Finally a puzzle game that is as good as Tetris and on a Nintendo system. This game can definitely wheel in people who are not big fans of puzzle games. There is so much to like in Meteos that it is hard to knock the game. You can play for five minutes or five hours; either way you gain a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment.
Gameplay 10/10
Falling blocks that vary in color rain down on the screen and you are charged with the task of launching these blocks or "Meteos" back into space. Using nothing but the stylus you will line up three of the same colored blocks in either vertical or horizontal lines. Once three or more identically colored blocks meet they fuse together and take off with any other blocks that may be on top of them. Now the real gameplay comes into affect. If you have too many blocks on top the whole pile will not ascend and instead descend back down to the bottom of the screen.
Fortunately you can line up additional blocks in the pile that is lifting off and doing so will clear most if not all of the blocks in the pile. If you fail to do so you will find your screen beginning to fill up quickly and you'll have to react faster to the falling blocks. As in all puzzle games if any one of the column of blocks reaches the very top of the screen you'll lose. Now another interesting twist in this puzzle game is that special items appear to drop down occasionally and once tapped will execute a unique ability. These abilities range from blowing up all the blocks in a row, crushing the blocks in a column, smashing large chunks of blocks with a giant axe, removing blocks of a specific color and automatically launching blocks into space.
Now that you have the basic rules down it's time for the advanced ones to be outlined. You see Meteos takes place on many different planets and as such each one can have its' own set of rules. The rules are never truly outlined; instead one has to play the level to discover what works and what doesn't. On one planet lining up three of the same colored blocks vertically might not "take off" while on another planet three horizontally aligned blocks will not "take off". Some planets have it so the second you line up three of the same colors everything above it disappears into thin air. Other planets may have high or low gravity so launching blocks either becomes a snap or a real chore.
Audio 10/10
Techno, rock, classical, steel drums and ambient nature sounds; Meteos dabbles in many different musical genres and is not limited to just the ones mentioned above. Keeping with tradition when you are faced with an almost full screen of blocks the tempo of the music will pick up and add that extra sense of urgency as you desperately try to line up blocks as fast as you can. The music comes off simple yet engaging as the music continuously keeps pace with the action on the screen. I found several levels to have memorable music, Globin, Freaze and Vubble to name a few.
Video 8/10
Crisp, colorful and bright, all the things you want on a handheld game. Meteos is a 2D puzzle game and as such it has many different levels with their own themes for you to experience. A lot of work has gone into the art direction to create a different look for each planet and it shows. The block colors and their designs change; the background and interface change, all in an effort to create a unique setting for each planet. I commend Q entertainment for their fine attention to detail.
Replay 10/10
Unlock extra planets, items and sounds with the various "Meteos" you've launched into space. When you need a break from the "unlockables" jump into one of the five different game modes: simple mode, star trip, time war, deluge and multiplayer. The "simple mode" and "star trip" are the only modes that are not self-explanatory so I will briefly outline them. The "simple mode" is where you can select a planet to play on and face off against one to three CPU opponents. The last one standing is the winner. As for the "star trip" mode that is the story mode where you can either follow a pre determined path of planets to an eventual showdown with the planet Meteo or you can choose to select a more open ended path to the same "boss" planet. With multiple endings, challenges, CPU opponents and difficulty settings you'll be hard pressed to find an excuse to not play.
Rent or Buy?
If you own a DS buy Meteos. Some may compare it to Tetris or Lumines but Meteos is it's own beast that fits perfectly with what Nintendo was shooting for when they made the DS. I recommend this game to even the most jaded of gamers.
Score
Gameplay 10/10
Audio 10/10
Video 8/10
Replay 10/10
Overall (it is an average) 9.5 rounded up to 10 for its' fun factor.
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