Puzzle League/Panel De Pon General (Former SSB4 Lip Support Thread)

[JaidynReiman]

I wonder... is there a patched version of Panel de Pon I could get? Then I could actually play the original.

Oh, quick Google Search and I found it. Maybe I'll try it out. I know the story is kinda lame, but well, so is Tetris Attack's, the game is still awesome and that's what counts. ^^

 

[N. Onymous]

A plot of any kind is rare in a puzzle game, y'know. ^^ My point of view is, if it's enough to make me fall in love with these fairies and get me engaged in their world (and it is), then it doesn't really matter how vanilla or cliché it is.

I've played both the fan translation and the original Japanese versions of the game (it's good practice if you're learning the language since it's not very complicated Japanese), and I can tell you that it seems the fan translation took some liberties with its script in some places. Quick example of the Vs. mode intro: Lip's Japanese dialogue is basically the same as what Yoshi says in Tetris Attack, except without the mention of having figured out how to reverse the spell. The fan translation, IIRC, rewrites this part to be less "my friends have been cursed!" and more "my friends have been cursed!" Less "My friends are in trouble, I've gotta save them!" and more "I can't believe this happened to my friends..." It comes off as sort of melodramatic to me, and it sort of messes with Lip's plucky character, but what are you gonna do.

On that note, Sherbet, Thanatos, and Cordelia are all acceptable, but I know "Selene" as a Romanization of セレン is a bit wrong since that would be セレーネ. The official translation of Seren is more accurate here, although it could also be "Selen" since her name is also a Japanese abbreviation for selenium.

So what is everyone's favourite fairy?

Aw Hong, I like them all, don't make me choose D:

...OK, I'll just list them in order, starting with my favorite:

1. Lip
2. Flare
3. Elias
4. Windy
5. Thiana
6. Neris
7. Sherbet
8. Seren
9. Ruby

 

[JaidynReiman]

A plot of any kind is rare in a puzzle game, y'know. ^^ My point of view is, if it's enough to make me fall in love with these fairies and get me engaged in their world (and it is), then it doesn't really matter how vanilla or cliché it is.

I've played both the fan translation and the original Japanese versions of the game (it's good practice if you're learning the language since it's not very complicated Japanese), and I can tell you that it seems the fan translation took some liberties with its script in some places. Quick example of the Vs. mode intro: Lip's Japanese dialogue is basically the same as what Yoshi says in Tetris Attack, except without the mention of having figured out how to reverse the spell. The fan translation, IIRC, rewrites this part to be less "my friends have been cursed!" and more "my friends have been cursed!" Less "My friends are in trouble, I've gotta save them!" and more "I can't believe this happened to my friends..." It comes off as sort of melodramatic to me, and it sort of messes with Lip's plucky character, but what are you gonna do.

On that note, Sherbet, Thanatos, and Cordelia are all acceptable, but I know "Selene" as a Romanization of セレン is a bit wrong since that would be セレーネ. The official translation of Seren is more accurate here, although it could also be "Selen" since her name is also a Japanese abbreviation for selenium.



Aw Hong, I like them all, don't make me choose D:

...OK, I'll just list them in order, starting with my favorite:

1. Lip
2. Flare
3. Elias
4. Windy
5. Thiana
6. Neris
7. Sherbet
8. Seren
9. Ruby

The main part about the plot that annoyed the crap out of me when I read it was the ending. I haven't actually played the game yet, I read the story beforehand (not intentionally) but the ending is just... blah. I'll play through it once I get the opportunity.

 

[N. Onymous]

I do some sprite artwork sometimes:

Spoiler: Windy's Egg

Spoiler: Sherbet sprites

 

[Deleted member]

Spoiler: IT LIVES...

...kinda.

I mean, at least it doesn't freeze the game (I think). Pointing out all the flaws would take too long, he, though the most obvious one is clearly the size. I mean, talk about big, even after resizing it to 0.1 of its original size.

 

[Twewy]

I know the story is kinda lame

Dude, it's a block-switching game. It's not going to be the Madame Bovary of video games.

Jokes aside, I never really knew there were differences between PdP and TA. I just thought they were the same game with different skins.

