To the person who pointed out two pages were missing from my post about the Magical Puzzle Popils manual: that's no longer the case

Three or so years ago, someone pointed out that two pages of the Magical Puzzle Popils instruction booklet were missing from this old "Manual Stimulation" post of mine.

Unfortunately, that comment came in while my husband and I were on sabbatical. I didn't have my copy of this Sega Game Gear puzzler or access to a scanner at the time, so I couldn't rectify the situation then.



I finally rectified it the other day, but who knows if the person who made me aware of the gaffe is still waiting to see the full Magical Puzzle Popils manual?

In the off chance they are, I decided to publish the post you're reading right now to let them know it's finally available in all its "Magical Guide" glory. (Click on the link above to see it.)

That's not the only reason I'm publishing this post, though. I'm also doing so because I want more people to know about this wonderful Game Gear title, which the late, great Fukio Mitsuji developed for the now-defunct Tengen.

If Mitsuji's name doesn't ring a bell, he's the brainchild behind two games you should know well: Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands.



Unlike that pair of Mitsuji creations, Magical Puzzle Popils, renamed Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge when it hit European store shelves in 1992, challenges your brain rather than your reflexes.

Popils is just as cute as those classics, though, if not quite as kaleidoscopically colorful. It also matches their blissful soundtracks.

Add it all up, and you've got one of my five favorite Game Gear games. Is the Magical Puzzle Popils instruction manual a favorite, too? I'll let you be the judge of that.

See also: five Game Gear games you need to play as soon as possible

Anyone looking for a few #PuzzleGameMonth recommendations?

Although platformers and RPGs continue to be my favorite types of games, I'm pretty much always up for playing a good puzzler.

The five brain-busters below fit that bill and more. As such, I think any one of them would be worth playing as part of Anne Lee's latest "community game-along" that's devoted to the puzzle genre. (For more information on this month-long event, go to chic-pixel.com.)

I've spent a good amount of time with all of these games, by the way, so rest assured they have my personal seal of approval (should such a thing hold sway over you, of course).

Moai-kun (Famicom)

Guru Logi Champ (GameBoy Advance)--I've mentioned this Compile-made title a couple of times in the past. (Most notably, in my recent post about overlooked GameBoy Advance games you need to play as soon as possible.) To be honest, though, I feel like I should've written about it more, as it's easily one of the best puzzlers to be published for Nintendo's GameBoy successor. What's so great about it? For starters, it offers up a unique twist on Picross' gameplay. Also, it's wonderfully colorful and features a cast of characters that's as cute as it is silly. The cherry on top of all this puzzling goodness: Guru Logi Champ's box, cartridge label and instruction manual knock it out of the park, too.

Loopop Cube: Lup Salad (PlayStation)--Although Guru Logi Champ is at least somewhat of a known quantity thanks to its Compile connection, this similarly impressive PlayStation release from Datam Polystar continues to fly under the radar. Not that Loopop Cube and the above-mentioned GBA game are at all alike. This Japan-only title combines light platforming action with the gameplay of a match-three puzzler. Add to that its cute-as-a-button aesthetic (mirrored in Loopop Cube's packaging) and some catchy background tunes, and you've got an import that should have a much higher profile than it currently does. By the way, if you're not in the mood for buying and playing Japanese PSone games, you can pick up Loopop Cube: Lup Salad for the DS or PSP, too.

Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear)--Of all the puzzle games showcased here, this Tengen-developed and -published one is my favorite. Like Loopop Cube, Magical Puzzle Popils (released outside Japan as Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge) is one part platformer and one part puzzler. You don't match blocks in the latter, though; instead, you do whatever's needed to get the "hero" protagonist to the princess who's marooned somewhere on each and every stage. Usually that means punching or kicking blocks out of your way, but sometimes it also means climbing or descending a ladder. Don't worry, it's a lot more fun than I've made it sound here. Plus, it looks great--similar to Bubble Bobble, actually, which makes sense, as the same man (Fukio Mitsuji) headed up both games--and sports a stellar, earworm-worthy soundtrack. (Bonus: virtually flip through Magical Puzzle Popil's instruction manual.)

Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke (PSP)

Moai-kun (Famicom)--I know, I know. I just slobbered over this Konami cart in my most recent "Manual Stimulation" post. What can I say? I've got Moai-kun on the brain. Also, if any Famicom puzzler is worth mentioning in a write-up such as this, Moai-kun is it. This Japan-only release from 1990 isn't the prettiest puzzle game to see the light of day on Nintendo's first real console, but I'd argue it's the most interesting. Once again, the focus here is on hopping to and from platforms, destroying blocks (using your noggin, à la PC Genjin) and rescuing loved ones. Don't worry if you'd like to try Loopop Cube, Magical Puzzle Popils and Moai-kun, by the way. Although all three are puzzler-platformers, they provide different enough experiences that you won't feel like you're playing the same game.

Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke (PSP)--I'd include this PSP title, made by Silicon Studio and published (only in Japan, naturally) by From Software, even if it were a total dud. That's because its cover illustration, right, is among the best produced for Sony's first portable system. Also, its Ukiyo-e art style is beyond gorgeous. Thankfully, Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke's gameplay is just as captivating as its more superficial components. Explaining why that is would take too many words, so I'm going to suggest you check out hardcoregaming101.net if you're curious to know more. Just know that if you've still got a PSP and you're at all into games that try their best to overheat your brain, you'll get your money's worth out of Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke.

See also: my trio of #PlatforMonth recommendation posts

Five overlooked Sega Game Gear games you need to play as soon as possible

So few titles were made and released for the Sega Game Gear that it's hard to believe any of them could be considered overlooked.

The fact remains, though, that the masses basically ignored this brick-sized "portable" system, so it's probably safe to say they did the same to its meager (compared to its main competitor, Nintendo's GameBoy) games library while the bulky handheld was on the market from the early to mid 1990s.

And not only that, but the masses continue to ignore the system and its catalog. Think your average game fan turns his or her nose up at the GameBoy (and, believe me, they do) these days? At least they've likely heard of Nintendo's first handheld. The same can't be said of the Game Gear or the overlooked "gems" discussed here.

Alien Syndrome--I have a feeling a lot of people pass on this version of Sega's Alien-inspired run-and-gun shooter because they assume it's a turd. In reality, it's better than both the NES and Master System ports of the 1987 arcade game. Sadly, the Game Gear iteration of Alien Syndrome offers platers just four stages, but they're challenging--and fun--enough that most who give it a shot won't care. (Bonus: the Japanese release sports a superb piece of cover art.)

Berlin no Kabe (aka The Berlin Wall)--If you're a fan of single-screen platformers, you'll adore this portable reimagining of Kaneko's oddly named quartermuncher from 1991. Not only is Berlin no Kabe cute as can be, but its gameplay is a breath of fresh air. I mean, what's not to like about creating traps for a colorful cast of baddies by using a hammer to smash holes in the floor beneath their scampering feet?

Bubble Bobble--Here's another Game Gear title many folks likely ignore because they imagine it's not worth their while. Or maybe they think it's just a port of the Master System version of Taito's classic arcade game. Whatever the reason, those who own a Game Gear but have yet to pick up a copy of Bubble Bobble are doing themselves a disservice. This remake (of sorts) features miniaturized stages and full-sized Bub, Bob and enemy sprites, which results in a strangely unique--as well as strangely enjoyable--experience.

Ganbare Gorby! (aka Factory Panic)--Honestly, I'd consider this Sega-made oddity worth buying and playing even if it weren't much fun thanks to the fact that its protagonist resembles former president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Thankfully, it is fun. Although its box cover suggests its a puzzler, a more accurate way to describe it would be to call it an arcade-style action game. (Not enough info for you? You press switches to change the course of a series of conveyor belts, with the goal being to deliver products like bread and meat and medicine to needy citizens.) Ganbare Gorby! isn't groundbreaking, to be sure, but it's also not a bad way to waste a bit of free time.

Magical Puzzle Popils--Made by Fukio Mitsuji, the man who's chiefly responsible for giving the world both Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands, Magical Puzzle Popils (Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge in Europe) is the best Game Gear cart around in the opinion of yours truly. Unlike the aforementioned titles, Popils is a brain-busting puzzle game with eye-pleasing graphics and an ear-pleasing soundtrack.

See also: five overlooked GameBoy, Famicom, PC Engine and PlayStation games you need to play as soon as possible

Be still, my Fukio Mitsuji-loving heart: Tengen prepped Magical Puzzle Popils ports for the Famicom and PC Engine way back when

If this is the first time your eyes are coming across the name Fukio Mitsuji, please take a seat.

