Tetris variants

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This a list of variants of the game Tetris. It includes officially licensed Tetris sequels, as well as unofficial clones.

Title Description Platform, Developer, Year Released
Hatris A variety of hats must be made to fall in to stacks of five identical hats. Similar gameplay was later used in Yoshi and Wario's Woods. PC (Video System Co. Ltd., 1990), Game Boy (Bullet Proof Software, 1991,) NES (Bullet Proof Software, 1991)
Welltris Pieces (including tetrominoes and occasionally pentominoes) slide down one of four wall surfaces in a well, the "well" being an 8x8 square. When a piece lands while fully or partially sticking outside of the well, the wall is temporarily blocked. The game ends when four walls are no longer accessible. This game is designed by the author of original Tetris. PC (Spectrum Holobyte, 1991), CPC, C64, Amiga
Super Tetris 2 & Bombliss Super Tetris 2 & Bombliss Limited was released in 1994 Super Famicom (Blue Planet Software, 1992)
Tetris 2 Uses disconnected colored tetriminoes instead of adjacent type tetrominoes. It is the first Tetris to make use of the gravity algorithm. Blocks of the same color stick together. The goal of Tetris 2 is to clear the bottom rows, which a similar type of play can be found in the later released The Next Tetris. Released as Tetris Flash in Japan. NES (Nintendo, 1993), Game Boy (Nintendo, 1993), SNES (Nintendo, 1994)
Tetris Battle Gaiden Similar to Puyo Puyo in use of competitive mode, characters, and humurous storyline. Different characters can also unleash special moves that affect the opponent in some way (knock away the current piece, rearrange matrix, etc) Super Famicom (Blue Planet Software, 1993)
Tetris & Dr. Mario Compilation of Tetris and Dr. Mario with enhanced graphics and sound. Super Nintendo (Nintendo, 1994)
Super Tetris 3 Super Famicom (1994)
Tetris Blast Differs from conventional Tetris in that it features bomb blocks that cause explosions that wipe out additional pieces, and in some modes there are necessary creatures that traverse the constantly changing 'terrain' of the play field. Game Boy (Blue Planet Software, 1996)
Tetris Attack A version of the Japanese game Panel de Pon with redone art made to resemble . Has no relation to Tetris other than name and genre. Also spawned Pokémon Puzzle League for the N64, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge for the Game Boy Color and Puzzle League for the Game Boy Advance. SNES (Intelligent Systems, 1996), Game Boy (Intelligent Systems, 1996)
3D Tetris Virtual Boy (Nintendo, 1996)
Tetris Plus Added to the classic Tetris is the new Puzzle Mode. Each level begins with a character (the professor) standing on a different pattern of blocks. The goal is to clear the blocks out from under him to get him to the bottom. He climbs to the top of the blocks you're stacking up and the game ends when the professor and the descending spiked ceiling collide. PlayStation (Jaleco Ltd., 1996), Saturn (Jaleco Ltd., 1996), Game Boy (Jaleco Ltd., 1997)
Tetrisphere Uses the some of the tetrominoes (as well as a 3-block piece) with different gameplay than standard Tetris. The object of the game is to reveal the core in the center of the sphere (which is actually a torus as seen through a fisheye perspective). To achieve this, you need to stack similarly-shaped pieces on top of each other. Once three are stacked, the pieces disappear and reveal the layer below. If the player doesn't clear blocks fast enough they lose one life, and if they lose three, the game is over. Wild card pieces, power-ups and a limited ability to slide pieces over the surface of the sphere all help with this task. Nintendo 64 (H2O Entertainment Corporation, 1997)
Tetris DX The Game Boy version of Tetris updated for the Game Boy Color Game Boy Color (Nintendo, 1998)
Tetris 4D Dreamcast (Blue Planet Software, 1998)