 

[Deleted member]

I spent nearly he entire day getting the lightning and fog to look how I want and still didn't manage it. On the bright side, I resized the stage and also moved it, so the fighters aren't in the background. Also I did this, just because I can, haha:

Spoiler

A pretty small fall-through plattform, just so that the battlefield isn't entirely empty.

 

[Twewy]

That's looking pretty good for a WIP.

 

[smashkirby]

Hey guys, I just had an idea. As some of you may know, "Duck Hunt" has been added as a playable character to Smash 4, and Arcadenik, the owner of the Duck Hunt thread says he had been sending multiple amounts of Duck Hunt Dog-related moveset potential to Sakurai's Twitter during what was probably the planning process for which characters will be playable. If we can do the same for Lip, (and to an extent, ANY of the fairies) who's to say it won't happen? I mean I've supported DHD and even I thought he wasn't too likely to be playable. Look at him now!

 

[Twewy]

Should we really annoy Sakurai like that though? I'm pretty sure he isn't too happy with the fans after all the recent leaks and such.

 

[JaidynReiman]

I don't think it'd hurt to send a couple of moveset ideas.


I really, really think I'll try getting Panel de Pon working by this weekend and I'll record a playthrough of me doing the Hard Story Mode and upload it to Youtube. I was trying to do that for Tetris Attack as well but I kept messing up.

 

[vZakat]

How long has there been a PDP thread and I not known about it? This might become my new hang out. lol

I'm super obsessed with time trial in all versions of this game and I'm pretty dang good at it too. I'm currently trying to break the world record in Tetris Attack for 2p time trial. Here is my best recorded run so far. I'm shooting for 70K

Spoiler

 

[JaidynReiman]

How long has there been a PDP thread and I not known about it? This might become my new hang out. lol

I'm super obsessed with time trial in all versions of this game and I'm pretty dang good at it too. I'm currently trying to break the world record in Tetris Attack for 2p time trial. Here is my best recorded run so far. I'm shooting for 70K

Spoiler

Its existed since the weekend. Hong took the Lip Support Thread and made it the Panel de Pon Thread. We talked a lot about Panel de Pon in general for a while, anyway.


Damn, looks awesome. Um, holy hell. I thought I was great, but I've never made 13-14 chains solo before. I've gotten PRETTY damn close, but that's incredible. If only I'd been able to play this game more for the past seven years and I'd have been able to tone my skills even better. Crap. I thought I was amazing at this game, now I see I've got a lot of work to do, and the only way I have to play the game is Emulator... -_-

If I can get a working 360 corded controller again I may be able to do better.


EDIT: My family has Tetris Attack for SNES, but I personally do not have it. I've been moved out for several years already, and when I am there I've rarely been able to play. I was able to get in some playtime over Labor Day weekend, where naturally I slaughtered everybody every time (unless I go to 9-10; l sometimes lose on Level 8) even though I haven't been playing the game for a long time.


My skills are rusty, though. If I raise the screen up I can often pull together a 7-8 chain right from the start of a match. 10 I've gotten rarely. If I am to get more than that, its usually only in VS by clearing away Garbage Blocks. My family always prefers VS mode in general since Garbage Blocks are so much fun.


Btw, you do know you can do Single Player Time Trial, right? Or do you just do Multiplayer so you can play as other characters?

 

[Yasumi]

I thought I was the only person in the entire world who appreciated PdP.

I recently bought the Japanese DS version and I absolutely love it. It's pretty nice to have it on a modern console, and a portable one at that.

 

[vZakat]

Haha yeah I know you can play 1p time trial. It's just a different category that I'm not as interested in. 1p and 2p just feel different to me and I like the feel of 2p a lot more. Most people like vs. more but I feel like score take a lot more skill to get good at. I'm not quite as good as I was in that vid but I'm getting back to it. btw I stop at 13x in that vid because the original PDP and TA have a glitch where any chain over 13x gives 0 points so it's more score efficient to stop at 13x and bonus instead.

