Puyo Puyo (Arcade)

Puyo Puyo
Developer: Compile Publisher: Sega Platform: Arcade (Sega System C2) Released in JP: October 1992 Released in US: Unknown (1992?) Released in EU: Unknown (1992?) This game has unused sounds. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences.

Unlike the MSX2 and Famicom Disk System games of the same name, the arcade Puyo Puyo focuses exclusively on competitive play, which would prove to be the franchise's ticket to success.

To do: Add more images. Look for unused graphics in both Japan and World versions. Getting complete graphical data requires interleaving .ic34 and .ic33 files. The English version has an unused "Winners Don't Use Drugs" message.

Regional Differences

The English version, labeled "World" in MAME, is one of the greatest Puyo Puyo-related mysteries. Almost all information regarding its release has been lost to time. Its inclusion in the Sega Ages series for the Nintendo Switch confirms that it is an official translation and not a bootleg as was claimed for a long time, but when it was released and in what markets is completely unknown. Regardless, the English version features some aesthetic changes.

Copyright Notice

The Japanese versions display a copyright notice on boot. World doesn't have an equivalent notice, and instead goes straight to the title screen.

Title Screen

World's title logo is slightly different in style. However, it goes through the same stretching animations as the Japanese version.

Japan	World

Voice Work

The voice work was redone in English for the World version, with Carbuncle's catchphrase being the only voice sample that survives the transition. The World version has fewer samples overall; two samples used in the final sequence are completely removed, while other samples are used multiple times. (For example, the "Puyo Puyo!" from the title screen is also used for a 5+ player chain.)

Name Changes

A vast majority of the characters' names are changed. The four-letter abbreviation above each character's preview window is changed accordingly, with the exception of Arle, whose abbreviation becomes "YOU."

Japan	World
Arle Nadja	Silvana
Skeleton-T	Skeleton
Nasu Grave	Blue Ghost
Mummy	Mummy
Draco Centauros	Dragon Woman
Suketoudara	Goby Captain
Sukiyapotes	Small Foot
Harpy	Dark Elf
Sasoriman	Scorpion Man
Panotty	Johnny
Zombie	Zombie
Witch	Witch
Zoh Daimaoh	Elephant Lord
Schezo Wegey	Devious
Minotauros	Max Minotaur
Rulue	Lulu
Satan	Dark Prince
Carbuncle	Carbuncle

Most of the name changes are exclusive to this version; only Dark Prince would be used in later games.

Harpy / Dark Elf

World removes Harpy's wings and flying animation, and also changes her dress's color from white to a shade of green. This is reflected in both her cutscene sprites and her battle portrait.

Japan	World

Japan	World

Other Graphical Changes

Satan has a sprite (his reaction to Arle incorrectly calling out his name) that goes completely unused in World.

Unused "Double" Diacute Voice Sample

To do: Record and upload voice sample.

The Japanese versions contain an alternate, unused version of Arle's "Diacute" spell where she stutters the first syllable. This is a reference to the Madou Monogatari games, where the damage-doubling Diacute causes Arle to stutter the name of her next spell; in this case, it behaves as if she casted Diacute twice.

The following MAME cheat (verified for Rev. B, untested for Rev. A) forces the game to play the double Diacute for any and all voice sample calls. Place it in puyoj.xml.

<cheat desc="D-D-Diacute Voice Lock">
	<comment>The game will play the double Diacute for all voice samples.</comment>
	<script state="run">
		<action>maincpu.pb@e0b0c5=04</action>
		<action>maincpu.pb@e0b008=04</action>
		<action>maincpu.pb@e00155=04</action>
	</script>
</cheat>

Sixth Puyo

The MSX2 and Famicom Disk System Puyo Puyo contains six Puyo colors, and if this prototype footage is any indication, the Mega Drive version almost did as well. (P1's top Puyo at 5:45 never appears in the final game or any Puyo game.) As it turns out, the sixth Puyo does indeed exist in the arcade version, can be placed on the field with easy modifications to Mamecheat.co.uk's Puyo Puyo cheat files, and (aside from being visually broken) is fully functional.

Mamecheat intentionally skipped over the sixth Puyo for each of their Puyo-setting cheats. For example:

  <cheat desc="Select Perm. Next Top Bubble PL1">
    <parameter>
      <item value="0x00">Red</item>
      <item value="0x01">Yellow</item>
      <item value="0x03">Green</item>
      <item value="0x04">Purple</item>
      <item value="0x05">Blue</item>
    </parameter>
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.pb@FFE127=param</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

Adding the sixth Puyo as an option is a simple matter of filling in the unused slot.

  <cheat desc="Select Perm. Next Top Bubble PL1">
    <parameter>
      <item value="0x00">Red</item>
      <item value="0x01">Yellow</item>
      <item value="0x02">Sixth</item>
      <item value="0x03">Green</item>
      <item value="0x04">Purple</item>
      <item value="0x05">Blue</item>
    </parameter>
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.pb@FFE127=param</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

There are unrelated parts of the game that are affected by these cheats, so it is recommended to only activate them during battle.

Revision Differences

Rev. A of the Japanese version includes a bug where the AI loses its ability to manually drop Puyo if its joystick is held to the left or right. (P2 joystick if the player is on the P1 side and vice versa.) The effect is most easily seen with Suketoudara, who starts a match by manually dropping four full rows of Puyo, and Harpy, who starts a match by quickly lining her left and right columns. Players cannot move their Puyo laterally and simultaneously manual drop; it is likely that the developers forgot to completely disable the left/right input check for AI opponents.

Rev. B fixes this bug. However, neither World, nor the nearly 1:1 Mega Drive port, nor even Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine inherited said fix.