Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is getting a new mode: Skill Battle Mode. In addition to announcing the new game mode, Sega also put out a new trailer featuring the mechanic in action.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 was officially revealed at the surprise Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase just last August, and is slated to release in December 2020. The new game mode will rely on the player selecting characters and item cards that best fit their particular play style. Characters' skills can be activated in battle using MP. This mode is also unique in that the Tetris or Puyo stack reaching the top of the board is not an automatic loss: it's not over until someone runs out of HP.
Sega has already been shaking things up with Puyo Puyo's adventure mode, which effectively turns the fast-paced puzzle into an RPG complete with the overworld. Skill battle mode makes use of a team of three characters, unlocked by engaging in skill battles in adventure mode, to give the player different abilities based on the characters' skill sets. The characters can be equipped with item cards, which boost team members' stats.
Some skills will be Auto, meaning they activate at the beginning of the match and/or carry a passive buff, and some will be Special skills, meaning the player will have to activate them to use them. Abilities like chief engineer Ai's "Crestfall" can debuff the opponent, or provide a benefit to the player such as the adventurer Ally's "HP Recovery" skill. This new game mode featured in the trailer is bound to take some skill and strategy to master.
Players who pre-order the Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 launch edition will get access to a set of rare item cards, including three with a Sonic the Hedgehog theme.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on December 8, 2020, with PlayStation 5 and PC ports following.
Source: PlayStation Blog