Which one to get?

[Pegasus]

Well, I went to the gaming store this afternoon (when I went to see a very enjoyable Ratatouille) to trade in a couple of DS games... without remembering that they required an ID for trades. Err, yeah. Anyways, I can easily get a "new" game out of these trades and I realized that maybe waiting a bit wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

So, the three games I was looking at were Elite Beat Agent, Puzzle Quest, and Planet Puzzle League. The problem for me is that while all of them look enticing they may also boast some downfalls.

Elite Beat Agent - Certainly seems like a very fun game, but I have my doubts about the replayability factor of this title.

Puzzle Quest - Looks interesting, but I'm not sure whether the bejeweled design is going to bore me sooner than later. With the other game elements present I suppose it could be fun...

Planet Puzzle League - Never played Tetris Attacks so I'm a bit clueless about this title. The only puzzler that has been a keeper for me so far is Tetris DS (besides standard play I love catch mode). Had Meteos, but I think it was a bit overhyped; wasn't too fond of the gameplay/controls and I got bored of it. Haven't really encountered much of any good puzzlers otherwise for the DS. A lot of doozeys out there.

Any input would be much appreciated seeing how I'm likely to go back to the store in the middle of the coming week.

[Mendez]

You need ID for trade ins in America?! How come?

I haven't played either of those 3 games, but EBA definitely looks like the best one, I can't wait for it to come out here in 13 days :D

Tetris Attack was a great game, which I played for hours and hours, and although I've probably played it too much to make the DS one a worthy purchase for me, you should definitely look into it!

[Jazzem]

Elite Beat Agent - Certainly seems like a very fun game, but I have my doubts about the replayability factor of this title.

Just to say, from experience with the two Ouendans, there's a lot of replay to these games. Not only in multiple difficulity levels, but getting those grade S's, or just to play for fun. So that's not a worry =D

[iNma]

Puzzle Quest DS. It's the best and hardest of the three.

[neuzd]

EBA - I only saw Ouendan. The humour in the japanese version is incredibly funny, it's filled with anime clichès and ilarious situations.
It's a rhythm game, so it has fast action and provides great exhaltation when you pull off a good play.

PQ and PPL share the same game mechanics (those of bejeweled) with the base difference that in PQ you can switch tiles also vertically, while PPL just horizontally.
So, if you're not that much into this kind of gameplay you may not like both.
Now with in-depth differences:

PQ - it is turn based and you and your foe play on the same grid. This means that you should pay a lot of attention not to leave your opponent a good move whne your turn ends.
It evolves as any basic RPG, with your charachter levelling up and learning new spells. You can have just a few of them selected, so you can choose your own style of playing. These spells are activated during your turn and may or may not count as an action (thus ending -or not- your turn), and affect the gems on the playfield.
I find it very challenging, as iNma says, and it is surely a long game. A lot of reviews complained about the story but I'm not of that advice. The story is simple, that's true, but dialogues are not so bad (for example: Trauma Center and Hotel Dusk have both really bad written and boring dialogues) and there are events triggered by your actions, for example: someone told me to go check a place while on the way back home, I decided to go later, but after I came out from my base-town the quest that was given me was no more available. I like when the story evolves from your actions.

PPL - As I already told you, this isn't a very innovative version of a puzzle game. There's plenty of option and a lot of multyplayer games, along with Wi-Fi. There's alot of different graphics and (like in Meteos), using the stylus you can move the gems farther than just swithcing two of them.
I bought this one yesterday, so I can't go so deep.
I felt after playing a lot this title I'll be ready for another run on Meteos, with far more knowledge about the strategy to use.
They're very similar, with the difference that you don't have rules changing every level and you can develop some really effective strategy.

So, if my impression is right, I'll reccomend Puzzle Quest for you. If you really like rhythm games I don't see why you shouldn't love EBA, but you're also listing two puzzle games, so I'm assuming that's the kind of game your inconscious is looking for...

Puzzle Quest is fresh and has higlhy customizable style of playing (and thus replay value), while PPL is probably "just" the most perfcected version of a specific type of puzzler.

[Pegasus]

Well, I ended up getting Elite Beat Agents and Puzzle Quest - I traded in two more games and they payed for them as well as two discounted preorders. :)

I decided a against PPL after watching a few gameplay videos of it; it seemed to much like Meteos but in the horizontal, and seeing how I wasn't too excited about the latter that made that decision quite easy.

Anyways, both games are indeed a lot of fun. I like most of the songs (I've heard so far) in EBA and the scenarios, as bizarre as they may be, are hilarious. Definitely not as easy as I imagined it. It'll take a good bit of practice to get great scores. I couldn't imagine myself playing the original Japanese game, though. I despise J-Pop, especially after having endured enough of that crud when I was stationed in Japan for three-and-a-half years.

Puzzle Quest is definitely a much different beast than just a Bejeweled clone. Good thing, too. Very nice game design. Although there is luck involved in battles, it's much more strategic, especially as a Druid. The spells/mana system certainly adds a lot of depth.

[DEMON212]

Well, I went to the gaming store this afternoon (when I went to see a very enjoyable Ratatouille) to trade in a couple of DS games... without remembering that they required an ID for trades. Err, yeah. Anyways, I can easily get a "new" game out of these trades and I realized that maybe waiting a bit wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

So, the three games I was looking at were Elite Beat Agent, Puzzle Quest, and Planet Puzzle League. The problem for me is that while all of them look enticing they may also boast some downfalls.

Elite Beat Agent - Certainly seems like a very fun game, but I have my doubts about the replayability factor of this title.

Puzzle Quest - Looks interesting, but I'm not sure whether the bejeweled design is going to bore me sooner than later. With the other game elements present I suppose it could be fun...

Planet Puzzle League - Never played Tetris Attacks so I'm a bit clueless about this title. The only puzzler that has been a keeper for me so far is Tetris DS (besides standard play I love catch mode). Had Meteos, but I think it was a bit overhyped; wasn't too fond of the gameplay/controls and I got bored of it. Haven't really encountered much of any good puzzlers otherwise for the DS. A lot of doozeys out there.

Any input would be much appreciated seeing how I'm likely to go back to the store in the middle of the coming week.

Got PQ on the PSP and it's phenominal. It's huge too.

But I do get bored after a couple days and need a couple days off.

[PowerLegend]

PPL and EBA

[Pit 42]

EBA. The replayability is fine. The rhythm-action game is hard to put down, even. It gets really difficult in the harder modes, though. Plus, the songs are good and I couldn't say that I'd really hate any of them.

[Sektor]

Am i the only one that finds EBA not funny at all?

[Jazzem]

Am i the only one that finds EBA not funny at all?

Eh? :? You found it amusing when you played my copy...

Stop trying to be controversial! :P

[Sektor]

Am i the only one that finds EBA not funny at all?

Eh? :? You found it amusing when you played my copy...

Stop trying to be controversial! :P


Meh not really it was ok... didnt make me laugh...i mean i said it was clever and bizzare but not funny at all