Quite possibly the most dissapointing puzzle game I have ever played. Waited so long for PSP to be released in Australia so I could play this, played for a few hours then realized this all felt strangely familiar. Cool idea, but come on... It's freakin Tetris with better music man! If you've got a DS grab Meteos. Much better than this overhyped rehash.

I only rate games that are worth being rated. Good game!

Is it me? I don't understand why this game has consistently gotten great scores in from the industry rags. It's a decent diversion at best. And the incentive to keep playing - unlock new skins - yawn. I've gotten far more play out of every other game I own.

I'm absolute crap at puzzle games and I try to keep a distance from the genre, but I have this game. Guess that speaks volumes about it's quality.

What can i say? This highly addictive game is just awesome. It is pure fun enveloped in a musical and logical, non-violent case.

The reason, Flint, that this game is rated better than mercury is because this game doesn't star a retarted blob of mercury. Lumines is an amazing game which outshines any other handheld game I have ever played. Awesome.

This has to be the single most overrated game I have played in years. It's a Tetris clone where the music responds to your actions. Big whoop. The timeline leads to some potentially interesting combos, but it certainly doesn't have the level of depth to warrent a score over 60%. How this rated higher than the utterly brilliant Mercury will always be a mystery to me.

Tetris with tunes..perhaps it's rated so high because the youngsters haven't played an old game like Tetris, I played it, quite liked it, but thought "So what..been there, played that..fifteen years ago"

Bought this fell for the hype. I am so sick of hearing shine on like 50 times in a row on the first level ( they call them skins) [Ed: try advancing beyond the first level] . This was a waste of 40 bux should have bought Coded Arms. My GBA striek that my cell phone could hadle this game. I mean its on the PSP this game really show off what the psp can do. The box says it all " the game many are calling the best game for psp", come on its a tetris like game that gets old fast. The Bottom Line : Rent it from Gamefly dont waste 40 bux on crap.… Expand

Geez are you guys playing the same game. It sucks BIG time, I play to about level five - game is still slow and dull, nothing changes cept the music and backgrounds. big deal, i can do that on my pc - its called a screensaver - n they are free.

this ranks as one of the worst games ever. it's like tetris was never made.

Puzzle me this puzzle me that... Name a game thats just the same As another game with a different name (5 note riff on piccolo) A clue to you I will give But with the loss of £35 you must live It's first in "L" and it means "Light" Mine was back to the shop after ne'er one night The rest isn't worth the extended pun And to cap it all the games no fun Average music. flashy lights. tetris-lite, wallet emptying tripe. Already free games you can play straight from Duo memory that are better than this awful awful game.… Expand

Apalling game, really tried to like it, went back on day 9, of the 10 trial. Really boring game, doesn't grip you at all like tetris or bejewelled, or many other puzzle games. Plus has the limitation that it's not really a pick up quick and play, as you need the sound to really play. Leave it and pick another game. Rent if you can rather than buy.

Its a typical puzzle game, and like any other is addictive. Music and video, is no great for my taste and don't make me the playtime better. GameSharing only transfer a One Player Demo to the other PSP. So, don't give the buyer any value (that's not game sharing for me). Score Records, don't let the player select his name, for one console shared into a family. It can be OK buying it at low price, but there are many other puzzle games.… Expand

This is probably one of the best games the PSP can offer.

The gameplay is very addictive, it looks and sounds great, and it can be found in your local bargain bin.

It's one of those games which you can play for 5 minutes while waiting at a bus stop or play hours upon hours to get a new high score.

It's great all around.

The previous 0-scoring reviewer has clearly never played Lumines and is judging the game purely on percieved technical deficiencies, and thus cannot ever hope to understand its addictive charm. Ownership of this game should be mandatory for all PSP owners. It doesn't show off the PSP's hardware and isn't particularly new or original in concept, but the unique way in which everything is presented makes it totally compelling. If you like having fun and you aren't put off by a total lack of flashy 3D graphics, you must buy this game.… Expand

You guys giving this 9 and 10 you are joking yeah ! Elevator muzak an sum lights. Gr8 NOT My cellphone cud do this !

I love this game!! Even when I'm not playing I see blocks and hear the music. It's more addicting than tetris was!

Lumines is an amazing game with an awesome soundtrack and graphics. It's fun, challenging, and addictive. I haven't enjoyed a puzzle game this much since the original Tetris. This is definitely a game I'll keep coming back to. Matthew J., you most likely don't own a PSP and sure seem to be a huge fan of a DS game you've never played. I thought fanboys were a thing of the past. [Ed: think again.] … Expand

The one thing that I can say about this game is that it is like "DIGITAL CRACK" I have not been able to put it down since I bought it. Great Game.

