Tetris DX

"Tetris finally with a battery save, but kinda poor musical score."

Opener:

Keeping tradition true and standing the test of time the game of Tetris was the pilot pack in release with the original Gameboy. Tetris DX like the one which started it all, though not a pack in was a release title for Gameboy Color. Did this game hold true to Tetris? Was it a simple rehash with little new to warrant a purchase? Can a decade old game with some things added, not to mention color, survive among the rest. The answer is yes, so read on and see why.

Graphics
The graphics to this game from start to finish are very well done. The game has many strange graphics and surprises for those who wait. If you sit at the title screen long enough and through a demo you will be able to watch a small aquarium for a little bit. This among the different surprises after you gain certain heights in the game are awaiting you. Now, you must be wondering how much has the in game graphics changed, honestly not too much, but it is very appealing. Each of the blocks have their own corresponding color to make an ID of them easier. In the background on Gameboy Color a pseudo transparency effect moves around with two layers of blocks that scroll by(it's also present at the title). Added color perks are rewarded when you make the big four line Tetris because the background and the moving squares go through a beautiful palette of colors. Simply the graphics in this game are something that you just can't go wrong on.

Rating: 4.0

Sound
The sound to this game I find accompanied the rest of the game very well over all. There as always are the three in game musical choices or silence, as well as music on the title, menus, and in other places you earn. While the game does have three choices for the background during the game, sadly they are not the originals loved by many on the Gameboy and NES. The music that is included is not all that bad, but I just don't care for it as I dearly loved the old Music-A and Music-C choices on the original on Gameboy and NES. Now, the sound effects in this game are quite nice, and when you get the four line Tetris you get a much better effect than that harsh squelch from the original.

Rating: 4.0

Theme & Fun
This game is pretty much like drugs to an addict. No matter if you are young or old this game appeals to a wide variety to people. The simplicity of its design I believe is the key reason. The idea of the game if you don't know is to form solid lines horizontally and break them away with seven different sized tetronimos(yes they are called that). Your score is rated in two ways, by lines, and points. Scores are calculated by the height you drop a piece, placement, and then breaking away between one to four lines at once. The premise of the game is simple, but mastering is not and never will be. Tetris is an endless game that keeps picking up the pace.

Rating: 5.0

Play Control
The play control on this game is the same as all Tetris incarnates of the its past. The control is like a dream, very smooth and responsive. Basically you use the B and A buttons to rotate the tetronimo left or right 90 degrees. And then you use the control pad to move it side to side, or drop it down to get the points for that. As the speed of the game picks up though you may get the illusion that the controls are becoming less forgiving, but they are not. The speed is just overwhelming you as you'll have to make quicker decisions. I wish all games were as easy to manipulate as Tetris.

Rating: 5.0

Challenge
The challenge of this game is simple great and is spread wide across four different modes of play. These modes are:

* Marathon: Endless mode Tetris.
* Ultra: You get three minutes to get a high score.
* 40-Lines: Clear 40 lines as quick as possible with the most points.
* VS. COM: Play against the computer as if you were playing a friend.

The challenge of each of these games can be cranked up in various ways such as setting a quick starting speed from Lv0 through 9 from the get go. You will find yourself playing these modes, especially Marathon over and over again trying to best your high scores(which are battery backed up) for years to come.

Rating: 5.0

Replay Value and Closing Notes:
As I eluded to above, this game has the ultimate level of replay value ever in a Gameboy game. You will find yourself trying over immediately or ten years down the road trying to best your highest scores. With its four modes of play you will have four reasons to slip into the addiction mentioned above.

In closing, I find that I too am a victim of Tetris addiction. It came with my original Gameboy when it came out over a decade ago, and I still find that I carry the game everytime I carry my Gameboy with me. Over the years I have tried to best my scores, and as you can see from below I am quite good at the game. My best score overall though so far on Tetris DX is 216,942. I got my third best score of all time as I got caught up playing the game getting the screen shots for this review.

Overall Rating: 4.6 / 5.0

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/23/04