History YMMV / Tetris

*** This has bled into the audiences for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, with both companies having released a Tetris game on it, with ''Tetris 99'' for Nintendo and ''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' and ''Puyo Puyo Tetris 2'' for Sega.

** [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eLNy8mWWvSo The sound when you clear four rows of blocks]] in the UsefulNotes/GameBoy version.

** The UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi version is considered this to some for having loading times for each level up just to render nature backgrounds which also forces the game board to be off-center. The main saving grace nowadays is, as mentioned above, its surprisingly good soundtrack.

** The UpdatedRerelease ''Tetris DX'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor is also derided, both for the distracting animated backdrops and for its new Korobeiniki-free soundtrack. It's not outright ''hated'' like ''Tetris 2'' often is, but many fans still scratch their head to this day over how Nintendo could have messed up something as simple as adding color to the original Game Boy port, which most people would have very happily settled for.

** The Game Boy and [=NES=] aren't the original versions of the game; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0gAgQQHFcQ the first version]] of ''Tetris'' was released on an UsefulNotes/{{Elektronika60}} computer in 1985.

** Most fans, [[AmericansHateTingle especially in the West]], are quick to poo-poo the Genesis Mini version of ''Tetris'' due to [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks not seeming to provide anything new]] and [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny not understanding what's so innovative about classic Sega Tetris]]. To those who do understand why Sega ''Tetris'' is such a big deal in Japan, it's a port of the 1988 Sega arcade version by Creator/{{M2}} with arcade-accurate graphics and sound, and button assignments that let you add clockwise rotation and hard drop buttons, neither of which were in the original arcade version nor the 1989 prototype Genesis version. It's also the first new[[note]]It's actually built from the ground up, not based on the prototype Genesis version[[/note]] version of ''Tetris'' in over a decade to not be subject to the [[ExecutiveMeddling Tetris Guideline]][[note]]Different piece colors, different rotation system, different lock delay system, no hold pieces, 1-piece preview, leveling up is based on a hidden counter of sorts rather than strictly on lines cleared, "Korobeiniki" is not part of the soundtrack[[/note]].

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** Nintendo's 1989 Game Boy version of ''Tetris'' was ''the'' KillerApp that helped sell Game Boys and make ''Tetris'' into a household name around the world. Nowadays, trying to play it after having played more modern ''Tetris'' games like ''Tetris Friends Online'' and ''VideoGame/TetrisTheGrandMaster'' can feel quite jarring, as it lacks many of the features and conveniences of later ''Tetris'' games. Most prominently, the game has a very "sticky" feel to it: Pieces have slower sideways movement than later ''Tetris'' games or even Sega's parallel like of ''Tetris'' arcade games and lock immediately once they land on another piece or the floor, making high-speed play quite difficult and tight spaces a nightmare to take care of.
** Many Westerners who play Sega's 1988 arcade version of ''Tetris'' don't realize that it introduced [[http://tetrisconcept.net/wiki/Lock_delay lock delay]], which is what makes high-gravity ''Tetris'' playable at all[[note]]To contrast: Nintendo ''Tetris'' on NES and Game Boy lock pieces immediately once they land on the floor or another piece. [[KillScreen Eventually, pieces fall so fast that it's impossible to move them to the left or right edges of the playfield, preventing the formation of any more lines.]] This is not a problem in Sega ''Tetris''; it just means that the player has to adjust their stacking strategies.[[/note]], or that it was a big hit in Japanese arcades, enough that it would eventually lead to the aforementioned ''Tetris TGM''. This carries over to the Genesis Mini version as well.

** Nintendo's 1989 Game Boy version of ''Tetris'' was ''the'' KillerApp that helped sell Game Boys and make ''Tetris'' into a household name around the world. Nowadays, trying to play it after having played more modern ''Tetris'' games like ''Tetris Friends Online'' and ''VideoGame/TetrisTheGrandMaster'' can feel quite jarring, as it lacks many of the features and conveniences of later ''Tetris'' games.

** God help you if you put out a ''Tetris'' game that doesn't have "Korobeiniki".[[note]]The exceedingly rare first version of the Game Boy ''Tetris'' didn't have it; it used a track called "Minuet" for Music A instead.[[/note]]

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byJLw-dQXHA CD-i version]] had a very chill set of tracks that helped offset the issues the game had.

** The UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi version is considered this to some for having loading times for each level up just to render nature backgrounds which also forces the game board to be off-center.

* CoveredUp: While it is common knowledge that "Korobeiniki" is an old Russian folk song written decades before Tetris, you'll still find people refering to it as "The Tetris Theme" or "Type A" rather than its original title.

