The Best Versions Of Tetris

Highlights

• Since its debut, Tetris has become one of the most influential video game series, spanning countless entries across dozens of platforms.
• Some titles, like Tetris 99, add new twists to the gameplay formula. Others, like Tetris Effect Connected, innovate through audio and visual effects.
• Tetris has also had many incredible crossovers, such as Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.

There’s a reason why the original Tetris on Game Boy is one of the best-selling video games ever. Initially launched in 1989, the iconic puzzle game featured a satisfying gameplay loop that was easy to learn and hard to master. Since then, the series has appeared on over 60 video game consoles and was adapted into a live-action movie.

Many versions of Tetris have hit shelves over the years, and the series continues to go strong today. While not every entry reinvents the formula, several are must-play puzzle games that add new, exciting twists to the classic tetromino-stacking gameplay.

10 Tetris Plus

A Classic Arcade Game

Originating as an arcade game, Tetris Plus features a story mode with a twist. The objective is to guide an archaeologist called the Professor through a series of levels made of pre-laid blocks. You do so by stacking tetrominoes to make lines disappear and create paths leading to the goal.

You can even grab a friend for competitive multiplayer to see who can solve puzzles faster. Everything is presented in a cute 90’s anime art style to provide extra charm to this underrated gem.

9 Tetris DX

An All-Time Classic

Every puzzle game fan needs to try the original Tetris at least once, and Tetris DX is the best version. It’s an enhanced port of the Game Boy classic with a fresh, colorful coat of paint, additional modes, and quality-of-life updates.

On top of the standard Marathon mode, there’s a time trial challenge, the option to play against a CPU, and a mode where you must clear 40 lines as quickly as possible. However, the biggest addition is the ability to save your high scores.

8 Tetrisphere

Tetris With A Three Dimensional Twist

True to the N64, Tetrisphere brings the famous puzzle series into the third dimension. Instead of blocks falling from the sky, you place tetrominoes on a 3D sphere to match two or more in a row. The goal is to chip away at the various layers to free the creature trapped inside.

Racking up combos will grant you one of several magic items to help destroy blocks. However, you must choose wisely where to place each brick, since failing to get a combo will cost you a life. If you lose three lives, it’s game over.

7 Tetris Attack

A Delightful Puzzle Game Starring Yoshi

Tetris Attack is a departure from the traditional gameplay. It’s a reskin of a Japanese-exclusive puzzle game called Panel de Pon. Stacks of colorful blocks rise from the bottom of the screen, and you must match three or more in a row to make them vanish before they reach the top.

The Western version swaps all Panel de Pon characters for the cast of Yoshi’s Island. As you progress through the story mode, you unlock new playable characters, including Lakitu, Wiggler, and Poochy. Overall, Tetris Attack is a refreshing change of pace from the usual formula.

6 The New Tetris

Classic Tetris At Its Finest

The New Tetris was a major turning point for the series. It was the first game that allowed you to hold pieces, showed you the next three upcoming blocks, and gave you an indicator of where each tetromino would land. It also featured a four-player competitive mode and gorgeous backgrounds depicting real locations.

The most interesting addition is the new gameplay twist. If you stack your bricks in a four-by-four block, they fuse into a silver or gold cube, depending on whether your pieces are multicolored. This completely changes how you approach puzzles and introduces a new element of strategy in where to drop the tetrominoes.

5 Tetris Party Deluxe

A Phenomenal Choice For Multiplayer

Published by Hudson Soft, the team behind the Mario Party series, Tetris Party Deluxe delivers new modes and fun twists. These include Field Climber, where you must guide a character through a series of levels by creating paths out of tetrominoes, and Shadow mode, where you stack blocks to form a picture.

There’s also a co-op mode in which you and a friend play on a double-sized board and stack Tetris pieces at the same time. If you’re looking for a good multiplayer puzzle game, Tetris Party Deluxe is a great way to go.

4 Tetris 99

A Chaotically Fun Battle Royale

Tetris 99 is a fast-paced battle royale where you and 98 other players duke it out to see who can survive the longest. You can knock out your opponents by sending garbage rows to them, forcing their pieces closer to the dreaded top of the screen. But be careful because they can do the same to you.

The best part is that Tetris 99 frequently receives new content, including several crossovers with major Nintendo games, such as Super Mario RPG, Metroid Dread, and Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The game was even nominated for Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2019.

3 Tetris DS

A Refreshing Blast From The Past

Tetris DS is every Nintendo fan’s dream, since each mode is based on a classic NES game. Gameplay from famous Nintendo titles plays out on the top screen while you stack blocks on the touch screen. The NES game switches every ten lines in Marathon mode, ranging from Super Mario Bros. to Excitebike.

There are many alternative challenges, but some of the best are a Zelda-themed Mission mode and a Metroid-inspired Catch mode, where you guide a cluster of Tetris pieces through stages while avoiding aliens. All of these elements combine to make Tetris DS one of the best puzzle games on the handheld.

2 Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

A Charming Crossover

Developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 combines the gameplay styles of both series while adding RPG elements. The biggest attraction is Swap mode, which has you switch between playing Puyo Puyo and Tetris on the fly, ensuring every match is fast-paced and engaging.

In Adventure mode, you take three characters with you into skill battles. Every party member has unique stats and special moves, and each can be leveled up. You can even play as Sonic the Hedgehog. Overall, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a blast as a single-player or multiplayer experience.

1 Tetris Effect Connected

An Emotional Journey From Start To Finish

Tetris Effect Connected isn’t just a game. It’s an audio and visual experience where your actions are part of the music. Not only are the backgrounds and soundtrack breathtaking, but everything you do, from rotating a block to clearing a line, produces a sound or effect that contributes to the song or visuals.

Make sure to wear headphones to fully immerse yourself in the game’s catchy tunes, emotional melodies, and touching lyrics. There’s even VR support if you want to further engross yourself in the captivating world and its many eye-catching spectacles.