Lumines Plus

2.27.07 Puzzle, Rated-E, PS, GS, IGN, GSpy, GStat, GFeed, MC, Wiki
Developers: Disney Interactive Studios (Q Entertainment) Website
Platform: PS2, 1-2 Players
Details/Extras: The original came out on PSP in 2005, along with a sequel and a version available on Xbox Live. Lumines Plus is the PS2 release, and includes new skins and a two-player battle mode. Similar to Tetris, the gameplay consists of squares (made up of four smaller square quadrants) falling from the top of the screen at varying speeds into a grid. The sections of the square are one of two colors that must be grouped with like colors to form a uniform square. This counts as a combo and is cleared from the screen by a staff bar that scrolls across the field horizontally. If the squares pile up to the top of the grid the game is over. The extra bonus is that every action adds to the musical experience. The speed of the scrolling bar, the sound of rotating a block, and the colorful pulsating backgrounds, all correspond to the eclectic music offerings resulting in a puzzle game with atmosphere that often becomes hypnotic. Along with that, when special blocks are played to become part of a combo they cause all adjacent blocks of the same color to disappear with the next pass. (IGN)
Of 30 Skins available to open 30 are in Challenge Mode: 1. Shinin' (Mondo Grosso), 2. Round About, 3. Slipping, 4. Tiny Piano, 5. Square Dance, 6. Talk 2 You, 7. Just, and 2 are in Vs CPU Mode: 8. Japanese Form, 9. Auto Mobile Industry. Wiki notes three from the original were not included: Shake Ya Body, Lights, & I feel the Music in my Soul. Additionally there are 11 in Two Player Mode and over 100 puzzles to complete.
Cheats: (Stop, IGN, Spy, CCG, PS2Now, Pro, CCC, Planet) None.
Comments: B. (3.1.07) IF you do not have the PSP versions, this is great to finally have. Other than the five second music fusion delay between skins, and I guess as others have complained of low quality graphics and hardly any additional skins from Lumines II to even boast the word Plus, I still find it enjoyable.