Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first few minutes make a strong case for the collection. In the falling-block game, pairs drop, you rotate them into place, and matches of three or more disappear. It is an easy rule set to grasp, but arranging the board before the pile gets out of hand gives every placement a little bite. If you enjoy the familiar rhythm of Puyo Puyo-style puzzle duels, this is the mode most likely to pull you in immediately.

The rising-tile game changes the pressure in a welcome way. Instead of waiting for pieces to fall, you are working against blocks climbing from below, swapping neighboring tiles with a cursor to line up three matching colors. That makes it feel more active and reactive than the falling-block mode. When your swaps start linking together cleanly, it has the satisfying snap a good competitive puzzle game needs; when your board is nearly full, fumbling the cursor can turn a recoverable mess into a loss fast.

Both puzzle games work against AI or a human opponent, and human play is where the package has its sharpest edge. Trading wins between two distinct puzzle systems keeps the selection from feeling redundant. The bowling variant is lighter: set the ball’s direction and speed, then try to find the ideal angle for a special attack that clears every pin. It lacks the depth of the two main modes, but it is a pleasant breather rather than dead weight.

Graphics

The two puzzle games use a colorful anime style, giving their competitive matches more personality than plain blocks and tiles would have managed alone. Bright colored pieces are central to both games, and the player character’s special bowling attack adds a playful flourish to the third mode.

Story

Story is not what carries Tōkon! Marutama Chō from one match to the next; its character comes from the energetic anime framing around the puzzle contests. The colorful style gives the head-to-head action a lighter, more mischievous tone than a bare puzzle compilation.

The bowling mode contributes its own bit of character through the player character’s special attack. Landing the ideal angle is not just about clearing pins efficiently; it gives that small side game a moment of exaggerated arcade charm.

That light competitive flavor suits a collection built around repeatable rounds. You are here to make matches, pressure an opponent, and chase a cleaner result on the next attempt, not to pause for long stretches between games.

Overall Experience

This is a good collection because its two strongest ideas ask different things of you. One rewards steady placement and board planning; the other rewards quick swaps under rising pressure. Neither needs a long explanation, and switching between them helps preserve the urgency that can fade in a single-mode puzzle game.

The main caveat is that the bowling game is a compact diversion rather than a third puzzle system with equal weight. Still, its simple angle-and-speed setup makes it useful as a palette cleanser, especially in a session with friends. The real value remains the chance to face an AI or another person in the two anime-styled puzzle modes.

Give it a chance if you want a brisk Nintendo 64 puzzle package with direct competitive energy and no patience for complicated setup. The 7.3 score feels right: it is a solid, varied set of quick-play games, elevated by its two head-to-head puzzlers rather than transformed by the bowling bonus. For game-specific release context, see the Susume! Taisen Puzzle Dama: Tōkon! Marutama Chō history.

Retro Replay Score

7.3/10