
	Platform PlayStation Portable (PSP) Genre Puzzle Publisher UbiSoft Developer Q Entertainment ETA March 2005
Newsletter
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: Subscribe \| Unsubscribe

Lumines

With all the games slated for the launch of the PSP later this month, it’s nice to see that there are some titles trying to do something a little different when the handheld comes out. One title in particular will no doubt garner a lot of attention from gamers, though, that being Q Entertainment’s Lumines. The latest brainchild of Tetsuya Mizuguchi (the chap responsible for games like Rez, and Space Channel 5), the game combines music with more conventional gameplay to make a unique gaming experience.

In this case, Lumines combines the straightforward nature of puzzle games with the more open-ended pleasures of music. At its roots, the game drops squares made up of four colored blocks, where the goal is to get four of the same colored tiny blocks to touch. Meanwhile, there is a sensor moving around the top of the screen to the beat of the music that will make the touching, same-colored boxes disappear.

Lumines will take this concept and put it into a number of game modes that will offer a variety of options for players. There are the standards like challenge mode, which is a no frills arcade style of play to clear boxes, as well as a time attack mode. On top of this players can go head-to-head via the PSP’s WiFi capability. Possibly the neatest mode, though, has to be one where players need to set up boxes in specified patterns in order for them to disappear. Besides bringing a number of play modes, Lumines also gives players the chance to unlock all sorts of things, ranging from skins shown in the background to their avatars.

Advertisement

As said before, music also plays a noticeable role in Lumines. While not quite as intertwined with the gameplay as that found in previous Mizuguchi offerings, the game’s music will become more intense, and rich the better players perform. This in turn will make it possible to rack up a far better score, one of the key goals of a puzzle game.

Puzzle games can often make for a wonderful way to game, and Lumines could be just

Advertisement

what people are looking for when the PSP launches in North America. The game has already really caught on in Japan, now we just have to wait and see if people on this side of the Pacific become just as smitten with the title.

Mr. Nash

(March 11, 2005)

Game Features:

- Advance through 24 action-packed levels, each with its own musical theme and sound effects.

4 gameplay modes including single-player and multiplayer ensure varied and lengthy gameplay. Time attacks, duels, and puzzle challenges await!

- Unlock new customizable skins and avatars as you progress. Flaunt your progress in multiplayer mode; push your opponent right off the screen.

- Challenge yourself, or go head to head with an opponent via wireless multiplayer functionality.

- Listen as the jam intensifies depending on your skills. Stack 'em and crack 'em to unlock the best beats and score high points. Combo and link for best results.