Tetris Worlds

"Overall, a good, addicting game, with improvements over the original Tetris."

Gameplay 8

For anybody that has played any version of Tetris, which should be nearly every person on the planet, you will recognize the features of the basic Tetris right away. Fill up a whole line with blocks, and it will disappear. Get multiple lines, and get a bigger bonus. Overall, a very simple, yet addicting, concept. One they they didn't mess up in this version.

The only significant change here is going from getting 10 lines to clear a level to 5 times the level number. Another minor problem was the removal of the high score. I would think that with everybody playing for a high score, they would have made the ability to save it, instead they removed it entirely.

Another difference is that now you can beat Tetris. For anybody to finish level 15, where the blocks fall in an instant, the are rewarded with a game over screen, where you are told what level a Tetris master you are, if any.

For those that must have the original version, have no fear, as it was included. Highlight marathon on the main menu, then hold L1 and press SELECT. You have now unlocked the only hidden feature of Tetris, the ''Popular'' version.

Story 3

This is Tetris. Can you really expect a story in it. However, there is a story, albate simple, in this version of Tetris. For some reason, though, the designers choose to omit it from the GBA version, and only put it in the standard, consol versions.

Basically, your job is to beat each of the levels in each version of Tetris. Every level you beat will partially terraform a planet. The Minos civilization needs those planets to evacuate from there home planet. Because the story was removed, however, the only thing you see is the background change to show the planet evolving.

Audio 7

Not much to the sound effects. They do have sounds when a piece is hard dropped, or when it lands. This is just very simple and not worth much.

The music, I feel, is appropriate to the game. It helps to complement the simple nature of dropping deleting lines that all Tetris games have.

Visual 9

The pieces, though simple, and very bright, and colorful. Whenever you clear a line, the pieces break into individual blocks, which fly off of the screen.

The real graphs are in the background. There are animals and objects that change and appear as you complete more and more levels. The background is vibrant and colorful. It has some of the better graphics on a GBA game. The console versions of the game have even better graphics, although that isn't discussed here.

Replayability 10

This is Tetris, with its endless beat your old high score. If you can beat the classic version of Tetris, then there are 5 other modes that you can try. All of them have their own theme and twist to make it interesting and challenging. From plowing through lines to the bottom with pieces that stick together to pieces that break and form combo line clears to making giant squares that add tremendously to your score, there is an almost limitless replayability in this game.

Buy or Rent

Definetly buy. With all of the different types of Tetris, and the eternal goal of beating your, and your friend's high score, this game will take up hours of your time. There is no way it can be fully enjoyed in the time you have to rent.

Conclusion/Review's Tilt 9

Overall, this is a good, slightly improved Tetris game. Although it is bad that the highscore was removed, the added features more then make up for this. For anybody that likes Tetris, this game is a must buy. If you don't like Tetris, though, then it is simply another Tetris clone, and won't be appreciated enough to buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/16/03, Updated 07/14/03