So you’re sitting in the office or at school, you’ve finished everything you needed to do, and now you’re just staring at the computer screen, willing time to pass faster. We’ve all faced this situation at least once, and while you could find something productive to do with your spare time, s??ometimes you just want to kick back and relax.

Of course, you can’t just boot up a full game in the middle of class or work, but there ?are websites out there that host games to ??play. These sites are hopefully not blocked by the system (hopefully, I can’t make any promises here), and can be played wherever you happen to be. 

I’m not suggesting that you start gaming while you should be doing ?something else. You’re p??robably better off finding something useful to do, but here are some options if you’re absolutely against that idea and want to game.

I’m going to start this list with the games that you could argue are va??guely educational. While they’re definitely not the intended purpose for the computer in front of you, they are at least preventing your brain from rotting with boredom while you wait?? for your escape from wherever you find yourself.

I’ve also tried to focus on games that either pause automatically when you minimize the window or don’t need to??o much?? non-stop attention. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule on this list, but they’re all fun nonetheless. 

Wordle

Wordle definitely fits the bill. This simple game will get you thinking, and maybe even expand your vocabulary. All you need to do to win is guess a five-letter word, but you only have limited guesses and it could be absolutely anything. Using the on-screen keyboard, you can input a word and if letters turn yellow, it means they’re right but in the wrong place. Green letters are right and in the right place. Have fun!

2048

In 2048, you need to use the arrow keys to move numbered tiles in different directions, sending them banging int?o one another. If two of the same number connect, they’ll merge to create a number that’s double the original numbers. It sounds relatively simple, but it can get a little confusing and more?? than a little infuriating when you reach those really high numbers, like 2,048 and beyond. 

Google Feud

Moving further away from “educational�?games, let’s progress into something a little more fun �?Google Feud. It’s like Family Feud, except ?you’re playing by yourself and you have no one to blame but yourself if you make a stupid suggestion for a topic. Google Feud did the rounds with YouTube gamers a few years ago, but it’s something that I still enjoy going back to occasionally if I feel the need to test my knowledge. 

Tetris 

Even further from the realm of “educational�? although I grant that you could probably argue that Tetris does at least involve learning forward thinking and spatial awareness. Tetris doesn’t need any explanation, at this point. Use the left and right arrows to move the shape above where you want it to go, the down arrow to speed the shape’s descent, and the up? arrow to rotate it into a preferable orientation. 

Geometry Dash

The connection to education is loose here at best, but now we’re getting into the more fun games on the list. Geometry Dash is a relatively simple (at first) rhythm game where you press a key to jump over obstacles and across gaps. While it starts out pretty easy, things get compli??cated very quickly and you’ll need to keep your wits about you as much as you? can to avoid dying. I’d recommend either headphones or a muted tab for this one if you want to keep your gaming a secret, as the background music is pretty obnoxious. 

Flappy Bird

We’ve given up on the pretense of education entirely at this point, because there’s no way you could argue that Flappy Bird is any way helpful, but it is weirdly addictive and far too much fun for what it actually is. You’re a bird who ?has to fly through gaps in pipes, and you only remain in the air by frantically clicking the left mouse button. That’s it, and it doesn’t sound riveting, but it really is. Again, headphones or a muted tab are advised. 

Paper.io

As with most .io games, Paper.io will pit you against others who ar??e playing the same version. All you have to do to win is take over the largest area of the arena by drawing the outline and making sections your color. It sounds simple, but depending on how many people are playing at any time, you’ll be fighting for your life and growing increasingly determined to do better. 

Bitlife

While it’s not possible to whip your phone out at a moment's notice and start playing Bitlife, you can play it unblocked online. It’s the same as the mobile version, with all t?he same features. Start a new life and try to make it a good one, or not, if that’s what floats your boat. Pick a job, find love, give yourself plastic surgery, or become a criminal. The possibilities of this virtual life are endle?ss. 

Cut the Rope

The only thing you're aiming for while playing Cut the Rope is to get the candy into the mouth of the overly adorable frog at the bottom of the screen. It sounds remarkably simple, but you’ll encounter obstacles along the way that will have you scratching your head, trying to figure out the order which you need to cut the ropes in. I guess you could argue that this teaches forward-thinking, but that's a stretch a?t best. As with previous games, make sure to have the volum??e down if you’re trying to game in secret.

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Five Nights at Freddy’s was first released over a decade ago now, and despite the fact that there have been multiple sequels to the original phenomenon, the original still feels the best, and it’s the easiest to play if you need to be secretive. Of course, you will ?need to reign in your shock w??hen anything happens, unless you can come up with some excuse for screaming seemingly at random, but FNAF is definitely a fun and nostalgic option. 

Meat Boy

It makes me feel incredibly old to announce that I played Meat Boy on Newgrounds back in 200?8, but that’s the situation I currently find myself in, so I’m passing on the knowledge of its existence to you, because I’m nothing if not generous. Meat Boy is a gruesome platformer in which you leave a trail of sticky blood behind you. The stickiness helps you to wall jump, and your aim is to reunite with your friend, who looks like Meat Boy with skin. 

Happy Wheels

Happy Wheels is like Meat Boy, but with added ragdoll physics, and hilarious yet disastrous outcomes if you go off the beaten track during one of the many insane platformer levels. There are multiple characters to play as, and landing wrong will result in you leaving their limbs behind. Sometimes being legless is a??ctually beneficial, and speed is absolutely key 90% of the time. I’ll let you figure out the other 10% yourself. 

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Nintendo just announced that two versions of the classic video game Tetris are now available in its Nintendo Sw??itch Online service. However, this trailer is quite different from usual because it actually features the l??egendary creator of the iconic original.

Alexey Pajitnov, the game designer and programmer who created Tetris back in 1984, unexpectedly appeared in this endearing video that Nintendo posted on its official social media accounts. In?? it, he explains that 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of his creation and, to celebrate, two great vers?ions of it are now available on Nintendo's online service.

First, there's the popular NES port, which the company added to its respective NSO catalog. This was one of the most popular versions of the game, even though Pajitnov confirms that it wasn't available on any other system since 1989. Secondly, Nintendo also added Tetris DX to the Game Boy catalog, an enhanced colored port of the original Game Boy version that the Big N released back in 1998 for its successor, the Game Boy Color. The best thing about Tetris DX is that it features online multiplayer, so you c??an play against your fri??ends anywhere.

Tetris has always been important for the Nintendo brand

Pajitnov thanked all fans around the world, claiming that they are all part of his game's legacy "for the past 40 years and into the future" and concluded this brief but incredible announcement by encouraging everyone to keep playing Tetris. This legacy is truly fascinating, seeing as the history of this game is a convoluted mess that involves patents, legal battles and the Soviet Union. Apple Studios even released a biographical film based on thes?e events back in 2023.

After all the problems that Tetris had to go through, it is always nice to see Pajitno?v once again, still happy to promote his revolutionary game an??d encourage more and more people to keep experiencing it. While not a Nintendo exclusive, the gaming giant released multiple exclusive ports on many of its systems, which helped it attract a bigger audience.

As Pajitnov said in the video, NES Tetris and Tetris DX are historical video games, and they were most people's introduction to this classic title. And if that wasn't enough, Nintendo kept making and releasing many high-quality ports throughout the years, like the excellent Tetris DS or the unique Battle Royale, Tetris 99, which to th?is day is still receiving constant?? updates.

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Video games are a pretty darn profitable industry. As it turns out, a lot of people are willing to pay a lot of money to press buttons and receive dopamine in return. But only a select few button-pressing facilitators can claim to have made the most money. And an even more select? few can claim to actually be good.

High sales don't always translate into high quality. That's not a secret �?there's a reason the fine folks at the British Film Institute don't factor box office take into the Sight & Sound poll (I like Avengers: Endgame, but it's not standing side-by-side with 2001: A Space Odyssey). Still, the Top 10 best-selling games in history have turned a lot of copies, and there's? got to be some reason they connect with so many players.

So let's look at that Top 10 list and see which of these games are worth playing, and which are collecting dust on many millions of shelves. Before we get started, I'd like to clarify �?there are a lot of different metrics by which one can measure the "best-selling games of all time," but for the purposes of th?is ranking, we'll be looking at various sources to create the most compr??ehensive list we humanly can.

10. Overwatch

Per Bloomberg, Blizzard Entertainment's hero shooter Overwatch sold somewhere around 50 million units during its time on the market. That means that it has slipped from seventh to tenth on the list given some?? games that have now overtaken it.

If you've never taken a dive into this world, that ship has sailed. You can no longer play Overwatch.

