How wrong would it be for me to denounce the existence of any Tetris game that wasn’t Tetris(GB) and Tetris DS? After a substantial amount of playtime with Tetris DS, I can safely conclude that the Tetris I once knew has finally come back. The feeling can be best described as a favorite character on a TV show being replaced with a phony for several seasons, and for the perfect comeback your favorite character comes back and stabs the phony in the heart. Tetris is back and it is here to stay.

There have been countless times to create a direct sequel to Tetris throughout gaming history but none have been successful. Other sought innovation, but few would have thought to just keep Tetris the way it was. Although there are actually a few modes that change the way the functions operate in Tetris DS, it’s the fact that every new mode retains the Tetris element so well. Quite frankly, Tetris plays as well as it did 20 years ago. Every genre has a game definition to it, and Tetris defines Puzzle. If you have never heard of Tetris then you deserve to be skewered with a tetrimo. But in all seriousness the basic concept of Tetris involves forming a complete row of blocks with different oddly shaped tetrimos(block formations). A concept so simple that gamers today can be turned off, still with all the action and gore I’ve experienced in the present day, nothing feels better than to go back to the golden days with a hardy game of Tetris.

Tetris DS although very similar in concept to the original, actually changes a lot. None of these things actually bother me as the same gameplay mechanics are in place and anyone can still enjoy the game. The changes all pay great homage to Nintendo’s other flagship titles like Mario, Metroid and Link. In standard mode the game uses the top screen to display actual gameplay from Nintendo games. The first time through standard I started through on the original Mario 1 game. Every line cleared helped Mario along the level and is probably at best a distraction. I just don’t see how anyone can handle watching both screens at once, especially in the later levels where the speed becomes hectic. Surprisingly this isn’t the only way that the Nintendo flagships have gotten involved with Tetris, the music played is ripped straight from Nintendo titles. So instead of listening to the original tetris soundtrack (very good stuff) you now are clearing blocks to the traditional Super Mario theme that anyone on the face of the planet can hum. I’m sort of lop-sided on the issue as the original Tetris soundtrack was what I was looking forward to the most, but nonetheless it is still a welcome addition to be playing Tetris to the Zelda theme. I just wished that the original Tetris music was offered initially instead of forcing the player to unlock it. Of course with a game revival, they always have to reinvent the gameplay with some new modes, and all that is included.

It’s safe to conclude that half of the new modes are rather lackluster and are probably at best space-fillers. Touch mode you use a stylus and move the blocks on the bottom screen in their jumped form. From there you move them to form solid lines and keep the game going. It may sound fun in concept but in actuality the game is very lacking. The puzzle mode of the Touch mode probably kept my interest for around 5 minutes at best. A little too slow-paced for my taste. The Puzzle mode unsurprisingly does a better approach to the whole “Puzzle” concept. After entering the mode, you soon realize that you have come upon a dimension where everything is Yoshi’s Cookie. How fitting for the Puzzle Mode to use this theme. The mode I find to actually be quite refreshing. Though it isn’t as hectic as the main game itself, it is there for a nice breather, sort of like the ginger they include with Sushi to “cleanse the palette.” The mode is just a bunch of blocks in a pre-arranged fashion and you are given a small choice of blocks and have to choose in which orientation and way to solve the puzzle in order to clear everything. The modes themselves intertwine a huge amount of Nintendo Themes into the gameplay. How about Mission mode starting off with the Adventures of Zelda? Care for some Catch mode with your friend Samus? Overall the modes aren’t anything revolutionary but they do give a new perspective to Tetris, a sort of Parallel Universe if Tetris mated with Samus or so.