Guide: How to get and play Puyo Puyo Tetris for Xbox One

In early December, the Xbox One got its first Japanese exclusive retail game: Puyo Puyo Tetris from Sega. That same month, Ubisoft plopped out another boring, generic Tetris game as a downloadable Xbox One title in English territories: Tetris Ultimate.

But in far-off Japan, Sega crafted a Tetris game that overflows with color, charming characters, a lengthy story-filled campaign, and tons of creative new game types. That's the Tetris we should have gotten, and sadly Sega seems content never to release it outside of Japan.

Luckily, importing and playing Puyo Puyo Tetris on non-Japanese Xbox Ones is actually really easy. And to make things even easier, Japanese Xbox guru @Lifelower and I have teamed up to translate nearly the entire game (minus the story itself)! Check out our exclusive guide to either get the most out of Puyo Puyo Tetris or find out what you're missing!

How to purchase and play Puyo Puyo Tetris

In Japan, Sega released Puyo Puyo Tetris for Xbox One, Playstation 3 and 4, Wii U, 3DS, and Vita. We're just concerned with the Xbox One version, although the guide should apply to 99% of the Playstation 4 game and most of the other versions' menus as well.

Puyo Puyo Tetris for Xbox One is currently exclusive to retail in Japan, so you can't buy a downloadable version by switching regions. But the retail release works perfectly great in any non-Chinese Xbox One (China's are region-locked), so getting the game is as easy as ordering it from an importer. It won't even cost more than a domestic retail game!

I recommend the following options. I have used them all to import games in the past, although I got this particular game from Play Asia.

• Buy Puyo Puyo Tetris from Play Asia ($53.99 shipped)
• Buy Puyo Puyo Tetris from Yes Asia ($49.99 shipped)
• Buy Puyo Puyo Tetris from Solaris Japan ($52.18 shipped)

The game comes in a regular Xbox One case, just like any domestic title. Simply install the disc and you're ready to play!

Main Menu

1. Main Menu
2. Adventure: Single-player story mode
3. Dream Arcade Single-player: Play multiplayer modes against the AI
4. Dream Arcade Multiplayer: Local multiplayer
5. My Data: Personal records, options, and unlockables
6. Internet: Online multiplayer
7. Lessons: Non-interactive Japanese lessons about Puyo Puyo and Tetris mechanics. No Achievements, so don't bother with them.

Adventure

The main campaign consists of seven original episodes, each with 10 unique levels. Once you complete the first seven episodes and the credits finish rolling, you'll move on to the three EX episodes. The EX Episodes were originally sold as paid DLC on other platforms but are included free on-disc on Xbox One and Playstation 4.

Tip! If you die four times in a row on the same level, you can choose "Clear the level with help" (おたすけクリアですすむ) to skip the level.

Our Adventure Mode translations are too long for this article, so we split them off into a companion guide at GameFAQs. The Adventure Mode guide lists every level name, description, and star conditions. Please check it out and click the "Recommend" button.

Dream Arcade modes:

Dream Arcade is the local versus mode. To play Dream Arcade Multiplayer, at least two controllers must be connected before pressing A at the title screen.

1. Dream Arcade Single-player
2. Puyo Teto Mix: Puyo Puyo and Tetris pieces fall into the same field
3. Swap: The Puyo Puyo and Tetris playfields swap out periodically
4. Party: Items that can help you or harm your opponent fall into the field.
5. Big Bang: Clear the field as many times and as quickly as possible. Whoever eliminates more pieces damages the other player.
6. Tokoton: Play a variety of game types with special rules. Not available in multiplayer.

After selecting game type, you'll choose the mode:

1. Mode Select
2. One Play: Play one game.
3. Tournament

When playing single-player, you'll then select the number of computer opponents.

1. Select the Number of COM (computer) players
2. One COM player
3. Two COM players
4. Three COM players

If playing multiplayer, you'll select the overall number of players. Computers will fill in empty slots.