It might be a little higher on this list if it was still playable. Unfortunately, it's been replaced by a free-to-play sequel, Overwatch 2. While the second game isn't dramatically different from the first, most of the changes made to the formula have made the game less entertaining. Pay-to-win battle pass progression, heroes locked behind heavy grinding, a team comp overhaul that feels more like a downgrade, making Overwatch 2, in its current state, less than pleasant.

But the legacy will live on through its younger counterpart, as it looks to remain on this list for a little while longer, even though Human Fall Flat is nipping at its heels. This latter mention is still available for purchase, so it's only a matter of time before the final overtake happens and Overwatch fades from out list forever.

9. Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros somehow feels like the game that started it all. Just about every gamer has fond early memories of this title, and it shows with well over 50 million copies sold, estimated to be around 58 million.

Despite its advancing age, Super Mario Bros still feels all too relevant and still features in pop culture on the regular. However, it has slipped a spot in this list's latest update, falling to Terraria, which is up next.

When a game has been so foundational to a genre, going back to it can feel like visiting a museum �?it's interesting, sure, but there's other, more fun stuff you could do. That's not the case with Super Mario Bros. The game may have laid the groundwork for 2D platformers to come,?? but it also mastered its own mechanics, with level layouts that are still fun and clever nearly 40 years later.

8. Terraria

I used to be a huge Minecraft fan (is that subtle foreshadowing?) �?and Terraria always felt to me like a light version of Minecraft, where I was having plenty of fu??n. Hence, I never really got into it, but I was pretty much alone in that, apparently.

This game's enjoyed a flurry of sales in the last couple of years to rocket into the top 10 best-selling games, with a whopping 58.7 million copies moved. This is an outstanding achievement that kind of blew my mind whi??le I was researching this list.

Perhaps the core reason for its success is the sandbox nature of the title. In Terarria, you're not limited by anything, you can right ahead and explore wherever you want. Yo??u can also build, craft, and a whole lot more.

See why I thought back then that it was just a lite version of Minecraft?

Another contributor to this game is the studio itself, which has showered this game with significant updates throughout the years, kee??ping players playing and promoting their game by word-of-mouth.

I would question its placement here myself, but given that it's a platformer (of sorts) just like Super Mario Bros, I guess it makes sense.

7. Red Dead Redemption 2

Despite its age, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. Often times I'd completely forget about quests of any sort and just ride out on my horse and go fishing, hu??nting, or even just sight-seeing. It truly is a work of art.

It also just so happens to fall in seventh on our list, having sold 67 million copies since release.

Red Dead Redemption 2 can be slow, monotonous, and long, even by AAA game standards. But that meditative quiet is in service of one of the best narratives in high-budget gaming history. Red Dead Redemption 2 is ponderous and quiet, which has left it saddled with the descriptor of "boring" by folks who prefer their action a littl??e hotter and heavier. Regardless, it's an uncommonly thoughtful game in a field of??ten dominated by bright lights and flashing colors.

Apart from the amazing story, there's also the allure of Red Dead Online, which gives you the opportunity to join a possie and navigate the Wild West with your friends while fighting off other possies. You could also try to befriend ?them, but given the hours I've got in this game I wouldn't recommend it unless you enjoy being gunned down on the regular.

You could always ju?st chill out in the swamps and hunt alligators, the choice is yours, and the freedom is one of the many things that make this game amazing.

6. Mario Kart 8

Nintendo's financial reports put Mario Kart 8, across its two editions, at over 72 million units sold, making it the sixth highest-selling game of all time. It seems pretty staggering that a Wii U game, of all things, could climb so high in? the rankings, but I guess that's the power of the Nintendo Switch port.

The first thought?? that comes to mind upon dis??covering these figures is... "boy, that's a lot of ruined friendships."

Mario Kart is a competitive racer and while it can be fun, there are certainly many fights to be had. Luckily we're adults now and we ?can all handle it, ??right?

Right?

5. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

According to The Verge, PUBG sold about 75 million units before going free-to-play, making it the fifth best-selling game ever. There's a good reason for that: when it came out, PUBG was a bit of a revelation. There had been battle royale mods and modes for various other games before, but a game designed from the ground up with 100-person death matches in mind was an uncommon sight. And PUBG was a solid first foray into a budding genre.

In 2024, you can't toss a twig without hitting a battle royale. They aren't all as good as PUBG, but, well, free-to-play PUBG isn't quite as good as 2017 PUBG either. If you really want to play a battle royale game, you're pretty spoiled for choice, and while PUBG isn't the worst option, it is a bit stale.

What's impressive is that PUBG has managed to hold on to its spot in this latest update, even without being eligible to have more copies sold. However, given the impressive speed at which Mario Kart 8 is sellin??g, I don't think it has long left.

4. Wii Sports

Wii Sports was bundled with the Nintendo Wii at launch in all territories except Japan, which certainly helped its incredible Nintendo-reported 82.9 million unit sales. That figure makes it the fourth highest-selling game of all time. Honestly, though, I have a feeling that even without the pack-in numbers, Wii Sports could've made this list.

There's simply no better proof-of-concept for the Wii than Wii Sports. Every included sport demonstrates a different use for the Wiimote, and while no other game really found the same level of versatility in the device, Wii Sports was a shining reminder of what motion controls could be. It was the perfect pack-in game, yes, but it was also an excellent gam??e in its own right.

I think a big contributing factor to this success was likely that we could stay indoors and still exercise. No going to the gym,?? no leaving the house,? you know �?the kind of things we gamers don't like to do.

3. Grand Theft Auto V

Publisher Take-Two Interactive says Grand Theft Auto V has sold more than 205 million copies as of September 2022. That's a pretty hefty figure, one that makes it the third-highest seller in the medium. To be completely fair, though, it's not like GTA fans are spoiled for choice. There hasn't been a fully new GTA game in nearly a decade, and Rockstar just keeps porting GTA V.

The game is solid! It's a Grand Theft Auto game. It's a pretty incremental series, and the incremental improvements made in V are good. The writing is decent (if a little cynical for my taste), the open world is fairly compelling, and the primal joy of ramming cars into civilians has remained potent for many years. But, well... it's not really special at this point. Once again, we've seen an awful lot of great open-world games in the last nine years, and GTA V is getting a little long in the tooth.

The main thing is, the GTA VI hype machine pretty much roared into life the moment players made that final, fateful decision to conclude the storyline of GTA V. Sure, we had GTA Online to tide us over fo?r a good long bit, but you can bet that tens of millions of players are eagerly awaiting this latest entr??y into this long-running series.

We're ver??y?? likely to see VI on this list at some point in the future.

2. Minecraft

The first time I played Minecraft, I probably wouldn't have guessed that it was fated to become the second highest-selling game of all time. And yet, this unassuming survival sandbox turned proto-Metaverse has sold a staggering 300 million units.

In some ways, calling Minecraft one video game is a li?ttle unfair. In addition to having nearly two dozen editions across different platforms, it's also more of a host for games than anything else. The single-player survival mode is still a lot of fun, and creative mode is a good way to bang out some architectural concepts, but multiplayer servers and mods are where the real party is at.

There are so many different things that can be done with the foundations of Minecraft, and that adaptability? is the game's greates?t strength.

Type the name of your favorite series into a Minecraft mod website, and you'll like??ly find something. The same goes for movie worlds, and other popular game franchises �?you name it, it'??s probably there.

I haven't played in a fair while, but back when I did, Pixelmon was making its way to fame and there was a Walking Dead mod where you could?? meet the cast and have some fun with each one's weapon of choice. Just? one example of the vast array of possibilities.

1. Tetris

Sometimes bright lights and flashing colors are good. Quickly, throw a stick somewhere in your room. Good money says you just hit a copy of Tetris. According to The Tetris Company, somewhere in the area of 520 million copies of Tetris have been sold, making it the highes??t-selling video game in history. It might also be the single best video game in history if block puz?zles are your criteria, I guess.

Tetris is one of those concepts that just works. Trying to fit things together in a tight space is satisfying on a primal level, and Tetris is a masterful piece of design work. It's almost silly to praise Tetris. Because everyone already knows it's great. Because everyone has alread??y bought it.

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US teen, Michael Artiaga, who streams online under the username “dogplayingtetris�?has become the first known player to beat level 255 on Tetris to achieve a rebi??rth. The rebirth took Artiaga 82 minutes before he went on to amass 29.4 million points on the play??through.

The whole thing was caught on stream and the streamer went on to say he would never play the game again. He was playing a patched version of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game, which prevents a known crash from occurring at level? 155.