I thankfully have my SNES still and actually plan on streaming TA and PPL soon while I get all the rust off my skills. I like the characters and stuff in PDP too so I'll try to participate in those discussions when they come around but I'm far more interested in the gameplay lol

 

[N. Onymous]

I appreciate discussions of both, but the characters definitely have a slight edge. Lip and the other fairies are all just too adorable. X3

I thought I was the only person in the entire world who appreciated PdP.
I recently bought the Japanese DS version and I absolutely love it. It's pretty nice to have it on a modern console, and a portable one at that.

Sometimes I feel like that too. Don't worry, you aren't alone!

The DS version is actually one of the worst ones IMO. The gameplay feels slower and floatier, and the presentation is a lot more sterile and, well, boring than any game with the Panel de Pon/Puzzle League title has any right to be. Which is a shame. It made some neat decisions, like some of the new modes and the items, but the decision to excise the characters just wrecks it. At least you got the version that has Lip's stage in it (thanks for that by the way, NoA).

 

[JaidynReiman]

Panel de Pon was EXTREMELY popular before they cut all the mascot characters and stopped promoted it, at least as far as I'm aware. They just basically lost sight of what to do with the franchise in recent history and the sales numbers dropped.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_Attack#Reception

 

[Deleted member]

So, anyone interested in some...

Spoiler: ...progress report?

Managed to find out what caused all the errors. The BrawlBox 0.7+ importers are glitchy. Used an older version and it works. Because I had to re-import it, The stage isn't properly aligned and Mario is in the background. Also the size is a bit too big. Anyway, I managed to find out how texture transparency works, so this is how the final version will approximately look. Don't mind the "water", that's full of errors. Also the fog effect in the background is a bit too tall (and not transparent right now). And lastly, I saw that some flowers are floating in the air, so back to 3DS Max. I'm also thinking of making the skybox wider.

Long story short, you'll always find stuff that needs to be fixed after importing. It's frustrating.

 

[N. Onymous]

Looking good as always. It may be a bit frustrating trying to get things to look perfect sometimes, but you're getting there!

Panel de Pon was EXTREMELY popular before they cut all the mascot characters and stopped promoted it, at least as far as I'm aware. They just basically lost sight of what to do with the franchise in recent history and the sales numbers dropped.

I don't know if Panel de Pon was really huge per se, even in Japan. It certainly had a target audience it was popular with, though, so abruptly changing the way the entire series was presented (not to mention invisible advertising) reads somewhat like deliberate sabotage.

 

[Deleted member]

If everything goea as smoothly as yesterday, I might actually manage to release it today. Also I just noticed, I'm still using 4:3 mode...

Spoiler: And a view from far away. The right side is really empty, might put a rubber ducky or something else there.

 

[JaidynReiman]

Looking good as always. It may be a bit frustrating trying to get things to look perfect sometimes, but you're getting there!



I don't know if Panel de Pon was really huge per se, even in Japan. It certainly had a target audience it was popular with, though, so abruptly changing the way the entire series was presented (not to mention invisible advertising) reads somewhat like deliberate sabotage.

Well, I don't know if the original Panel de Pon was huge, but Tetris Attack was.

 

[4theRECORD]

I don't think PdP was THAT popular. Could you be confusing it with Puyo? That was definately huge.

By the way, does anyone know the discription for the Lipstick trophy?
It doesn't have to be translated, a simple picture would be enough.
I just happened to wonder if there's any refrences to PdP on it.

 

[N. Onymous]

It's probably just a flat description of the item like in Brawl, but I'm a pessimist and you shouldn't listen to me.

Well, I don't know if the original Panel de Pon was huge, but Tetris Attack was.

I don't think Panel de Pon in either of its original incarnations was too popular when first released, but they both became cult classics after the fact. Again though, with a little marketing push, I could see PdP becoming very popular with the moe crowd.

 

[Deleted member]

Sorry, no haven't seen the trophy yet. Also looking at what appears to be the complete 3DS trophy list, seems like it's the only PdP one in the game. Although I'm not sure if the list was 100% legitimate.

As for the stage, sorry, seems like no release today, still messing around with various stuff. And while doing so, I noticed this:

Spoiler

There's still an empty slot, haha.

 

[JaidynReiman]

It's probably just a flat description of the item like in Brawl, but I'm a pessimist and you shouldn't listen to me.



