Nintendo Puzzle Collection

Nintendo Puzzle Collection[lower-alpha 1] is a 2003 video game compilation published for the GameCube in Japan by Nintendo. It includes three Nintendo-published puzzle video games released for older systems — Yoshi's Cookie (1992), Panel de Pon (1995), and Dr. Mario 64 (2001) — featuring updated graphics and music, alongside four-person multiplayer. The player can download one of the games to their Game Boy Advance via the GameCube - Game Boy Advance link cable.

Nintendo Puzzle Collection
Japanese cover art.
Developer(s)Nintendo Software Technology
Intelligent Systems
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Platform(s)GameCube
Release
  • JP: February 7, 2003
Genre(s)Compilation, puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Development was done by subsidiary Nintendo Software Technology, assisted by Intelligent Systems. Originally titled Masterpiece Puzzle Collection in early versions, the game was made to appeal towards women with the inclusion of Panel de Pon, leading to Nintendo using Japanese actress Asami Abe to promote the game through television commercials. A playable demo was presented at E3 2003 and slated for a release in North America and Europe, but was never released for unknown reasons.

Import reviews of Nintendo Puzzle Collection were favorable, being praised for its multiplayer and presentation, with several labeling Yoshi's Cookie and Panel de Pon as the best titles.

Gameplay

Nintendo Puzzle Collection is a compilation of three Nintendo-published puzzle games that were originally released on earlier Nintendo consoles. All the games support both single-player gameplay and competitive local multiplayer for up to four players simultaneously. In addition, Nintendo Puzzle Collection supports GameCube-Game Boy Advance connectivity, allowing the player to use a Game Boy Advance as a game controller. Downgraded versions of each game can also be downloaded and played independently on the Game Boy Advance. Each game is stored in the Game Boy Advance memory and will remain until the handheld is shut down.[1]

Dr. Mario
Main articles: Dr. Mario and Dr. Mario 64

Dr. Mario[lower-alpha 2] is a port of Dr. Mario 64, originally released in 2001 for the Nintendo 64, which was not previously released in Japan. Like all Dr. Mario games, the gameplay focuses on eliminating colored viruses from the playing field by matching them with colored capsules.

Dr. Mario was directed by Hitoshi Yamagami and Yoshiyuki Kato and the music was composed by Manabu Fujiki and Seiichi Tokunaga. The downloadable Game Boy Advance version is an emulation of the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Dr. Mario.

Main article: Yoshi's Cookie

Yoshi's Cookie[lower-alpha 3] was originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Famicom, and Game Boy consoles in 1992.

Yoshi's Cookie was directed by Yasuhiro Minamimoto and Azusa Tajima, and the music (based on the original Yoshi's Cookie soundtrack) was arranged by Ai Yamashita. The downloadable Game Boy Advance version is an emulation of the NES version of Yoshi's Cookie.

Panel de Pon
Main article: Tetris Attack § Panel de Pon

Panel de Pon[lower-alpha 4] is an update to the 1995 Super Famicom game Panel de Pon: Puzzle Action Game, which was rebranded as Tetris Attack outside Japan. It contains more features, but presents itself as a sequel following the descendants of the original cast of characters.[2] It is based on a Nintendo 64 version that went unreleased in Japan, but was modified and released internationally as Pokémon Puzzle League.[3]

Panel de Pon was directed by Hitoshi Yamagami and Yukimi Shimura and the music (based on the original soundtrack) was arranged by Masaru Tajima.

Development and release

Nintendo Puzzle Collection was released for the GameCube in Japan on February 7, 2003. Development of the game was by Nintendo Software Technology and assisted by Intelligent Systems, who prior to which had designed the original Panel de Pon for the Super Famicom. Announced in December 2002 under the title Masterpiece Puzzle Collection,[4] the game was made to appeal to women with the inclusion of Panel de Pon, with Nintendo using Japanese singer Asami Abe to help promote the game in television commercials[5] — she had practiced the Famicom version of Dr. Mario before shooting.[6] The collection itself was made to re-release the included titles due to most not being available to consumers anymore at the time, and to take advantage of the GameCube - Game Boy Advance link cable peripheral.[5]

In January 2003, a tournament for the game was held at the 17th Next Generation World Hobby Fair in Osaka, where contestants had to get the highest score possible in all three games under a set time limit.[7] A playable demo, under the finalized name Nintendo Puzzle Collection, was presented at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) event, slated for a future release in both North America and Europe[8][1] — for unknown reasons, the game was never released in those regions and remained exclusive to Japan.

Reception

Due to the game's Japan-exclusive release, reception of Nintendo Puzzle Collection is limited. The game holds an aggregate score of 75% on GameRankings based on two reviews.[9] Michael Cole of Nintendo World Report, reviewing an imported copy, scored Nintendo Puzzle Collection 8 out of 10. Cole felt that Dr. Mario was the weakest selection of the three games available, with "uninspired" graphics and "unforgiving and honestly quite frustrating" gameplay. He remarked that while Panel de Pon was the best selection in regards to gameplay, Yoshi's Cookie had the most beautiful graphics.[10]

Notes
  1. Japanese: ニンテンドーパズルコレクション, Hepburn: Nintendō Pazuru Korekushon
  2. Japanese: Dr.マリオ
  3. Japanese: ヨッシーのクッキー, Hepburn: Yosshī no Kukkī
  4. Japanese: パネルでポン, Hepburn: Paneru de Pon

References
  1. Calvert, Justin (May 13, 2003). "Nintendo Puzzle Collection E3 2003 Preshow Report". GameSpot. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  2. Caballero, David (July 21, 2020). "A playable, never-released Panel de Pon 64 has been unearthed". Gamereactor. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  3. Wong, Alistair (July 20, 2020). "Panel de Pon 64 Prototype Found and Shared on YouTube". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on 2020-07-23. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  4. Gaban, Desmond (November 13, 2002). "Gamecube Masterpiece Puzzle Collection revealed". Nintendo World Report.
  5. Funatsu, Satoshi (22 January 2003). "任天堂、良質なパズルがてんこ盛り「NINTENDOパズルコレクション」 CMにはあの安倍麻美ちゃんが登場". GAME Watch. Impress Group. Archived from the original on 2 February 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  6. "安部麻美さん出演のCM，いよいよ24日スタート！". Softbank Games. ITMedia. 21 January 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  7. Kitamura, Takakazu (10 January 2003). "任天堂、「第17回次世代ワールドホビーフェア」に 「F-ZERO GC（仮称）」など最新作をプレイアブル出展". GAME Watch. Impress Group. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  8. "E3 2003: Nintendo stuns with groundbreaking puzzle collection". Computer and Video Games. May 14, 2003. Retrieved February 27, 2003.
  9. "Nintendo Puzzle Collection reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  10. Cole, Michael (February 20, 2003). "Nintendo Puzzle Collection review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
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