Tetris was launched in 1985 by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov. The title was first released on the Electronika 60 before making its way out of So?viet Russia and onto the IBM PC. Since then, it has been ported to some 65 platforms and set the world record for the most ported game.

By the late 1980s, more than a dozen companies believed they owned the rights to the game and a lengthy legal battle ensued before Nintendo launched the title on the North American version of the Gameboy handheld con??sole.

However, in 2022,?? Pajitnov and Henk Rogers, who discovered and was one of the first to take the game to the US, formed a company called Tetris Holding and purchased all remaining rights to the game. Ever since then, the game’s original creator has retained a large portion of control over the game.

A series of the original rights battle and the fight to gain the rights to the game was made in 2023, featuring Taron Egerton?? as Henk Rogers and Nikita Efremov as Alexey Pajitnov. The series launched on Apple TV+ and became something of a success.

Today, there are more than 220 variants and versions of Tetris, found on most mobile devices, consoles, PCs, and even some TVs and other devices. Tetr?is H??olding routinely contacts Google and Apple to take down unauthorized copies of the game.

An annual Classic Tetris ?World Championship has been held every year since 2010 with American Jonas Neubauer having won 7 of the championships and finished runner-up in two other finals. Mich?ael Artiaga is the second most successful entrant, having won two events and lost in one final. The tournament uses the original version of the game, played on the NES and using Cathode-Ray Tube displays.

The NES version is widely considered the best variant of the original game, but high-??ranking players have previously found that the game crashes when reaching level 155 or 157. A hacked version of ??the game avoids this crash and enables players to rack up higher scores.

Only a small handful of people even reached this stage of the game, previously, but teenager Michael Artiaga took it a step further by beating level 255. In doing so, he achieved “rebirth�? which effectively means the game starts again from level 0 allowing the player to continue accumulating scores. Eventually, Artiaga reached 29.4 million points. This is likely the highest score achieved in the gam?e.

Guinness World Records states that the record on the original NES version is 8,952,432 which was achieved by Artiaga’s older brother, Andrew Artiaga in January 2024. Although this score has been beaten at least twice, both of these atte?mpts used the hac??ked version of the game that enables players to bypass the known crash and allows higher point totals.

Tetris is available on Steam and Epic Games Store and can be directly downloaded on Windows. A musical beat-style version of the game, Tetris Effect: Connected can also be bought on PS5 and Xbox Series ??X/S while official versions of the game can be bought on ??Apple’s App Store and via Google Play.  

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Digital Eclipse has announced that they’ve got a new compilation cooking. This one is Tetris Forever, and is focused around the cl??assic block organizing game. It’s planned for release this year.

While the Nintendo Partner Direct trailer didn't say that Tetris Forever is considered part of Digital Eclipse's Gold Masters series, Mike Mika confirms that it is. As such, you can expect the "interactive documentary" approach with behind-the-scenes artifacts and interviews with people involved. More importantly, Tetris Forever contains several flavors of Tetris. Let’s see:

• Famicom Tetris
• Hatris
• Tetris 2+Bombliss
• Super Bombliss
• Super Bombliss DX
• Tetris Battle
• Super Tetris 2+Bombliss
• Super Tetris 2+Bombliss (Limited Edition)
• Super Tetris 3

There’s also Tetris Time Warp where you jump between various Tetris gameplay styles as you play. On top of this, the NES version of Tetris will be joining the Nintendo Switch Online NES catalog. They also announced at Tetris 99 anniversary event called Maximus Cup.

Tetris Forever will be hitting Switch?, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this year.

The post Is there such thing as t??oo much Tetris? Find out with Tetris Forever later this year appeared first on Destructoid.

When you buy the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you get a slew of retro games through the platform's online library of older titles. Of course, ther??e is a step above just the regular ole service with the higher tier, the Expansion Pack. However, you don't have to pony up for more just to play some treasured classics.

For those of you looking to sample some of Nintendo's retro library, I've got some suggestions on where to start with the now 100-tile collection of?? classics??. These are the best games for the base Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

The 10 best games to play on Nintendo Switch Online

Since we're excluding Expansion Pack titles, the following games are from either the?? Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Game Boy, or Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). If a game you like from these catalogs and they aren't on the list, fret not ?�?these are just the best of the best in a massive library beloved by many of us.

10. Tecmo Bowl (NES)

Sports games and Nintendo don’t go hand-in-hand now unless Mario is involved, but Tecmo Bowl is an exception. Despite being a game from the late �?0s, this one still holds up a lot better than most modern American football games. It’s simple enough to break into even for the folks not quite so sports savvy and there's no overly convoluted set of con??trols just to get your players moving.

9. Metroid (NES)

The Nintendo Switch was made for sidescrolling games, namely Metroidvanias. So, why not take a trip back to the late '80s and see the game that started it all? The original NES Metroid definitely shows how dated it is, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. It’s lo?ads of fun and will have you hooked from the moment you discover the out-of-the-way or less obvious path forward. The movement takes some time to get familiar with, but if you stick around, it’s well worth putting that effort in.

8. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

After being the fellow who would hold Pauline captive in the 1980s, Donkey Kong would eventually get his own 2D sidescrolling adventure where he’s the good guy. He’s also?? accompanied by Diddy Kong, who you can swap to on the ??fly if the situation requires it. 

Its gameplay is akin to the Super Mario games in that you can jump on enemies�?heads to de??feat them. You can also throw things or use a close attack to deal damage. Still, it?? provides its own kind of fun that shows the quality of the 16-bit era. What a glow-up, good guy story for the Kong.

7. EarthBound (SNES)

It’s wild to look back on this game and see the Mother series only started to take off in western regions after Ness and Lucas became a staple in the Smash Bros. franchise. Still, now that the '90s RPG has become popular and made available for NSO subscribers, EarthBound still holds up. So, to all of you hungry for more Mother releases, the?? oldest western release is at least far more available now than it was back then.

6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

Fans of top-down games, especially the Zelda games, have to have played this at some point. A Link to the Past is one of the better, if not the best of the games in this style. The first Legend of Zelda game was exceptional in so many ways, but A Link to the Past is just more memorable, more fluid, and overall more ?fun.

5. Tetris (Game Boy)

If you want to break away from the highly competitive nature of Tetris 99, you can always fire the OG Tetris up on the Game Boy app. It plays a lot differently than modern Tetris because pieces automatically snap t?he moment they make contact on the surface. 

You’ll also be unable to see an outline of where your pieces will drop, so there’s a challenge within itself right there. Tetris on the Game Boy is based o?n classic rules, but it’s still such a fun time regardless.

4. Super Metroid (SNES)

If you want even more Metroid that’s faster-paced and has more fluid game?play, then the third game of the series will provide just that. It’s just an overall better time than the original game, with just the right amount of difficulty that won’t have you pulling your hair out.

3. Kirby Super Star (SNES)

There’s something about the older Kirby games that just have more charm and character to them. They’re simple enough and follow the whole “pink blob eats enemies and takes their powers�?aspect of the game. Then there are the minigames on the side to take a break between the main story that just feels li??ke a good kind of padding.

Even though Kirby games are doing just fine and are still prevalen?t in today’s market, it’s a fun trip down memory lane to see the early days of his adventures.

2. Killer Instinct (SNES)

Killer Instinct is an awesome fighting game that acted as healthy competition against Mortal Kombat in the '90s. While not as gory, it still had g?reat, over-the-top action, sporting a roster of ten wildly different and memorable characters. For the time, it was impressive, and so fun to play, even for those who aren’t into fighting games. 

This is the game that introduced the “c-c-c-combo breaker!�?and the echoed “ultra!�?sound effects that we all still use from ??time to time. Novelties aside, it’s such a great addition to the lineup of current games on the Switch’s SNES library.

1. Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Mario World is touted as one of the best 2D Mario gam??es of all time because of the mechanics, the music, and just how much exploration? it has. This is the game that introduced the Cape Feather, which is iconic for all the wild verticality that you can perform. It also has the hilarious P Balloon that inflates Mario or Luigi and lets them fly in all eight directions for a short time. You can’t forget the different Yoshis with their own respective abilities, either.

Most people will play this ga??me from start to finish, but there is more than meets the eye once you clear t??he Switch Palaces or revisit previous levels with proper power-ups. If you never played this game in any way, you have to.

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Growing up, I played a lot of puzzle games, but I d?idn’t have much love for them. This is because my mother loves puzzle games, and I probably didn’t like them much because it was one of the genres she could beat me at.

However, the experiences I had playing Yoshi’s Cookie and Kirby’s Avalanche with her have left me with some nostalgia for the titles. I don’t actually p??lay them much, but they ?feel good to my soul, at least.