I don't think Panel de Pon in either of its original incarnations was too popular when first released, but they both became cult classics after the fact. Again though, with a little marketing push, I could see PdP becoming very popular with the moe crowd.

Well, I was young at the time, so its possible I have no clue what I'm talking about and it did become a cult classic AFTER the fact. It was still very popular, though. Nintendo just failed to market future versions of the game and made the game even worse by cutting the mascot characters so it fell into obscurity.

 

[Zankoku]

To be sure, the DS game was ruined by the horrendous rebuild of the physics engine; the interface being devoid of personality was just a minor disappointment compared to what they did to the gameplay.

 

[N. Onymous]

Well, I was young at the time, so its possible I have no clue what I'm talking about and it did become a cult classic AFTER the fact. It was still very popular, though. Nintendo just failed to market future versions of the game and made the game even worse by cutting the mascot characters so it fell into obscurity.

Like I said, the whole thing regarding Planet Puzzle League reads sort of like deliberate sabotage. Someone at Nintendo may have decided it was too much work or cost too much money to give the games the complete facelifts they'd been doing up until that point, so eventually they just went "oh, screw it" and canned the mascots entirely. Then they basically declared the franchise dead when it didn't sell and are currently sitting on the rights. It's been seven years and counting, and it's not looking like we're getting Lip and friends back any time soon.

We'll probably never get a straight answer on this unless the movement gets big enough, though, so all we can do is guess.

 

[Deleted member]

Better late than never, but I just released the stage. Get it here, just don't expect a masterpiece, haha.

 

[vZakat]

Yeah planet puzzle league was the worst in the series by far. I'm sad there won't be anymore versions probably but I have pretty much all the other ones so I'm good lol.

In other news I Just ordered my capture card so I'll probably start recording/streaming in the next 2 weeks. I got many records I wanna get in these games.

 

[N. Onymous]

Yeah planet puzzle league was the worst in the series by far. I'm sad there won't be anymore versions probably but I have pretty much all the other ones so I'm good lol.

I'm pretty confident we'll revisit Panel de Pon sometime (hopefully with the fairies again... make it happen, IS!), just... you know, not as long as Nintendo's advertising department thinks cute won't sell without brand recognition. We wuz robbed with Smash 4, I tells ya...

(I can't be the only one who thinks PdP's international treatment has been a wee bit sexist, can I?)

I've probably mentioned this already, but if you'd like to fill the gap in between releases, I managed to find one (completed) fan game that preserves the original Panel de Pon/Puzzle League gameplay. Unfortunately, it's based on Planet's godawful beige, characterless, boring presentation.

 

[TimeSmash]

I actually just played Pokemon Puzzle League the other day. That is like the definitive version, to me. The only other ones I've played though are Tetris Attack for Game Boy and Dr.Mario/Puzzle League for GBA

 

[JaidynReiman]

I actually just played Pokemon Puzzle League the other day. That is like the definitive version, to me. The only other ones I've played though are Tetris Attack for Game Boy and Dr.Mario/Puzzle League for GBA

Tetris Attack for Game Boy? Are you sure about that? I've never even heard of it. I was pretty sure Tetris Attack was SNES only.


*checks on Wikipedia*

Tetris Attack is a 1996 puzzle video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy

...oh.... I guess you're right...

 

[TimeSmash]

Tetris Attack for Game Boy? Are you sure about that? I've never even heard of it. I was pretty sure Tetris Attack was SNES only.


*checks on Wikipedia*



...oh.... I guess you're right...

It was pretty obscure. I remember the cover has the classic PDP blocks and then angry garbage lines with a face on them after that. It works in a pinch.

 

[N. Onymous]

That was basically the SNES game's cover too.

(If they were that scared that the game wouldn't sell if they left the fairies alone, why not just hide them behind a generic box art like that and save their money? They did it for Starfy, why not here? A mystery for the ages...)

 

[vZakat]

I mean tetris attack only used that name to ride off the success of tetris. Hell that's how I found the game lol. The gb version of tetris attack and the original panel de pon are the only versions of the game I don't own. I never thought they were worth getting since tetris attack and panel de pon are pretty much the same with different characters and the gb version looks like it sucks a lot lol.

