
Nintendo took the world by storm when it released the Game Boy back in the late '80s, but much of the device’s early success was owed to a little game called Tetris that came as a pack-in. Featuring simple block-dropping gameplay, Tetris would go on to define a whole new genre of puzzle action games that’s still going strong to this day. Enter Lumines Remastered, a game which originally launched on the PSP back in 2004. It only takes a few seconds to recognize the DNA of Tetris in Lumines, yet it takes things to new heights by infusing the gameplay with audiovisual elements that simply need to be experienced to be understood. By creating its own identity, Lumines quickly sets itself apart as a high-quality, unforgettable, and wildly enjoyable puzzle action game that you’ll likely spend an unhealthy amount of hours trying to master.

Gameplay in Lumines is the perfect example of the age-old phrase 'easy to pick up, tough to master'. 2x2 blocks sporting two distinct colours constantly fall from the top of the screen, and it’s your job to position them in such a way that four squares of the same color line up in a 2x2 block. As you’re working on this, a 'Timeline' is constantly moving the length of the screen in time with the background music and it erases all blocks that you manage to assemble. If your board is starting to get buried, a block will sometimes drop with a special square, which eliminates all like-colored squares in an adjacent chain and can almost clear the board if you know where to put it.
Naturally, things deepen as you work further into the game and come to understand the nuances better. If you can get more than one monochromatic block assembled before the timeline sweeps again, you’ll score more points, and bigger bonuses will be awarded if you can keep up a streak of successful match ups. On top of this, different songs and stages lead to different block drop and timeline speed, which can greatly affect one’s strategy. If the timeline moves slower, for example, you have more time to set up several blocks before it resets, but you also have to go that much longer without blocks disappearing from your cramped and cluttered board. It’s the kind of gameplay cadence that almost perfectly straddles that line between frantic and relaxed; Lumines is the kind of game that will almost certainly put you ‘in the zone’ and seize all your attention.

There are several different game modes in Lumines, each offering a distinct twist or modifier on the core experience, while still staying focused on the core of what makes this game unique. The first of the 'main' modes is Challenge, which contains three separate sub-modes that are essentially as simple as it gets. Basic is the first sub-mode, and it tasks you with successfully clearing 100 levels in one shot. As the levels go up, the blocks gradually start coming faster and after a while the game will change 'Skins', meaning the look and the music of the stage will be switched up. This mode is where you unlock most of the skins for use across the whole game, though it’s quite a feat to make it far enough to unlock the later ones.
After making it decently far into Basic mode, you’ll unlock Shuffle mode, which is new to this remaster. As opposed to the linear progression of skins that you encounter in Basic mode, Shuffle mode allows you to play through all the skins you’ve unlocked so far in a randomized order. In addition to this, if you can manage to actually beat basic, you’ll then unlock endless mode, which is exactly what it sounds like.
If Challenge mode is a little too vanilla for you, the next mode in the list is Skin Edit, which allows you to select ten of the skins you’ve unlocked for a custom 'playlist' that you can then choose to run through in either a single lap, or on endless repeat. This is a nice inclusion as it not only gives you a more tangible record of your progress on unlocking skins, but it also gives you greater agency to tackle the skins that you want to focus on. If you want to hear all your favorite songs, or perhaps want more practice on the tougher ones, this is the place to go.

Time Attack is the next mode, offering up the first minor twist on the basic formula. Here, you can select a challenge of 60, 180, or 300 seconds, and the goal is not to score as many points as total, but to clear out as many blocks as you can. This demands that you approach puzzle-solving a bit differently, as it’s no longer about building up combos, but about clearing everything out as quickly as possible. It’s a bit of a bummer, however, that you’re restricted to a single preset skin when doing Time Attack, but this is something that can be overlooked easily.