1. Select the number of players
2. Two players
3. Three players
4. Four players

Pre-fight settings (VS):

1. Hard Drop: On or Off. Hard drop allows you to drop pieces instantly.
2. Deco Settings: Change visual s and sounds (see below)
3. Game Start
4. Handicap Settings (see below)
5. Game Settings

Deco Settings. See My Data section for more details.

1. Deco Settings
2. Background
3. Puyo Type
4. Tetrimino Type

Handicap Settings (levels of food spiciness)

1. Handicap Settings
2. Very Mild
3. Mild
4. Medium Heat (default)
5. Hot
6. Very Hot

Swap pre-fight settings:

1. Swap
2. Swap Time Count
3. Quick/Hard Drop: Set to Default in the screenshot

Party pre-fight settings:

1. Party
2. Game Count: Default
3. Item: Normal
4. Quick/Hard Drop

To change how frequently items appear in Party, select Game Settings and then choose the following:

1. Items
2. Normal
3. Frequent
4. Rank-based

Big Bang game settings:

1. Big Bang
2. Charge Time Count: Default
3. Starting Level
4. Quick/Hard Drop

Tokoton modes (single-player only):

1. Tokoton
2. Tokoton Fever: Keep removing chain combo seeds until time runs out.
3. Tokoton Puyo Puyo: Single-player Puyo Puyo. Just keep removing Puyos.
4. Tokoton Tiny Puyo: Keep removing Puyos in the Tiny Puyo field.
5. 40 Lines: Time attack for removing 40 lines.
6. Marathon: Score attack for removing 150 lines.
7. Ultra: Score attack for three minutes. Drop speed of Tetriminos won't increase.
8. Rules for each mode. See descriptions above.

Tokoton Marathon settings:

1. Marathon
2. Endless
3. Starting Level

Post-game Point Results

1. Post-game Point Results
2. Basic Points
3. Technical Points
4. Screen Clear Bonus
5. Total Points
6. Current Points

Post-game menu

1. Play Again
2. Arcade Select
3. Character Select
4. Quit Game
5. Save the Replay!

My Data

My Data main menu:

1. My Data
2. Stats
3. Theater: Listen to BGM, watch replays, etc.
4. Option
5. Shop

Stats:

1. Stats
2. My Data
3. National Puzzle League
4. Club
5. Tokoton Puyo Puyo
6. Marathon
7. Tokoton Fever
8. 40 Line
9. Tokoton Tiny Puyo
10. Ultra
11. Rank
12. Rating
13. My League
14. Play Ratio

Achievements:

These come in three categories: general, Puyo Puyo-specific, and Tetris-specific. Here is the general Achievements screen.

1. Stats
2. Completionist Collection: General Achievements.

Theater: Sound Test:

1. Theater
2. Sound
3. Voice

Theater: Adventure Cinematics:

1. Theater
2. Adventure
3. Demo
4. Episode 1
5. Opening
6. Staff Roll (credits)

Theater: Your Replays:

1. Theater
2. Your Replays
3. Dream Arcade Multiplayer: Party (Game type of the replay)

Theater: Everyone's Replays:

1. Theater
2. Everyone's Replays

Options

1. Options
2. Basic Settings
3. My Character
4. Hometown
5. Vibration
6. Ghost
7. Combo Animation
8. Confirm Settings
9. Change My Character

Hometowns for Basic Settings. These are prefectures in Japan.

1. Not Set
2. Aomori
3. Miyagi
4. Yamagata
5. Fukushima
6. Ibaragi
7. Tochigi
8. Gunma
9. Chiba
10. Tokyo
11. Kanagawa

Controls

1. Option
2. Key Config
3. Controls
4. [Up: Quick/Hard Drop] [Left: Move Left] [Right: Move Right] [Down: Fast Drop/Soft Drop] [B: Rotate Right] [A: Rotate Left] [LB/RB: Hold] [Y/X/LT/RT: Not Set]
5. Confirm settings

Deco Settings

1. Option
2. Deco Setting
3. Background
4. Puyo Type
5. Tetrimino Type
6. Confirm the setting
7. You can set up deco settings for all rules.

