Originally in the arcades two years ago, the Playstation Vita release took place this year and after some time the Japanese version was released for the console, there's even the Asian release on Asian PSN in which I was finally able to play it and get the Nesica X Live like arcade experience.
Unfortunately, it looks like there isn't the online play feature for this version and instead, we get the ad-hoc feature in which it will disconnect the console from the network and perform ad-hoc connection. What a shame. I can assume that the arcade version has local network battle but then the game isn't that popular by then.
Firstly, the idea of putting Vocaloid music in a video game is a good thing but too bad it is done in the wrong way that the music sounds freaking repetitive compared to the rhythm games containing Vocaloid music I had ever played in the arcades such as Sound Voltex, Maimai, Project Diva, Groove Coaster, etc. The workaround is the alternative to this repetitiveness by putting in the music from other Arc System Works games such as Gulity Gear, Blazblue and so on. They sound even better and they are the better reasons to play this game.
Secondly, is the controls. Pressing down does nothing so you may have to use one of the buttons for instant drop. Also, there's another technique where you can scatter the pieces of the dropping block and placing them in specific location. I don't know how to do that and besides, I don't know how many buttons are there for the arcade version, is it 3 or 4? If it uses 4, things may have made more sense as if the forth button does something else to the dropping block.
Gameplay is something like Lumines but the way you merge the blocks is the use of Puyo Puyo method which means merging the blocks in any shape where-else in Lumines, you form a large rectangular shaped block by forming 2x2 of the same color. There can be 2x3 or 3x2 if you will for example but the minimum area you must form is 2x2. Just like Lumines, the merged blocks don't go off immediately once they are merged but unlike Lumines, you must time correctly when dropping the blocks instantly as the game is both the puzzle and rhythm game. Be on the lookout for nuisance blocks as well and the way you eliminate them is similar to the ones in Puyo Puyo series.
