Sega Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Iconic Puzzle Game

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In 2026, Sega will be celebrating the 35th anniversary of both Sonic the Hedgehog and Puyo Puyo, as highlighted in a recent Instagram post. While Sonic the Hedgehog has seen great success over the past 35 years—despite a few missteps—fans are already discussing what they hope to see for the milestone, like new games, comics, or even a movie. Sega seems keen to remind everyone that Puyo Puyo will also be a part of the celebrations, alongside its more famous blue counterpart.

Originally released for the Famicon Disk System in October 1991, Puyo Puyo took the puzzle game concept established by titles like Tetris and gave it a playful, kid-friendly twist. Sega, riding the wave of success from Sonic the Hedgehog, quickly released an arcade version and a port for the Sega Genesis the following year. In 1998, Sega acquired the rights to Puyo Puyo from its developers, making it a Sega franchise and handing development over to Sonic Team. The game has flourished ever since, with hits like Puyo Puyo Tetris and a recent trailer for Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S. Despite its long history, Sega recently reminded everyone that Puyo Puyo is also celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, alongside Sonic the Hedgehog.

Puyo Puyo’s 35th Anniversary Celebration Begins

With big anniversaries happening for many popular game series in 2026, Sega is making sure fans don’t forget about the 35th anniversary of Puyo Puyo, a puzzle game that often gets overlooked. They’ve announced a “Dairensa project,” named after a well-known element from the game, and have already shared a key visual, logo, and six new artworks. All of this is leading up to a teaser website for the anniversary. Fans were pleasantly surprised that Sega is even acknowledging this milestone. While details are still limited, Sega has hinted at more updates coming soon, so fans have reason to be excited.

It’s become common for companies to downplay major milestones for their popular game series – like when Nintendo didn’t make a big deal out of Zelda‘s 35th anniversary. So, it’s great to see Sega taking a different approach with Puyo Puyo. Considering the recent, high-quality historical video released for the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Puyo Puyo fans might be hoping for something similar, or at least something equally exciting. A livestream is scheduled for February 1, 2026, on the official Japanese Puyo Puyo YouTube channel. It’s likely this stream will reveal important details, offer fans some fun celebrations and teasers, and possibly even announce a new game.

Sega is making a real effort to celebrate its classic franchises this year. Following a cool animated short for Sonic the Hedgehog, they’ve given Puyo Puyo similar attention. The announced plans, including a reboot of Jet Set Radio, show Sega is committed to reviving even older, beloved games. This is great news for Puyo Puyo‘s 35th anniversary – it’s clear the series hasn’t been forgotten. Considering the high quality of recent Sonic games, the future looks bright for this puzzle series, and it’s clear a lot of care is going into its development.

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2026-01-19 23:05