Tetris DX

About Tetris DX

Tetris DX (1998) is Nintendo's Game Boy Color launch version of Tetris, adding colour, new modes, saved player profiles and link-cable battles to the 1989 classic.

Tetris DX in Depth

As in Tetris, players fit a falling series of blocks into complete rows that then disappear, and the game ends when blocks stack past the top of the play area. Marathon Mode is closest to the original, with blocks falling faster for every line cleared. Ultra Mode asks players to clear as many lines as possible in two minutes, and 40 Lines lets them choose a starting level and height before racing to clear 40 lines. Vs Mode offers battles against computer opponents on easy, normal or hard, or against another player with their own copy through the Game Link Cable.

Unlike the 1989 Game Boy version, it adds colour and saving: up to four players can store their names and high scores, and each is given a Power Rating that reflects their performance across the modes. Total Game Boy praised the colour for making blocks easier to tell apart, along with the convenience of saving, and felt it was "wise" of Nintendo to change so little of the core game since there was little to improve. Electronic Gaming Monthly found it easier than its predecessor, with a "less erratic" distribution of blocks, and some critics missed the original's background music. Reviewers broadly agreed it improved on Tetris but questioned whether owners of the original needed it.

Making Tetris DX

According to Tetris Company managing director Henk Rogers, Nintendo proposed the game for its new colour handheld, intending to keep the design of the original, and published it alongside the Game Boy Color's launch. It was well received for its additions: GameSpot's Cameron Davis praised its addictiveness and link-cable play, and another reviewer called it "more fun than the original", saying its new modes and colour justified buying it again. In retrospect, Digital Trends said its "vibrant color scheme made clearing lines and performing complex maneuvers more engaging", and The Escapist called it a strong remake that revamped "the classic with a dazzling display and additional game modes".