Tetris 64 Includes Normal Tetris, Giga Tetris that has tetriminoes of different sizes, and Bio Tetris that adjusts itself based on feedback from a heartbeat measuring clip that attaches to the user's ear. Nintendo 64 (Amtex Software, 1998)
Released in Japan, designed for seasoned and skilled Tetris players. At higher levels, tetriminoes begin to drop so fast that they appear immediately at the bottom, with no airborne phase at all; Players only have a split-second to slide the block into designated locations before they lock down. This distinctive style is called "20G". Subsequent entries in the Grand Master series continued the high-speed trend. Arcade (Arika/Capcom, 1998)
Kids Tetris Tetrominoes start out with two blocks and increase with further lines. Circus, Firehouse, Haunted House and Laboratory stages have different graphical effects with each cleared level. Includes printing option. PC (Blue Planet Software, 1999)
The New Tetris Tetris with a new feature: when a 16-block (4 by 4) square is made, the tetrominos used to form the square are merged as 16-block squares. A square formed using different types of tetrominos is called a combo square or multisquare, and it appears silver. A square formed using four of the same piece is called a pure square or monosquare, and it appears gold. All pieces but the S and Z can form monosquares. Nintendo 64 (H2O Entertainment Corporation, 1999)
The Next Tetris The Next Tetris was a game for the PC and Dreamcast with emphasis on the cascade mode. PC (Hasbro, 1999), Dreamcast (Crave, 2000)
Magical Tetris Challenge Choose Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Minnie Mouse in Story mode. The game implements a new Tetris deviation of combos, where consecutive cleared lines give those clears greater value. Non-story variations include magical, updown, and endless mode. Nintendo 64 (Capcom, 1999), Game Boy Color (Capcom, 2000)
Sega Tetris Dreamcast (WOW Entertainment, 2000)
Tetris: The Absolute - The Grand Master 2 Sequel to Tetris: The Grand Master, featured faster gameplay than its predecessor. A later upgrade, Tetris: The Absolute - The Grand Master 2 Plus, featured several new modes including the "Death Mode" where tetriminoes fall furiously fast right from the beginning. Arcade (Arika/Psikyo, 2000)
Tetris Worlds Includes Tetris, Square Tetris (originally in The New Tetris), Cascade Tetris, Sticky Tetris (originally in Tetris 2), Hot-Line Tetris, and Fusion Tetris. ([website]) PC (Blue Planet Software, 2001), PS2 (Blue Planet Software, 2002), GameCube (Radical Ent., 2002), XBOX (Radical Ent., 2002), GBA (3d6 Games, 2002)
Tetris Elements Includes classic Tetris and five variations: Stratosphere, which features meteors that can either help or hurt in eliminating rows; Earthquake, where tremors shake the falling shapes and move them around; Tempest, a double Tetris game where players are switched back and forth between screens; Ice, which has falling icicles that will knock into the falling shapes and make them crash down; and Fire, where heat can cause a chain reaction and melt multiple rows. PC (ImaginEngine, 2004)
Tetris: The Grand Master 3 - Terror Instinct Third entry in the Grand Master series. Includes a feature to switch between traditional Grand Master-style rules and Tetris Worlds-compatible rules, with the differences being block colors and subtle rotation/compensation differences. Introduces several new modes such as the more puzzle-oriented "Sakura Mode", as well as the hardcore "Shirase Mode". Shirase Mode features tetriminoes falling even faster (literally meaning 20G with extremely short lock-ons) than its predecessor's Death Mode. At the last levels, players can reach speeds of over three tetrominoes per second. Arcade (Arika/Taito, 2005)
Tetris: The Grand Master Ace First console version in the Grand Master series, one of the launch titles for the Japanese launch of the Xbox 360. Xbox 360 (Arika/AQ Entertainment, 2005)
Tetris DS First version for Nintendo DS. Includes local multiplayer and online multiplayer support. Nintendo DS (Nintendo, 2006)