Then there's Puzzle mode, and this is where things start to get interesting. There’s a total of 100 puzzles, ranging from easy to super hard, each of which task you with constructing a certain shape out of your blocks within a limited time. Things like dogs, horses, UFOs, and airplanes show up here, and require a fundamentally different way of thinking. While the early puzzles can be solved rather easily by just sticking a few specific block types together, later ones make you think a few steps ahead and plan out how certain blocks’ disappearances will enable you to progress further. Considering the depth and number of puzzles, this mode is sure to keep you on your toes with the new kind of thinking involved, and stood out to us as the best extra mode.

Mission mode comes next and, much like Puzzle mode, tasks you with fulfilling certain conditions to clear each stage. There’s a total of 50 missions to be cleared and these are carefully designed puzzles that involve you solving problems like clearing out only one column of squares, or giving you a fixed order of blocks and tasking you with clearing them all out in a certain number of moves. While being delightfully brain-busting in its own right, Mission Mode also has the secondary appeal of teaching you plenty of techniques and formations that can be carried over into the other modes.
Next up is VS CPU, which is the ‘arcade mode’ of Lumines. Here, you’re challenged with taking on a gauntlet of ten CPUs, with each successive battle significantly ratcheting up the difficulty. The board is cut in half, with each contestant given a side to work with, and scoring successful match-ups and combos will push your side of the stage further into the CPU territory, giving you more space to work with and giving them less. It goes both ways, of course, and the first one to fill their side to the top loses. What’s exciting about this mode is how dynamic things can get, especially with the higher-level CPUs, and it makes for a far faster-paced experience than any other mode.

Finally, there’s 2P Battle, which is functionally the same thing as VS CPU, but with a buddy on the other side. The inclusion of split Joy-Con play is a big plus here, as the easy to pick up nature of the core gameplay pairs wonderfully with the ability to slide off the controllers at any time for a quick game. Matches are generally short in length, making them ideal for that ‘one more go’ feeling while also ensuring that the playing field gets reset after only a few minutes. Our only complaint here is that there’s no form of online multiplayer, which feels like an unfortunate miss. It’s not a game breaker by any means, but just be aware that you’re going to have to be dependent on a friend or the CPU battles if you want that fast-paced, head-to-head action anytime.
All of these games modes are governed by an in-game achievement system, which gives you an incentive to push yourself to new challenges and to branch out into all the game modes. Doing things like hitting certain score thresholds or completing modes under a time limit will net you new avatars to represent you. In any game mode, these avatars sit on your side of the screen and functionally act as a ‘health bar’; dancing if you do well and playing dead if you don’t. Penguins, cats, dogs, tanks, and robots are all par for the course here, and the coolest ones are locked away behind the hardest achievements. These achievements are a welcome inclusion; not only do they give you tangible rewards for completing them, but they give you a bit more reason to play through the game modes than just for the sake of it.
Though there sadly aren’t any head-to-head online modes in Lumines, there are still leaderboards to keep you motivated to score higher. There’s a separate list for each game mode, and these will show how you stack up relative to local scores, your friends, or the whole world. The leaderboards may be a relatively minor feature in the bigger picture, but they’re a nice quality of life addition to the game that’ll help give it some longer legs
On the presentation side of things, Lumines Remastered is quite the showcase. Music is as integral a part of the game as its gameplay and director Tetsuya Mizuguchi spared no expense in putting together a knockout soundtrack of trance, house, and groove music that’s as weird as it is wonderful. While not every track on here is necessarily a hit, they’re all catchy in their own way, and go a long way towards carving out the distinct identity that Lumines is known for. These sonic arrangements are joined by equally bizarre and hypnotic visuals that provide a varied and interesting treat for the eyes. Backgrounds explode in a menagerie of color and light, images and animations, but the real trick is that none of this visual splendor detracts one iota from your enjoyment of the puzzle action. Boards are easily readable regardless of the skin being employed at the time, meaning that you get the best of both worlds in terms of visual appeal and usability.