 

[JaidynReiman]

I mean tetris attack only used that name to ride off the success of tetris. Hell that's how I found the game lol. The gb version of tetris attack and the original panel de pon are the only versions of the game I don't own. I never thought they were worth getting since tetris attack and panel de pon are pretty much the same with different characters and the gb version looks like it sucks a lot lol.

Yeah, I'm well aware of that. In fact, the creators of Tetris regretting giving Nintendo the license to use the name after "Tetris Attack." I love the game and all, but it should've NEVER been called Tetris Attack.

 

[N. Onymous]

As much as I'm iffy about the Puzzle League name (it doesn't really make sense when it's not being used in the context of Pokemon), it's still a much better name than Tetris Attack. It helps to give the series its own identity. When the game was first released, the market was flooded with so many Tetris clones and spinoffs that it may not have stood out all that much (maybe that's the reason it didn't sell very well back in 1996). The licensing of the Tetris name is in the end nothing more than a cynical and transparent attempt to advertise the game as something it's not. It's selling the game short.

(See? Not all of my complaints with the rebranding have to do with the fairies... only most of them. : P)

 

[Quillion]

I've been playing a fan translation of the SNES Panel De Pon, and I've been loving it. It's too bad that the fairies have been abandoned by their own series, leaving Puzzle League rather lifeless.

There should be eShop editions for both the 3DS and Wii U. The touchscreen control in the DS version was good in itself (it's just the physics that were crap).

 

[N. Onymous]

Well, we already have Puzzle League Express on the eShop. (It was one of last month's Club Nintendo rewards, even.) I assume the higher-ups figure that's good enough, even though it's, well... based on Planet Puzzle League. And just like Planet, it goes Lip-less in international versions, basically removing the only saving grace from an otherwise thoroughly mediocre incarnation of the series. Thanks for showing you care, guys.

Panel de Pon turns 20 next year. I'm probably getting my hopes up for nothing, but it'd be nice if we got something to celebrate the series' platinum anniversary. You know, something to let us know they still care... Maybe Mario Kart 8 DLC? Maybe Smash Bros. DLC? Maybe a new game? Maybe an anime series, or a merchandise line? You know we'd throw our money at you if any of these were to happen, right?

 

[4theRECORD]

As much as I'm iffy about the Puzzle League name (it doesn't really make sense when it's not being used in the context of Pokemon), it's still a much better name than Tetris Attack. It helps to give the series its own identity. When the game was first released, the market was flooded with so many Tetris clones and spinoffs that it may not have stood out all that much (maybe that's the reason it didn't sell very well back in 1996). The licensing of the Tetris name is in the end nothing more than a cynical and transparent attempt to advertise the game as something it's not. It's selling the game short.

(See? Not all of my complaints with the rebranding have to do with the fairies... only most of them. : P)

I find the Puzzle League name "okay". It does work, it's somewhat original...so it ain't bad. But Tetris Attack...yeah. Especially when this game has absolutely nothing to do with Tetris itself.
I still think "Panel de Pon" is the best name, by far. Most original, and best sound.

Well, we already have Puzzle League Express on the eShop. (It was one of last month's Club Nintendo rewards, even.) I assume the higher-ups figure that's good enough, even though it's, well... based on Planet Puzzle League. And just like Planet, it goes Lip-less in international versions, basically removing the only saving grace from an otherwise thoroughly mediocre incarnation of the series. Thanks for showing you care, guys.

Panel de Pon turns 20 next year. I'm probably getting my hopes up for nothing, but it'd be nice if we got something to celebrate the series' platinum anniversary. You know, something to let us know they still care... Maybe Mario Kart 8 DLC? Maybe Smash Bros. DLC? Maybe a new game? Maybe an anime series, or a merchandise line? You know we'd throw our money at you if any of these were to happen, right?

Ehhhh...I think an anime series is hoping too much.
But I could see a DLC of sorts...though hoping for a new game, if anything though.
I wonder how the VC sales of PdP have been. I remember hearing that the sales of Sin & Punishment 64 had something to do with the Wii version release. Maybe if it sells enough, we can have Iwata at least consider a new downloadable game? The guy got back Fatal Frame and Bayonetta from their dooms, it couldn't be much of a hassle for him to look into games in his own company...