The Mirror that Should Not Exist
Originally uploaded Jun. 13th, 2024.
Fire, Ice Storm, Diacute… how does it go again…?
Going to preface this post by saying I grew up playing Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine on the PS2 version of Sonic Mega Collection Plus. This is going to date this post. Sorry if you’re any older or younger than me. It’s not my fault.
That being said, there are only two outcomes that can come out of that fact – you either stop playing puzzle games altogether or you got super into Puyo Puyo as a result. I fell hard into the latter category. It’s fun!
It’s also why I think a game like Puyo Puyo~n is so interesting. It’s the only mainline Compile-made Puyo game to not get an arcade version. It’s notably slower-paced than it’s predecessors and successors. It’s got a different artstyle – the characters are dressed a bit more fantasy as opposed to their previous outfits (most notably, Witch and Draco).
And, probably the most interesting of all, it’s the only one with a final boss as striking as Doppelganger Arle.
It’s weird. Doppelganger Arle is a weird character in a weird game. Early Puyo Puyo scripts are silly (see: PC-Engine Puyo Puyo, Saturn Tsu, every version of Sun, etc). The same goes for Yon… kind of. The humor is there… mostly. There’s silliness in spades… right? Regardless of all this, even if just conjecture – you can’t shake the looming feeling of uneasiness that permeates every stage, every cutscene.
Satan/Dark Prince is usually at the helm of each conflict in the early games. As opposed to his Madou Monogatari interpretation, however, the Puyo Puyo Satan is pathetic. A dork. Not really what one would consider a final boss, as opposed to what his theme may lead you to. Every character in the puzzle game is similar when compared to their RPG counterparts… minus Doppelganger Arle.
She is, as in the name – a doppelganger, a mirror of the player character. She’s the ringmaster, the one pulling the strings of the conflict. Mirror characters aren’t new to the series, especially not a mirror of Arle. But this mirror is unique in the fact that she doesn’t feel like a Puyo character. She shouldn’t exist – yet she’s trying to hold onto the one thing that will keep her from being a facsimile in a world that does not need her – Carbuncle. It’s why she’s dressed as a jester, wearing a mask to hide her true intentions. She’s a broken character in a world – a game – a franchise that doesn’t try this sort of thing again.
Maybe it’s because this game was developed after Waku Waku Puyo Dungeon and they wanted to lean into a more serious angle for the next release. Maybe it’s because the story was rewritten to be sillier, after internal feedback from the devs. Or maybe it’s all just silly conjecture. Regardless, the story goes Compile sells the rights to the characters to Sega and all the games from Puyo Pop to Puyo Puzzle Pop happen.
I don’t care though. She’s cool as hell, even if she shouldn’t exist.
 |
 |
 |