With so many titles in the PSP’s launch lineup being sequels, or new spins on existing franchises, it’s refreshing to find something as enjoyable as Mercury amongst all the driving and sports titles.

As with Lumines, Archer Maclean’s Mercury (to give it its full title) is yet another PSP puzzler (albeit one that’s much more cerebral than its Japanese peer. Like many current PSP titles, Mercury uses crisp, outstanding looking visuals – in this case a super physics engine – to help ensure the eager owner that they have indeed embraced a new breed of handheld. Luckily, though, Mercury is more than simply styleover- substance and delivers an interesting mix of different puzzle styles, whilst managing to maintain it own unique feel.

After guiding your glob of mercury through a simple tutorial mode, your first thoughts will be of Super Monkey Ball or Marble Madness. Mercury is not just a simple rip-off though, and while it certainly doffs its cap to both titles, its confident enough to slide around on its own slippery mass and deliver a style all of its own. Sure, it may not have as many different options as QB’s Lumines but it’s much more enjoyable to play, has far better pacing and has a hell of a lot more depth to it – and best of all its 100% British.