I'm not happy. I've been hearing so much about this "great" puzzler for many years now. Maybe nearly five. And I'd never played it. Until today (it came out in Europe yesterday) when I picked up Lumines Supernova. I've quite enjoyed the puzzle mode and mission modes but the actual non-stop gameplay. Urgh. I don't like it.

I love puzzle games (Columns, Tetris, Dr. Mario, Puzzle Fighter) but after a few rounds of this one I still don't understand the "best" method to tackling the game. I feel like with every set of blocks I clear I end up with one in the way. Sure I'm a n00b and I'll get better but I'm not finding a way of playing the game that allows me to clear the screen with relative "ease".

If I fuck up in Tetris I can quickly find a route that keeps me going again. In this I feel like every time I fuck up I'm constantly adding a set of irremovable blocks to the screen that I can't clear a path to get to. In fact, is it even possible to clear the screen?

"I'm a n00b and I'll get better."

"In fact, is it even possible to clear the screen?"

I just feel like if I make a mistake I'm fucked because trying to clear that mistake ends up putting a further 10 blocks on screen that I don't want thus multiplying the problem.

Don't even get me started on those diagonal blocks.

I rented the PSP version and hated it.

I know how you feel. But don't give up dude, it's hard sometimes.

Diagonal blocks?  You mean the ones that look like this?  (I'll use >'s to represent color one and <'s to represent color two, and V's to represent empty spaces)

><
<>

All you have to do is use a split drop; if dropped onto an uneven landing spot, the block will split in half.  Let's say you have a playfield that looks like this:

V<VVVVVVV
V>>VVV<<V
V<>V<V>>V

Then you drop the aforementioned block on the rightmost section, to create this layout:

VVVVVVV>
V<VVVVV<
V>>VVV<<<
V<>V<V>>>

See what changed?  Now you have an almost completed square.  The next ideal block would be one like:

>>
<>

But you could use another diagonal to almost the same effect.  In any case, with only 6 possible blocks in Lumines, you don't have long to wait if you're holding out for a specific block.  Anyways, we would position the aforementioned block on the right side like so:

VVVVVVV>>
V<VVVVV<<
V>>VVV<<<>
V<>V<V>>>>

And I've just connected a complete square, eliminating four pieces from the board.  But wait, what's this?  When the remaining blocks drop...


V<VVVVV
V>>VVV<>>>
V<>V<V>>>>

I have a group of six already lined up for the next sweep.  Awesome!

Just practice, you'll begin to see these patterns soon enough.  Remember to keep like colors together as much as possible, even if you can't match them immediately.  You'll find ways to do so as you progress, and at some point you'll get the special power-up that will allow you eliminate all the connected blocks of a single color.  Also keep an eye on the speed of the sweep; connected blocks that haven't been swept off yet can still be built onto, creating larger groups.

Thanks for the really detailed response I appreciate that. Just played some more and beat my high score.

I do like my puzzle games and generally am quite good at them so I'm sure I'll get used to this eventually.