This game borrows heavily from similar games, especially Tetris, but is still unique enough to be lots of fun. There is a slight feeling of sensory overload when playing it, there are too many unneccesary objects moving and flashing on the screen. Nevertheless these are small criticisms, I give it a solid 7/10 it's definitely worth buying.

Excellent. Buy it now!!

Didn't think a puzzle game would be any good, but i was wrong. When i first started playing this game i thought it was a little boring, but when you get used to it, its the greatest game and you will never be able to put it down. Very addicting.

I am a sucker for puzzle games, and this is one of the best I have played. The integration of gameplay sound fx and music raise it to an art form, similar to the PS2 game Rez. Gameplay is simple and elegant, yet rich and challenging, and ultimately, quite compelling.

Are you people out of your mind this game is the best game ever.the music is cool and it takes forever to beat meaning it lasts and its worth 40 bucks.

The latest gamers' crack. Has that Tetris vibe and lots of bells and whistles to make it pretty along the way. Easy to sit back and play for long periods. One of the few games I know I will keep around for the life of my PSP.

Hmm, fun game but not exacly mind blower.

My girlfriend is addicted to this game and so it keeps her quiet. Normally this is a good thing and would lead to a 10/10 score. However her monopolising my PSP to play Lumines means that I cannot play the games I like!

Love this game - looking to purchase for other gaming systems.

10 minutes is all it took for me to know this game lacks depth. It's boring with a capital B. I quite like some puzzlers, but this game is so derivative of the sort of freeware stuff they give away on magazine covers that the idea of paying 30 sponds for it seems stupid. I'll play the equally good, and completely free stuff instead. also worth noting the game doesn't exactly tax a PSP, graphics are a bit "bling" (i.e flashy but simplistic) and the tunes are for acid heads only. Overall dull, oldshool (VERY old school) expensive puzzle action. Rent first or you may live to regret it Hopper… Expand

A fun game, but not the wonderful puzzle the reviews promised. The music intergrate would be good, if the music was something more my taste. Better Tetris alikes exist, Metros and Tetris DS come to mind.

Love them or hate them puzzle games are 10 penny a go on PSP. Some are easy and others are stupidly hard. Lumines stands out from the crowd by being a unique and captivating puzzler. It takes ideas from the tetris formula but manages to create its own identity with the addition of skins and music which change every few levels. It also does a good job of keeping the difficulty balanced throughout. Highly recommended.… Expand

It's So Addicting, It Should Be Illegal!!! (thank goodness its not!)

Game is boring and to much money for puzzles....

no no no no. Just traded ine everyone golf for this and paid an extra 15 dollars cant believe how lame this game is. where is the development in gameplay? there isnt any. tunes are ok, backgrounds are fit inducing game is lame lame lame. why such big reviews for such a shallow game. no thought required-almost a twitch game rather than a puzzle game going back to get somthing else. any ideas?

Just to make matters clear, Lumines is the audio-visual equivalent of crack. I just don't know how else to put it. I more addicted to this game than I was to Tetris, and that's saying quite a bit. The premise is simple: form as many squares of the same color as you can without going past the top of a grid. You're given squares divided into four smaller parts and two different colors. There is the obligatory "magic block" that you will come to love, for when it is included in a any combo, it gets rid of all blocks of the same color that touch it, which in turn do the same for the blocks around them, leading to a massive combo. This is a solid game mechanic, but it isn't what makes Lumines great. No, that would be the music, wonderful electronic anthems that react to how well you're doing. Doing well? You'll hear a triumphant upsurge in beats that lifts your very being. Not doing so hot? The music will dwindle away to nothing but the most rudimentary notes. As you progress, you'll get to new songs and color schemes, making each level feel fresh (unlike the monotony of other puzzle games). You'd best pay attention to the tempo, since it determines how soon your combos will be cleared off the grid. BOTTOM LINE: There's always time to match a few more blocks. Doesn't matter if you're just waiting in line or you have an entire afternoon to devote to the activity.… Collapse

Let's get the problems out of the way to begin with. Firstly, the challenge mode always plays the same skins in the same order, meaning you're bound to get tired of the first few after a couple of weeks. Secondly, the CPU VS mode has the same little quirk. Some option to save your progress after every, say, 10 skins would have been a nice thought ... Now, with that said, Lumines is enough reason in itself to own a PSP. The basic concept isn't all that original - you have two different colours of blocks which come in squares of four, 6 different combinations in total, and you have to arrange them as they fall so that they form 2x2 squares of the same colour. These are cleared by a timeline which passes across the playing field from left to right. The more squares you clear at once, the more points you get. But it's the execution where Lumines really shines. As you progress through the game, you unlock various different skins, which not only affect the look of the game, but also the music and, crucially, the speed of the timeline. The music and visuals also dynamically change with the flow of the game. Musical themes range from driving techno, dance, trance, jazz, abstract electronica, and even traditional Japanese instrumental music, and the skins are all vibrant and lushly animated. What this all adds up to is an utterly mesmerising, almost Zen-like experience. It's a shame there isn't a random shuffle mode for the skin changes, but with all this addictive, trance-like gameplay on offer, who am I to complain? Very highly recommended.… Expand

