TGM legend

Standard and usual acronyms File:50%.png

• TGM : Tetris The Grand Master, used to refer to the serie in general.
• TGM1 : Tetris The Grand Master, the first game of the serie.
• TAP/TGM2 : Tetris The Absolute Grand Master 2 +.
• Ti/TGM3  : Tetris The Grand Master 3 Terror Instinct.
• ACE/TGMA : Tetris The Grand Master Ace.
• ARS : Arika Rotation System.
• SRS : Super Rotation System.
• IRS : Initial Rotation System.
• IHS : Initial Hold System.
• GRS : Grade Recognition System.
• TLS : Temporary Landing System.
• TTC : The Tetris Company.
• BPS : Bullet Proof Software / Blue Planet Software.
  
  
  
  
  

Basic Terms File:25%.png

There is a lot of appelation standard on Tetris Games and TGM have interesting specification. To avoid confusion we list here the basic. All term are not yet listed, and the order is still not fixed.

Block File:25%.png

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The Block is a single square grid cell. It is used in several way like the garbage, stack, Active and next Tetrimino and so on.

TetraminoFile:75%.png

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In Japanese or even in general common usage, the word "block" can refer to both Tetramino piece or single grid cell. Another annoying fact, is that there is several syntaxe for the same word :

• Tetramino (commonly used is Japan)
• Tetromino (mathematical term)
• Tetrimino (TTC term)

To avoid any confusion we will alway use the word "Tetramino" instead of "block", "piece" or "tetra".

4 blocks arranged into a shape give the tetramino. There is 7 differents tetramino, each one with a specific color. TGM inherits its piece colors and rotation rules from Sega's 1988 arcade version of Tetris. But with the release of Ti and ACE, SRS has been added, witch mean different initial orientation and block color shape. It is also a common usage to refering to them by a single letter instead of color :

Initial orientation of I, L, J, S, Z, T and O Tetramino from the ARS.

Initial orientation of I, L, J, S, Z, T and O Tetramino from the SRS.

Tetrion File:25%.png

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Sometimes called the "outfit Frame" or more simply the "box that surround the game". Certainly you have never hear about this word and you will never use it but this is the official designation from TTC and i just mension it for avoiding confusion between game part description and for example, the next definition.

TAP Easy

TAP Master

TAP Death

TAP TGM+

PlayField File:25%.png

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The playfield is surrounded by the tetrion. The standard size is fixed to a grid of 10 blocks length and 20 blocks height. In fact the playfield usable space is 22 blocks height. 2 "vanished lines" are available on the upper part of the Tetrion. If you stack Tetrimino on this 2 lines the blocks remaining on this part are not visible, but still exist. They will become visible again with next cleared lines.

SRS Vanish zone example.

Stack File:25%.png

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Each time a tetramino is locked in the playfield, it become part of the stack. Building perfect stack is the very essence of all Tetris game witch mean stacking tetramino in a clean manner without encircled hole. Several other Tetris games propose stacking challenge and TGM have it's own like the '>' shape secret grade.

' > ' Secret grade.

Garbage File:25%.png

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Garbage is also part of the stack but is the consequence of your VS opponent multiple cleared lines. Garbage Appear from the bottom of the playfield and push up the current Stack. Generally grey filled lines with an empty hole (the hole position determination is actually unclear), the garbage lines count is directly dependant of the opponent cleared rows count.
Garbage also appear in Ti Shirase mode from level 500 to level 999 at regular intervals. The garbage lines in this case are generated by copying the bottom-most line.

Row File:25%.png

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Filling a line without hole, will produce a row, also simply called "cleared line". rows are always deleted before the next tetramino distribution. All stack part upon the row are dropped down to the row equivalent. there is 4 differents row denominations :

• Single : 1 row.
• Double : 2 rows.
• Triple : 3 rows.
• Tetris : 4 rows.

There is no explicit denomination when you clear more rows (eg. Big mode).

Tetris File:25%.png

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Erasing 4 rows with the I tetramino is rewarded as a Tetris.

Combo File:25%.png

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Uninterrupted Rows sequence from a distributed tetramino continuation. Usually, a Combo reward more points especially for rows that follow a Tetris (eg TGM1 & TAP).

Bravo File:25%.png

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When you succeed to clear all playfield stack content after a row. You are rewarded with a "Bravo" pop up screen (a.k.a. "All clear"). On TGM1 and TAP, you earn extra bonus points by multiplying current combo by 4.

Frame File:25%.png

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Before being a game, Tetris is basically a program. The frame is the shortest time indice in TGM. The game is running to a fixed value of 60 frames per seconds. A lot of Technical concept analysis use the Frame as scale value instead of seconds.

Here is the basic of the gameplay process instruction order in ONE frame (draft) :

1. Input read
2. Gameplay process
   1. rotation
   2. Direction
   3. Gravity
   4. Lock
3. Output update
4. loop to 1

In fact this is far complicated but just be aware of this general concept, and particularly if you want to learn advanced technic of TGM.

Delayed Auto Shift (DAS) File:25%.png

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Auto shift is vital for gameplay if all tetris game and allow player to shift a piece automatically by holding a direction. Also called "zoom", the DAS (counted in frame) define the moment between you hold direction (left/right) and the moment the Tetramino effectively move automatically. The DAS can be loaded during ARE. In TGM1 the DAS was fixed to 15 frames, but on sequels the DAS become shorter as the game speed increase.

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Gravity Unit (G)File:25%.png

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G is the gravity speed indice of TGM, it shows [dropped steps / frame]. For example the slowest speed count 64 frames for 1 dropped step and the fastest speed 20 dropped steps for 1 frame. TGM field's height is 20, so max is 20G.

