A highly addictive puzzle game.
THE GOOD
-Highly addictive gameplay
-Puts your brain to the test
-Very strategic
-Superior controls
THE BAD
-Music is nauseating
OVERVIEW
Tetris is a game that tests your intelligence, dexterity, and most importantly, patience. Ever since it was first created, back in 1985, Tetris has remained one of the supreme puzzle games of all time. Not too much has changed since it was ported over to the NES so you'll still find the same great puzzle fun of the PC version.
GAMEPLAY
The object of the game is to progress through each level trying to gain the most points possible. There are seven unique block types (I,J,L,O,S,T and Z) that fall to the bottom of the game board at differing paces. The speed of the falling blocks is determined by the current level. For instance, the blocks move the slowest on the lower levels. Your goal is to make complete rows of blocks. When this happens the line or lines will disappear and the rest of the blocks will fall into place. The max number of rows you can take out at one time is four which is called a Tetris. So, now you know where the name comes from. You'll get extra bonus points for completing more than one row at a time which is why this game is very strategic. If you're clever enough, you'll want to try and see how many double, triple and tetris rows you can get.
There are two different game variants to play. The first mode is the basic Tetris game like I explained above but you have another option to play the same game but with preset blocks scattered randomly from the start of play. Your goal here is the complete a certain amount of lines but you'll have to think a little quicker because blocks are already pre-stacked. I love the fact that Tetris makes you think quickly and this is probably one of its key factors to being such an addictive game. It may seem simple, from the outside, but once you sit down and play a few levels you'll realize its uncanny ability to suck you in. Everyone likes to be smart and when you complete levels, in Tetris, you'll feel an extreme sense of gratification.
The controls for Tetris work really well. As the blocks move downward you have the option to rotate and move them left and right. If you don't feel like waiting for the blocks to slowly find their resting place, you can speed up this process by pressing the A button. This will drop the block instantly. Because the controls are smooth it can be fun to watch an experienced player stack up Tetris after Tetris with ease.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
Graphically, Tetris is very basic. The background shows the same Persian (or maybe Russian) building and the game board never changes. The blocks have the same colors which actually works out in your favor because you can easily depict what type of block you have just by looking at the color. This is especially helpful in quickly deciphering between S and Z blocks.
There are three different tunes to choose from the main menu and they all end up being very mind-numbing. Each tune repeats itself rather quickly and goes on forever. Ugh… The sound effects actually seem to be just what you would expect for a puzzle game of this caliber.
CONCLUSION
Tetris is an amazing game that really puts your brain to the test unlike most other video games. Its addictive gameplay will draw you in for hours every time you play. If you are interested in puzzle games then this is a game that you'll most definitely want to pick up. Others new to the puzzle genre might shy away but I encourage you to try it out just once. I guarantee this game can make anyone a fan of puzzle games.