To set the context of this review - I normally hate puzzle games and I bought this game as a stop-gap while waiting for PSP releases from Japan to pick up and I didn't expect much from it. I was wrong. Firstly, Lumines is more than a simple puzzler. It's a superbly presented coherent package of sound, visuals and gameplay which really should be played with earphones to be fully appreciated. The basic premise is very simple; blocks of coloured squares drop from above and must be arranged to form a single coloured block of four. A bar crosses the screen in time with the music. Once the bar has reached the end any blocks of four that you've formed will delete. Before this happens you have a few seconds for some frantic chain building to gain higher scores. Sounds simple because it is but it's also one of the most addictive, stylish and immersive games I've played. As the game progresses you unlock more and more 'skins' - these are essentially just a different look and soundscape against which to play, but each is very distinctive in style and unlocking a new one is very satisfying. There are other game modes - single skin mode (in which you can chosse any of the skins you've unlocked), 2 player, time attack, vs CPU etc - all in all a fairly complete package with huge replay value. The superb Ridge Racers is certainly the game of the moment to show off the power of the PSP but this is easily for me the best PSP game so far.… Expand

Lumines is more like one of those flash games that you play for free on the internet, and it will hold your interest just as long. If you want portable puzzle action, try Meteos for the Nintendo DS, it's way better.

Wow. This is one of the most beautiful, immersive, and addictive games I've ever played, and it is easily the best puzzle game I've ever played. Wipeout Pure is great, but this is unbelievable. Play this with headphones, and turn it up. The music is WAY better than the music in Rez, for those wondering. Whatever. Get this game.

Take the music out an you get another game thats no mroe fun than all the other kind of games in this genre.

Don't buy this game if you have family, a job, or a life - because if you do, you can kiss all of those goodbye. This amazing puzzle game defines addiction. It has beautiful graphics for a puzzle game and a great soundtrack. You will find it very difficult to put this one down.

Decent graphics, decent-ish music, very addictive gameplay - a game can easily last hours due to the nature of the game as the speed doesn't vary very much (unlike Tetris for example that steadily increased in speed) and the gameplay is relatively simple; your attention is also held by the cycling music and graphics. I don't think it will be remembered as a classic, but if you're getting bored of Ridge Racers it will definitely fill the gap until the rush of the forthcoming release titles.… Expand

Lumines is THE game to get with your new PSP. Pick it up with WipEout Pure, but don't be an idiot -- get this damned game. I've talked to a bunch of people who have it, including random foks at airports, slackers at EB, etc. They all have multiple games, and they all play Lumines most of the time. In my opinion, it's MUCH more addictive than Tetris. The music, the skins, the pacing, the balance -- much more soothing than any other puzzle game I've played. Feeling stressed?? Lumines. Need to zone out for 90 minutes? Lumines. Waiting in line at El Pollo Loco? Lumines (but be careful -- this sucker tends to draw crowds).… Expand

Good god...what an amazing game. I totally vouch for those out there who have talked about its addictiveness. I bought this while on holiday, and after realising I had reached a Zen-like state playing this for hours on end every day, I did the responsible thing and sold my PSP...I knew this game and the console would have to go if I wanted to keep my job and social life! This game should have a warning sign on the front cover, seriously...… Expand

As addicting as crack cocaine. And the visuals make it seem like you're on it. THE game to get for your PSP, I don't care if you hate puzzle games, too good to pass up.

This was the first game I got on the PSP. Right after I got it i spent every waking moment trying to get a new skin. This game will take over you life if you let it! And don't get me started about the puzzle mode in this game (very addicting). The only thing I don't like about this game is that once you die while trying to get new skins in challenge mode, you have to start over. Other than that, it is a really fun game.… Expand

I have this game....im 14...this is better than any game i have for my psp....its addictive and even when i get mad and have to start over after 2 minutes i want to go back and try again...i can't explain it ...even if i do beat it, it would still be a game to play over and over again..i recommend it to whoever doesn't have it.

I 'd actually give this game a 6.5 - one half point higher than Meteos - just because the music and graphics are more polished. Overall, the pacing just sucks. I don't want to play for 45 minutes to get to the part that's interesting. Needs a save/level feature.

