Tech: Panel de Pwned (AKA Planet Puzzle League Review)

My introduction to the entire Panel de Pon series of puzzle video games was memorable: one of the guys in my dorm was a Tetris Attack fanatic. The idea of the game was simple enough - flip around blocks, matching three or more of a single color to make them disappear (chain reactions caused by falling blocks earn huge bonus points and are great for attacking enemies in multiplayer).

To this day, I remember marveling at how fast the guy in my dorm could clear the entire screen of blocks, almost like magic. Perhaps a movie would best demonstrate the speed of a Panel de Pon expert (the player on the left, of course):



The latest iteration of the classic puzzle game is available on the Nintendo DS as "Planet Puzzle League." The DS touch screen can be used to move blocks around, which works better than you might think. Most importantly, the game features online play against opponents from across the globe via Nintendo's free Wi-Fi Connection service.

Getting into a multiplayer fight with a Panel de Pon specialist is humbling. You're twiddling your blocks around, perhaps getting a few chains or combos, when suddenly a huge block of garbage is thrown into your playfield because your foe just cleared his entire stack. If you've never played these games before, you're going to get schooled. I wish the game had some way of tracking people's skill levels, so they always faced appropriate competition. It's kind of silly going into a match with either a total newbie that you can thrash easily or a seasoned veteran that totally outclasses you.

The game plays a bit slower than the SNES game, which is unfortunate. The presentation of the game is clean and modern, with a distinct spacy/techno feel to the music and artwork. There are plenty of modes, puzzles, and tutorials included, as well. In short, if you're looking for an intense beatdown administered by a Japanese schoolchild on the other side of the Earth, "Planet Puzzle League" is your game.

Rating: 89/100