Title	Description	Platform, Developer, Year Released
Hatris	A variety of hats must be made to fall in to stacks of five identical hats. Similar gameplay was later used in Yoshi and Wario's Woods.	PC (Video System Co. Ltd., 1990), Game Boy (Bullet Proof Software, 1991,) NES (Bullet Proof Software, 1991)
Welltris	Pieces (including tetrominoes and occasionally pentominoes) slide down one of four wall surfaces in a well, the "well" being an 8x8 square. When a piece lands while fully or partially sticking outside of the well, the wall is temporarily blocked. The game ends when four walls are no longer accessible. This game is designed by the author of original Tetris.	PC (Spectrum Holobyte, 1991), CPC, C64, Amiga
Super Tetris 2 & Bombliss	Super Tetris 2 & Bombliss Limited was released in 1994	Super Famicom (Blue Planet Software, 1992)
Tetris 2	Uses disconnected colored tetriminoes instead of adjacent type tetrominoes. It is the first Tetris to make use of the gravity algorithm. Blocks of the same color stick together. The goal of Tetris 2 is to clear the bottom rows, which a similar type of play can be found in the later released The Next Tetris. Released as Tetris Flash in Japan.	NES (Nintendo, 1993), Game Boy (Nintendo, 1993), SNES (Nintendo, 1994)
Tetris Battle Gaiden	Similar to Puyo Puyo in use of competitive mode, characters, and humurous storyline. Different characters can also unleash special moves that affect the opponent in some way (knock away the current piece, rearrange matrix, etc)	Super Famicom (Blue Planet Software, 1993)
Tetris & Dr. Mario	Compilation of Tetris and Dr. Mario with enhanced graphics and sound.	Super Nintendo (Nintendo, 1994)
Super Tetris 3		Super Famicom (1994)
Tetris Blast	Differs from conventional Tetris in that it features bomb blocks that cause explosions that wipe out additional pieces, and in some modes there are necessary creatures that traverse the constantly changing 'terrain' of the play field.	Game Boy (Blue Planet Software, 1996)
Tetris Attack	A version of the Japanese game *Panel de Pon* with redone art made to resemble . Has no relation to Tetris other than name and genre. Also spawned Pokémon Puzzle League for the N64, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge for the Game Boy Color and Puzzle League for the Game Boy Advance.	SNES (Intelligent Systems, 1996), Game Boy (Intelligent Systems, 1996)
3D Tetris		Virtual Boy (Nintendo, 1996)
Tetris Plus	Added to the classic Tetris is the new Puzzle Mode. Each level begins with a character (the professor) standing on a different pattern of blocks. The goal is to clear the blocks out from under him to get him to the bottom. He climbs to the top of the blocks you're stacking up and the game ends when the professor and the descending spiked ceiling collide.	PlayStation (Jaleco Ltd., 1996), Saturn (Jaleco Ltd., 1996), Game Boy (Jaleco Ltd., 1997)
Tetrisphere	Uses the some of the tetrominoes (as well as a 3-block piece) with different gameplay than standard Tetris. The object of the game is to reveal the core in the center of the sphere (which is actually a torus as seen through a fisheye perspective). To achieve this, you need to stack similarly-shaped pieces on top of each other. Once three are stacked, the pieces disappear and reveal the layer below. If the player doesn't clear blocks fast enough they lose one life, and if they lose three, the game is over. Wild card pieces, power-ups and a limited ability to slide pieces over the surface of the sphere all help with this task.	Nintendo 64 (H2O Entertainment Corporation, 1997)
Tetris DX	The Game Boy version of Tetris updated for the Game Boy Color	Game Boy Color (Nintendo, 1998)
Tetris 4D		Dreamcast (Blue Planet Software, 1998)
Tetris 64	Includes Normal Tetris, Giga Tetris that has tetriminoes of different sizes, and Bio Tetris that adjusts itself based on feedback from a heartbeat measuring clip that attaches to the user's ear.	Nintendo 64 (Amtex Software, 1998)
	Released in Japan, designed for seasoned and skilled Tetris players. At higher levels, tetriminoes begin to drop so fast that they appear immediately at the bottom, with no airborne phase at all; Players only have a split-second to slide the block into designated locations before they lock down. This distinctive style is called "20G". Subsequent entries in the Grand Master series continued the high-speed trend.	Arcade (Arika/Capcom, 1998)
Kids Tetris	Tetrominoes start out with two blocks and increase with further lines. Circus, Firehouse, Haunted House and Laboratory stages have different graphical effects with each cleared level. Includes printing option.	PC (Blue Planet Software, 1999)
The New Tetris	Tetris with a new feature: when a 16-block (4 by 4) square is made, the tetrominos used to form the square are merged as 16-block squares. A square formed using different types of tetrominos is called a combo square or multisquare, and it appears silver. A square formed using four of the same piece is called a pure square or monosquare, and it appears gold. All pieces but the S and Z can form monosquares.	Nintendo 64 (H2O Entertainment Corporation, 1999)
The Next Tetris	The Next Tetris was a game for the PC and Dreamcast with emphasis on the cascade mode.	PC (Hasbro, 1999), Dreamcast (Crave, 2000)
Magical Tetris Challenge	Choose Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Minnie Mouse in Story mode. The game implements a new Tetris deviation of combos, where consecutive cleared lines give those clears greater value. Non-story variations include magical, updown, and endless mode.	Nintendo 64 (Capcom, 1999), Game Boy Color (Capcom, 2000)
Sega Tetris		Dreamcast (WOW Entertainment, 2000)
Tetris: The Absolute - The Grand Master 2	Sequel to Tetris: The Grand Master, featured faster gameplay than its predecessor. A later upgrade, Tetris: The Absolute - The Grand Master 2 Plus, featured several new modes including the "Death Mode" where tetriminoes fall furiously fast right from the beginning.	Arcade (Arika/Psikyo, 2000)
Tetris Worlds	Includes Tetris, Square Tetris (originally in The New Tetris), Cascade Tetris, Sticky Tetris (originally in Tetris 2), Hot-Line Tetris, and Fusion Tetris. ([website])	PC (Blue Planet Software, 2001), PS2 (Blue Planet Software, 2002), GameCube (Radical Ent., 2002), XBOX (Radical Ent., 2002), GBA (3d6 Games, 2002)
Tetris Elements	Includes classic Tetris and five variations: Stratosphere, which features meteors that can either help or hurt in eliminating rows; Earthquake, where tremors shake the falling shapes and move them around; Tempest, a double Tetris game where players are switched back and forth between screens; Ice, which has falling icicles that will knock into the falling shapes and make them crash down; and Fire, where heat can cause a chain reaction and melt multiple rows.	PC (ImaginEngine, 2004)
Tetris: The Grand Master 3 - Terror Instinct	Third entry in the Grand Master series. Includes a feature to switch between traditional Grand Master-style rules and Tetris Worlds-compatible rules, with the differences being block colors and subtle rotation/compensation differences. Introduces several new modes such as the more puzzle-oriented "Sakura Mode", as well as the hardcore "Shirase Mode". Shirase Mode features tetriminoes falling even faster (literally meaning 20G with extremely short lock-ons) than its predecessor's Death Mode. At the last levels, players can reach speeds of over three tetrominoes per second.	Arcade (Arika/Taito, 2005)
Tetris: The Grand Master Ace	First console version in the Grand Master series, one of the launch titles for the Japanese launch of the Xbox 360.	Xbox 360 (Arika/AQ Entertainment, 2005)
Tetris DS	First version for Nintendo DS. Includes local multiplayer and online multiplayer support.	Nintendo DS (Nintendo, 2006)

