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Tetris

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Tetris

Nov 1, 1989

Remake of Tetris

4.10 average rating based on 4571 ratings

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Tetris is a tile-matching puzzle video game. The goal is to place pieces made up of four tiles in a ten-by-twenty well, organizing them into complete rows, which then disappear. There are two game modes: A-Type and B-Type. A-Type is an endless marathon with increasing speed levels. B-Type is played at a fixed speed, with or without optional garbage blocks in the playfield, and a goal of clearing 25 lines.
Release Dates
Nov 1989 Full Release (North_America)
Nintendo Entertainment System
Feb 23, 1990 Full Release (Europe)
Nintendo Entertainment System
Sep 1994 Full Release (Brazil)
Nintendo Entertainment System
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User Stats
7697
In Collection
101
Wish Listed
103
Playing
184
Backlogged
How Long Is Tetris?
Main story: 26.3 hours
Main + extras: 13.8 hours
100% completion: 52.5 hours
Total completions: 10
bamalynx
bamalynx gave Feb 4, 2024
bamalynx gave Feb 4, 2024
bamalynx's review of Tetris

very fun puzzle game to play in your free time

Yungbeck
Yungbeck gave Nov 23, 2021
Yungbeck gave Nov 23, 2021
Pázjitnovs Law
This review is for the Game Boy version

There's nothing to say that hasn't already been said. I played the heck out of this on the GameBoy as a kid, and this was also my dads favourite. He was the first one I ever saw beat the game too, and the end screen with the rocket launching blew my little mind. This is just a timeless classic that everyone knows and loves. ▂ ✖ 凸

AmyAmes
AmyAmes gave Aug 3, 2021
AmyAmes gave Aug 3, 2021
The perfect game for everybody!
This review is for the Nintendo Entertainment System version

If I had to give a non gamer one game to play It would be Tetris There's something about It that's Just so easy to pick up and play and learn, you finish a game and Instantly want to play again and again

ThanosGamer
ThanosGamer gave Dec 28, 2020
ThanosGamer gave Dec 28, 2020
Why.
This review is for the Game Boy version

Guys it’s fucking Tetris. How do you actually rate this game "fairly". Not like Effect (thanks for making me feel high) and 99 (tbh one of the best Switch games), but the original Tetris. Luckily, I still have my cartridge, but, like........I’m running down the highest selling games of all time so I have to say something. I don’t care, it’s a good puzzle game. Who hasn’t played it? Ummm..yeah?

MrTigglez
MrTigglez gave Aug 25, 2020
MrTigglez gave Aug 25, 2020
So simple but so great, what a classic.

I remember as a kid having my whole family competing for high scores in this game, it was basically the only thing they really had any interest in playing. It's so simple and basic but that's honestly part of it's charm. It's easy to just forget time, sitting and watching the shapes fall into place. feeling the satisfaction of getting a full line while listening to the catchy music. It was great back then and it is still great now, it's crazy to think that even 40 or so years later they are still releasing iterations of this game. Timeless.

AdultShawarma
AdultShawarma gave Dec 9, 2024
AdultShawarma gave Dec 9, 2024
Absolute Massacre of a great game
This review is for the Nintendo Entertainment System version

Bought the cart of the famicom version on my japan trip and was completely blown away at how bad this release is. The game loses a lot of personality compared to other versions, namely the gameboy and NES release, The controls are terrible and you can’t even press down for the blocks to fall faster, it places the block instantly instead. Just a horrendous version of an otherwise great game.

Chauliodusi
Chauliodusi gave Apr 30, 2022
Chauliodusi gave Apr 30, 2022
Mathematic Anchor

I played this game on an American handheld device; "Radica pocket tetris". I always considered it an apocalypse-proof game since I would never have to replace the battery, and the system is bunkered behind hard plastic.

Tetris is a perfect 6/10. The videogame which all videogames should be judged against.

AndTheBeanStalk
AndTheBeanStalk gave Dec 1, 2018
AndTheBeanStalk gave Dec 1, 2018
AndTheBeanStalk's review of Tetris

I got a GameBoy with Tetris for my 10th birthday and spent an entire overnight, transatlantic flight playing it while only listening to Popcorn because I figured it was the coolest song I had ever heard. Good choices all around.

georgeypoorgey
georgeypoorgey gave Nov 9, 2018
georgeypoorgey gave Nov 9, 2018
georgeypoorgey's review of Tetris

Tetris is perfect. I own Puyo Puyo Tetris and while there is more you can do in it, the original is better. It washes away everything extraneous and gives you something pure. Just you. You’re verse your previous high score. Mario isn’t curing sickness. Egg man doesn’t have too many beans. It’s just you clearing blocks. And it is perfect.

