Puyo Puyo Champions

The gameplay draws from two earlier rulesets: those of Puyo Puyo 2 and Puyo Pop Fever. The main mode is Multiplayer, which supports local play on the same device, LAN, or online matches in both casual and competitive settings. Tournament mode lets up to eight players compete locally in a single-elimination bracket. For solo play, there are Lessons to learn basics and train, and Challenges to test skills. Players are eliminated from Multiplayer and Tournament rounds when they top out, with the last player or side winning. True to its eSports focus, the game omits the single-player campaign found in most other Puyo Puyo entries. There are 24 playable characters, each with unique AI behavior and Fever drop patterns, though some reuse AI from characters not present. The roster includes series staples like Arle Nadja and Dark Prince, along with newer faces such as Ally from the Japan-exclusive 3DS game Puyo Puyo Chronicle, and several from Puyopuyo!! Quest. An August 2020 update (version 2.02) added two hidden characters, Rafisol and Paprisu, selectable via specific button combinations. Players can also customize their in-game profile image from over a hundred characters drawn from the main series and Puyopuyo!! Quest, plus a selection of backgrounds and borders that appear to be carried over from that game. Reception was mostly favorable.