Item: Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop
Rating: 88
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

88/100

Finally, a proper, premium Puyo Puyo experience on mobile! Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is a brilliant addition to the Apple Arcade library. For years, mobile puzzle games have been dominated by microtransaction-heavy match-3s, so having a skill-based, competitive puzzler like this is fantastic. The touch controls are surprisingly responsive and customizable, but syncing up a controller makes it feel like you're playing a mainline console release. The presentation is crisp, vibrant, and the characters are full of personality.

The real star of the show here is the multiplayer. The matchmaking has been pretty smooth, and going head-to-head with someone, trying to build a massive 7-chain combo before they drop a mountain of garbage on you, is as thrilling as ever. Even if you're not a competitive player, the story mode offers plenty of content to keep you busy while teaching you the ropes. It's a stellar puzzle game with genuine depth.

Reviewed on: Sun Apr 07 2024

Dinsun Review

Dinsun here. Puyo Puyo is a veteran of the genre, and Sega didn't cut corners with Puzzle Pop. It’s fast, colorful, and—if you play against someone who knows what they're doing—absolutely brutal. The chain system is as rewarding as ever, and the production values are top-tier for an Arcade game.

My main issue? The touch controls. High-level Puyo play requires precision that a glass screen just can't provide. It’s an 80 because the content is incredible, but I find myself wishing for a real controller every time I play. Still, for a mobile puzzle game, it's nearly unrivaled in depth.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Massive amount of content
Classic, high-skill gameplay
Full story mode with voice acting

Touch controls lack precision
Steep learning curve
Story is typical anime fluff

Technical Report

Performance: Perfect 60fps; no issues with online matchmaking.

Accessibility:

Colorblind Mode
Configurable Controls

Audience Fit

Buy if: You love competitive puzzles and want a game with high replay value.

Skip if: You prefer slow, methodical puzzles without time pressure.

Similar Games:

Tetris
Dr. Mario
Lumines

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old conservative veteran gamer
Hardware: iPhone 15 Pro
Playtime: 18 hours
Status: Finished Story Mode

The Game

Last Update Date : Wed Mar 26 2025

Support Languages : N/A

Genres :

Version 1.0Wed Mar 26 2025

Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop brings the legendary tile-matching puzzle franchise to Apple Arcade with a brand-new, fully featured installment. Players must rotate and drop colorful blobs known as Puyos, matching four of the same color to make them disappear. The true depth of the game lies in setting up massive chain reactions that bury your opponents in 'Garbage Puyos'. The game features a robust single-player adventure mode with a fun, voiced cast of characters, as well as real-time online multiplayer to test your skills against puzzle fans worldwide. With varied rulesets and customizable controls, it's a must-play for puzzle enthusiasts.