For the Switch version, HD Rumble is also supported, and this helps to elevate the experience even further in terms of immersion factor. The Joy-Con will lightly rumble each time you drop a block, and they even pulse to the rhythm of the beat, which has the secondary effect of helping predict when the timeline will complete another full sweep without needing to look at it. Though the rumble can sometimes get a little loud in handheld mode, the developer fortunately had the foresight to allow you to adjust which elements the rumble responds to, or to turn it off completely. It also bears mentioning that Lumines looks gorgeous on the portable screen and, considering how the game sounds when you put in headphones, we’d highly recommend that you spend time with this one undocked. Those of you worried about performance will be pleased to know that we didn’t notice any frame drops in docked or undocked modes, so you’re not losing anything by taking it on the go.
Conclusion
Lumines Remastered is a luminary of the puzzle genre and feels perfectly at home on the Switch. Intense and immersive puzzle action, psychedelic visuals, a killer soundtrack, and a bevy of content and modes make for a premier puzzle experience that should not be missed. Lumines is an addictive experience that is positively a delight to play, and we would highly recommend it to both veterans and newcomers to the puzzle genre. There’s something here for everyone, and considering the relatively low price tag, Lumines Remastered is very much ‘required playing’ for any Switch owner.
Comments 76
Not even reading this, just buyin'
Downloaded at lunch, will 'perform' for the neighbours later tonight.
@Daftbomb Do it! This is that kind of game that you'll be thinking about even when you're not playing, I haven't been this hooked by gameplay in a long time
Can you stop and save your progress in the middle of a Challenge mode session? My main issue with Lumines on the PSP and Vita was that your game would last for hours with no way to save. I don’t often feel like playing a puzzle game for 4 hours straight. And no, sleep mode doesn’t count.
Yeah, I had this predownloaded and looking to enjoying this when I am taking breaks from Mario Tennis
Puzzle games aren't my thing, but I'm glad those who enjoy them will get to play this. I gotta be honest, I so associated this game with the PSP that I always assumed it was a Sony title, so the announcement surprised me on a number of fronts.
hoping the vita version gets ported as well!
Didn't have to read the review to know I was getting this...ever since we first played Lumines on PSP, my wife has demanded I buy every iteration every single chance I got. She's kind of obsessed with it...
It sounds like they added enough to it to make it a worthwhile purchase, although Lumines' main mode is usually all we care to play anyway. Just diving in and getting to that zen state of dropping blocks makes the game worth the asking price in itself.
Wwwwwwwhhhaaaaa??! When did they announce this??! I love Lumines! It was one of those games that made me cross over from the Gamecube to get a PS2.
(checks info bar)
And it's out NOW?!
All these music games and I can't use my own music. TwT
Instant buy and very addictive, it looks great in Hd, the rumble sure does drain the battery fast though. But like the reviewer said it can be turned off also. Highly recommended 😃
I’d love to see the Puzzle Bobble and Puzzle Quest series come to switch sometime in the future.
Completely agree. I’ve had Lumines Remastered since last Friday and it’s positively amazing. For some reason, I wasn’t very big on Electronic Symphony on Vita a few years back, but this is incredible. The HD Rumble really helps, too!
Cant wait to grab this and Wolf 2 Friday.
@The_Pixel_King Same in regards to ES. Still a great game in the series, that I play to this day, but something is a little off with it.
@SwitchVogel just kidding, read it anyway. When I had it on PSP it started to invade my dreams... can't wait to get into this again.
It’s great I forgot how much I loved this game it was my most played psp game and it’s a ton of content for a low price tag.Crash,wolfenstein,Octopath and others may have to go on the backlog.
So, so bought
@Stargazer No, you can't. Still, I'd still highly recommend!
Awesome, now I'll just have to wait for it to go on sale.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeees, please.
is this best puzzle game for Switch then, atleast for now. Interested to buy if is.
well i have already puyo tetris.
I didn't like the Lumines game on the Vita, so I'll probably pass on this.
The one on PS3 is still the one to beat (it actually lets you make your own music in a limited way and has multiple skin 'paths' to choose from) but Lumines is Lumines. I did like the visuals of the PSV game but like others said, something felt off about it.
