Information about Tetris (game Boy)

Tetris
Developer(s)	GB Version: Bullet Proof Software GBC Version: Nintendo R&D 1
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date(s)	Game Boy: JP June 14, 1989 NA August 1989 PAL September 28, 1990 Game Boy Color: NA October 31, 1998
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Platform(s)	Game Boy

Tetris was a pack-in title included with the Game Boy at the handheld's release in 1989. It is a portable version of Alexey Pajitnov's Tetris. It was the first game compatible with the Game Boy Game Link Cable, a pack-in accessory that allowed two Game Boys to link together for multiplayer purposes. A colorized remake of the game was released on the Game Boy Color entitled Tetris DX.

Gameplay

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

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

Scoring

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

The maximum displayable score value is 999,999 points. The score table is capable of displaying the top three high scores, they are saved as long as the game is still turned on. When turned off the scores are removed and are destroyed.

Multiplayer

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

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

Tetris DX

Tetris DX (1998) is a Game Boy Color game that features backwards compatible with the original Game Boy. It features battery-saved high scores and three player profiles. DX also has a new single-player mode, which is against the CPU. DX also features two new modes of play. In "Ultra Mode," players must accumulate as many points as possible within a three-minute time period. In "40 Lines," players are timed on how quickly they can clear 40 lines of play.

Music

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

• A-type: Korobeiniki (v1.1) by Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov
• A-type: Troika (v1.0)
• B-type: Csikos Post by Hermann Necke
• C-type: French Suite No. 3 in B-Minor, BWV 814: Minuet by Johann Sebastian Bach
• Music off

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

Trivia

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