Tetris DS

Tetris DS
Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	March 20, 2006 (US) April 21, 2006 (Europe) April 27, 2006 (Japan)
Gameplay info
Next pieces	Six
Playfield size	22x10
Hold piece	Hold function
Hard drop	Hard and soft drop

Tetris DS is the only Tetris game on the Nintendo DS console. It features Wi-Fi play, which makes it the third Tetris game playable online.

Tetris DS is a Nintendo DS video game developed and published by Nintendo. THQ announced Tetris DS before E3 2005, and scheduled it to make an appearance at the show. However, the company decided to cancel the game, and Nintendo released their own make of Tetris DS in March 2006. It is currently the latest release in the Tetris game series, and supports up to ten players locally (with just one Nintendo DS game cartridge), or up to four players online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.

Tetris DS features several new modes of play, each with a different Nintendo theme for each one. Themes include Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi's Cookie. Multiplayer gameplay also incorporates items to be used competitively.

Game Modes

Standard Mode

Standard Mode plays like traditional Tetris, with the play field on the bottom screen and a Mario themed side-scrolling level on the top screen. Standard Mode can be played as a one player Marathon, two players or one player versus a CPU-controlled opponent. Standard Mode features a Super Mario Bros. backdrop as well as a Super Mario Bros. 3 and other Nintendo Entertainment System game backdrops. One player Marathon mode ends at level 20 (after 200 lines), although an Endless Mode can be unlocked after reaching level 20. For the Mario backdrops, Mario advances through familiar levels as the player clears lines.

• Levels 1 through 3 (Lines 0-29) include backdrops from Super Mario Bros.
• Levels 4 through 6 (Lines 30-59) include backdrops from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Levels 7 through 10 (Lines 60-99) include the Super Mario Bros. backdrop again, with Level 10 being a battle between Mario and Bowser.
• Level 11 (Lines 100-109) includes a Legend of Zelda theme.
• Level 12 (Lines 110-119) includes a Metroid theme.
• Level 13 (Lines 120-129) is a Donkey Kong theme.
• Level 14 (Lines 130-139) is Balloon Fight themed.
• Level 15 (Lines 140-149) has an Ice Climber backdrop.
• Level 16 (Lines 150-159) has an Excitebike theme.
• Level 17 (Lines 160-169) has a Devil World backdrop.
• Level 18 (Lines 170-179) has an Urban Champion backdrop.
• Level 19 (Lines 180-189) has a Duck Hunt theme.
• The final stage of Standard mode, Level 20 (lines 190-199) has the original Tetris theme.

In Endless mode, if the player reaches beyond level 20, the cycle of backdrops repeats. Like most iterations of Tetris, Tetris DS's Standard mode has variations to the basic formula of the game. The player is allowed to hold a Tetrimino by pressing L or R. The speed of the falling Tetriminoes increases noticeably faster than in other games, and at Level 20 and above, Tetriminoes are instantly on the ground the moment they appear. However, a Tetrimino will not lock into place until the player does not move or rotate it for a set amount of time. This means that if a Tetrimino is moved constantly, more time can be taken to decide where to place it.

Mission mode

Mission mode can be played competitively, or as a marathon to beat your own score. The top screen displays your objective or "mission," while the bottom screen displays the playing field. A timer in the form of red hearts slowly disappears; when a player completes the objective, the hearts fill anew and the player is assigned a new objective. Also, completing an objective erases the bottom four lines of blocks from the playfield. Failing to complete the objective in time will result in added blocks to the bottom of the pile. An example of an objective is for the player to clear three lines with an "L" shaped Tetrimino. Other examples include clearing five lines while only receiving square Tetriminoes, or clearing three lines simultaneously with anything except a bar-shaped Tetrimino (in this case, using a bar Tetrimino will not clear the objective). Mission mode features a Legend of Zelda backdrop.

Push mode

Push mode is a competitive play mode for two players, or one person versus a CPU controlled opponent. Both players start with a 1x1 block floating in their field, and must place Tetriminoes on that to form a base (If a Tetrimino is dropped where it won't land on anything, it will simply fall out of the screen). Whenever two or more lines are cleared simultanously, the player's side of the pile moves down, "pushing" the opponent's side upwards (The player's side is seen on the top screen, while the bottom screen shows the opponent's side upside-down, since the bottoms of both players' piles push against each other). The goal is to push the pile down so it overlaps the opponent's danger line. Push mode features a Donkey Kong backdrop.

Touch mode

In Touch mode, a player uses the Nintendo DS stylus to "touch" and "slide" static Tetriminoes to create rows. When enough Tetriminoes have cleared, a cage of balloons is released. Touch mode has no timer, nor do Tetriminoes fall from the top. The playing field spans both DS screens. A Touch Puzzle mode is also available, where for each level, a given objective must be achieved, but the Tetriminoes cannot be rotated. Touch mode features a Balloon Fight backdrop.

Catch mode

In Catch mode, a player controls one central block, which can be moved in all directions and rotated. The player "catches" falling Tetriminoes, which adhere to the central block; once a player has a segment of 4x4 or greater, it will flash for ten seconds, then detonate. The player can then use the explosion to destroy enemies or Tetriminoes. While the 4x4 square flashes, more blocks can be attached to it to gain more points when it detonates (the flashing portion only expands if another four blocks are added to one of its sides). Pressing X will immediately detonate the blocks. If any Tetriminoes fall beyond the boundaries, the central block is hit by enemies, or a falling Tetrimino touches the central block while it is being rotated, the player will lose energy. Energy is depicted at the bottom of the screen as a bar, and some energy is restored when a 4x4 or greater area of blocks is detonated. If energy runs out, or Tetriminoes are stacked so far that the central block is longer than the entire screen, the game is over. Catch mode features a Metroid backdrop.

Puzzle mode

In Puzzle mode, the top screen displays the playing field that is already several lines high, with several gaps; the bottom screen displays a limited selection of Tetriminoes to choose from. A player must select the shape and orientation of a Tetrimino to fill the gaps and clear the screen. There is no time limit. Puzzle mode features a Yoshi's Cookie backdrop.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

Standard mode and Push mode are capable of online play. Push mode is available for two players in multiplayer matches. Standard mode is available for two players (without items) or four players (with items).

Local wireless multiplayer

Standard mode, Push mode, and Mission mode are capable of DS-to-DS wireless play. Push mode is available for two players in multiplayer matches. Standard mode is available for up to ten players, using only one Tetris DS playing card.

Scoring

More points are awarded depending on the level and how many rows have been cleared.

• Single (1 line cleared) = 100 x Level
• Double (2 lines cleared) = 300 x Level
• Triple (3 lines cleared) = 500 x Level
• Tetris (4 lines cleared) = 800 x Level
• T-Spin (no lines cleared) = 400 x Level
• T-Spin Single (clear 1 line with a T-Spin) = 800 x Level
• T-Spin Double (clear 2 lines with a T-Spin) = 1200 x Level
• T-Spin Triple (clear 3 lines with a T-Spin) = 1600 x Level
• Back-to-Back Bonus (Tetrises or T-Spins one after the other) = 0.5 x the number of points scored
• Soft Drop (speed up the descent of a Tetrimino) = 1 x distance dropped (in rows)
• Hard Drop (make a Tetrimino land instantly) = 2 x distance dropped (in rows)

External links

• Official website
• [1] - Wikipedia Article on Tetris DS
• Blockstats - Stat Tracker and Highscore board for Tetris DS
• TDS Gaming Hub - Tetris DS Gaming Hub