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.

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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.

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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.

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Pre-fight settings (VS):

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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.

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Handicap Settings (levels of food spiciness)

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Swap pre-fight settings:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Party pre-fight settings:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Big Bang game settings:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Tokoton modes (single-player only):

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  1. Marathon
  2. Endless
  3. Starting Level

Post-game Point Results

Puyo Puyo Tetris Battle 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

Puyo Puyo Tetris Post-battle Menu

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

My Data

My Data main menu:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Stats:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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.

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  1. Stats
  2. Completionist Collection: General Achievements.

Theater: Sound Test:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  1. Theater
  2. Sound
  3. Voice

Theater: Adventure Cinematics:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Theater: Your Replays:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Theater: Everyone's Replays:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  1. Theater
  2. Everyone's Replays

Options

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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.

Puyo Puyo Tetris Prefectures

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

Controls

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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:

Puyo Puyo Tetris 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:

Puyo Puyo Tetris Deco Settings

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

Tetrimino types for Deco Settings:

Puyo Puyo Tetris Deco Settings

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

League Settings:

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

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

Internet

Internet Main Menu:

Puyo Puyo Internet

  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:

Puyo Puyo Internet

  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:

Puyo Puyo Internet

  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:

Puyo Puyo Internet

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

Club: Game Type menu:

Puyo Puyo Internet

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

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Tetris

  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

Puyo Puyo Internet

  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:

Puyo Puyo Internet

  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.

Paul Acevedo

Paul Acevedo is the Games Editor at Windows Central. A lifelong gamer, he has written about videogames for over 15 years and reviewed over 350 games for our site. Follow him on Twitter @PaulRAcevedo. Don’t hate. Appreciate!