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Game Info

Nazo Puyo Cover Art

Not rated

Platform
Game Gear
Genres
Puzzle · Strategy
Player Perspective
Side view
Developer Companies
Compile
Publishers
Sega
Release date
23 August 1993

Summary

Nazo Puyo, the quirky Sega Game Gear puzzle spin‑off by Compile, never made it onto a regular retail shelf in the West. It was sold only as a bundle with specially marked Game Gear hardware in Japan, turning it into a collector’s oddity before it even left the country. That rarity helped it build a modest cult following among retro enthusiasts who hunt down every odd piece of 90s hardware. The game's mechanics echoed the classic Puyo Puyo feel while injecting its own oddball twists, and it proved adaptable enough to live on in later titles—most notably reshaped as the Puzzle Mode for the 8‑bit version of Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. Two follow‑up cartridges continued the series on the Game Gear, and the brand even crossed onto the PC‑98, cementing its niche legacy despite the lack of an official US release.

Storyline

In Nazo Puyo’s Quest Mode you receive a specific challenge and a pre‑filled board. Your goal is to meet the objective using the fewest puyo possible; missing the target triggers a random string of puyo that can never be cleared, forcing you to either fill the screen or quit. If the starting field contains floating puyo or a group of four or more of the same color, you may place one pair before everything collapses, which is often crucial for solving the puzzle. The game also includes a puzzle creator that lets you design your own Nazo Puyo stages. You arrange the initial board, pick the puzzle layout, select which colors appear, set the falling pairs, and finally test the puzzle before returning to the main menu.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Videos

Game Screenshots

  • Nazo Puyo Screenshot 1
  • Nazo Puyo Screenshot 2
  • Nazo Puyo Screenshot 3
  • Nazo Puyo Screenshot 4

Alternative Titles

  • Puzlow Kids Alternative