One game I used to play with her is different, however. It’s a puzzle game that I’m actually enthusiastic about and dust off every so often. It's one that I can enjoy without the sentimental attachment, even if some sentiment is still there. That is 1997’s Tetrisphere for the N64.

Phearing Change

Despite the name, Tetrisphere has very little to do with Tetris outside of falling blo??cks that rem??ove other blocks. The blocks themselves aren’t even necessarily tetrominoes, though a few are.

It actually began development for the Atari Jaguar as Phear, which is a better name despite its lack of marketable brand recognition. According to the ancient tomb, Electronic Gaming Monthly, at the time, Nintendo was on the hunt for developers wil??ling to stuff their games into a cartrid?ge, so they scooped it up for their own.

It was created by H2O Entertainment, who would later create The New Tetris and Aidyn Chronicles (w??hich I can’t believe I haven’t played) for the N64.

The concept is that you have a sphere that is covered in various shapes of blocks, and with the power of block fission, you need to burrow to its core, at least in most of the modes. Beyond just throwing blocks at the orb, you can also grab hold of them to shift them next to other blocks. While some of the block shapes just have to be touching, others, like the line block and squa?re, have to be directly aligned, so you need to be careful and set up the best combos you can.

Enraged strip mining

It works so damned well. 3D block-breaker puzzle games rarely figure out how to put the added dimension to good use, but Tetrisphere nails it. The persistent cursor that you control over the surface of the orb is communicative and useful, even with the You can grab blocks from beneath others and slide them up to the other layers if you’ve got the right se??tup. It feels good, which is extremely commendable.

Beyond that, it also has an amazing aesthetic. While the cartoon spheroid robots that act as the cast are a bit weird, you don’t see them much. Normally, you’re just looking at a colorful sphere floating in ethereal?? space. The soundtrack is this amazingly atmospheric techno, and all the sound effects have this reverb to them that makes them all impactful. 

All block-breakers are about destruction, but Tetrisphere feels closest to actually destroying something. On levels with the more easy-going shapes, you’ll often trigger huge combos that stretch across the surface of the sphere, popping like atomic bubble wrap. While you can peel the sphere like a clove?? of garlic, the best strategy is to focus on a single area and burrow into it like an enraged strip mining operation.

And then there are the bombs (called magic for some reason) that you can pick up. While these change depending on what mode you play, in the “Rescue�?mode, you can upgrade them.?? It starts as fireworks that blast a massive crater into the sphere, but you can upgrade it to an Atom that completely peels the top layer away with a blastwave. Even in the versus mode, the standardized bombs are fun to use with their big echo-y booms.

Lonely Rolling Star

Singleplayer consists of rescue, hide & seek, puzzle, time trial, and vs. CPU??. Rescue requires you to clear off enough tiles in an area on the core of the cube to release a little guy trapped inside. Hide & Seek, is similar, but you’re looking for a picture plastered on the core. Each level gives a bit of a variation. Puzzle gives you a certain number of moves and drops to clear the board of preconfigured structures. Time trial is lame. Vs. CPU is essentially multiplayer for lonely people like me.

They’re all decent variations of block destruction, but I feel like the ver?sus mode makes the best? use of it. Any of the one-player modes tend to be laid back, but it’s versus where you really need to strategize. As is typical, big combos result in garbage blocks being dumped on your opponent, and they’re not easy to get rid of. This can lead to panicked moments where you have to open a new hole to expose the last few core tiles to win the game.

In contrast, modes like rescue and hide & seek seem a little vanilla. However, there’s enough in Tetrisphere to suck up an impressive amount of your time. It does, however, lack the endlessness of something like Tetris. Unless you’ve got a rival to compete against, it’s likely that you’ll clear the single-play??er modes and move on.

The Core

It surprises me that Tetrisphere has been left on the N64. As far as I have been able to find, there has never been a sequel, Nintendo has never ported it, and I can’t even find any indie games that cop the gameplay. It’s not that I think Tetrisphere was wildly impactful, but it’s weird to see any game ?be so forgotten about, even one with the arcane knowledge of how to make a block-buster puzzle game ??work in 3D.

And really, I’d love a sequel. Tetrisphere already has a masterful aesthetic that would be diffi?cult to top, but it still has potential with shinier gra??phics. At the very least, I would like to see it on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 service. Does Nintendo not still own the publishing rights to it?

I suppose, on the bright side, it’s prett??y cheap and ea?sy to find on the N64.

For other retro titles you may h??ave missed, click right here!

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The true test of ergonomics returns

Another pretty special release has joined the Arcade Archives release, as publisher Hamster rolls out the intensely puzzling and bizarrely titled Tetris The Absolute Grand Master 2 Plus?? �?now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switc??h.

Developed by Arika and published by the last bastion of the coin-op, Psikyo, Tetris The Absolute Grand Master 2 Plus, (known in the community as simply "TGM2" or "TAP"), hit Japanese arcades in 2000, launched as a last-minute update to the original TGM2 board. Much like its predecessor, Tetris The Grand Master, TGM2 is an expert-level iteration of Alexey Pajitnov's classic block-busting puzzler, an??d tasks players with using adaptation and forward-thinking to manage a rapidly filling playfield of Tetrominos.

Check out a bout of TGM2 T.A. Death in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Masterjun3.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcjqNkiT8q0

TGM2 retains the complex gameplay of its predecessor but adds a casual player-friendly "Normal" mode, as well as an evolved edition of "Master" mode, which features huge acceleration after level 500. Also part of the update is the incredibly challenging "T.A. Death" mode, which features fixes 20G gravity settings, as well as a consistently high speed from the get-go. It is considered one of the most difficult challenges in Tetris history. The arrival of TGM2, (and previously TGM), on the Arcade Archives plugs a gap that has been in the collections of Tetris fans the world over for generations.

Well, at least in an official capacity... Now get droppin'!

Tetris The Absolute Grand Master 2 Plus is avail?able to download now on PS4 and Ni??ntendo Switch.

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The game is the story

When people talk about the ideal "video game story," they're usually talking about something like Final Fantasy VI or Metal Gear Solid. A "good story" in a video game is usually a coherent narrative with characters and events, ideally one that's augmented or enhanced by gameplay. On occasion, folks will point to something like Dwarf Fortress, a??? game that uses the foundations of interactivity to generate elaborate narratives.

[caption id="attachment_358665" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Kitfox Games[/caption]

I think there's another, more interesting type of video game narrative, though. It's a kind that only exists in games and one that exists in every game. It's not alwa?ys written deliberately, ?and it often comes into view only after the game has been played.

The automatic story

Human beings are really good at projecting stories onto blank canvases. When we recount times in our lives, we're very bad at viewing them discreetly. They're always a sequence of events that feed into one another, a little story whose only author is experience. Video games, very often, are an almost-blank canva??s. Where life is a story we write, defined by our experiences, games are stories we come to, and stories we suppl??ement with those experiences. They are experiences built by other humans, who have laid the groundwork for a new story.

I think that, by virtue of being an active experience, every game accidentally tells a story. I like to think of it as an "automatic story." It's not something anyone has written, and it's not something anyone is presenting, but it's something that springs up simply because of the way the human brain works. It's the detail we automatically fill in when we see broad brush strokes. It looks different for everyone, because everyone is both the author and the protagonist. I've talked through this theory with friends before, and they'll often scoff. Usually, the conversation circles around to Tetris. After all, everyone has played Tetris, but nobody can tell you the plot of Tetris. I think that's because the "plot" of a game like Tetris (or Pong, or Breakout, or whatever other arcade title you prefer) is ent?irely unique to the medium of games.

[caption id="attachment_358343" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Tetris Company[/caption]

Games do something very interesting without even trying: they invite you to co-author a story. Back in 1984, Alexey Pajitnov wrote the barest skeleton of a narrative without thinking. He put a bunch of bricks on a screen, he offered up the opportunity to move those bricks, and, without realizing, he wrote the first line every Tetris story. Every single Tetris player for the last thirty-odd years has come away from the game finishing Paji?tnov's tale. The moving bricks, consciously or otherwise, become characters, or structures, or cargo. The ratcheting tension and increased speed connect with everyone for one reason or another. For Pajitnov, things get faster?? to keep the game from getting boring, but for the player, it's impossible to avoid imagining a reason, some kind of narrative rationale. We are humans, connecting with the work of other humans, and without realizing, we have turned that experience into a story. One that's very difficult to tell, and one that can only really be felt.

Okay, but what about "real" stories?

Obviously, not all video games exist in such an abstract state. Sure, it's hard to describe the plot of Tetris, but you can explain exactly what happens in The Secret of Monkey Island. That game is obsessively authored, its charact??ers are named and defined. How do games like that fit into my theory of the automatic story?

