Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Platform: Xbox 360. 800 MS points.
Verdict: Fight with your brain, not your fists.
Rating: 4½/5
Capcom have really outdone themselves this time – obviously pitching to get into the Guiness book of records for silliest video game title, this latest Puzzle Fighter iteration takes things to the extreme. Thankfully it’s a tongue in cheek, self-mocking nod to the 90’s and the million versions spawned of Street Fighter II.
While not strictly a new game, SPFIITHDR (to abbreviate) is a greatest hits, combining the latest arcade version with the last Dreamcast release, tarting it up with crisp HD visuals, redrawn character animations (by Udon Comics) and online play. Gameplay remains the same as it always has with varying modes offering different twists on the core mechanics.
For those not familiar with the addictive puzzler, on surface it’s an unlikely coupling of Columns and Street Fighter II but delve a little deeper and you’ll find a perfect mix of puzzling and competitive action. Based around the traditional concept of matching colours, randomly generated gems fall from the top of the screen allowing you to rotate them and decide where they land. Matching groups of colours together shatters them, preventing your screen from filling up towards crystal death.
Designed as a 2 player game (either against AI or a human opponent), Puzzle Fighter’s emphasis on competitive gameplay creates new twists on the genre. Shattering groups of gems sends Counter gems onto the opponents screen and the larger the group, the more gems get sent (complemented by animated attacks from your character). Counter gems don’t become smashable for five turns so they cause a whole lot of grief to whoever is on the receiving end of them.
Obviously building large groups of gems can be risky as they fill your screen, so perfect timing, quick thinking and a daredevil nature is essential to reap the rewards of the satisfying risk/reward gameplay and submit your opponent to another Shinkuu Hadouken laced defeat.
For the princely sum of £6.80 you can’t go wrong, unless you prefer games with punchier titles of course.