Backgrounds for Deco Settings:

1. Puzzle Arena
2. Forest of Puyo Puyo
3. Tetris Palace
4. Dream Game Center (arcade)
5. Circus Plaza

Puyo types for Deco Settings:

1. Aqua
2. Fever
3. Classic
4. Change Color
5. Words
6. Random

Tetrimino types for Deco Settings:

1. Default
2. Block
3. Stars [Studs]
4. Random

League Settings:

1. Option
2. League Settings
3. Puyo Teto Mix
4. Swap
5. Party
6. Big Bang
7. Confirm settings
8. You can set up the battle rule for National Puzzle League.

Shop

1. Shop
2. Puyo Type
3. Word
4. You can choose "Word" type in Puyo Type setting.

1. Shop
2. Tetrimino Type
3. Classical
4. You can choose "Classical" type in Tetrimino Type setting.

1. Shop
2. Voice Change
3. You can choose a different voice for the character (Ringo).

Internet

Internet Main Menu:

1. Internet
2. National Puzzle League: Matchmaking
3. Club: Join or host a room of a specific unranked game type
4. Players List: List of players who you've played against before.
5. My Data
6. Puyo Teto TV Station: Watch or upload replays.

National Puzzle League Main Menu:

1. National Puzzle League
2. Search Players
3. Battle Rate Ranking
4. League Settings
5. Your current Rate ranking for National Puzzle League. Guest users' Rates won't be registered.

Search for Players:

1. Standby
2. Rank
3. Rate
4. My League
5. Hometown: The prefecture you (supposedly) live in. See My Data section for prefecture list.
6. Local Ranking
7. Nationwide Ranking
8. Greetings: You can communicate with other players using preset greetings.
9. I'm Ready: Notifies other players that you are ready.

Greetings menu:

1. Standby
2. History: Greetings you've used before.
3. Basic: Simple and general greetings.
4. Pack 1-8

Club: Game Type menu:

1. Club
2. Puyo Teto Mix
3. Swap
4. Party
5. Big Bang

Club Room Select: Browse open rooms or create your own.

1. Room Select
2. All: Choose a room tag to search clubs here, or choose "全て" to search all clubs.
3. No Clubs: No clubs are online at the time.
4. Number of Players (Setting)
5. Room Tag
6. Game Settings
7. X: Refresh the list, Y: Create a room, B: Cancel, A: Confirm

Create a Room: Room Settings

1. Room Settings
2. Room Lock
3. Don't Lock
4. Lock
5. Room Style
6. Puyo Puyo/Tetris: Choose game rules (Puyo Puyo and/or Tetris) for the room.

Create a Room: Game Settings

1. Create a Room
2. Game Settings
3. Swap Time Count (Swap game type only)
4. Quick/Hard Drop
5. Create with these settings
6. Number of Player: 4 Players
7. Room Tag: Anyone is welcome

Create a Room: Number of Players

1. Create a Room
2. Number of Players
3. 2 Players
4. 3 Players
5. 4 Players
6. Create with these settings

Create a Room: Room Tag Settings

1. Create a Room
2. Room Tag Settings
3. Anyone is welcome
4. Beginners only
5. Veterans only
6. Puyo Puyo LOVE
7. Tetris LOVE
8. Create with these settings

Puyo Teto TV Station: Online replays

1. Puyo Teto TV Station
2. National Ranking
3. 40 Line
4. Everyone's Replay
5. X: Profile, Y: Upload replay, B: Cancel, A: Confirm

Post-replay menu:

1. Watch from the beginning
2. Finish the replay
3. Save the replay

That's all for our guide! The gameplay in Puyo Puyo Tetris is largely intuitive, but if you need detailed descriptions of game rules, check out the Puyo Puyo Tetris Wikipedia page. We've provided you with all the tools to get and enjoy Puyo Puyo Tetris on Xbox One. I hope you'll put them to good use!

Thanks to @Lifelower for his excellent translations, without which this guide would be far less detailed and awesome.