Tetris DS for the Nintendo DS
By: Bernie Yee
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Gameplay
3. Graphics
4. Sound
5. Replay
6. Conclusion
Introduction
The original Tetris concept, which was made in 1985 by the famous Alexey Pajitnov, was never too popular when it was created. Fast-forward 4 years to 1989, add the Nintendo Game Boy and Tetris together, and what does that equal to? Well, simple, it equals an outstanding puzzle game gaining popularity and eventually reaching video game stardom. The game sits second on the list of the most sold video games, with the god-like Super Mario Bros. first on the list. But enough history, lets move on to the actual review of the latest installment of the Tetris series, made exclusively for the Nintendo DS.
Gameplay - 9
Tetris DS is pretty much the same old classic, but with a Nintendo themed background and with new and fun modes to boot.
There are 6 new modes and I’ll explain them as we go on, starting with the mode we all know and love, standard.
Standard Mode ( Mario and others themed )
Standard mode plays just like the original Tetris, where you switch and place 7 different shaped tetriminoes ( the puzzle pieces ) and create lines which then disappear to create points. Bigger lines equal more points of course! You can also hold and switch out tetriminoes by pressing the L/R buttons. ( great feature for holding those I shaped pieces to dish out lots of points! )
Within the actual standard mode, there are 3 actual modes, one player marathon, multiplayer with two players ( DS download play if you want to share one gamecard ) and versus computer.
The marathon mode ends at level 20 ( once you clear 200 lines ) and there’s a bit of a surprise once you reach level 20 for all you retro gamers. Once you beat the level 20, you have completed marathon mode, but don’t worry, there’s an endless mode where you can continue! During marathon mode, the bottom screen is the actual game area whereas the top screen is like a backdrop that keeps on continuing every time you clear lines. All the backdrops have Mario and other NES game soundtracks in them and are themed accordingly.
If you decide to play against the computer, there are 5 different levels from 0 to 5. The levels here are pretty self-explanatory and the computer can beat you in like 10 seconds at level 5, I’m serious!
Mission Mode ( Zelda themed )
Mission mode is well, a mode where you complete mission. The top screen shows your objective, which you complete on the bottom screen ( the playing area. ) There is timing in mission mode for you to complete your objective and they are in the form of red hearts. When all your red hearts disappear, it’s game over, and if you complete your objectives, 4 lines are automatically cleared and your hearts replenished.
Push Mode ( Donkey Kong themed )
In Push mode, you try to take over the whole playing area causing your opponent to lose. Push mode starts with one 1x1 block on each playing field. You then start to create a base of tetriminoes and clear lines. When you clear 2 or more lines, your opponent’s playing field shrinks and once it passes your opponent’s danger line, you win.
Touch Mode ( Balloon Fight themed )
Touch mode was one mode I extremely had fun with and I’ll tell you why. In touch mode, it’s basically the same concept, except you touch! You use your stylus to rotate the tetriminoes and clear lines. There is no time limit and tetriminoes don’t fall on the top like in standard mode. In touch mode, it’s also the only mode that uses physics and gravity for chain reactions. Within touch mode, there is also a puzzle mode where you finish objectives.
Catch Mode ( Metroid themed )
In catch mode, the player controls one main block which can be rotated and moved. Your job is to create a block of 4x4 and detonate them for points. Once again, bigger blocks result in more points! You must also protect yourself from losing health. Health is lost when a tetrimino hits the bottom of the screen or you hit an enemy. If you run out of health or your main block is longer than the screen, its game over!
Puzzle Mode ( Yoshi’s Cookie themed )
Your job in puzzle mode is to clear all the tetriminoes from the playing area with the available tetriminoes on the bottom screen. What you do is select the tetrimino and the rotation and try to clear all the lines on the screen. There’s no time limit as well in Puzzle mode.
Multiplayer
Great thing about Tetris DS is the ability of DS Download play and the feature of playing over Nintendo WiFi against other people. Standard mode ( 2 people without items, 4 people with items ) and push ( 2 people ) are playable modes over WiFi, meanwhile standard ( up to a whooping 10 players on one cart! ), push ( 2 players ), and mode are playable over DS Download.
Graphics - 9
The graphics in Tetris DS are as every bit wonderful as the game itself, especially if you are playing on the DS Lite. They’re smooth, colorful, vivid, just plain awesome. With the backdrops during standard mode, it’s no wonder this game is extraordinary!
Sound – 10
One of the best features of this game is the soundtrack alone! It has songs and remixes from many older Nintendo games that can be accessed from the menu. Even sound effects are loud and wonderful! The music fits the gameplay perfectly and because of all that, Tetris DS aced this section!
Replay – 10
There is absolutely no way anyone can get bored with Tetris. The single player modes alone can entertain you for dozens of years and the game’s lifespan itself living proof. If you ever get bored of Mario Kart, there’s always Tetris right there by your shoulder begging for you to play it, either alone or on Nintendo WiFi Connection against other people.
Conclusion
Tetris has proven itself over and over again to be a simple and addictive game starting from as 2 decades ago and I highly doubt it’s going to stop anytime soon. If you want to be apart of puzzle history and have a lot of fun at the same time, than this game definitely has your name written all over it!
