Tetris Battle Gaiden

Tetris Battle Gaiden
Tetris Battle Gaiden Super Famicom box art
Developer(s)	Bullet Proof Software
Publisher(s)	Bullet Proof Software
Platform(s)	Super Famicom
Release	JP: December 24, 1993
Gameplay info
Next pieces	3 (shared with opponent)
Playfield size	10 × 20
Hold piece	No
Hard drop	No
Rotation system	BPS rotation

Tetris Battle Gaiden is a Tetris game developed and published in 1993 by Bullet Proof Software for the Super Famicom. Rather than playing solo, the only game type in Tetris Battle Gaiden is versus matches, vs a CPU opponent, or a local opponent. The game is notable for its unique gameplay involving orbs and character abilities.

Gameplay

Both players draw from the same 3 piece preview. The player who places the next piece gets the next one at the top.

Some tetrominos have orbs in them. Players must clear a line containing an orb to collect it. This brings a lot of strategy for the timing of your piece drops because you want to get the ones with orbs, and leave the ones without orbs for the opponent. However you also want to let the opponent have the pieces you don't have a spot for, and get the ones you do want.

• 1 orb is usually a small attack or a defensive move,
• 2 orbs usually interferes with the opponent's screen or controls,
• 3 orbs is something unique for each character, e.g., Halloween's 3 orb move is to steal the opponent's orbs,
• 4 orbs is a powerful attack.

Strategy

Basic strategy follows, for use against computers and humans.

Try not to let the opponent get any pieces with orbs. Because the pieces with orbs come every N pieces (settable in options) it's pretty easy to get in to a rhythm that lets you grab all of the orbs, unless your opponent is also aware of this trick. If you manage to starve the opponent of orbs, you are pretty much guaranteed a win.

If it look like your opponent is going to place their piece first, and you want the orb, use an attack if you have one to snag it, even if it is level 1. This is a strategic attack. This is also a good way to snag it, and provided you've starved your opponent of orbs to this point, there's NOTHING they can do about it.

If an opponent does get a piece with an orb, immediately use an attack to make it pop off of his screen uncollected. Yet another form of strategic attack, and easier to do to boot. Also useful when the opponent's current piece is an I-piece. Again, your opponent is completely helpless against this move.

If the opponent does manage to place it and you have the character that can steal gems from the opponent's field, do it before he can collect them.

If all this fails, keep your stack low and wait for your opponent to use the orbs, and try to keep more of them away from them. As every line cleared is sent to the opponent, even singles, it is sometimes possible to outrace your opponent and force them to keep using level 1s, and eventually win.

As soon as you've got a full set of orbs, use your level 4 when it looks like your opponent is not gonna be able to recover and snag some of their own. Many opponents have level 1 recovery "attacks" that tend to make mincemeat of level 4 attacks, so depriving the opponent of orbs is very important.

Level 2 attacks are useless against the cpu. Do not bother, unless you are trying to steal or destroy an orb piece or an I-piece. Some of them are very effective against human opponents, though.

Characters and Abilities

Halloween

• Level 1: Fry: Fills the bottom three rows with blocks. Crystal blocks are converted into normal blocks.
• Level 2: Dark
• Level 3: Vampire: Steals the opponent's orbs.
• Level 4: Bomb: Destroy random blocks on the opponent's field.

Mirurun

• Level 1: Mirurun
• Level 2:
• Level 3: Pentris
• Level 4: Sirtet

Shaman

• Level 1: Moses
• Level 2:
• Level 3: Curse
• Level 4:

Aladdin

• Level 1: Seesaw: Send the bottom two rows of the player's field to the opponent. Crystal and stone blocks are included.
• Level 2:
• Level 3:
• Level 4:

Princess

• Level 1:
• Level 2:
• Level 3:
• Level 4:

Bit

• Level 1:
• Level 2:
• Level 3:
• Level 4:

Wolfman

• Level 1:
• Level 2:
• Level 3:
• Level 4:

Dragon

• Level 1:
• Level 2:
• Level 3:
• Level 4:

Grand Princess

• Level 1: Hyper Fry: Fills the bottom three rows with blocks. Crystal blocks are preserved.
• Level 2:
• Level 3: Reverse
• Level 4: Clear: Clears the player's field.