Westane
Westane gave Apr 13, 2015
Westane gave Apr 13, 2015
Review / Playthrough (TENGEN EDITION)

History:
I've played Tetris. I've not played "this" Tetris.

Expectations:
I mean, it's Tetris. I expect falling blocks, catchy music and generally a good time.

Disclaimer:
So, I love the history of the Tengen version of this game. Short version is that this was the technically superior version of Tetris on the NES, but due to licensing snafus it only lasted on store shelves for about a month before being recalled and destroyed. As a result, this is a bit of a collectors item. Now I thought long and hard about going out and spending $70 on a copy of Tetris, but ultimately I couldn't do it, not for Tetris. In the end, I decided to break my rule just htis once, and emulate.

Day 1:

Upon starting the game I'm instantly saddened by the lack of the classic Tetris track! The music is fine but it's not what I was looking forward to. That said, the gameplay is totally solid. I started off in standard mode.

snap0002 copysnap0004 copy

The game actually plays incredibly well! Having played the official version of Tetris for the NES I think I can safely say that I like this version more. The controls just feel better, …

Read More

History:
I've played Tetris. I've not played "this" Tetris.

Expectations:
I mean, it's Tetris. I expect falling blocks, catchy music and generally a good time.

Disclaimer:
So, I love the history of the Tengen version of this game. Short version is that this was the technically superior version of Tetris on the NES, but due to licensing snafus it only lasted on store shelves for about a month before being recalled and destroyed. As a result, this is a bit of a collectors item. Now I thought long and hard about going out and spending $70 on a copy of Tetris, but ultimately I couldn't do it, not for Tetris. In the end, I decided to break my rule just htis once, and emulate.

Day 1:

Upon starting the game I'm instantly saddened by the lack of the classic Tetris track! The music is fine but it's not what I was looking forward to. That said, the gameplay is totally solid. I started off in standard mode.

snap0002 copysnap0004 copy

The game actually plays incredibly well! Having played the official version of Tetris for the NES I think I can safely say that I like this version more. The controls just feel better, the game looks a little better, and it just seems like this version had more polish applied to it. Above you can see my first tetris! I learned from this year's AGDQ that a tetris is when you clear four rows in one move. I had no idea that was a thing!

Eventually I cleared the first stage, and little people came out and danced for me...

snap0007 copy

Sadly my victory would be short lived...

snap0008 copy

Finally I went ahead and tried playing versus against the computer. I can't say it added much to the game, and I can't really say it would have been that much more fun against a human opponent, but just having the option is nice.

snap0009

I should take this opportunity to mention I actually suck at Tetris.

On Emulators:

I have absolutely zero issues with emulators, none whatsoever. I have built more than a couple emulator machines over time, and they definitely have their uses. I'm particularly pleased with the quality of the screenshots I can provide for my posts. Those things look amazing compared to me snapping pictures of the TV with my phone!

That said...

Going from playing the last several NES games on an actual NES with an actual NES controller, to sitting at my desk and using a Logitech gamepad at a computer screen, there's just no comparison. Still, getting a proper screen capture device for better screenshots and even annotated videos is sure looking might appealing right about now...

Conclusion:

Fun game! That's to be expected, Tetris is a fun little distraction of a game. I'll not be devoting any time to mastering it of course, but it's still a fun game to pick up from time to time. This version in particular has a much nicer visual appeal than the official counterpart, and some very nice game options. Still, I do miss the classic soundtrack...

Liked:

- The game looked really nice
- No play issues at all. It handles like Tetris should handle.
- Great additional modes, especially multiplayer

Disliked:

- While nothing's particularly wrong with the music, I really missed the original.
- Man... I suck at Tetris!

Personal Score:

Fun : 15 Relevance : 17 Replayability : 15 Survivability : 15 Total : 62
Read Less
FredLobster
FredLobster gave Jan 29, 2013
FredLobster gave Jan 29, 2013
FredLobster's review of Tetris

The granddaddy of addictive puzzlers, Tetris is now the sort of game you can pick up for a day, enjoy, and then happily set aside for years. Back in its day, however, people were nutso for it.

thebigmack
thebigmack updated their status Jan 3, 2024
thebigmack updated their status Jan 3, 2024

Watch Classic Tetris on the NES be beaten [kill screen] for the first time ever by a 13 year old kid.