SCORE = 9.5/10
By: Bernie Yee
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Gameplay
3. Graphics
4. Sound
5. Replay
6. Conclusion
Introduction
The original Tetris concept, which was made in 1985 by the famous Alexey Pajitnov, was never too popular when it was created. Fast-forward 4 years to 1989, add the Nintendo Game Boy and Tetris together, and what does that equal to? Well, simple, it equals an outstanding puzzle game gaining popularity and eventually reaching video game stardom. The game sits second on the list of the most sold video games, with the god-like Super Mario Bros. first on the list. But enough history, lets move on to the actual review of the latest installment of the Tetris series, made exclusively for the Nintendo DS.
Gameplay - 9
Tetris DS is pretty much the same old classic, but with a Nintendo themed background and with new and fun modes to boot.
There are 6 new modes and I’ll explain them as we go on, starting with the mode we all know and love, standard.
Standard Mode ( Mario and others themed )
Standard mode plays just like the original Tetris, where you switch and place 7 different shaped tetriminoes ( the puzzle pieces ) and create lines which then disappear to create points. Bigger lines equal more points of course! You can also hold and switch out tetriminoes by pressing the L/R buttons. ( great feature for holding those I shaped pieces to dish out lots of points! )
Within the actual standard mode, there are 3 actual modes, one player marathon, multiplayer with two players ( DS download play if you want to share one gamecard ) and versus computer.
The marathon mode ends at level 20 ( once you clear 200 lines ) and there’s a bit of a surprise once you reach level 20 for all you retro gamers. Once you beat the level 20, you have completed marathon mode, but don’t worry, there’s an endless mode where you can continue! During marathon mode, the bottom screen is the actual game area whereas the top screen is like a backdrop that keeps on continuing every time you clear lines. All the backdrops have Mario and other NES game soundtracks in them and are themed accordingly.
If you decide to play against the computer, there are 5 different levels from 0 to 5. The levels here are pretty self-explanatory and the computer can beat you in like 10 seconds at level 5, I’m serious!
Mission Mode ( Zelda themed )
Mission mode is well, a mode where you complete mission. The top screen shows your objective, which you complete on the bottom screen ( the playing area. ) There is timing in mission mode for you to complete your objective and they are in the form of red hearts. When all your red hearts disappear, it’s game over, and if you complete your objectives, 4 lines are automatically cleared and your hearts replenished.
Push Mode ( Donkey Kong themed )
In Push mode, you try to take over the whole playing area causing your opponent to lose. Push mode starts with one 1x1 block on each playing field. You then start to create a base of tetriminoes and clear lines. When you clear 2 or more lines, your opponent’s playing field shrinks and once it passes your opponent’s danger line, you win.
Touch Mode ( Balloon Fight themed )
Touch mode was one mode I extremely had fun with and I’ll tell you why. In touch mode, it’s basically the same concept, except you touch! You use your stylus to rotate the tetriminoes and clear lines. There is no time limit and tetriminoes don’t fall on the top like in standard mode. In touch mode, it’s also the only mode that uses physics and gravity for chain reactions. Within touch mode, there is also a puzzle mode where you finish objectives.
Catch Mode ( Metroid themed )
In catch mode, the player controls one main block which can be rotated and moved. Your job is to create a block of 4x4 and detonate them for points. Once again, bigger blocks result in more points! You must also protect yourself from losing health. Health is lost when a tetrimino hits the bottom of the screen or you hit an enemy. If you run out of health or your main block is longer than the screen, its game over!
Puzzle Mode ( Yoshi’s Cookie themed )
Your job in puzzle mode is to clear all the tetriminoes from the playing area with the available tetriminoes on the bottom screen. What you do is select the tetrimino and the rotation and try to clear all the lines on the screen. There’s no time limit as well in Puzzle mode.
Multiplayer
Great thing about Tetris DS is the ability of DS Download play and the feature of playing over Nintendo WiFi against other people. Standard mode ( 2 people without items, 4 people with items ) and push ( 2 people ) are playable modes over WiFi, meanwhile standard ( up to a whooping 10 players on one cart! ), push ( 2 players ), and mode are playable over DS Download.
Graphics - 9
The graphics in Tetris DS are as every bit wonderful as the game itself, especially if you are playing on the DS Lite. They’re smooth, colorful, vivid, just plain awesome. With the backdrops during standard mode, it’s no wonder this game is extraordinary!
Sound – 10
One of the best features of this game is the soundtrack alone! It has songs and remixes from many older Nintendo games that can be accessed from the menu. Even sound effects are loud and wonderful! The music fits the gameplay perfectly and because of all that, Tetris DS aced this section!
Replay – 10
There is absolutely no way anyone can get bored with Tetris. The single player modes alone can entertain you for dozens of years and the game’s lifespan itself living proof. If you ever get bored of Mario Kart, there’s always Tetris right there by your shoulder begging for you to play it, either alone or on Nintendo WiFi Connection against other people.
Conclusion
Tetris has proven itself over and over again to be a simple and addictive game starting from as 2 decades ago and I highly doubt it’s going to stop anytime soon. If you want to be apart of puzzle history and have a lot of fun at the same time, than this game definitely has your name written all over it!
SCORE = 9.5/10