In short, Mitsuji was a brilliant Japanese game designer and artist who helped create a number of outright classics during his unfortunately short career. (Sadly, he died in 2008.)

Specifically, Wikipedia credits him with having a hand in just nine games within the span of seven years (1985 to 1991).

Of those three games, I personally consider three of them to be among the best games ever to see the light of day. One is Bubble Bobble, another is that game's sequel, Rainbow Islands, and the third is Magical Puzzle Popils.

Don't worry if you've similarly never heard of that last title. After all, Magical Puzzle Popils was made for Sega's Game Gear--and only for Sega's Game Gear. (If you want to learn more about this puzzler, which was called Popils outside of Japan, check out its GameFAQs entry, its Wikipedia page or this previous post of mine.)



Or so I thought until yesterday. That's when I learned (via neogaf.com) that, at some point in the fairly distant past, developer and publisher Tengen prepped Famicom and PC Engine ports of Magical Puzzle Popils.

It's also when I came across footage of these previously unknown console ports. The PC Engine version can be seen in the video above, while the Famicom version can be seen here.

None of what's showcased in these clips looks tremendously different from what can be found in the Game Gear original, although the stages appear a smidge larger and some of the intermission graphics seem unfinished. (Or maybe the latter are just oddly rough?)

Still, I'd hand over a week's salary to buy physical copies of these long-lost conversions so I could play them on real Famicom and PC Engine hardware. How about you?

See also: a couple of photos of Magical Puzzle Popils' Japanese Game Gear box and my 'Manual Stimulation' post devoted to this 1991 title

Five favorites: Sega Game Gear titles

You'd think that with the 3DS, DS, GameBoy, Neo Geo Pocket Color and WonderSwan (all of which I've been playing in recent weeks--sometimes using actual hardware and sometimes going the emulation route), my portable gaming bases would be covered for the time being.

Over the weekend, though, I ditched the systems mentioned above and instead spent some quality time with a few Game Gear titles (again, both via real hardware and emulation), an experience that prompted me to contemplate my favorite examples of that handheld's game catalog.

Here's what I came up with, in alphabetical order. (Note: the following games are my personal favorites. I don't necessarily consider them to be the "best" this Sega-made machine has to offer. Also, I have to admit I've yet to play Phantasy Star Gaiden, a title that surely appears on some similar lists.)

The Berlin Wall--Although I've been a fan of the single-screen platformer (think: Bubble Bobble) since I first got into gaming, I wasn't aware of this game's existence until a year or so ago. That's a shame, as The Berlin Wall is a lot of fun. How would I describe it? Don Doko Don blended with Lode Runner is the best I can come up with at the moment, although I doubt that means much to some of you. Regardless, check it out if you've ever gotten a kick out of games like Snow Bros. or Tumblepop.

Bubble Bobble--Those looking for a direct port of Taito's bubble-centric classic will want to steer clear of this version, as it ends up feeling more like Bubble Bobble Mini than a full-fledged port. That's because although each stage has been shrunken down to fit the Game Gear's tiny screen, the title's other elements--Bob, Bub and their many colorful enemies, mainly--were given a reprieve. The game's honestly a bit broken because of that fact, but it's still a lot of fun.

Madou Monogatari I--A first-person dungeon crawler from the makers of Puyo Puyo? Where do I sign up? That was my first thought upon hearing about this series (four of its entries ended up on the Game Gear) some years ago. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was even more enjoyable--and charming--than I assumed it would be. By the way, if you're too chicken to play through such a game in Japanese, this first one was translated into English courtesy of SSTranslations.

Magical Puzzle Popils--All you really need to know about this one is that it was made by the same guy, Fukio Mitsuji, who brought Bubble Bobble to the world. Like that game, Magical Puzzle Popils features more-adorable-than-they-have-any-right-to-be protagonists and tunes but takes the gameplay in a different direction altogether by tasking players with getting from each level's start to its exit (a trapped princess) in as few steps as possible.

Puzzle Bobble--If you're looking for the best-possible portable version of this classic puzzler, look no further than this old port. Sure, it's far from perfect, but it's miles better than its GameBoy, Neo Geo Pocket Color and WonderSwan counterparts. (I'm especially fond of how Bub and Bob look here.) Plus, this release actually features the original arcade soundtrack, which alone makes it well worth checking out.