** ''Tetris 99'' is the popular puzzle game's grand entrance into the Battle Royale genre. [[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371561723225702400/545434119023362058/Tetris_Battle_Royale.png This]] image of the Grim Reaper (portrayed by ''Tetris 99'') killing ''VideoGame/DayZ'', ''VideoGame/PlayerUnknownsBattlegrounds'', and ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'', and preparing to off

** The robotic "KO" when you eliminate another player in ''Tetris 99'', followed by the dinging of you receiving badges for your effort. It's one of the few sound effects that isn't changed by the choice of theme.
** The fanfare that players when 50 players are left, and the more triumphant one that plays at 10 players are left.
** Overlaps with SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8devzz0y96w&list=PL6akIKaXBeU0wszX_wlUIu6NKs1CjRTvC&index=4&t=0s this results theme]] as it only plays when you've bested all over players in a match.
** The little "sploosh" when you place a block in ''Tetris 99''[='s=] ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' theme is a serious contender for the most satisfying Tetris drop sound yet. Also worth mentioning are the [[Franchise/{{Splatoon}} Inkling]] voice clips for clearing a line in the same theme. (Woomy!)

* NeverLiveItDown: Despite its new gameplay elements that should later solidify the Tetris Guideline in ''Tetris Worlds'' (a game also contested), ''The New Tetris'' is mostly known for [[https://tcrf.net/The_New_Tetris the massive, hidden rant by David Pridie]].

** The Commodore 64 version's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqvIAmjPQew music]] is a single track ''almost 26 minutes long'' without looping, which is seriously impressive.

''VideoGame/ApexLegends'', circulated ''everywhere'' after the game's announcement.

** ''Tetris 99'' is the popular puzzle game's grand entrance into the Battle Royale genre. [[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371561723225702400/545434119023362058/Tetris_Battle_Royale.png This]] image of the Grim Reaper (portrayed by ''Tetris 99'') killing ''VideoGame/DayZ'', ''VideoGame/PlayerUnknownsBattlegrounds'', and ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'', and preparing to off ''VideoGame/ApexLegends'', circulated ''everywhere'' after the game's announcement.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: Achieving the Grand Master rank in any of the TGM games, especially in TGM 2 and ''especially'' in TGM 3.
** For the NES version, reaching level 30 would be comparable — a feat only accomplished by 3 or 4 (disputed) players worldwide. This is due to the DAS being too slow, pieces falling at 1/60th of a second per gridcell with no fall delay, and instant piece lockdown, making it impossible for players incapable of hyper tapping.
** The Game Boy version has its own, albeit lesser form of this: beating Level 9, High 5.
** Pulling off a T-Spin Triple. Or an S-Spin Triple or Z-Spin Triple, even though [[CoolButInefficient few official games recognize them]].
** Winning 1st place in ''Tetris 99''.
---> ''TETRIS MAXIMUS!''

** While the Game Boy version's arrangement of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmCCQxVBfyM Korobeiniki]] needs no introduction (after all, it is now the ''de facto'' theme song for ''Tetris''), the often-overlooked [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30eWWOvAzwg Music C]] from the NES edition is a very calm and relaxing theme. The NES Music A, a version of "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" from TheNutcracker is also fondly remembered--and used for the Tetris screen of ''VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy''.

** ''Magical Tetris Challange'' is an often overlooked entry in the series, but it has a surprisingly snappy soundtrack for a Disney tie-in game. Masato Kouda, who has done work for some of Capcom's most famous games, was the composer for the console version. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76kEmj-9Wk&list=PLjdy4KpzCraiteDisRlFMDgKig_zMOc67 Have a listen to the playlist here]].

* AccidentalInnuendo: When you clear five lines at once in ''Magical Tetris Challenge'', the game calls it a "Pentris"[[note]]from the prefix ''penta-'', meaning "five"[[/note]]. Which sounds like a combination of "penetrate" and "penis". This is perhaps why ''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' calls it a Tetris Plus instead.

** [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167465-Tetris-Movie-80M-Budget-Shooting-Next-Year There's apparently going to be a Tetris movie]] that's described as an "epic, sci-fi thriller." [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_1KlWFJyA There already is one]].

