Same old formula, same old goodness!
Same old formula, same old goodness!
Well I’ve been having hands on time with Tetris DS for about 2 months now. I believe I have had enough play time to properly review this title. Does it live up the legend of old? Or is this some sort of scheme to milk a franchise? Find out in the review.
Graphics:
It is kind of hard to improve the graphics of the falling blocks in Tetris. There is just very little improvement to be made graphic wise as far as any puzzle game is concerned. However, Nintendo does go the extra mile and add a touch of nostalgia to its Tetris franchise. Each of the 7 modes found in Tetris DS are sprinkled with some old school classic graphics of Nintendo’s most popular and defining titles on the NES. Everything from Balloon Kid and Metroid to Mario and Zelda can be found throughout the different modes of play. Even though the graphics couldn’t have evolved that much from previous Tetris titles, it is nice to know that Nintendo went to extra lengths to give their fans a dose of eye candy.
Gameplay:
Nintendo really stuck to Tetris’s traditional roots when they designed the gameplay for Tetris DS. Everything is pretty much standard Tetris. There are no new blocks or catchy gimmicks introduced in this title. However, you do have the added ability to hold a certain block to achieve different strategies. I found this enhancement to give added depth and more strategic gameplay. There are a total of 7 modes to keep your minds boggled and your fingers pumping. The different modes are Standard, Catch, Push, Mission, Puzzle, Touch, and WiFi mode. All the different modes offer a variety of gameplay. The only mode I don’t really like that much is Touch mode. It feels very gimmicky and unbalanced to me. Instead of changing up the rock solid Tetris formula, Nintendo just enhanced it. This is the best route I think Nintendo could have taken for a game that will primarily be played via WiFi.
WiFi:
WiFi mode is definitely worth looking into if you’re going to pick up this title. For the most part it is pretty basic. You choose from the 3 different game modes: 1 vs. 1 Standard, 1 vs. 1 Push, or 4 players versus with items. Personally my favorite is the 1 vs. 1 Standard. I did enjoy the other two online modes, just not as much as the traditional standard mode. 4 players versus with items can get pretty crazy at times and you may feel like you don’t have much control over the events that take place from the hoards of items being used. There is a system that keeps track of your wins and you can track how you fair up against the rest of the world on Nintendo’s WiFi Homepage. The only beef I had about online play was that there was absolutely no means of communication between players. At times it felt like I was just playing a more advanced AI with a screen name. For all I could tell Nintendo could be running bots from their headquarters and we would never know the difference. I haven’t quite figured out why Nintendo has not allowed any communication between players other than for the protection of younger audiences. The DS with its touch screen and stylus is perfect for writing quick messages to a player. I still don’t understand why they haven’t implemented this feature into a WiFi based game. While I would much rather play in complete silence than hear the obscenities screamed every five seconds on services such as X-box live. I still wish they created some form of communication like Metroid Prime Hunters and the rival system. All in all, WiFi is great and can lead to countless hours of competitive play. It is very easy to get into a game, play, and then leave WiFi if you’re on the go.
Sound:
Just as Nintendo has brought back the nostalgic graphics from their signature titles on the NES, they have also added the theme songs of these titles which play in the different modes of choice. The sounds are the bloops and bleeps we all know and love from the NES era. I have to say that the music played during gameplay certainly hits my nostalgic sweet spot. However, my only complaint is that I wish the songs did not repeat themselves as much as they do. When you play WiFi relentlessly, sooner or later you will begin to absolutely detest the Super Mario Bros. Theme song. The old school tunes are great, but being forced to hear the same song looped over and over again can be some what of a nuisance after awhile.
In closing, Tetris DS is a great title to pick up for any puzzle fan. The 7 different modes of play including the limitless WiFi play is a great addition to an already solid game. I highly recommend this game to anyone.
Final Score: 8