Clones and unofficial variants

California Dreams released a Tetris variant called Blockout ([website]) in 1989. It is played in three dimensions from a top-down perspective. The basic mode uses standard tetrominos, which can be manipulated with three different degrees of rotation, in two directions (requiring six separate keys for rotating, in addition to the four movement keys and a key to drop a tetromino). Further modes in the game introduce extra dominos composed of blocks set above and below each other, and may have more or less than four blocks. [www.blockout.de international championships]

3DTris [www.3dtris.de] is a Blockout Clone in Flash with an Online Highscore List. It's gameplay is smooth and very close to Blockout.

Gravytris ([www.gravytris.de]) is a freeware implementation of Tetris in OpenGL that implements the "chain-reaction" variant of gravity. Furthermore, it has a contemplative puzzle mode with complex tiles and no time pressure. Another game mode is color tetris where a strategic twist is introduced by adding colored subblocks to the tetris tiles effectively combining the game columns and classic tetris into one game. Other features: Online Highscorelist, 1-hour soundtrack, windows and linux binaries, no installation required (single self-contained executable)

Bastet, short for Bastard Tetris, is a Tetris clone created by Federico Poloni. Running on the Linux platform, Bastet increases the game's challenge by using a mathematical formula to choose the worst possible tetromino to give the player, rather than selecting one randomly.

Cultris ([website]) is a freeware variant, using OpenGL and Java virtual machine. Cultris runs only on the Microsoft Windows platform. It supports up to 10 players playing simultaneously via Internet.

TetriNET is a popular variant playable on Internet with up to 6 players. On clearing lines the player receives special blocks that can be used to damage the field of the opponent or help a teammate. This imitation uses general Tetris inferences, but the main differential is its 12 by 22 play field dimensions.

