Tetris (Game Boy video game)

Tetris
Developer(s)	Bullet Proof Software
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Game Boy
Release	JP: June 14, 1989 NA: August 1989 PAL: September 28, 1990
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Template:Current-GCOTW Tetris was a pack-in title included with the Nintendo Game Boy at the handheld's release in 1989. It is a portable version of Alexey Pajitnov's Tetris. It was the first game compatible with the Game Boy Game Link Cable, a pack-in accessory that allowed two Game Boys to link together for multiplayer purposes.

A colorized remake of the game was released on the Game Boy Color entitled Tetris DX. Tetris DX was not a perfect remake, however, as some aspects were changed; most noticeably the music selection, different style of menus, and the addition of an "ultra" game mode.

Gameplay

Screenshot of gameplay in Tetris

In principle, the Game Boy version of Tetris plays identically to versions released on other platforms. The basic premise is that the player must rotate and stack tetrads (blocks of varying shapes, each one made up of four squares) in such a way that the blocks form complete horizontal lines. Once such a line is completed, the blocks vanish, and all blocks above it fall one line. The player accumulates points by placing pieces and successfully clearing lines. A "Tetris" is scored when the player clears four lines simultaneously. The only way to score a Tetris is by stacking the blocks in such a way that all four lines can be cleared using what is sometimes referred to as the "Tetris piece"; the I-shaped tetrad and only shape capable of extending through all four lines. The player can normally see which block will appear next in a window off to the side of the playing field. However, this function can be toggled off by pressing the select button during the game to increase the challenge.

For every ten lines cleared, the player will advance to a new level, where the blocks fall faster, but more points are awarded. The player is allowed to selected the starting level from the range of levels 0-9, and may also increase the starting difficulty by selecting the height of the block stack present at the beginning of the game. The height defaults at 0 (no blocks) to 5 (game begins with playing field stacked high). There are twenty levels in the game, but the game includes a feature capable of increasing stage speeds. (See "Easter Eggs" section below.) The game ends when the stack of blocks extends past the top of the playing field.

Scoring

The points earned for clearing lines depends on the level being played, and number of lines cleared simultaneously. A single line on level 0 is worth 40 points. The value increases by an additional 40 points with each subsequent level, (80 points on level 1, 120 points on level 2, and so on). Similarly, doubles, or pairs of lines cleared simultaneously, are worth 100 points on level 0, and increases by 100 additional points for each subsequent level, and the value for triples begins at 300 points, increasing by that same amount with every new level. Scoring a Tetris by clearing the maximum four simultaneous lines starts at 1200 points at level 0 and increases by that amount with each subsequent level.

The maximum displayable score value is 999,999 points. The score table is cable of displaying the top three high scores, but the game does not feature any form of back-up memory with which to save data. Therefore, the high scores are reset each time the game is powered off.

Multiplayer

In the Game Boy version's multiplayer mode, two players play against each other simultaneously using two Game Boys, each with a copy of the game, and a Game Link Cable. The matches are structured in a best-of-five format, with the first player to win three games claiming the match. The two players are represented by the Nintendo characters Mario and Luigi. When one player wins a round, the victory is marked with a picture of that particular Mario brother.

During actual gameplay, each player can determine how the other is doing by viewing a meter situated next to the playing field. This meter represents the current height of the opponent's block stack. Also, when a player scores either a double, triple, or Tetris, incomplete lines will appear at the bottom of the opponent's playing field. The number of lines that appear is one less than the number of lines the player has cleared. For example, if a player scores a Tetris, three lines will appear at the bottom of the opponent's field. However, these lines are only missing one block each, and are simple to clear assuming the the opponent is capable of reaching them.

Music

The player can select any of three songs to be played during the game, or could select "music off" leaving only the sound effects to be heard.

• A-type: Korobeiniki (v1.1)
• A-type: Troika (v1.0)
• B-type:
• C-type: French Suite No. 3 in B-Minor, BWV 814: Menuet by Johann Sebastian Bach
• Music off

Due to the popularity of Tetris, "Korobeiniki" has appeared in numerous media in popular culture.

Secrets and easter eggs

The Game Boy version of Tetris features a few easter eggs. Some of them are bonuses that the player may see upon achieving certain point totals, while others affect the gameplay.

• Increase level speed by ten

At the main screen where it asks you one player or two, hold the down arrow while pressing start. This will add a heart next to the level number when the game is started, indicating that the game is moving ten levels faster. For example, level 0 becomes the speed of real level 10, level 9 becomes level 19 and so on. With this enabled, it is possible for the game to move at speeds faster than the normal maximum of level 20 since level 20♥ essentially moves at a speed equivalent to the non-existent level 30.

• See a rocket blasting off

Finish game type A with more than 100,000 points.

• See a shuttle blasting off

Finish game type A with more than 200,000 points.

• See Russian dancers (and another shuttle)

Beat level 9 on game type B. This easter egg includes a bit of music from Tchaikovsky's nutcracker suite. The shuttle also appears again if this if the game's starting height is set at five.

• Increase frequency of certain shapes

Essentially, Tetris counts the number of times the player moves a piece from side to side. The more times a piece is moved in such a manner, the game will interpret this to mean that the player is having difficulty thinking of where to place it, and will respond by increasing the frequency with which that particular shape appears. Thus, it is possible exploit this function of the game by rapidly moving a particular piece from side to side before placing it to increase the frequency with which that shape appears in the future.

Tetris DX

The Game Boy Color remake of Tetris included some features not present in the original version. Some of these features include:

• "Ultra": Mode challenging the player to accumulate a high number of points within two minutes.
• "40 Lines": Mode challenging the player to complete 40 lines in a minimal amount of time.

Since the completed lines in Tetris DX take over a full second to flash and then disappear before play is allowed to resume, both Ultra and 40 Lines strongly favor players who can eliminate four lines at a time, rather than single or double lines.

Trivia

• Although very few are aware, more than one version of Game Boy Tetris was released. Often referred to as the ‘Troika’ release, version 1.0 sports different A-type music, although no official name of the song has been determined due to little knowledge of it outside Japan.