Format: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: Tetris Online Inc.
Release Date: Out Now
There was a time when Tetris was synonymous with hand-held gaming. Every GameBoy was packaged with the puzzle game, and even the most resistant of non-gamers could find themselves glued to the screen trying to create lines. The iconic theme tune was turned into a Top 40 single, and it has spawned many sequels and spin-offs over the years – including this one.
Of course, with the likes of PopCap now leading the way with casual puzzlers, Tetris has taken something of a back seat over the years. That said, whenever it makes a come-back we’re reminded of just why it stole our hearts all those years ago.
This new edition for 3DS does exactly what you would expect of it, mixing the classic marathon mode with a series of new takes on the games, some of which make use of the unique features of its parent console. In addition to this, you can take your block-clearing skills online to challenge other Tetris players around the world.
They say you should never tamper with a classic, though naturally many rarely listen to that (George Lucas, for example). Hudson’s experiments with the Tetris system as, as you might expect, hit and miss, with some modes managing to keep you busy for long periods of time with others ending in mere seconds and unlikely to be revisited.
Fever seems to take inspiration from the likes of Bejewelled Blitz, offering a smaller point and time / objective based game-play for quick bursts, while the wide of variety of “Party” modes include creating jigsaw puzzles or forming pictures with the falling blocks. Another mode that moves away from the standard line forming play is the Tower Climb mode, which has you placing blocks to allow a stick figure to climb upwards towards health icons. Fail to make it before his ever-depleting health level empties and it’ll be game over.
Other new modes see you racing blocks down increasingly narrow courses, capturing stars by covering them with matching coloured blocks, and even having to fit blocks into the gaps of advancing squares, Hole in the Wall-style. It’s this latter mode that makes some of the best use of the 3D capabilities in the game, with most of the other modes only utilizing it by putting the level backdrops in the distance.
Something that does get put into practice, after generally being ignored by many developers, is the Augmented Reality functions of the 3DS. Utilising the AR card bundled with the console itself (you know, the one you used on the first day and then put back in the box), you can play Marathon and Tower Climb modes using your coffee table as the backdrop. Unfortunately, the small board size makes marathon a short and forgettable affair, while Tower Climb requires you to be able to move around the table, which can lead to losing the card on multiple occasions. It’s nice that someone has actually gone to the trouble of using these functions, but it’s unlikely you’ll be busting them out on a regular basis. The very nature of Tetris is that it’s a game you can play on the move, whereas these modes really necessitate a home setting.
There are questionable elements about this new version of Tetris, including the baffling decision not to make use of the circle pad for control, and just who thought the utterly impossible Master Mode (standard play at the fastest speed setting) would actually be any fun? Despite this though, there’s still the potential for hours and hours of casual fun play on offer here. For those who already have the original DS release of the game, with it’s Mario themed mini-games and extras, there’s perhaps not much scope for a double-dip, but if you’re looking for a spot of casual puzzle action that’s going to while away the time on a trip, vacation or coffee break, then you could do a lot worse than checking out this classic.