* ScrappyMechanic:
** The infinite spin mechanic, which some players feel makes high scoring runs trivial. To wit, there is very little difference between playing a survival-style mode in level 0 compared to playing it in level 20+. The only differences in that latter is you have to keep rotating the piece to keep it active and cannot "climb" walls of blocks. Timed and competitive modes are less affected.
** Another complaint about the Super Rotation System is [[https://tetris.wiki/SRS#Wall_Kicks wall kicks]]. Basically, if you try to rotate a piece and at least one block would occupy another block, the game will attempt to move/"kick" your piece to adjacent locations. Problem is, the order of kick attempts seems to bias in favor of kicking your piece upwards, making it difficult to fit most pieces into a tight space; [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper the game will likely end up popping the piece back out instead]].
** In ''Tetris Friends''[='=] Marathon mode, a 15-level score attack mode, the scoring system is particularly biased against ''Tetrises''. To be a little more specific, doing 2-combos of singles and T-Spins yields more points per Goal unit than a Tetris, which takes off 8 units and therefore causes the game to end sooner. The top scores usually have something along the lines of 250 1-combos of singles and less than 20 Tetrises. Later ''Tetris'' games like ''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' and ''Tetris 99'' ditch the goal system in their Marathon modes, going back to the more [[BoringButPractical intuitive]] system of simply clearing a set number of lines.
** Many of the games give an enormous amount of points for clearing lines using a T-Spin, to the point that the highest scoring games revolve around setting up T-spins for every line. While there's skill to it, this can feel like downright GameplayDerailment for those used to just trying to get tetrises in the old games. Alternatively...
** Most of the older games gave an enormous amount of points for tetrises (clearing 4 lines simultaneously), making even doubles and triples a detriment to getting a high score.
** ''Tetris 99'':
*** The game doesn't explain any of the new Battle Royale-esque mechanics anywhere, and, to make a comparison to ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'', doesn't have any sort of playground mode where you can learn the mechanics in a casual setting.
*** Were you hoping 999 Lines in Marathon would be just like 150 Lines mode, except the game keeps going after 150 lines? Well, it is...[[FakeLongevity but the speed curve is stretched out, meaning that line 300 is about as challenging as line 0]]. There ''is'' a [[DifficultySpike spike in fall speed]] at 500 lines, but good luck not getting bored and quitting before then. And unlike in 150 Lines mode, you can't choose your starting level, so you gotta work all the way from 0 lines every time.
** Long combos sending large numbers of garbage lines (5 lines per clear when above 10 combo) is near-universally hated, since it's easy to exploit via the "4-wide" technique, in which the player sets up 4 empty columns in such a way that they can clear over 10 lines in a single combo. ''Tetris Effect: Connected'' attempted to nerf high combo damage to combat this. Meanwhile, ''Puyo Puyo Tetris 2'' not only kept the combo table the same, but changed the game timings in such a way that 4-wide ended up even more overpowered, which led to many complaints by high-level players after release.

** The Tetris Guideline and other efforts by the Tetris Company to establish a particular image for ''Tetris''. Sure it's good enough for casual players, and some argue that it helps curb SturgeonsLaw when it comes to games carrying the ''Tetris'' license, but competitive players largely dislike what TTC does with the series, as well as the DoubleStandard of games like ''TGM'' getting rejected due to deviating strongly from the TTC's vision of ''Tetris'' while {{Obvious Beta}}s like ''Tetris Ultimate'' get the OK just because they meet the TTC's requirements.

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** Many players were disappointed that there was initially no specific message for winning a match in ''Tetris 99''. A later update added a "TETRIS MAXIMUS!" ("TETO 1" in the Japanese version) screen for doing so.
** An update in 2021 for ''Tetris 99'' allows you to unlock skins from past Tetris Maximus events for 30 Tetris Tickets each, providing an option for those who missed any of these events or couldn't reach the 100 points necessary to unlock them. Prior to this, each Tetris Maximus skin was available only for a weekend,[[note]]Exceptions are the ones themed on ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', which were available for two two-day periods[[/note]] and once missed, was [[TemporaryOnlineContent gone for good]].

** Ubisoft's deal with the Tetris Company, which meant EVERY digital version of Tetris, including all Nintendo's far superior versions, were pulled from digital storefronts by the end of 2014, leaving many people only able to play a game which was considered incomplete at best and an ObviousBeta at worst. It took until 2017 for SEGA, when releasing ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo Puyo Puyo Tetris]]'', to spot a legal loophole to get ANY version other than Tetris Ultimate to any global storefront, using a method Nintendo itself wasn't able to. The deal has since expired, leaving this to be more of historical relevance.

** Others don't like the introduction of the T-Spin bonuses due to encouraging strategies that come off as incredibly counter-intuitive (T-Spin Triple, especially, due to requiring a very specific and difficult-to-assemble setup and being worth ''more than a Tetris'' in some games) and would rather spam Tetrises all day like in older games.

** The little "sploosh" when you place a block in ''Tetris 99''[='s=] ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' theme is a serious contender for the most satisfying Tetris drop sound yet. Also worth mentioning are the [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling]] voice clips for clearing a line in the same theme. (Woomy!)

** The "Infinity" mechanic, also known as infinite spin/rotation. To summarize: When a piece lands, there is a small delay before it locks into place, and moving or rotating a piece will reset that lockdown timer. It's routinely been called a GameBreaker and "it's fine, it doesn't affect more competitive modes" and almost nothing in between, and Administrivia/{{Edit War}}s and Administrivia/{{Justifying Edit}}s have broken out a few times whenever the mechanic is discussed on Wiki/ThisVeryWiki.

** Spin (i.e. twist) bonuses only apply to the T-piece. No Guideline game has ever awarded anything extra for doing, say, a "J-Spin Double" or an "S-Spin Triple", even though those are just as challenging to set up and pull off as their T equivalents.

* WeirdAlEffect: While it is common knowledge that "Korobeiniki" is an old Russian folk song written decades before Tetris, you'll still find people refering to it as "The Tetris Theme" or "Type A" rather than its original title.