Help! I can't stop playing.
This was a real surprise. It's a furiously addictive mash-up of your standard 'match the coloured blocks' (most like Capcom's Super Puzzle Fighter II), and an action platformer in the vein of Contra.
You just jump about shooting the blocks, scoring combos and gambling by letting the blocks merge into one huge coloured ... THING! You're about to pop it.. and "hnnnggrrryyyaargh!" You didn't consider the fact that this coloured mass is the only thing standing between you and instant death courtesy of spikes that line the bottom of the screen! That's a beginner's error and planning is required. That's the beauty of this game: It seems ridiculously hard at first, yet you say "one more go" and before you know it, you're surviving for 15 minutes or more and getting good scores. You die, you try again, you improve, you die, you try again, you get worse and do the equivalent of a Mario death at first goomba, you use bad language and vow to come back later to seek revenge. You don't do that though, no. You immediately try again. You top the high score table...
Controls are perfect, the presentation is very good, featuring appropriate (for once) '80's-style blocky graphics and some great chip tunes.
There are multiple characters to choose from each featuring different attributes and different methods of busting blocks, such as a ninja who can double jump and throw shurikens, or a guy who can use twin pistols to shoot blocks at either side, or one side at a time. I like the standard default dude: a bloke who can jump fairly high and can glide using his cape. Can't go wrong with him, but the others are a nice bonus.
Not much more to say other than you run and jump and shoot coloured blocks and it's a great time. If you've enjoyed a gem puzzler, a platformer, or a run & gun-style shooter, give this one a try. Be warned, it's very hard, but that's how a score-chasing game like this should be.