Many of the best straightforward "narrative" games will allow for some level of emergent storytelling. They'll give a player the tools to tell their own additional story, one that might support the main plot, or one that might totally derail and contradict it - sure, Link is on a quest to save Hyrule, but I'm on a quest to see how many different ways there are to drop a rock o?n Link's head. These aren't "automatic stories," necessarily; they fill the same space, they're similarly co-authored experiences, but they're baked into the game, not just your brain.

[caption id="attachment_358664" align="alignnone" width="640"] the  Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Even in narrative games that don't allow for much experimentation, though, I find that two stories are always present. There's the story being told by the game, and there's the story being told by the player. I think the poster child for this theory is The Last of Us - just about everyone can agree that The Last of Us has a plot. In fact, the game has been accused of being too plotty, to the point that a relatively faithful HBO Max series can act as a handy replacement. But when you play The Last of Us, you cannot disappear into the role ??of Joel Miller entirely. Video games call on us, as players, to inhabit a character, ??but we cannot become that character.

In The Last of Us, Joel does some pretty reprehensible stuff. He hits a lot of people in the head with bricks, and the player, simply by virtue of playing, becomes complicit in that brick-hitting. The Last of Us is two stori?es here: there's the story of a man who hits people in the h??ead with bricks, and there's the story of a player, who chooses to encourage those actions - whether they agree with Joel or not, the only way to roll credits is to keep going.

To continue playing (and, more specifically, to continue playing well) is a narrative choice that the player makes, consciously or unconsciously, as the co-author of the automatic story. Simply by having the experience, by consenting to it, and by engaging with it, the player is saying something, encouraging a new story to blossom. That's not the same story as the one the game is telling; if you put the game down, both stories will stop at the same time, but they'll both mean something different. These two stories - the traditional and the automatic - complement each other. One is written, and one occurs spontaneously. Simply because a game has bee??n crafted by a person, and it has been experienced by another person, it becomes its own story. It happens in the back of our head, with our assistance, knowingly or otherwise. It can't be written; it can only be experienced.

Because, ultimately, experie??nce is a talented author.

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The Forgotten Wall

This week is a very special one for Hamster Corporation, as the publisher celebrates 300 consecutive weeks of classic arcade game reissues �?And to celebrate this record-breaking moment, the Arcade Archives receives a little royalty: The Arika's never-before-re-released puzzler Tetris: The Grand Master.

Launching in Japanese arcades in 1998, Tetris: The Grand Master was the biggest challenge offered to block-dropping fans to date. While TGM, (as it is known by the Tetris community), follows the typical rules?? and methodology of Alexey? Pajitnov's world-best puzzler, this particular edition offered up a marathon 999 levels to be conquered as well as the dazzling "20G" mechanic to truly push expert players to their limits. Essentially, this difficulty option places the incoming Tetrominos directly on top of the stack, offering a mere split-second to place them onto the playfield.

Check out the wild action in the classic run below, courtesy of YouTuber Sega-16.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEzvyMI4I9I

This mode fast became the target for the community, eager to master the iconic title to the point that they could play it �?accurately and efficiently �?on a second-to-second basis. Ironically, despite being held in such high regard, the original TGM would never receive a home release, though it would be followed by several console sequels over the following years. This new Arcade Archives release marks the first official home version of TGM since its late-'90s debut. Thus, this is a very special week for the die-hard Tetris community.

TGM has been a staple of speedrun tournaments and global competitions for many years, and now players all over the world can finally sit and master the game in their own bedrooms... in a legal capacity, at the very least. If you want to check out the brain-melting action for yourself, then Tetris: The Grand Master is available to download?? right now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

The post The wait i??s over: Tetris The Grand Master is now available on PS4 and Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Gotta Drop the Block

In a muddled set of circumstances, it appears that excellent arcade puzzler Tetris: The Grand Master is to finally receive a home port. That's according to Arika VP Ichiro Mihara, ??who seemingly announced the port by announcing that its announcement has been delayed... Still with me?

As spotted by Nintendo Life, Mihara took to Twitter yesterday in order to apologize for the fact that the reveal of the awesome block-busting game's home port could not be revealed yet due to reasons beyond Arika's control �?thus revealing the existence of the home port regardless... Well, at least they got it out there. No further information was noted by Mihara, so we still do not know Tetris: TGM's port ??platforms nor i??ts release date. We'll find out soon enough.

Tetris: The Grand Master launched in arcades back in 1998, fast becoming one of the standout titles in the compelling series. Often used in both competitive and speedrunning scenes, Tetris: TGM would be followed in the arcade scene by numerous reworks and expanded sequels �?such as Tetris: The Absolute: Grand Master 2 Plus and Tetris: The Grand Master 3 - Terror-Instinct �?but surprisingly has never seen a home release. If Mihara is to be believed, then this is a grand day for the Tetris community, who? will already be clearing space for the incoming v??olley of Tetrominos.

We will be sure to keep you updated when any official word fr?om Arika is forthcoming.

??//twitter.com/miharasan/status/1455059629835120642?s=20

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The Tetris Effect in the palm of your hands

The new Nintendo Switch OLED model is out today, with a bright new screen to light up those handheld play sessions. And just in time for a showcase of how good that screen can look is Tetris Effect: Connected, which also launched today for the ??Nintendo handh?eld.

This version includes both the original Tetris Effect and all its later-added Connected features. Alongside the main campaign and its stellar mix of visuals and music, there are also the many multiplayer modes like Connected co-op, Zone Battle, and Classic Score Attack. And already, just watching this trailer made a flood of memories come swimming back about how much I dug Tetris Effect the first time around.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=glZpE3Gib1w

The Nintendo Switch version of Tetris Effect: Connected also has cross-platform multiplayer between all platforms. This ranges from the Switch itself to PC via Steam and Epic, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and even Oculus Quest. So yeah, your VR Tetris friends can compete too.

Tetris Effect: Connected is also getting a few Nintendo Switch-specific features. An additional vibration option adds an extra layer of vibration to the Tetris dropp?ing. And there is support for any combination of Joy-Con configurations, so you can easily have everyone play alo??ng even if you don't have a ton of Joy-Cons available.

For anyone who hasn't played Tetris Effect yet, this is an obvious pick-up to get. It is a simply sublime experience, and one of my favorite ways to play Tetris. And for those who are also picking up an OLED Switch today, with its bright new screen, this seem??s like a good way to put it through the pac??es and see how big a difference the OLED makes.

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And the beat goes on (without me)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Apple Arcade has been on a roll since early April when a selection of choice titles hit the subscription service, reminding everyone that, oh yeah, this exists. Its catalog has only grown since then, and a few weeks ago, it was announced it would receive its own Tetris title in the form of Tetris Beat. A rhythm-enhanced rendition of the classic puzzler, I was hoping? the addition of beats would be a bold new direction for the IP. And maybe it is…for people who have ?rhythm.

I will be the first to admit I’m not the greatest at rhythm games. I usually stick to the normal difficulty and could never wrap my head around using all the buttons on the Guitar Hero guitar. That said, I am quite good at normal. That’s my bread and butter, and I can usually max out the stars, or whatever it is tracking your ability, to hit every note perfectly. On the recently launched Beatstar for mobile phones, I’m absolutel?y killing it on every normal song I unloc?k. Unfortunately, that game forces you to do harder difficulty songs, and that’s when my thumbs start looking like they’re going to pop right off my hands.

With Tetris Beat, however, even on easy, I find? myself str??uggling to keep in time with the rhythm.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTLgTnVre7k

The game has three main modes. First is Marathon, which is just classic Tetris. As this is an Apple Arcade game, you can play with touch controls or an actual controller, and I found out I hate playing Tetris with touch controls. Especially at higher levels. Coming off of Tetris 99, I need to be able to harness the speed a?nd accuracy touch controls j??ust don’t supply.

The other two modes �?Drop and Tap �?ask players to focus on playing the game in time to the beat. The more complicated of the two is Drop, where players will try and do everything in time to the music, from dropping Tetronimoes to rotating them. The better you are at keeping the beat, the higher your score will be at the end of the song. Tap is a bit more up my alley. In this mode, the game will display two possible spots on the Tetris board for a Tetronimo to drop. All you need to do is tap the spot ?you want in time to the beat. Tap is probably as close as this game will get to the classic rhyth??m games I’m used to and I imagine I look like an idiot to outside observers when I play this, nodding my head and quietly saying “dun, dun, dun�?in time to the music.