1/64 = 0.0156G

1/1 = 1G

5/1 = 5G

20/1 = 20G

Fast Drop File:25%.png

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By holding down direction, you can force the gravity to 1G, witch mean that the active tetramino will step down faster. if Gravity is higher than 1G, the fast drop is desactivated. in ARS the Lock Delay cancel, and Fast Drop use the same input, so if the tetramino land onto the stack during Fast Drop it will lock instantly , instead of SRS.

(2 animated gif to come)

Sonic Drop File:25%.png

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Sonic drop is a feature specific to ARS and unavailable on TGM1. By pressing UP direction, you can force the Gravity to 20G during 1 frame. Visually you force the tetramino to land on the stack without lock (instead of sonic lock). Sonic drop allow you to place your tetramino in tight place very quickly and avoid stacking error consequence of fast drop. For beginners, Sonic drop on the upper direction may look strange but in fact it allow you to perform Zangi-Moves.

Example

Zangi-moves !

Sonic Lock File:25%.png

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Sonic Lock is a feature specific to SRS. By pressing UP direction, you force the tetramino to land onto the stack AND lock immediately . At low Gravity, Sonic Lock allow you to stack faster than Sonic Drop but don't allow Zangi-Moves since the tetramino is locked.

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Lock Delay File:25%.png

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When the Tetramino drop onto the stack it doesn't lock immediately (eg tetris gameboy) because a short delay still allow you to move it. Lock Delay is visible to the darkening of the tetramino. This feature is necessary as speed increase and critical when reach 20G. The delay is expressed in frame and the tetramino automatically lock when reach 0. Lock delay is reseted each time the tetramino drop from one or more steps. SRS also reset Lock Delay when the tetramino is moving and rotating. TGM1 Lock Delay is fixed to 30 frames (~0.5sec) and diminutive as gameplay speed increase on sequels. You can also cancel the Lock delay by pressing Down.

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Delay reset

Delay cancel

Initial Rotation System (IRS) File:25%.png

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By holding a rotation button during ARE you can change the initial orientation appearance for the next tetramino. IRS mellow the gameplay as the gravity increase and reach 20G. You can only reorient the tetramino to 1 quarter turn, witch mean that it is not cumulative (eg A+C buttons), but IRS can be coupled with IHS.

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Initial Hold System (IHS)File:25%.png

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By pushing Hold button, you can switch Active Tetramino with Hold tetramino. The new holded tetramino orientation is reseted, and new active tetramino is replaced on playfield's top.
By 'holding' Hold button during ARE the switch occur before Next tetramino appearance. IHS mellow the gameplay as the gravity increase and reach 20G. When switched The Holded Tetramino is unavailable (grey color) until next distributed tetramino witch mean you can switch infinitely with the 2 same tetramino. IHS can be coupled with IRS and is a feature only available from TGM3 and TGM ACE.

Hold basics

IHS

Temporary Landing System (TLS) File:25%.png

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The TLS is a simple visual help that show at low gravity where the active tetramino will land if you use Fast Drop, Sonic Drop or Sonic Lock.

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Level File:25%.png

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It shows game progress state. Starting from Zero, the level increase by 1 each time a tetramino is distributed, and by the number of completed row. If you are a beginner at TGM the level is the best information to see your performances progress instead of the chronometer.

Level Step File:25%.png

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The counting Level can be blocked when reaching a Level Step (typically x99 : eg 99, 199, 299 etc...). You can pass only by completing a row. Each time you pass a level Step, the game display a new background. TGM3 also play a ring bell sound each time you are close to the Level Step.

Grade Recognition System (GRS) File:25%.png

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ARIKA reward players skills and performances by grade attribution and divides them into class. For example here is the sorted grade list for TGM1 unique game mode :

9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, Gm.

Becoming a Gm Class player in TGM1 will require much motivation and perseverance even if you feel trustful with tetris game in general. The difficulty to obtain the Gm grade in TGM2 and TGM3 increase in a exponential way. for example we know that there is an average of 10000 Gm class players in Japan on TGM1, it would be really optimistic to say that there is 100 Gm players in TGM2 Master Mode, and so far in TGM3 NOBODY obtained it !

Wall-Kick File:25%.png

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Wall-Kick definition.

Synchro File:25%.png

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Synchro definition.

Arika Rotation System (ARS) File:25%.png

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ARS definition.

Super Rotation System (SRS) File:25%.png

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SRS definition.

Zangi-Moves File:25%.png

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Zangi-Moves definition.

ARE File:75%.png

ARE is the period of time between the lockdown of the previous piece and the appearance of the next piece. Depending on the level, the amount of ARE may shorten.

During ARE

During ARE, the player must wait for the next piece to appear, and cannot actively cause anything to happen. However, ARE serves as a time for the player to input DAS, IRS and IHS actions which will be processed in the moment ARE finishes and the next piece appears.

Word Origin

ARE is a word of Japanese origin, and though it looks like an acronym, it does not stand for anything. It derives from the Japanese word, "あれ (are)," pronounced "a ray" quickly. The word "あれ" is a demonstrative pronoun, literally translating to "it" or "that". Japanese players originally referred to this in-between time using the word "あれ" as there was no good word to describe it. The capital letter alphabet form "ARE" (pronounced ay arr ee) became popular when someone wrote it in that form, possibly owing to its cooler, acronym-like look.

The Existence and Lack of ARE

ARE is a vital gameplay factor in TGM, as its existence allows for many systems like 20G, DAS, IRS and IHS to exist. They do not exist, however, in popular American versions such as Tetrinet and most Tetris Worlds-compliant games. It is debated whether the lack of ARE is a requirement in the World guidelines or not; TGM3 (Ti) and TGMA in particular, do have ARE even though they seem to follow the guidelines.