What happens when you take a popular puzzle game, wait a year and a half, attach the Disney license and release a new version? Not what you'd probably expect, actually. You would probably expect a gratuitous cash-in combining the buzz created by the high quality Meteos puzzle game with some names and faces from the Disney world. What you weren't expecting was a really good puzzle game that takes the base of the original game, completely mixes it up in the Wonderful World of Disney and comes up with an experience that is at once familiar yet fresh, making for an easy recommendation to all DS puzzle fans. In fact, with the exception of one shortcoming, I'd recommend this above the original!

The core game of Meteos feels familiar because it is based on the whole 'falling block' tradition, but it has its own twist that makes things interesting, challenging and quite addictive. You match blocks into series of three or more of the same type and this causes them to 'launch', the goal being to get them to launch off-screen. It sounds simple, but it gets tricky, as they will only launch so far - and having other blocks on top of them adds to the 'weight' and makes it harder to get them off screen. Matching more than three gives you more launch power and matching a second set while airborne gives a bonus and yet more launch power. There are also special blocks that help you out - a 'wild' block matches with anything, a 'paint' block randomly changes block types and a missile block streaks upward with the two blocks on either side.

Meteos: Disney Magic changes things in a few important ways - the first and most obvious is that there are loads of Disney characters. Also, and more importantly, the game is played holding the DS sideways like a book (similar to Brain Training and Hotel Dusk). It is the latter difference that makes this more than just a re-themed licensed game - it makes it an entirely new experience worth getting even if you own the original!

There are a number of game modes available. The Story Mode takes you through a challenge of correcting problems in various Disney stories. In this mode, the challenges are laid out and attaining the goals solves the problem and unlocks a number of special items. The goal, of course, is to do more than just meet the set challenge - you want to do it as quickly as possible, with as much style and panache as possible, and collect as many points as possible. You also want to avoid using the special powers you collect through launching blocks. These include Nitro Boost, which give each match more launching force for a short time, Slow Mode, where blocks fall more slowly, giving you more time to catch and match them and Horizontal Block Movement, which you get in Expert Mode, where you can only move blocks up and down. They are all very useful, but not using them nets you even more points and this can easily be the difference between two star award colors (i.e. bronze, silver or gold). Completed Story Books are unlocked for use in the Challenge and VS modes, as well as adding to extra content you can view any time. If you start Story Mode at the lowest skill level as I did, it will seem to be over quickly - but then you will notice that you have unlocked only a small portion of the content and you will smile as you realize that there is tons of stuff to do in this game.

After completing the Story Mode, head on over to Challenge Mode to try your luck at other challenges. These are the same types of challenges as you had to face in Story Mode, with the addition of Simple Mode, which is basically an endless mode in which you just keep going until the blocks reach the top and you lose. This is a frenetic race even at the lowest skill level! In Challenge Mode you can play any of the storybooks you have unlocked in Story Mode - the associated Disney scene plays out on the left screen but you will barely notice it in your peripheral vision most of the time because you are frantically launching blocks.

There is, of course, even more to do in Meteos Disney Magic. There is multiplayer in the form of VS Mode, which allows you to face up to three opponents in either Survival or Time Mode, which challenge you to either stay alive the longest or collect the most points. This can also be played against the DS in VS CPU or against your friends over local wireless play. One other thing that is great - and has already gotten play in my house - is the download play option. I love that so many DS games have this feature, which allows a demo to be quickly sent from DS to DS. This has sold several games in my household - and Meteos: Disney Magic might just be next! The download game allows you to play portions of Challenge Mode or VS CPU in single player or Survival mode in multiplayer.

I expected Meteos: Disney Magic to be a licensed rip-off that was just Meteos with a fresh coat of paint. I was very wrong - it is a full update that adds loads of fun and a different approach to the game that makes it fresh all over again. It's essential for all fans of the original and those of you who missed Metoes the first time again should not make the same mistake again!

Reviewed by Michael Anderson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).