And the music is excellent. It’s an eclectic mix of indie pop, dance, and rap tunes, each with its own background visualizer that really adds a layer of psychedelia to the experience. I did experience some moments where the visualizer would blend in with some of the Tetronimoes, but there are VFX options that clear this up. All of these artists are new to me, and I think I’ve found a few who I can hopefully start adding to my Spotify playlist. Every song is available from the start and you can play them in Marathon mode �?just without the impetus to play to the beat. There is even a trance remix of the Tetris theme called “Korobei??niki�?by Uriel Ohm and i??t slaps.

The joy I get from the music and visuals is almost enough to make me forget that I’m absolute trash at this game. I’ve put about a dozen hours into it since it launched, and while I have yet to fail outside of high-level Marathon play, my scores on normal and hard difficulties are pathetic, especially with Drop. Even with the visual cue at the top of the screen that bounces along to the beat, I just cannot wrap my head around playing Tetris to the music. ??As I said, Tap is a b??it more up my alley, but even then, I can just feel myself struggling to keep in the rhythm.

I’m sure there are people out there this game is perfect for, like club DJs or those straight guys who listen primarily to dance music but never actually dance. Or really, anybody with any sort of musical inclination. Because outside of the infrequent crashes I’ve dealt with in the past two days, I still think the core idea at the heart of Tetris Beat is a sound one. I??t’s just one that’s beyond my capabilities.

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It ain't broke, but they fixed it anyway

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not great at Tetris. Tetris Effect originally drew me in as a gorgeous VR experience, but once I got started I enjoyed trying my hand at beating the solo campaign. I was a bit unsure of what to expect from the new multiplayer update, Connected (which is free if you already own the base game, by the way), but I can tell you, ?even for someone like me who lacks a certain skill level, it's a blast to play.

There are four game modes in the update. The most simple of these are the Score Attack modes, of which there are two. In just plain 'ol Score Attack, you're playing head-to-head with standard Tetris Effect rules in place, but no Line Attacks are exchanged. Whoever has the highes??t combined score after two rounds wins.

Tetris Effect: Connected (Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Oculus Quest [reviewed])
Developer: Resonair, Monstars, Stage Games
Publisher: Enhance, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Released: August 17, 2021
MSRP: $39.99

Then there's Classic Score Attack, which has the same setup, only it's old-school Tetris rules: no hard dropping, no holding, only one piece shown in the queue, etc. The regular Score Attack is a good option if you're looking for "single-player competitive Tetris," while Classic is pretty brutal, and it'??s the rules players use at pro competitions.

Zone Battle is another fun addition to the traditional Tetris experience. It's another one-on-one format, but it also incorporates the time-stopping Zone mechanic from the single-player. If you enjoyed that part of t??he base game, definitely give this mode a shot.

For me, though, Connected Mode was the star of the show. You and two other players go up against A??I bosses, and every so often, all three of your boards will combine into one big one, and you take turns dropping blocks, trying to clear as many lines as possible. That, in turn, deals damage to the boss.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2czq3SAbGw

If you "die" in this mode (the official term is "Tap Out," I learned recently), your teammates can revive you if they play well enough. I had to play online because unfortunately none of my friends have Tetris Effect (at least that I'm aware of), but I can imagine some o?f my buddies would love to play Connected Mode together.

There is both local and online play with friends though, in addition to the "play with strangers" thing. Tetris Effect: Connected is also cross-platform and uses a room code to get everyone hooked up, so there are plenty of options if your squad plays Tetris together for fun.

Just when you thought that's it, there's more too. That's right, there's bonus features! This includes the highly requested Spectator Mode, which allows between four and six additional players to watch from the sidelines. PAL Mode is also a new addition, which replicates the feeling of the European PAL format from the NES Tetris game, so you get a lower framerate, faster horizontal movement, and faster dropping speed. On the flip side, we also got a Slow Speed Mode, and?? that's exactly what it sounds like. Plus there are performance vs. fidelity options, so you can customize your play experience exactly how you want it.

Just like other multiplayer games, Connected also has Tiers and Skill Ratings. You get an indi?vidual SR for each mode, and then which??ever Tier you're in is determined by all of those SRs combined. You win SR points if you win a game, you lose SR points if you lose. Bob's your uncle.

Match length depends on which mode you're in, as well as how good you are. The Zone Battle and Score Attack modes can basically go? on for as long as you and your opponent can keep from "Tapping Out," but I found the Connected mode to be a bit longer. No game went on for more than maybe twenty minutes at most, though. The wait times weren't bad at all to get into games either, which was another plus.

That's all of the logistics finally out of the way, so now let's talk about game feel. What do you expect? Tetris Effect felt amazing to play from the start, so the base was already ?there to have some really compelling multiplayer versions.

At the end of the day, it's Tetris. We're not reinventing the wheel here, but that's not a bad thing in the slightest. If you love Tetris, you'll love this multiplayer. The sound and visuals are stunning, and t??he new game modes put a fresh new take on a classic that are worth trying in and of themselves.

It's already a given that competitive players are going to have fun with this, especially when there are multiple variations of traditional Tetris gameplay. If you're someone like me who's a bit more chill, though, I promise you will still have a great time with ?this game. I especially recommend trying out the Connected Mode if you're a more laid-bac?k player, too, because there's more leeway there.

I thought I had seen it all with Tetris 99, so I'm really impressed to see how the brand keeps moving forward and giving us new things to try out. I'm not sure how the hardcore Tetris masters are going to feel about this one, but for a casual fan like me, this is about as good? as it gets.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Tetris Effect: Connected appeared first on Destructoid.

And everything is going to the beat

If there is one game people shouldn't have any trouble getting their hands on these days, it's Tetris. There are so many great versions of the game out there already, from the nail-biting Tetris 99 on Switch to the brilliant Tetris Effect on PS4, Xbox, PC, and Quest. Mobile platforms have seen a variety of different Tetris games over the years, and soon enough, another one will be joining the fray with Tetris Beat, coming exclusively to Apple Arcade.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YploNGdrn80

As you can see from the trailer above, Tetris Beat places a heavy emphasis on its soundtrack, which features original 18 original tracks from musicians like ?GARZA, Cinthie, and the brilliantly named Alison Wonderland. Those 18 tracks are just the beginning as Tetris Beat will?? add new songs to the game every month. The game will feature three game modes, c??ontroller support, and cross-platform play with Apple TV, Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Developer N3twork is working on Tetris Beat. It's the same studio responsible for the official??ly licensed mobile version of the classic block-drop puzzler.

It's nice to see another original game coming to the platform (and yes, I know it's a stretch ??to consider ??any version of Tetris to be original), considering Apple Arcade has been pretty reliant on ports as of late to?? fill out its catalog. Recent additio??ns to the service include Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City, Angry Birds Reloaded, and Game Dev Story+, all of which were previously released on other platforms. More ports ??are on their way to t??he service, including Jetpack Joyride+, Super Stickman Golf 3+, and Monster Hunter Stories+.

The post Apple Arcade is finally getting its own Tetris appeared first on Destructoid.

It will also launch on Steam the same day

The world of Tetris Effect is becoming more connected. A free update to Tetris Effect will bring current owners into Tetris Effect: Connected on Aug. 18, coinciding with the trippy Tetris' launch on Steam.

The free update to all existing versions of Tetris Effect adds the co-op and competitive multiplayer modes highlighted in the Connected update that was, previously, on just Windows 10 and Xbox consoles. That's Connected, Zone Battle, Score Attack, and Classic Score Attack, which all sound like a pretty alright time.

Tetris Effect: Connected will also be truly connected, as in, cross-platform play will be available between the Steam, PlayStation 4, Epic Games Store, Oculus Quest, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 versions of the game.? There are also some bonus feat?ures coming, like a new Spectator Mode, PAL and "Slow" speed modes. Oculus Quest 2 headsets also get a performance vs. fidelity option, and PS4 copies will be available to Remote Play.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT2TfOoNlrs

Essentially, it's a lot of Tetris that's on the way. This is a game that's quite literally stood the test of time, though 2018's Tetris Effect felt like an amazing new take on it. It's cool to see all the Connected options and updates finally rolling out to other ver?sions of the game.

If you pick Tetris Effect: Connected up on Steam too, there are a few bonus goodies for those who have held out for so long. Some Tetris Effect-themed avatars and wallpapers will be available, as well as a seven-track soundtrack sampler by Hydelic, a previous pre-order bonus for the game on PS4 and Epic. So yes, if you're like me, reading that means you're probably already opening up the soundtrack in whatever audio streaming service you have and listening to it again.

The Tetris Effect: Connected update goes live on Aug. 18 for ??all available versions.