Nooooo ! Queued up outside GAME in Worcster until nearly 1:00am on launch day, bought this, played it - took it back next day. They'd only give me 1/2 what I paid for it. Yeah the music is ok, yeah the game is ok, well at least ok for such an ancient tetris rip off. Why didn't i believe the guys here - I loved Tetris, i still play it, and like the bloke says here, you can get hundreds of variations of it - including ones like this - for free. Go to Downloads.com and see for yourself. Put this rubbish in a museum, not on the best handheld device ever. Clarker.… Expand

possibly the best well game ever, though the music is absolutely terrible (shake your body, shake your body, down to the ground, down to the ground, down to the ground...) and the gameplay is too constricted. wait for lumines 2 (if they make it [Ed: They're making it]) to buy. demand more from the game studios (like a choice of music...)

I think this is one of the only games on the PSP actually worth the money to buy it. Very addictive and great if you love puzzle/tetris games. I have to admit I didn't think it was that great at first but now I love it.

Lumines is by far the best game the PSP has to offer. It has the simplicity for instant pick-up-and-play and the complexity in the later game to keep you playing for a long time.

This game was a real bore. I found no innovation in it. It was fun for about half an hour, but gets boring, bland and repetitve easily. Unlike the DS puzzler Meteos, ther is nothing original here. What a waste of cash.

Get this game! It's addictive and fun!

Just don't get it. So many high scoring reviews prompted me to buy this game for my PSP.... but it's just average. A fusion of game and music? - hardly - I'd prefer Tetris.

Best Puzzle game by a country mile. A must have. You must be a mug not to like this.

I was a little skeptical at first. I didnt think it was possible for a concept so simple to be as spectacular as the reviews suggest. This game is the best puzzle game i have ever played. I cannot physically put it down, the batteries will run out before i retire for the day, thats the only way i will stop playing it! Finally! A game that makes tetris look like its 20+ years old! Oh wait, it is, and its about time!… Expand

Sort of game a decent digital watch should have, or maybe one of those colour celphones. Terrible sonics, pretty lights, and nineteen eighties gameplay. Should really be able to play this from Duo Card as a free download, not worthy actually paying any money for. Then some think it's great. All I can say is..if you don't think you like updated Tetris, then this won't convert you.

Enjoyable puzzler that is attractive and addictive, if not quite the Tetris contender it was billed as.

This game is awesome!!! must have!!!

A very good, very stylish puzzler. Nice Music + Nice Visual + Easy/Hard difficulty s= Moderatly challenging Jamming Eye-Popping puzzler. Jam on.

Can't...review....must...clear another...skin...in...game.

Very fun and addictive! One of the best games on the PSP. Much like tetris, but instead of lines, you make cubes or in puzzle mode, make a particular shape. Kewl!

I dont know who Ed is but I beat the game in one sitting its simple Geometry. I agree with this Artie dude. Thats what I find so borings about it. The music right off the bat. Shine. Dont get me worng I can solve a Rubiks cube in 3 minutes can play tetris for hours. I just dont care for this game.

This is a good pick up and play puzzler with a few flaws which aren't fatal but are annoying. Firstly the rewards aren't great enough. You unlock skins etc. but as it takes me about 30 mins to get to 100,000 points I really can't be bothered to carry on. The Vs. challenge with the CPU gets ridiculously hard ridiculously fast as well. However, the graphics and music are good with lots of original content and ideas. I'm still playing this for the same reason I still play Tetris - It's a solid puzzle concept with enough flair to keep it interesting. My girlfriend also loves this game which made it easier to justify buying the PSP in the first place!… Expand

Picked up the game used for $18 USD, played it for 10 minutes, took it back. The game mechanics are not explained at all. If you are the kind of person who likes to figure out how a fast moving puzzle game works WHILE playing and losing, you may not hate it. I would have prefered some form of tutorial.

Fun, challenging and visually interesting.

Extremely normal puzzle game. Changes music and graphics nicely, but at the end of the day its just a variation of columns from the gamegear done on the psp. ... and the good news for colourblind players is that it uses just two block colours, Note that it is just one puzzle, not a collection of different puzzle games. The different modes are variations on the theme.

I felt like the most retarded person on the planet after reading the reviews from game sites but now I realize that i'm not the only one who has this opinion. Give me Ultima 1, with dots and lines, and i'll play it without interruption for a month after i see even another screenshot of Lumines. Makes you believe that the next generation puzzle games will be given this kind of reviews: "ultra-hyper-gourgeos drawn sheep that dance extremely addictive and jump over a superb designed fence while you'll have the hounor of counting them and pressing the X button accordingly. A definitely must have for PSP owners!"… Expand

Lumines is an inventive puzzle game in the vien of Tetris and Dr. Mario. A game everyone in my family enjoys. The puzzle mode is addictive.

Great simple, always different pick-up and play...

Lumines - The zeitgeist of portable puzzle games - Or a second rate thumb number ? Definetely the latter - Sorry

Fun, fast, and over great. I have spent many hours on this game. If you get into it, it is good for at least 20 hours of gameplay with all the avaliable levels, PvP, and PvC.