After playing the Switch version for a bit, I felt it was a little stiff to control compared to the PS3 and PSV games, but it's been so long since I've touched my PSP that I don't know if that's just me, just the Switch, or how the original game felt. I'm still happy with my purchase, but that HD rumble effect was too much for me.
@Ralizah I didn’t either, but I ADORE this! That’s all I’ll say 😉
@Eagle9 I love Puyo Puyo Tetris, but for me, Lumines Remastered beats it. As for best puzzle game on Switch, it’s very different, but Gorogoa takes some beating! Tough one.
@The_Pixel_King
Thanks, it looked more interesting like one that have not already.
Sorry offtopic
Lets be fair: none of the extra modes matter. Single Skin mode with Shinin’ on in the background on repeat for 2 hours.
Gaming nirvana.
Downloaded and played a game. Just as good as I remember but well out of practice. That rumble! My hands continue to tingle after I put it down!
Just like meditating. Only better! 😎
@The_Pixel_King What do you prefer about this version, if you don't mind me asking? Game design-wise.
I've never played Luminous, & the trailer makes it look boring. However, I'm a little intrigued based on all the positive reviews & comments I've read. But I never really cared for Tetris & I thought Puyo Puyo Tetris was boring, to say the least, so I don't know if I should take a chance on this one, or not.
@kevin74 Sounds like you just don’t like puzzle block games.
@kevin74
If you're not really a fan of the genre I'm not sure this will change your mind, TBH
@Ralizah No worries, man. Well, the music is incredible, but when combined with the (best use yet of) HD rumble, it’s utterly bombastic. Add the super crisp visuals and sensational value on top of the series’ ultra addictive puzzling and you’ve got a package that is borderline perfect.
Seriously, Lumines Remastered is without doubt up there with Celeste, Hollow Knight and SteamWorld Dig 2 as one of the very best titles to grace the eShop yet! Yup, that good.
@kevin74 In portable mode with headphones on this thing is an out-of-this-world experience, kind of like being on some kind of hallucigenic drug ... I would say that this is not at all similar to other falling block games because of this, and definitely way better than Puyo Puyo Tetris. It's something else.
@geshem I concur entirely. With headphones in, blocks dropping at pace and HD rumble pulsating in your palms, it is almost transcendent. It’s unlike anything else available on Switch yet, and its greatness has left me dumbfounded. I was expecting an experience more akin to Electronic Symphony on Vita, but this games is more than the sum of its parts.
Everything that I loved about PSP Lumines plus now it has HD Rumble. Absolutely sublime. Loving it so much !
Definitely getting this one!
This interview with the creator got me so flippin pumped for this https://retronauts.com/article/866/go-inside-lumines-with-micro-episode-88
In my personal top 3 PSP games. Just... Perfect.
Can anyone confirm if Eri Nobuchika's tracks are included in this version, specifically "Lights"? That and "Shinin'" really made the original game unforgettable for me.
Finally, something we can all enjoy.
@Fragarach If it was in the original release on PSP, it's in this remaster. I saw a tweet from the team a few days ago confirming every song's return.
Prepurchased this when it was 1st available to do so. Can’t wait to go home and not play Mario Tennis because of this.
@SwitchVogel Thanks for that. No doubt I'll be downloading this very soon then
@Fragarach Enjoy!
Have never been able to get into Tetris, but this looks more my style. When the price is right, I'll definitely try it.
Does not support the use of the left thumbstick, which seems pretty weird to me since I'm not always a fan of the 4-button 'D-pad' on the Joy-con...
I am having trouble keeping up with all the games and I already decided to skip Wolfenstein 2, YS 8 and Crash for the time being. I love puzzle games, I adored this on PSP and could not pass!
@SmaMan This was announced about 4 months ago, it was originally slated for May and got delayed.
So where are all the usual "too many ports" people?
This review sold me. I think I will pick it up tonight!
