Puzzle Link 2 review by substance J

After becoming hooked on Yumekobo's original Puzzle Link, I was excited to hear that a true sequel was being released in Japan, though I didn't expect it to make its way to the US. Fortunately for us, the Puzzle Link addicted, SNK took the initiative to release this quirky follow-up worldwide. With double the megabits of the original, Puzzle Link 2 actually is twice the puzzle game - in both scale and playability.

Graphics
The basic visuals of Puzzle Link 2 are standard fare for the genre, though satisfyingly polished. Gameplay sprites look as good as you'd expect from a game involving a field of colored shapes and lines. Though, this time around, you can select from a number of different target sets, ala Puyo Pop. This isn't a revolutionary addition, but it's a nice change of pace to clear fluffy animals as well as colored tiles. As in most Japanese puzzle games, a character portrait is shown onscreen, and will react in various ways depending on your performance. The character designs are very cool, and shown off at just about every opportunity. The slick presentation and graphic design give the Puzzle Link series a unique and refreshing feel that rocks. Hey, you've gotta love Baretta...

Sound
Each mode of play features its own dedicated background tune, so there is a bit more variety than in Puzzle Link 1. All the tracks are relatively good, and well suited to the gameplay. SFX are pretty average for a puzzler, so there's nothing really to complain about.

Gameplay
The simple and addictive gameplay of the original Puzzle Link remains unchanged in this sequel; there's just a lot more of it now. The core gameplay mode has been upgraded with 6 new stages, each comprised of 10 levels. Each stage has a theme of sorts, and also a grade - 10, J, Q, K, A, etc. The cards you collect will carry the same grade as the level they were found in, and once you've collected enough, can actually be used to play a unique card battle game against the CPU or another player. The winner gets to keep their opponent's ante card, so this is a nifty way to round out your album. A new Endless mode has been added, which allows you to keep playing...yes, you guessed it...endlessly (assuming you can last). With each set of pieces you clear, a power gauge gradually fills. Once it's maxxed, you can unleash power shots that destroy every piece of a particular color onscreen. Lastly, there is Clear Mode, where your goal is to rid the entire playing field of targets, preferably using as few links as possible. Unless you enjoy brain-melting puzzles of logic, stay away from this mode. Far, far away...

Overall
The original was fun, but Puzzle Link 2's deeper arsenal of gameplay modes and options make Puzzle Link 1 basically obsolete. More challenging difficulty makes all 10 stages worth coming back to, along with a now larger card album to complete. The simple gameplay is easy to pick up for some instant gratification, though deep enough to keep you addicted for weeks. I've never been a puzzle game devotee, but Puzzle Link 2 had what it takes to win me over. Recommended puzzle action.