at least a month of solid replayablity, plus it's great to pick up for a 5 minute distraction.

-- nemo54321 (3 1/2 stars)

Not bad
This game is okay.The game portion of the display takes up only 1/3 of the screen.The other 2/3 are graphics on the left and right side.At first I thought this would be a problem, since the tiny screen of the GBA gives me headaches at times.But it plays fine, and no problems seeing things.The controls are fairly smooth, but take a little getting used to.The "Ghost" feature is helpful.It shows you where and how a piece will lie, as it is still falling. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NECC
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Classic    5. Retro Arcade    6. Strategy (Strategic)   

Chu Chu Rocket
Average Customer Review:
Video Game

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Editorial Review

While it's easy to explain the concept of Sega's brilliantcat-and-mouse puzzle game ChuChu Rocket--players use arrows to guidecute little mice (ChuChus) into rocket ships and help them avoid evil,hungry cats--the game's appeal comes from a complex union of manysmall, simple elements that have been done very, very well.

The game's graphics and sound are both fairly rudimentary. The GBAversion looks much like the original Dreamcast version of the game,which isn't saying much. Like Tetris and other puzzle games,graphic quality is a minor issue here. A major issue is that you canbuild, save, and actually trade homemade levels.

Most of the appeal comes from intense strategic frenzy. You've got toplace arrows to redirect the fast-moving mice, and, hopefully, redirectany hungry cats that are on their way to eat your mice. This can getcrazy in single-player mode, as you drop arrows and collect mice,approaching the goals set for each level. At the end of the level, whenthe timer runs out or the goal is reached, the rockets blast off andyou proceed to the next level.

And though the single-player game is loads of fun, ChuChu Rocketreally shines when you grab a link cable and connect with up to threefriends. When all four of you are placing arrows to redirect mice intoyour rockets, and are directing cats into opponents' rockets (cats thatenter a rocket steal mice, or points, from that player), you'll belaughing hard the entire time. There's nothing quite like it in gaming,and, best of all, you only need one game cartridge for the four of you.Awesome. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Addictive, unique puzzle gameplay
• You can play with up to three friends on one cart. Four players,one purchase!
• More than 2,500 levels, plus you can make your own!

Cons:

• Graphics and sound are very simplistic

... Read more

Reviews (34)

Original, cracked, and perfect
This is possibly the best portable puzzle game I've ever encountered.Many have discussed the gameplay, but few people have explored what you can do with the level creation ability.

In my case, I used the character editor to change the mice into blue ghosts and the cats into PacMen -- this took about an hour.Twenty minutes on the level editor yielded a very nice PacMan multiplayer level.I'm not very good with graphics, but the possibilities here are endless.

In addition, many have complained about the control schemes.I use the "Expert" controls, and have adjusted to them very well.The two other schemes don't provide nearly the same speed.Yes, it's not as nice as the Dreamcast, but it's perfectly usable with a bit of practice.

If you like puzzle games, if you like to customize your games, if you like multiplayer action, or if you're in the mood for some top-grade Japanese weirdness, you need this game.

Strangly addictive
I'm not even going to try and explain the purpose of this game or how you play it as it would probly only be confusing to you until you actually see it done, but basically its a puzzle game that offers a variety of scenarios with the same puzzle set.While some of the puzzles get esquishiatingly hard on higher levels, there is always a solution sometimes more and this game somehow draws you into keep playing it.The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is its a tad repetive and shallow, its basically one puzzle on different scenarios or maps so to speak.The mp is very fun though and only requires one game pack.

Please Don't Buy It
THis game is a total disapointment. To save yourself money, simply don't by it. DOnt't listen to the other lieing reviews. Don't Buy Its boooooooriiinng!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005KAPT
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Strategy (Strategic)