Honorable mentions: Galaga '91, Ganbare Gorby, Magical Taruruuto-kun, Mappy, Shining Force Gaiden

If this custom-painted, ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast isn't one of the prettiest consoles ever, I don't know what is

I wish I could say I'm partially, if not completely, responsible for artist OSKUNK deciding to create the  ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast seen below--I have, after all, suggested such a contraption in the past--but let's be honest: the French illustrator and "customiseur" probably doesn't even know I exist.



Which is likely for the best, because if he did know of my existence I'd have to use whatever influence I have (read: none) to get him to sell me this particular custom-made console--or maybe this Jet Set Radio-themed beauty, or the Samba de Amigo one seen in this previous post.

I'd also do my best to (virtually) twist his arm to get him to conjure up a Game Gear that features some sort of fabulous paint job inspired by one of my all-time favorite Game Gear titles, Magical Puzzle Popils.



Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep an eye (or two) on OSKUNK's blog, Custom Art, in the hopes of catching an advance glimpse of his next game-related pièce de résistance.

See also: previous OSKUNK-centric posts

The Great Gaymathon Review #62: Banana (Famicom)

Game: Banana

Genre: Puzzle

Developer: Victor Interactive Software

Publisher: Victor Interactive Software

System: Famicom

Release date: 1986

I have kind of a funny history (well, it's funny to me anyway) with Banana. For the longest time, I thought it and Takara's rather lackluster-looking platformer, Banana Prince, were one and the same. Then I came across (on Famicomblog) a photo of this game's packaging that made it clear the two titles were unique entities.

As for what prompted me to give this oddly named Famicom game a go: Well, the aforementioned packaging, which features an adorable mole wearing white gloves and what appears to be a pair of blue jeans, certainly got the proverbial ball rolling, but what kept it moving along was this YouTube video.

Admittedly, said video makes Banana look more than a little rough, but that's rarely deterred me in the past. Also, I'm one of those weirdos who actually likes the aesthetics of severely retro games.

Anyway, it wasn't just the colorfully chunky graphics that attracted me to Victor Interactive Software's maiden Famicom release. I also liked the looks of its gameplay, which at first called to mind such classics as Adventures of Lolo, Dig Dug, Magical Puzzle Popils and Wrecking Crew.

In the end, those comparisons aren't completely apt. A better one, I quickly came to learn, would be to compare it to First Star Software's Boulder Dash. That 1984 release is a cakewalk compared to Banana, though, thanks to the latter's devilish, "you'd better make the right moves in the right order--or else!" mentality.

Speaking of which, you'd probably like an explanation of how this pixelated puzzler plays, wouldn't you? The gist: You control the strangely dressed mole I mentioned earlier. He's plopped into each stage for some reason or other (sorry, I don't know the game's backstory--assuming there is one) and is tasked with gathering all of the fruit that's been deposited throughout each level (again, for some reason or another), retrieving the blue-haired lady mole who seems to be his girlfriend or wife and then somehow making it to the exit door.

That's harder than it sounds, of course, thanks in large part to the game's sense of gravity--which means that whenever you dig or fall or otherwise move in a downward direction, the only way you can move up again is to find a ladder and climb it. And if you can't? Hit the reset button and start over, because you basically got yourself stuck.

Oh, and most stages include boulders that, should you walk beneath them (and you will), fall into your path and make life even more challenging for you and your mole-y friends.

The good news among all of this doom and gloom: Banana is a lot of fun despite its sometimes brain-melting difficulty. Partially responsible for that are the game's cheerful (if basic) visuals, although the appealingly blippy background music, which calls to mind both Donkey Kong and Mario Bros., deserves a quite a bit of credit, too.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

Manual Stimulation: Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear)

You know you're in for quite a read when someone decides to call the booklet that's included with a particular game--in this case, Tengen's Magical Puzzle Popils for the Sega Game Gear--a "guide" rather than a "manual," as is typically the case.

Which begs the question: Is it a good read in this case or a bad one?

Considering I don't know a lick of Japanese, you'll have to take my response with a rather large grain of salt. Based on what I can see, though, I'd say Magical Puzzle Popil's 30-page (yes, you read that correctly) "guide" is a bit of both.



The manuals' designers certainly didn't start things off on the wrong foot, thanks in large part to its colorful front and even back covers.