His father passed away a few weeks prior. Hearbreaking.

The kids are alright.

Reset_Tears
Reset_Tears updated their status Feb 17, 2023
Reset_Tears updated their status Feb 17, 2023

Unironically stoked for this. I've long felt that the story behind Tetris would make a great movie, so it's nice to finally see it happening.

I think someone brought up the topic of "the perfect game" here recently? Tetris is what comes to mind for me first. Easy to play, easy to get addicted to. Just as welcoming for a casual five minutes, as it is for a competitive five hours. The perfect number of block types, and the perfect shapes for each of those block types. Oh, and the perfect background music, for a cherry on top. There have been many iterations to the formula over the years, but you know what? The Game Boy version still rules in its own right. Some things really do stand the test of time.

scoopings
scoopings updated their status Nov 7, 2022
scoopings updated their status Nov 7, 2022

Allegedly the original Tetris program ha. Looks to be straight up ASCII "graphics"? And apparently already had the immediate-drop feature.

SIGINT
SIGINT updated their status Jan 21, 2022
SIGINT updated their status Jan 21, 2022

There’s a surprisingly vibrant community of young people playing old-school Tetris these days on Twitch/YouTube and in regular high-score-based tournaments. The best among them have cracked the code for playing at the highest speeds, up to the insane level 40 and beyond, with a very odd-looking technique using both hands to mash the D-pad as fast as possible, but with exact precision. (edit: to explain "rolling", they're using the off-hand to push the controller rapidly into their thumb - pretty wild). They’re consistently getting scores waaay past the game’s intended 999,999 maximum. Not only is the physical skill really impressive, but the reaction time and quick thinking needed to do this effectively is just mind-boggling.

This is the current back-to-back champion of the biggest annual NES Tetris tournament. Those matches are super fun to watch, by the way—look up CTWC 2021 Finals if interested. Always pretty cool to see a new generation keeping an old game alive and appreciating its limitations even with much more “enhanced” Tetris games out there. I’ll stick to the easier new ones though…

internpepper
internpepper updated their status Aug 16, 2021
internpepper updated their status Aug 16, 2021

I mean, it's Tetris. It's my favorite puzzle game of all time and it's the most accessible, pick-up-and-play type of game out there. I played the NES and Game Boy versions the most growing up.

SIGINT
SIGINT updated their status Jan 7, 2021
SIGINT updated their status Jan 7, 2021

Been trying to improve my Tetris game all week to compete in Tetris 99. Got the great tip to practice the 40-line sprint mode available in many Tetris games to work on the fundamentals—I’ve lowered my best time from around 3:30 to 1:53 so far this week and it makes a huge difference. Getting consistent Top 10-20 finishes and many heart-pounding Top 2-5s, but unfortunately... no #1 yet...

Anyway, my YouTube feed is filled with Tetris videos now, and I ended up on this:

I watched the world championships from 2018, 19, and 20 and what a story, watching NES Tetris evolve as an eSport in front of my eyes and seeing some absolutely amazing gameplay. The 2019 one was particularly great, with a really fun lighthearted vibe that reflects extremely well on the community. Very much worth a watch!

killerstar
killerstar updated their status Feb 26, 2020
killerstar updated their status Feb 26, 2020

I've just realised that Tetris is a game with with randomised levels with no real progression aside from the player's ability and understanding of the game.... Tetris is a rogue-like!

akzak22
akzak22 updated their status Jan 20, 2018
akzak22 updated their status Jan 20, 2018

akzak22
akzak22 updated their status Oct 22, 2017
akzak22 updated their status Oct 22, 2017

2017 Classic Tetris World Championship!

https://www.twitch.tv/classictetris

perthguv
perthguv updated their status Aug 9, 2017
perthguv updated their status Aug 9, 2017

I had a look at this on the weekend. Not worth playing now. Graphics on this one are terrible and there is no music. There are much better versions since this one was released.

8BitHero
8BitHero updated their status Oct 22, 2016
8BitHero updated their status Oct 22, 2016

Saturday morning gaming with my wife. Coffee and video games, doesn't get any better!

Pale
Pale updated their status Apr 17, 2013
Pale updated their status Apr 17, 2013

Broke 100 lines in the Game Boy version so I guess I'm counting Tetris as finished. =P I do think the Game Boy version is the best version of all time.