The post Free Tetris Effe??ct: Connected update rolls out August 18 appeared first on Destructoid.

Plug up that hole (in one)

Excellent multiplayer puzzler Tetris 99 is still going strong. The superb battle royale block buster will be celebrating its 22nd Maximus Cup event this weekend and will be offering participants a fun new theme based on recent Switch release Mario Golf: Super Rush.

From tomorrow, July 9, until Monday, July 12, any Tetris 99 player who earns themselves 100 points in-game will automatically unlock the Mario Golf themed package, which includes artwork, music, and custom Teromino designs based upon the new links-smashing release. Of course, a Nintendo Online account is needed in order to participate in Tetris 99 tournies, but as long as you ??are si??gned up, then you'll be good to go.

The Mario Golf: Super Rush event is the latest in a series of crossover events to hit the fast-paced puzzler. Previous Maximus Cup events have seen tie-ins with Splatoon, Kirby Fighters, and, most recently, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. For Nintendo, it's a neat way to offer players? some freebies while d??oing a spot of cross-promotion.

Tetris 99 and Mario Golf: Super Rush are both available now on Nintendo Switch. The 22nd Maximus Cup kicks off July 9 a??t 00:00 PT and will end on July 12 at 23:59 PT.

//twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1412577421178642443?s???=20

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Not that I needed a reason to dip back into Tetris Effect, but i?f I did, this would be it: a deviously hidden 1984 level that can be unlocked with a code and a keyboard??.

The best bit: the secret 1984 variant has been hiding in plain sight. If you're the type of person whose YouTube feed is filled with all things Tetris, you very well might've run across it before, but otherwise, it's probably new to you too. In honor of World Tetris Day, two of Tetris Effect's secret stages got an official signal boost from The Tetris Company.

As a refresher, the secret 1989 level theme can be unlocked permanently if you rank up your Tetris Effect player pro??file to level 50. Yeah, yeah �?you know. But what about 1984?

Unlocking 1984 in Tetris Effect with a controller and keyboard

To unlock this level, you'll need to enter the following inputs on the Tetris Effect title screen: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, O, X (on a PlayStation controller) or Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A? (on an Xbox or Oculus controller).

If you entered this iconic sequence correctly, you'll see a strange new screen ?that looks like something out of an ??ARG.

Next, you'll need to use a keyboard: type in the code "06061984" and hit enter. You should then see a notice that "1984" is unlocked �?it's a ?one-time process.

And if you happen t?o have an Xbox Chatpad, that'll work too.

Here's the payoff:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OMOIaq_VMQ

As you can see from this gameplay captured by YouTube user Sar, Tetris Effect's 1984 level is lo-fi as heck �?and if you pl??ay our cards right, it'll go nuts with colors and effect??s.

The secret stage is meant to be a "tribute to the original version of Tetris for th??e Electronika 60, the old Soviet PC Alexey Pajinov first created the game on."

Really cool, right? I think I?? can actually be bothered to untangle my keyboard from my whole desk??... situation to unlock 1984 on my PS4. Wish me luck.

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Now go forth and puyo

Today sees Sega release its third and final free content update for its colorful and extremely compelling puzzler Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. Available now on PlayStation and Xbox platforms, as well as Nintendo Switch, the crossover block-buster will also drop in o??n PC March 23.

The new update adds four more playable characters to the Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 roster. These include warbling angel Harpy, young warrior Ragnus the Brave, dramatic knight Legamunt,  and finally the charming sorceress Rozatte. Alongside these new characters, four more tracks have been added to the game's score, including a remix of "Escape from the City" from Sonic Generations, in keeping with the blue blur's recent roster addition.

From a technical stance, the biggest news concerns cross-gen gameplay, as PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X players can now battle it out with other players within the same console family. The leaderboards have been consolidated to reflect this. Speaking of online, a new Spectator Mode will allow players to sit-in on the fast and frantic action, while the new "Super Spicy" difficulty setting will challenge the muster of the most hardened Puyo Puyo Tetris aficionado.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a great puzzle title, and well worth checking out if you've ever had a passing interest in the block-dropping genre. Packed full of content, extremely light-hearted, and available on a wide variety of formats, it's a solid way to spend a lazy afternoon, alo?ne or with pals. Check it out.

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When you see it...

Battle royale block-dropper Tetris 99 is gearing up for its next Maximus Cup event, which is set to take place in-game this coming weekend, allowing players to square off against a horde of fellow Tetris fans in chaotic, non-stop action.

There's also extra incentive to jump into battle for Mario fans, as all players who accumulate 100 event points will receive a free theme, based on smash-selling Switch release Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. As per usual, the theme comes complete with background art, as well as unique sounds and Tetrimino shapes inspired by the Wii-U remake. Launching on Switch in early February, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury saw immediate success, and is currently the b??est-selling new game of 2021.

The new Tetris Maximus Cup event will begin Thursday, March 4 at 23:00 PT and Friday, Mar?ch 5 at 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT and will end at the same time on Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9 as applicable.

Good luck!

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Dropping in today on all platforms

Sega continues to roll out cool free content for its great puzzle title Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. Today sees a new update ??arrive on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms that adds a handful of extra characters, new challenges?? rules, and accessibility options.

Once downloaded, players will be able to step into battle as gothic weirdo Strange Klug, cute mermaid Serilly, magic gal Rafisol, and ghostly troublemakers Yu & Rei. The Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 soundtrack will also be expanded wit??h three n??ew tunes, which include Rafisol and Strange Klug's personal themes.

Challenge mode receives a total of six new Multiplayer rulesets: Endless Fever, Endless Puyo, Tiny Puyo, Sprint, Marathon, and finally Ultra, all of which can be played in online and offlin??e Vs. battles. Most importantly, new settings have been added for color blind players, with new trichromat, protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia adjustments.

You can check out a trailer for the new update below. Don't forget that Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will be hitting PC on Mar??ch 23. It's a really great time - alone or with friends - and if you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. Puyo!

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LYMYMI

It's been a little over three weeks since Jonas Neubauer, arguably the greatest DAS Tetris player of all time and more importantly a wonderful human being, was taken from this Earth. Speaking as someone who was welcomed into his Twitch community for the past few years, it hasn't been easy since then for those who enjoyed his streams. I thought I was doing a bit better this week and cou?ld stand to go back on Twitch, then I watched AGameScouts' tribute video, and now I'm back to being sad again.

While in the current context it has a sad connotation, it is amazing to look back on what Jonas managed to accomplish in his 39 short years on this Earth. Not just the seven Classic Tetris World Championships, but also the mark he has left on the Tetris community as a whole through his ??positive demeanor.

It's an odd feeling to be sad over the death of someone I never met, but I guess this is the stark reality of living in an age when communication has few barriers. For those who are willing, a memorial fund is still being crowd-sourced in Jonas' memory and to help his family through the horrible time they? find themselves in.

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Gotta Build Fast

In an awesome bit of news for block-busting fans, Sega has announced a free update for its colorful puzzle title Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, adding new modes and stages alongside four playa?ble characters including the blue blur himself – Sonic the Hedgehog.

The update, which will go live on all platforms today, will see Sonic join the roster alongside characters Lidelle, Ms. Accord, and Ocean Prince. Each character brings with them their own stage music, while a selection of Sonic-themed Item Cards feature famous franchise elements such as rings, t?he?? shield, and a spiky ball.

A new mode "Boss Battle with Everyone" will also be added to Puyo Puyo Tetris 2's online options. This co-op mode allows up to four players to work together in order to defeat powerful boss characters, with exclusive Item Cards and other bonuses on the line as a reward for successful teams. Think of it as a raid, Puyo Puyo-style.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 – alre??ady available on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch – was also recently made available for next-gen platforms PS5 and Xbox Series X. A PC port is still in the works, expected to launch sometime in early 2021.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 update adds four playable? characters [Gematsu]

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Forever a champion

The gaming world lost one of its greats last week. Jonas Neubauer, known for extraordinary skill in Tetris, passed away on January 4. He was just 39.

Neubauer is the most accomplished classic Tetris player in history. During his competitive career, he won seven Classic Tetris World Championships, winning four years in a row from 2010 to 2013 and securing a threepeat from 2015 to 2017. He also set multiple records, including in 2018 when he cleared 100 lines in three minutes and nine seconds. That time now stands as the second-fastest in the world.

It’s with a heavy heart that we deliver the terrible news that Jonas has passed away from a sudden medical emergency.
He was the absolute best. We are devastated, overwhelmed with grief, and we already miss him dearly.
Information to follow when it becomes available.

— Jonas Neubauer (@neubsauce) January 9, 2021

Following news of his passing, many took to Twitter to share their memories of Neubauer.

