<- 1996 1997 1998 ->

Money Idol Exchanger / Money Puzzle Exchanger

money puzzle gameplay with magical girl and dog boy		 A mix of Moujiya and Magical Drop with extremely good magical girl designs. Theres a manga too.
Release Date: January 17, 1997
Developer: Face
Platforms: Arcade, Game Boy, Windows, PSX
Kirby is here to match his animal friends. Blocks between pairs of animals will be cleared.
Release Date: January 25, 1997
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Platforms: Game Boy

Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy)

star stacker gameplay with very funny dedede sprite

Kurushi / I.Q.: Intelligent Qube

the guy from Qube falling off the level with the text Again!		 Mysterious game where you avoid getting crushed by blocks while leaving tiles that clear. I think this counts as one of these games.
Release Date: January 31, 1997
Developer: G-Artists
Platforms: PSX
Penguin game. Match ice blocks across to break them.
Release Date: January 31, 1997
Developer: Crea-Tech
Platforms: SFC, PSX

Pikiinya!

pikiinya gameplay with the penguin

Magical Drop III

Magidrop 3 character select with many guys		 Magical Drops most competitively-favored title. Introduces the remaining tarot characters and most importantly board game mode!!!
Release Date: February 25, 1997
Developer: Data East
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo, Saturn, PSX, GBC
Tilt your board to make more matches. The arcade and Saturn versions are very different from each other.
Release Date: March 28, 1997
Developer: Datt Japan
Platforms: Saturn, Arcade

Monster Slider

saturn monster slider gameplay with Skeleton

Tetrisphere

tetrisphere gameplay with a pair of eyes peeking from within a tetris sphere		 Odd 3D sphere game. Not really a Tetris.
Release Date: August 11, 1997
Developer: H2O Entertainment
Platforms: N64
Matching on a hill. Devastating character designs and opening cutscene.
Release Date: August 23, 1997
Developer: Soft Office
Platforms: Saturn, PSX,

Pastel Muses

colored orbs on a hill and there's a devastating little pink thing with big wet eyes

Puchi Carat

puchi carat gameplay with pink umbrella woman and glasses girl face right up to the camera		 More of a breakout game, but has all the flavor and some mechanics of a puzzle game.
Release Date: October 1997
Developer: Taito
Platforms: Arcade, PSX, GBC
Unique gameplay where you place pieces directly onto the board. One of the best to ever do it.
Release Date: Before October 30, 1997?
Developer: Axela
Platforms: Arcade, PSX, Game Boy

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long yellow block with a star at one end

StarSweep

gameplay with many towering blocks and clouds stacked evil woman saying At least we meet

Tripuzz

stage clear with flower girl and abstract outline guy		 What if you matched triangles this time! Uniquely, you can phase through your own blocks for more control of your board.
Release Date: October 30, 1997
Developer: Santos Ltd.
Platforms: PSX
Mysterious game with blob stretching gameplay. Seems to have a rather detailed plot involving an alien crash-landing and sending people to a fantasy world…? Maybe. I really wish I could read it.
Release Date: November 27, 1997
Developer: Nony Project
Platforms: PSX

Shinshuku Taisen - It's a Nony!

map screen with the characters laying face down and the text NOW SLEEPING

Puzzle Bobble 4 / Bust-A-Move 4

slug mage and jester talking. You must speak about the bubbles you know of		 The rainbow has been stolen! Introduces new pulley mechanics.
Release Date: December 1997
Developer: Taito
Platforms: Arcade, PSX, GBC, Windows, Dreamcast
Methodical marble-matching on a set of scales. If you're not careful you can send them flying across the board. Has a Germany only sequel(?)
Release Date: 1997
Developer: Software 2000
Platforms: MS DOS, Windows, PSX, Game Boy

Swing / Marble Master

menu showing the many many types of special marbles
<- 1996 1997 1998 ->
Lip from Panel De Pon running gif