Net Tetris keeps close to the classic, except in this version you go head to head against a friend, or anyone on the internet. Rows cleared in groups are sent to the other player. It was released for PC by aSc.

Duotris is a Tetris clone produced by team Magnetics, which was released on Commodore 64. It featured classic 2D tetrominos and included a standard singleplayer mode, a two-player split-screen mode as well as a unique team mode in which both players filled up the same playing area.

Coloris is a variant for Amiga 500 released by AveSoft, where all pieces consist of three blocks stacked vertically. Pieces fall like in Tetris, and can be moved horizontally by the player. The blocks are of different colors, and the colors in the falling piece can be rotated by the player. Obtaining three blocks of the same color in a row makes those blocks vanish and give room for further pieces.

Pentis is a freeware variant for PC by Core Image, featuring pieces of random size from one to five blocks. The increase of difficulty is implemented not by making the game faster but by making the proportion of five-block pieces to increase.

Tetripz is also a freeware game for the PC, written by Mute Fantasies. It has a number of levels that alter the appearance of the game board (by spinning, warping or otherwise changing the traditional board). It is, according to the game designers, "playing Tetris under influence of LSD, but without the LSD." The row width is 11 blocks wide.

Tetanus On Drugs is a free software game for Windows and Linux, and it is also ported to Game Boy Advance ROM. The game was developed by Pin Eight, and, while not stated by its website, it is probably based on the earlier game Tetripz. Tetanus On Drugs plays on more traditional restrictions with a mode similar to The New Tetris.

Queen Tetris is another clone of Tetris. It was created by David A. Capello. It is downloadable at http://qtetris.sourceforge.net/ It includes versions "classic" and "destroyer".

Metris is a musical variant of Tetris created by Mark Havryliv and Terumi Narushima. It creates music directly from how the game is played by using game events to generate the soundtrack. It can be downloaded from http://www.uow.edu.au/~mh675/personal/metris.htm.

Tetris Worlds (NHN Corp, 2005) is a Korean interpretation of THQ's original Tetris Worlds. In NHN Corp's game, a player can rotate floored tetriminoes up to 15 times. The game includes modes of play similar to THQ's Tetris Worlds but also includes Tetris clear, where users compete in terms of time to clear lines containing "star" mino; survival, where users compete against each other like in other versus mode games; Sticky; Cascade; and Rush mode. Rush mode uses Cascade gravity and has 100 to 150 unfilled rows that a player needs to "dig down" using line clears and attack or defend items. The first player to clear the bottom row wins. The game also features Single Player puzzle mode and has multiplayer support for up to 6 players in Tetris/Sticky/Cascade and a maximum of 10 players in Rush mode. It is playable at http://tetris.hangame.com/.

Tetris II: First Blood is a version of Tetris written in BASIC. It differs significantly from the original game in that it has a much wider playing field, and every so often small men will drop into the field and start running around. By dropping a piece on top of the men they would get squashed between the blocks leaving little splatters of blood and providing a source of points. Due to the width of the game field (it is wider than it is high) the focus of the game is not so much on clearing lines but instead on the amusement of squashing the little men.

E-cube is an online Tetris clone created in Flash 8 by Rolf Lidén. The game holds similar features as a player would expect, but with field dimensions of 12 x 29.

Tototris ([website]) is a freeware implementation of Tetris where the size of the blocks increases with the level. There is no upper limit to the size of the pieces.

Emacs has a Tetris easter egg available by typing ESC-x then tetris (or pong)

Phony Ring two:five is a variant of Tetris in which the playing field is a ring. It is a PC game released in 2006 by Volatile Assembly ([website]) with the music highly integrated with the game flow.

JTet is a [Tetris clone] implemented with Java. It is an applet which means that you can included it to your site. It is licensed under the GNU General Public License.

External links

[Tetriswiki] - Full list of Tetris releases
[Mute Fantasies, home of Tetripz]
[Pin Eight, home of Tetanus On Drugs]
[Tetris-today], tons of free versions of tetris and variants
[Arika Co.'s Movie Download Page (Japanese)], including gameplay movies of the Tetris: The Grand Master Series
[E-cube], Free online Tetris clone with Highscore.
[Home page of Phony Ring two:five],
[ColorTetris] - Network version up to five players. Freeware.

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