The first two interior pages are quite a bit less thrilling, but the following pair offer up a trio of adorable illustrations that more than make up for the preceding yawn-fest.





Even more illustrations appear on the manual's next handful of pages. They're not as precious--or large--as the ones I just pointed out, but they're still pretty cool.

Did you know that Japanese Game Gear boxes are about the same size as WonderSwan boxes?

Well, you do now--courtesy of the following pair of photos that I recently snapped with my trusty digital camera.

For those who are curious, the games included in these photos are (clockwise from the upper-left): Pokémon Red (GameBoy), Engacho! (WonderSwan), Ganbare Gorby! (Game Gear), Guru Logi Champ (GameBoy Advance), Balloon Kid (GameBoy), Tane wo Maku Tori (WonderSwan), Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear), Rhythm Tengoku (GameBoy Advance) and Flash Koibitokun (WonderSwan Color).

I decided to take these photos when I discovered that the boxes that house Game Gear games are nearly the same size as those that house WonderSwan games. Also, I thought some of you might like to see how those boxes compare in size to the boxes of other portable gaming systems, like the GameBoy and the GameBoy Advance.



I'm planning to take more photos like the ones above (and these) in the coming months as I continue to acquire additional 3DS, DS, GameBoy, Game Gear and WonderSwan titles, by the way, so be on the lookout for them if you're curious about that sort of thing.

See also: 'WonderSwan cartridges (and boxes) in context'

Acquisition #143: Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear)

If you visit this blog with any regularity, you've likely seen a mention or two (or five) of the Tengen-published puzzler known as Magical Puzzle Popils in Japan and Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge in Europe.

As I'm sure you can guess from the frequency of those mentions, I'm a pretty big fan of this Game Gear title, which was designed by the man responsible for both Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands, Fukio Mitsuji.

In fact, I'm such a big fan of this game that earlier this year I bought a loose copy of it via eBay. (You can see a photo of that acquisition and read more about it in this post.)

Given that, some of you are likely to be a bit surprised to hear that I recently picked up a complete-in-box copy of the very same game. Why did I do that, you ask? I think the cover art shown in the following photos is all the response I need to share.

In addition, I've also long wanted to own (and mindlessly flip through on a regular basis) Magical Puzzle Popils' manual. So, in a way, you could say this particular acquisition was kind of a two-for-one deal for me.

Expect to see scans of said manual in an upcoming "Manual Stimulation" post, by the way. Also, a few additional photos of both the front and back sides of this game's box will be uploaded to my Flickr photostream shortly, so keep an eye out for them, too, if you're so inclined.

See also: Previous 'Acquisition #123' posts

It's not a ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast, but I guess it'll do

French artist Oskunk (or, OSKUNK!, to be completely accurate) has conjured up a number of fabulous, custom-painted consoles over the years.

Surprisingly, most of my personal favorites have been Sega-centric, such as the Dreamcasts he's covered in Jet Set Radio, REZ, Samba de Amigo, Shenmue and Space Channel 5 designs.

The artist's latest (below) creation calls to mind yet another Sega classic: 1995's Virtual On.



I really like how this illustration complements, rather than attempts to cover up, the curves and grooves of the Dreamcast's top lid.

Where will Oskunk's imagination take him next? I'm hoping it'll take him to wherever he needs to go to produce a ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast, or maybe a Magical Puzzle Popils-branded Game Gear.

See also: 'I will obtain one of these if it's the last thing I do'

Reason #404 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

I recently bought a Game Gear game--the Japanese version of Tengen's Magical Puzzle Popils, to be exact--despite the fact that I don't yet own a Game Gear system.

There's a method (well, kind of) to my madness, though; you see, in part I bought a copy of this Fukio Mitsuji-designed game because I hoped it would push me to (finally) pick up Sega's first handheld. (Its second being the Nomad, of course.)

Another reason I bought the copy of Magical Puzzle Popils you see in the photo to the right: Its cover art. Duh! (For a bit more information on this precious puzzler, read these previously-published blog posts.)

Don't worry, I won't hold off on reviewing this titillating title until I actually acquire a Game Gear system. I've played it enough via emulation to know it inside and out, so there's no real reason for me to wait. Anyway, keep an eye out for it if you're so inclined.

In the meantime, have any of you ever bought a game or two for a system (console or handheld) that you don't yet own?

