A day for Puyo Puyo

Today, and February 4th annually, is Puyo Day ぷよの日. A day to honor the long‑loved puzzle game series Puyo Puyo, by Sega. The date comes from a number‑word pun: 2 (pu) and 4 (yo) combine to form “puyo,” matching the game’s name. 

The purpose of the anniversary is to promote the charm of the Puyo Puyo games. I originally knew the game as Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine! But reportedly it is now called Puyo Puyo  worldwide. Puyo Puyo became a major hit thanks to their cute characters, colorful falling blobs, and the then‑innovative “chain combo” mechanic. Since the first release in 1991, the series has expanded across consoles, arcades, and competitive play and remains a beloved part of Japanese gaming culture.

Worldwide, I believe the series gained more visibility after Puyo Puyo Tetris launched on Switch and other platforms, because Tetris is universally familiar and helped introduce Puyo mechanics to new players. Have you ever played Puyo Puyo?