oh, would that someone could've combined PUZZLI 2 and AQUARIUM across one, perfect mesh! three years and a thousand differences separate these two, each complementing the other's lacks, if only they could meet. aquarium's got a deep and engaging score (available here: https://downloads.khinsider.com/game-..., charming little fish blocks and sort-of charming playable characters. (in the age of mascot gaming, what a strange choice to not chibify the animals, but just kinda... draw them realistically.) it's got a strange cycling-mechanic instead of a double tap when a block is stuck in a well, the tip of a submerged mountain of smart design choices. and yet, and yet! comboing is under-animated to the point of extreme unsatisfaction, the sea characters' four special moves are totally unbalanced, and the method of clearing bubbles around a piece is completely arcane and underexplained. i suppose both have the tacky, winding glaze every Taisen Puzzle-Dama ripoff bears on its skin -- i just don't think making certain blocks take two clears to remove is fun! but maybe, maybe i could believe otherwise if PUZZLI 2, this game's later cousin, had met AQUARIUM somewhere halfway, in like, winter-spring 1997. alas.