@Heavyarms55 Well, this was a port to PS4 and Xbone as well.
@Maulbert Exactly my point. I guess people only like to whine about Nintendo ports.
This is a classic. One of the games that defined handhelds for a generation. First PSP, then Vita, and now Switch carries that torch forward.
Guess I need to try this again. Didn't much care for Lumines on the PSP, but will try it again and see if my tastes have changed.
Haven’t played since the days of PSP where I literally played this for hours and hours on end. Something about it is just so satisfying.
Cannot wait until I get filthy paws on this.
@geox30
Skippin Crash? I'm gonna be sitting on a wild hog this Thursday night. No way to wait another day!
Where's Online?
With my backlog, this sounds like a sale game.
I really hope they add the ability to use the left stick in a patch. The placement of the button controls kills my thumb on this more than any other game.
@Megal0maniac disappointed me as well. Hopefully thumbstick support is patched in.
@The_Pixel_King
I thought Electronic Symphony was alright, but yeah, it's definitely got nothing on this. All these years later, the original is still my favorite. This was one of the games that made me get a PSP way back in 2005 so the remaster was a no-brainer as soon as I saw it on the PS Store today. I'll probably double dip and get the Switch version later on. Regardless of platform, any gamer who enjoys the puzzle genre owes it to themselves to check this game out, even the people unsure about it.
@SwitchVogel I love lumines (far better than tetris imo). I bought the ps2 port on a whim around a decade ago at a gamestop. I popped it in an immediately got hooked for hours. I bought the original psp version to play on the go and now it's finally on the switch. Needless to say I already had it prepurchased so I'm more than excited to jump back into my favorite puzzle game of all time
I'd rather have a new Meteos. This game was so fantastic. It was the last of it's kind that really blew me away. If Wikipedia is right both licenses (Lumines and Meteos) are in the same hands. So maybe there's hope?
Most probably I'll give Lumines a shot when it's on sale some day.
One thing mentioned in a different review was that the colour pairs seem to never make any problems for colour blind players, which is very good.
@Oat This is my new favorite puzzle game. I'd never even heard of this till the Direct, but I was pleasantly surprised by the final product.
@sportvater
Leaving it for later. I am platformed out at the moment, with Shovel Knight, Donkey Kong, Hollow Knight and others, plus I purchased too many games and want Octopath Traveler day one.
Great addictive game! Much better than the PSP-version I once owned! Left stick use would be nice with an update!
Next Meteos for the Switch plz!!😉
Definitely needs stick control added. Seems like an odd omission. The rumble is also too much so I turned it off. Other than that......this game is awesome. Hopefully we'll get some new skins etc in future updates. I could see Mario as a perfect fit.
@Daftbomb same, I just needed to know if it was a good port...and well 9/10.
@SmaMan during the last Nindies Direct....
Why is the loading so slow for this game? On the PSP it's instant, no loading... and it's from UMD. A puzzle game like this should have no loading screen.
I’ve never seen this series before, but figured I’d download (based on the highly positive comments) and have a quick game on the Switch before bed ... holy hell, two hours passed in a flash. If I didn’t have an early morning meeting, I’d have one more go ... or two. It’s good; it’s very good.
I’m so glad this version includes a puzzle mode. That was a nice surprise, although I haven’t had a chance to try that one yet. I also had to turn off the rumble after a while. It was neat at first, but then later was distracting and annoying. Still now the best way to play lumines ever. I’m so happy to have this on my switch.
Normally I skim through reviews but this one got a full read. Glad it got the score it deserved. Owned it on PSP and later on PSP Vita. And the positive comments about this new iteration from other Lumines veterans makes me highly excited! 5.1 system at home and Sony MDR1000x for on the go. Time to get this sucker!
I was in the Navy when the PSP version came out. This was my go to bed time game. Sooooo many hours laying in my rack at sea playing this. In a dark space, with the brightness cranked and headphones on... It's like being on a drug.
@SmaggTheSmug The brown and green one is pretty obnoxious
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...