During the launch period, console companies try to release as many games representing as many genres as possible to ensure that they reach every kind of early adopter, but that practice has lessened recently with every system sporting some kind of backward compatibility for its previous console's generation of titles. For the Nintendo Switch, the puzzle genre was represented by Puyo Puyo Tetris, a title that was released in 2014 on a bunch of other platforms but only in Japan. The mashup of two long-running puzzle franchises was successful in sales and from a critical standpoint; the game played on this concept rather well, despite how offbeat it may have initially seemed. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 got released everywhere at the end of 2020, and the game proved that the formula can still work even if the number of new things added to the sequel was quite small. With the launch of the Switch 2, Sega saw fit to port the nearly five-year-old title to Nintendo's new system, but unlike the original game upon the original release of the Switch, the reception to this new iteration of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S isn't quite so loved.

Just like the first game, the game's gimmick revolves around both playing two separate puzzle experiences as they originally are — and mashing them up to create something new. Tetris is still based on the later incarnations with the ability to do fast drops and holds, while Puyo Puyo still places a bigger emphasis on making matches of four that chain together to keep the matches going to unleash more garbage on your opponent. For those wanting to play these games without any gimmicks, the option is there to do so in the title screen, separate from the rest of the other game modes.

The game comes with plenty of modes, most of which were present in the original Switch launch title. Adventure mode is going to be the big one for solo players, as it offers a ton of levels and in-game cash to unlock a good chunk of the roster. It also acts as a good tutorial, since it forces you to play just about every game type, getting you ready for when you want to tackle them on your own. Bookending each level are plenty of cut scenes that show off the semi-absurd humor that drove the story for the first game, and it's just as funny as before. The one knock is that everyone seems to have amnesia when it comes to remembering that all of these characters have met before, making this feel like it's almost a retread of the first story instead of something completely new.

Beyond this, there are a number of different game modes that can either be played against up to four other players, against the CPU, or against others online. All of these game modes appeared in the previous title and play out the same as before. Party mode remains very competitive, as you can activate items such as near-instant drops or block freezes whenever you make a match near said items, but you can't target a specific person with them, so the mode is chaotic. Challenge mode has you going after specific goals like beating a specific score in a given time, and it's one of the few modes that caters specifically to solo players. Big Bang is perhaps one of the better modes, as you race to make quick matches faster than your opponent with specific board configurations. Each board requires each dropped piece to make a match, or else it doesn't count as an attack toward your opponent's energy meter, which makes it a perfect game for those who want a speedy experience.

Swap has you playing for a few seconds on either a Tetris or Puyo Puyo board, and the experience is good since it means those who specialize in one puzzle type can shine while also facing the challenge of dealing with the puzzle type they might dislike for a bit. Then there's Fusion, which mixes up both Puyo Puyo pieces and Tetris pieces on one board, changing up the mechanics greatly. New strategies emerge, such as using the Tetriminos to clear out a pile of Puyos that are causing you trouble, or using a transforming piece that hopefully morphs into what you need to create an unexpected match or chain later. If you never played the first game, the mode takes some getting used to, but it makes for an excellent spin on both storied puzzle franchises that retains the classic desire for getting in "just one more match" over and over again.

Skill mode is the brand-new mode, and it gives the puzzle game an RPG spin. Here, you construct a team of three characters from across each universe, with each character determining your overall stats in various familiar categories, such as attack power and defense. Characters also determine what skills you have access to, whether it's offensive capabilities such as immediately giving your opponent more garbage to work against or protecting yourself from attacks for a short time period. Once a match begins, your goal is to keep making matches and attacks to whittle down your opponent's energy meter, while also managing your mana meter to determine what skills you can or can't use in the fight. Just like Fusion mode, it takes a game or two to fully understand what's going on, but the mode becomes interesting once you come to grips with it.

When it comes to the Switch 2-specific changes, their quality differs greatly. Graphically, the game seems to run at a higher resolution, but you can't really tell in practice. When comparing this with the original Switch game running on the Switch 2 using the same TV, you'll really need to look deep into the image to suss out any differences, as both titles look sharp. Even the frame rate matches up, so there's no real advantage to the Switch 2 version in this regard.

For the controls, the Switch 2 version has the option to control the game via the mouse functionality of the Joy-Con 2. The L and zL buttons rotate the piece you're controlling, while moving the mouse left and right moves the piece in those respective directions. You can drag the mouse down to do a drop, but the analog stick is used for fast drop and the face buttons are used for skills in a Skills match. While the control method might seem good for speed, it isn't all that fast in practice, and the lack of accuracy due to the sensitivity of the left and right movement means that you're actually placing yourself at a disadvantage compared to those using the more traditional gamepad controls. It also only benefits left-handed players, as right-handed ones can't use the right Joy-Con 2 for this task.

The game modes are where some of the real improvements shine through. The game features GameShare, so you can let another player temporarily download another copy of the game for local play. Puyo Tetris Doubles is an exclusive variant in the Switch 2 version that appears in Party, Fusion and Versus modes. Here, players are teamed up and asked to drop two Tetriminos or Puyos on the same board simultaneously. The kicker is that all of the pieces have collision to them, so you'll really need to coordinate with your partner to get effective matches and not accidentally block one another from making a match. It is a chaotic variant, and while it can be frustrating initially, it can also be a ton of fun once you and your partner get in sync.

With the changes to the original game being slight compared to the original Switch release, it becomes baffling to note that there isn't any sort of upgrade program in place for those who already own the original game digitally on the Switch. If you want the upgrades, you'll be buying the game in full again at $39.99, the same price as the original Switch release, which seems ridiculous. If you never bought the game before then this might be OK, but keep in mind that if you're trying to find a game online, no one was there during our time testing out the game. The same can't be said for the Switch original, as we did find a few players there, even though all you have left are high-level players that will stomp any newcomers. Also note that this is a Game-Key Card release if you're trying to go the physical route, but the game is rather small, as it comes in at around 3.5GB, 1GB more than the original Switch release.

Bear in mind that Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is still a good game overall. The concept remains solid with an adventure mode that's endearing if you like silly stories and can overcome holes in the narrative logic. The modes really play around with the formulas of both games well, and the amount of content can keep a puzzle fan busy for quite some time. The lack of an upgrade path for existing owners and the marginal improvements for the Switch 2-exclusive version make it difficult to recommend a double-dip. If you never bought the game before and don't mind sticking with offline play, then you'll have a good time with this title and can give this a higher score. For everyone else, you can safely steer clear from this version.

Score: 6.0/10