I was feeling pretty confident in my skills after playing against the simple AI... Then I tried the smart AI, and let's just say I really needed the help of the Leeshos to (try to) keep up. (for context: I don't have a lot of experience with those types of games besides playing a bit of Puyo Pop a few years ago...)
Anyway, I really like the idea of Leeshos being both a hindrance and an aid. The cartridge to restart the game in the menu was a nice touch! Really fun to play and very satisfying when everything goes "according to plan".