Great Video Games

Although the Pokémon aspect of Pokémon Puzzle League is purely thematic--which might disappoint lovers of Pikachu, while still warding off nonfans--the fun and challenging gameplay here makes this title one of the best in the puzzle genre.

Gameplay in Pokémon Puzzle League is a variation on the puzzle classic Tetris: players must clear blocks off the screen by switching adjacent horizontal blocks to create horizontal and vertical lines of three or more identically colored blocks. Blocks rise in rows from the bottom of the screen, and, once they reach the top, the game is over. While it's deceptively easy at first, the steadily increasing speed of the rising blocks requires players to make combos (more than three blocks in a line) and chains (creating multiple lines simultaneously), both of which pause the rise of the blocks temporarily.

Featuring six gaming modes and puzzles in both 2-D and 3-D, Pokémon Puzzle League is best played by one player versus the computer (in the Stadium) or in two-player "versus" mode. In these modes, creating combos and chains causes "garbage" blocks to fall from the top of your opponent's screen, which results in some villainously vindictive gameplay.--Joe Hon

Pros:

• Fun and challenging Tetris-like game for all ages
• Outstanding two-player "versus" gameplay
• 2-D and 3-D puzzles, six gaming modes, and very thorough tutorials
• "Puzzle University" mode lets players create their own puzzles

Cons:

• Pokémon aspect of the game is purely thematic