If you want to see this master at work, Neubauer's Twitch channel has hours of him showing the world exactly why he's considered the face of competitive Tetris. We at Destructoid offer our sincere?? condolences to Mr. Neubauer's family and friends for their loss.

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Pulse-pounding hybrid-puzzler returns!

If you're a fan of classic games, fast-thinking and, well, tidying up, then you might want to take note that Sega has finally launched Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on consoles in the west. The car??toonish puzzle sequel is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.

For the uninitiated, Puyo Puyo Tetris combines two of the greatest tile-shifting titles of all time, namely Puyo Puyo and Tetris - funnily enoug?h. Gameplay is a well-fitting hybrid of both titles, as players mix-and-match modes across a selection of exhibition, Vs. and online battles, as well as a cutesy story campaign featuring a cast of adorable and colorful characters.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a nicely feature-packed release, offering fun for up to four players as well as a variety of online leagues and events. The new Skill Battle Mode allows players to form their own bespoke squad of avatars - chosen from a roster of 28 uniquely skilled characters - in order to form the ultimate Puyo Puyo Tetris? team. C??heck out the action in the launch trailer below.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will follow on PC via Steam in early 2021.

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Brickin' It

Two classics of the Nintendo scene will collide this week, as Super Mario Bros. invades the world of Tetris 99 for the latter's latest limited-time Grand Prix - the 18th of such events since Tetris 99 first launched back in February 2019.

From tomorrow, December 4, Tetris 99 players will be able to use their hard-earned in-game currency to purchase a colorful theme based on the 1993 SNES compendium Super Mario All-Stars, complete with the classic Super Mario Bros. theme tune when things are going ??great, as well as Bowser's theme for when the playfield gets a little too hot to han?dle. Be quick, as this theme will only be made available until Tuesday, December 8.

The Super Mario Bros. x Tetris 99 crossover is one of a number of events celebrating 35 years of Nintendo's iconic and genre-defining platforming franchise. Other releases Switch compendium Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. Away from the digital realm, Nintendo has worked with other companies to produce products such as LEGO Super Mario?, as well as apparel from clothing brands Uniqlo, Levi and Puma.

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Block-Buster

Following on from video game adaptations such as Mortal Kombat, Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, Bloodrayne, Alone in the Dark - and more recently Monster Hunter and Uncharted - Apple has officially confirmed pre-production has started on a film retelling the incredible story of one of the most iconic video games of all-time: Tetris.

As reported by Deadline, Tetris: The Movie (surely they can't be r?unning with that title) will tell the incredible story of the classic puzzle games conception, as well as the flamma?ble legal battles fought by Russian creator Alexey Pajitnov, and Dutch designer Henk Rogers, who ultimately secured the console rights to the multi-million dollar franchise.

Directed by Stan & Ollie's Jon S. Baird, Tetris will star Taron Egerton as Rogers, with several other roles yet to be cast, including the all-important role of Pajitnov himself. Egerton, of course, won worldwide acclaim for his portrayal of musician Elton John in 2019 biopic Rocketman. A joint collaboration between Apple and production studios Marv Films and AI Film, Tetris is expected to begin shooting in December.

Apple boards Taron Eger??ton-starring "Tetris" movie [Deadline]

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Three-player co-op boss fights are the highlight

Whether you're a first-time Tetris Effect player or you're showing up for the new timed-exclusive multiplayer modes, Tetris Effect: Connected is worth checking out – especially with Xbox Game Pass.

Aside from the original Tetris Effect story campaign and the objective-based Effect modes that I've been raving about for two years now, with Connected, you're also getting a multiplayer suite. The new package is $40 on Windows 10 and Xbox consoles (including Xbox Series X/S), and Enhance has committed to a free update in "summer 2021" for Tetris Effect owners on PS4, PC, and Oculus Quest.

So, what are the modes? There are three head-to-head modes – Zone Battle, Score Attack, and Classic Score Attack – along with the namesake Connected mode, a three-player-vs.-one-AI-boss mode.

Out of those versus modes, Zone Battle feels the freshest – it's all about clearing lines to build up attacks and then either strategically defending against or negating your foe's attacks as much as possible by knowing when to enter the Zone to clear out junk. Score Attack is a one-on-one high-score battle, and once a player taps out, the other player has two ext??ra minutes to cement their score.

Classic Score Attack works much the same way, albeit with a retro visual style, "stiffer" controls/rules, and a more back-to-basics approach to Tetris. ??You can't do Hard Drops and there isn't a Hold Queue.

I'm not so sure I'll stick with any of these long-term – I'm not that cut out for them – but I am very invested in Connected mode. In short, you'll fight a series of (progressively harder) AI-controlled Zodiac Bosses with an assist from two other (human or AI) players. At first, your team's play fields are totally separate, but as you clear lines and build up your shared meter, the three fields will temporarily merge into one. At that point, it's an all-out race. You'll take turns rapidly dropping pieces one after another in hopes of clearing as many lines as possible to send an avalanche hurtling toward the boss.

Connected mode is definitely chaotic and even stressful at first, but with practice, I started to feel more comfortable with the flow. (The music cues help.) In an attempt to make co-op Tetris fun and not maddening, ?you'll get occasional purple pieces that can push down and "correct" bad placements.

It wasn't live for testing yet, but there's also a Connected Vs. mode in which a human player can stand in for the AI boss. That'll be playable during 24-hour "Full Moon" events during weekends.

The multiplayer modes have their own fancy-looking space hub that feels right at home in Tetris Effect (take a minute to fly around and explore it) and player progression uses a tier system "based on an aggregate of your skill rating in all the different modes" as it rises and?? falls with each win or loss.

Curiously, the game hints t?hat "as you move up tiers, you'll also move ever closer to the mysterious obelisk radiating from the center of the galaxy: the Tetrimidion." As for me? I just wanna unlock avatars.

If you're super competitive, there's a Ranked match option; otherwise, you can stick with Friend matches or Local matches against the AI. That goes for all multiplayer modes, too. You can set the AI's competency, so if you're struggling against the tougher Zodiac fights, you can cran??k up th?e AI partners.

I don't necessarily think the new Connected content exceeds anything that was already in Tetris Effect, but after a couple of hours (with the Windows 10 version), the multiplayer modes do live up to expectations. This is an all-around excellent package for new players, and it'll be a fantastic free update for returning PS4 and Steam Tetris Effect players next summer. We're all together in this life.

_{[These impressions are based on a retail build of the game played via Xbox Game Pass on PC.]}

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Another Brick in the Wall

Xbox-owning fans of the mind-trippin' Tetris Effect will have reaso??ns to be cheerful today, as publisher Enhan??ce Games has launched a brand new edition of the PS5 VR puzzler, which is available to purchase on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Xbox Game Pass.

Tetris Effect: Connected is described as a "robust multiplayer expansion" which takes single-player modes such as Tetris Zone and re-imagines them for head-to-head multiplayer action. The titular "Connected" mode allows for three players to connect their individual Tetris playfields and work as a team to br??ings down the blocks in perfect synchronicity.

Unfortunately, it seems that other platforms will have to wait a little longer, as the Connected multiplayer expansion will not launch on PS4, PS5, Oculus Quest, or PC via Steam until the summer of 2021. It will, however, arrive as a free download for all Tetris Effect owners.

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Popular hybrid-puzzler returns

At Tokyo Games Show this past weekend, Sega released a new trailer for frantic puzzler Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, which will bring its?? block-and-blob-busting hybrid gameplay to PC and consoles this winter.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will feature another goofy Adventure Mode, bringing together a cast of delightful and charming characters who find themselves befuddled by the collision of two all-time favourite franchises: Puyo Puyo and Tetris, ?naturally. The all-new "Skill Battle" mode will utilise character's specific abilities to give them an edge on the battlefield, while in-game Item Cards will offer various buffs and perks to help you out when things start getting a little too "busy" for?? comfort.

When you're ready to challenge the world, then a selection of online VS. modes will allow you to tak??e on players from across the globe. League Battles and Ranking modes will be available for the hardcore, while Free Play offers a slightly less sweat-inducing challenge. There will also be modes such as Party, Big ??Bang, Swap, and Fusion which all feature four-player support, so you might not be the best in the world, but you can be the best on your block... Maybe.

I have a friend who is excellent at both standard Tetris and Puyo Puyo Tetris. Watching him, his lightning reactions, and forward-planning abilities at work is a mind-blowing experience. Puyo Puyo Tetris is a fun and wildly addictive game.?? This sequel looks set to improve upon that experience in every way.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 launches Dec??ember 8 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. It will follow on PC in early 2021.

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