The New Tetris

Overall: A
Violence: A
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB rating: E

My wife has always been able to pack a better suitcase than me -- so it only makes sense that she was the one giving our children advice while they were playing The New Tetris. Usually video games hold as much interest for her as cleaning the oven (and no, I'm not chauvinistic -- I did buy her a self-clean model!).

The original Tetris came to us from a Russian programmer. It took the predominately male video game market by surprise because of its popularity with female players. But don't tell your boys, or they may stuff this cartridge into the "boring bin" without giving Tetris a chance.

The game appears deceptively simple. You have to fit blocks of various shapes into a rectangular box. The blocks enter at the top of the box in a random sequence. Before they reach the bottom, you have a few seconds to decide where you want to place them (by sliding them right or left, or rotating them). The idea is to fit the blocks together like a puzzle so that there are no empty spaces. Each time a continuous line is formed, a point is received and then it is removed to provide space for more blocks. Lines with gaps remain to fill up your rectangle, and give you less time to decide where to pack the new blocks. If you get to the point where there is no room left for blocks to enter, you're out of the game.

This version of Tetris offers a few new twists. Up to four players can participate at the same time in different game variations. In sprint mode you've got three minutes to pack your rectangle. Whoever has the most completed lines wins. Another mode, called Ultra, provides victory to whomever can clear 150 lines -- a goal none of us could reach before our screen was overflowing in blocks. Finally in Marathon mode, whoever can last the longest wins. Another option lets you take out the trash (each completed line) in a unique way. You can opt to have these lines of garbage added to the bottom of your opponent's screen, bringing the top of their heap closer to the entry point of the box.

After you've done all your packing, your efforts are permanently recorded in the game pack (if you rent the game, the efforts of others cannot be erased). As you and your friends complete lines, they are added to the Tetris Seven Wonders -- 3-dimensional images of famous sites like the Egyptian Sphinx. When each of these Wonders are completed, new backgrounds and music are available for game play.

The New Tetris is void of any objectionable content, yet still provides an experience just as compelling as many other video games. Some have argued that the game actually increases the brain's ability to work with objects and put things in order. Maybe if I play this thing long enough, I'll finally be able to pack my own suitcase.

Rod Gustafson

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