See also: Other reasons I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

Five favorites: portable puzzlers

Why is that portable systems and puzzle games go together like peanut butter and jelly? Regardless of the reason, that's how it's been--for me, at least--since 1989, when the one-two punch of the GameBoy and Tetris were unleashed upon the world.

Despite the number of portable puzzlers that have flooded the market since then, I had a relatively hard time coming up with the following list. That's not to suggest any of the games below aren't really "favorites" of mine; rather, it's to suggest that, surprisingly, I just couldn't think of many others that could take their place. (Two that did come to mind but didn't quite make the cut: Orbital for the GameBoy Advance and the Professor Layton series for the DS and 3DS.)

So, which portable puzzlers impressed me enough to not only be remembered but be included in this post? I thought you'd never ask. Read on to find out.

1. ChuChu Rocket! (Sega, 2001)--Would I rather play the graphically superior Dreamcast version of this Sonic Team-developed game than this GameBoy Advance version, if given a choice? Probably, but this pixelated port is nothing to sneeze at. Both versions feature basically the same gameplay, after all, and both feature a slew of options. As such, I highly suggest every puzzler fan out there do what I've done: Get 'em both.

2. Guru Logi Champ (Compile, 2001)--If you like Picross, you'll probably like this import-only oddity, produced by the folks at Compile (makers of the Puyo Puyo games). And if you don't like Picross? You'll still probably like it, thanks to its wacky graphics, music and, most importantly, sense of humor. Unfortunately, this GameBoy Advance title isn't all that easy to come by these days, so your best bet is to download a ROM and play it via emulation. My advice: Give your morals a rest and do just that.

Reason #398 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

I really want to buy a Sega Game Gear--despite the fact that I only want to buy one game along with it.

That game: Magical Puzzle Popils, which I'm pretty sure I've mentioned on more than one occasion. (Yep, here and here.) I know, I could easily continue playing this Fukio Mitsuji-developed title via emulation if I really wanted to, but I'd prefer to own the real deal if at all possible.

There are a few other Game Gear titles I'm at least mildly interested in, of course--like Fantasy Zone Gear, Madou Monogatari I, II and III, and Shining Force Gaiden--but I likely wouldn't even consider picking up the system if Magical Puzzle Popils weren't available.

To make things even worse, I'd love to buy one of the rare, white Game Gears--like the one seen in the photo above--that only saw the light of day in Japan. Thankfully, even I have my (spending) limits. So, black it will be--should I ever buy one, of course.

See also: Other reasons I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

Five favorites: cutie patootie puzzlers

Back in the day, I played games for hours on end--and preferred RPGs to every other genre. These days I prefer platformers and puzzle games, as I just don't have the attention span to play games for more than a few minutes at a time.

Here are five of the puzzlers I turn to whenever I *do* have some time on my hands. They're all a bit on the cute side (hence the use of "cutie patootie" in the headline above), but don't let that keep you from giving them a spin.

1. Guru Logi Champ (GameBoy Advance)--Now-defunct Japanese developer/publisher Compile's main claim to fame may have been its uber-popular (and uber-playable) Puyo Puyo titles, but I prefer Guru Logi Champ thanks to its Magical-Drop-meets-Picross gameplay.

2. Magical Puzzle Popils (GameGear)--All you really need to know about this title is that it was designed by the legendary Fukio Mitsuji--aka the brainchild behind Bubble Bobble. Both games are maddeningly addictive, but Magical Puzzle Popils ups the ante by making your brain hurt, too.

3. Motteke Tamago (PC-Engine)--Don't worry if the name doesn't ring a bell--it probably doesn't ring a bell for many Japanese gamers either. After all, this Bomberman-esque brain twister wasn't released until 1997--and even then it was just a pack-in with Super PC-Engine Fan Deluxe magazine.

4. Panel de Pon (Super Famicom)--This game has been released under many different guises in the States--Tetris Attack, Pokemon Puzzle League and Planet Puzzle League among them--but none of them can hold a candle to the charm on display in the Japanese original.

5. Twinbee Taisen Puzzle Dama (PSone)--Many versions of Taisen Puzzle Dama have been released over the years, and although all of them are extremely enjoyable this one takes the proverbial cake (IMHO, of course) thanks to the inclusion of Konami's cute-as-buttons Twinbee characters.

* Please forgive me for using the term "cutie patootie." I couldn't help myself in this instance, but I'll do my best to avoid using it in the future :)