BASIC GAMEPLAY
Players manipulate 2×2 blocks made up of two colors/types, aiming to create 2×2 (or larger) Squares of a single type. A Timeline sweeps across the playfield to the beat of the music, clearing completed Squares and generating points and progress based on how many 2×2 Squares can fit in the cleared area.
NEW MECHANIC: BURST
Burst is a new feature in Lumines Arise. It allows you to form screen-clearing Combos—racking up mega points and potentially saving you from topping out.
Here’s how it works:
CHARGE: A percentage meter (marked with “%”) at the top of the Timeline will increase. When it gets above 50 (and up to the MAX at 100), you can hit the trigger buttons to engage Burst.
ACTIVATE: When triggered (L2/R2 on controller), Squares in one of the two types won’t clear. The number above the Timeline now indicates how many passes you have left before Burst ends.
BUILD: Look for the largest cluster with the numbered Burst over it; your job now is to grow that block as large as possible by placing like-colored blocks adjacent to it.
CLEAR: When the last Timeline pass is over, Burst will end, and opposite-color blocks that flew off the top of the screen will then fall back onto the playfield.
SINGLE-PLAYER MODE: JOURNEY
There are nine areas in Journey, each with 4-5 stages. There are two tabs to switch between play options at the top:
Standard: Once you complete an area, your score and grade will be displayed before you proceed to the next (or exit to the menu).
Survival: A run-based mode where you try to play through the entire Journey from start to finish, with no stops in between. A “Game Over” sends you all the way back to the start, similar to how it worked in older Lumines games. (This variation unlocks after finishing Standard.)
SINGLE-PLAYER MODE: MISSIONS
Training Missions: 60 repeatable scenarios that Lumines veterans or newbies alike can work through to get a better handle on Lumines Arise’s core gameplay, or sharpen up their existing skills.
Challenges: 25 unique twists on Lumines’ gameplay that elevate the existing puzzle mechanics, allowing players to stretch their thinking.
SINGLE-PLAYER MODE: PLAYLIST
Stages unlock after completing them in Journey. Create your own playlist based on your mood, your favorite stages, or any other way you want!
LOOMII IN-GAME AVATARS
Your “Loomii” is your personal avatar in the game—visible at the bottom right of the screen during gameplay, or walking around the Multiplayer Hub.
In the Loomii-Pon area, spend the Pon (points) you earn from completing Training Missions and by clearing Squares in all other modes to obtain customization items.
DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT (DLC)
If you purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition or the Digital Deluxe Edition Upgrade, you’ll have access to special Loomii avatars based on previous Enhance games—Tetris Effect: Connected, HUMANITY, and Rez Infinite. Depending on what platform you have purchased on these will be joined by ASTRO BOT (PlayStation 5) or Dave the Diver (Steam).
MULTIPLAYER MODE: WEEKEND LOOMII-LIVE EVENT
For 72 hours on the weekend, from Friday, 12:00 UTC to Monday, 12:00 UTC, a Weekend Loomii-Live event will occur in the Multiplayer hub. Play any multiplayer mode (Burst Battle, Quick Burst, or Leaderboard League) to contribute to the community goal, and if it’s met, all players who participated will receive special rewards.
MULTIPLAYER MODE: BURST BATTLE
Test your 2×2 Square-making skills against an online opponent. Use Burst to turn up the heat and overwhelm them with garbage blocks. Start a ranked match to matchmake with players based on your skill level, join or create custom lobbies with friends, or challenge the player next to you in local play.
MULTIPLAYER MODE: LEADERBOARD LEAGUE
Time Attack (60, 180, 300 seconds): This mode challenges you to see how many 2×2 Squares you can erase within the time limit.
Dig Down: This mode challenges you to see how long you can withstand a rising tide of blocks from the bottom of the screen. Fight to continually lower the stack and survive.
MULTIPLAYER MODE: QUICK BURST
This is an arcade-style challenge where you aim to achieve the largest Burst possible. The leaderboards and stages are refreshed daily, offering a new challenge.
ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS
In the Options menu, the Accessibility tab offers numerous ways to make the visuals more comfortable. You can reduce certain effects and motion to make the playfield more readable. You can also turn on No-Stress Lumines, which modifies certain rules to make gameplay easier in Journey, Playlists and Missions.
SOUNDTRACK
The entire soundtrack for Lumines Arise is composed by Hydelic and Takako Ishida, the acclaimed artists behind the iconic music in Tetris Effect: Connected and Rez Infinite’s Area X. For more information on the soundtrack/music from Lumines Arise, visit lumines.game/music.
