Tetris Effect is an entry in the long-running Tetris series, developed by Monstars and Resonair, published by Enhance Games, and initially released in 2018 for PlayStation 4 with support for the PlayStation VR, with a PC release coming the following year, and an Oculus Quest version the year after that.
At its core, Tetris Effect is simple, classic Tetris. Its only really unique mechanic is the Zone System, in which cleared lines are immediately sent to the bottom of the screen and all of the lines disappear at once when either time is up or the blocks reach the top of the screen. However, what really helps this game stand out is its visuals, soundtrack, and general aesthetics, taking players from the ocean to cityscapes to the moon, with music genres ranging from jazz to tribal to ambient. It certainly does have an effect!
The game was revealed to be getting an Xbox port (both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S), alongside DLC that would make the game multiplayer. This DLC, titled Tetris Effect: Connected, was released on November 10, 2020 for Xbox and PC, and on August 18, 2021 on all other platforms. A Nintendo Switch version was later announced on August 2021 and released on October 8, 2021. A PlayStation 5 version with support for the PlayStation VR2 was later announced on January 2023 and released on February 22, 2023.
Not to be confused with the real world phenomenon, though the phenomenon is the reason for the name of the game.
Watch the reveal trailer here
.
The following tropes are connected to Tetris Effect:
- Arc Words: "Connected."
- The first song in the game's Journey Mode is titled "Connected (Yours Forever)", and features this word prominently as part of the chorus. Several other songs in the game's soundtrack use this word.
- The game's multiplayer DLC and the port on Xbox, PC and Switch is titled Tetris Effect: Connected.
- The main multiplayer mode is a cooperative adventure titled Connected Mode.
- Artificial Brilliance: The Level 10 CPU player (Master) in Connected is the strongest Tetris AI seen so far in an official modern Tetris game, surpassing even the Core Tetris AI in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. It actively sets up opportunities for T-Spins, takes full advantage of SRS twists and kicks, and uses strategies such as donation and skimming more often.
- Bait-and-Switch: The game's reveal trailer begins with what could easily be the opening to a science fiction game, but as the trailer goes on, it slowly becomes more and more obvious that the trailer is for anything but that.
- Book Ends: Kate Brady provides vocals for the songs that play in both the first and last stages of Journey Mode.
- Creator Cameo:
- In the "1984" stage, Alexey Pajitnov can be seen in the background at some points. Alexey Pajitnov is the man who created Tetris back in, obviously, 1984.
- The very first person seen in the reveal trailer for Connected is Alexey Pajitnov.
- Easter Egg: The "1984" stage is not available through traditional means, unlike the "1989" stage which is unlocked by reaching level 50 or beating the weekly ritual. To unlock it, you either need to play on June 6th with your system connected to the internet, or you need to input the Konami Code on the title screen (on PC, you will have to plug in a controller, as any keyboard press that isn't the arrow keys will proceed to the main menu)). Upon being taken to an old monitor-esque screen, you then need to type in "06061984"Why that number? on a keyboard (on consoles, you will have to plug in a USB keyboard).
- Embedded Precursor:
- There are themes that call back to older versions of Tetris, such as 1989 Mode calling back to the old Game Boy pack-in.
- Classic Score Attack is a recreation of the NES version.
- There are themes that call back to older versions of Tetris, such as 1989 Mode
- 11th-Hour Superpower: In Connected mode, if all three players survive and activate Zone together during the third stage of the Tetrimidion, their team attack power is multiplied by 100, pretty much guaranteeing a finishing blow on the boss.
- Upon hitting the row requirement in the final level of Journey mode, the player gets a minute of unlimited Zone usage. It still drains at the normal speed, but instantly refills after it ends.
- Final-Exam Boss: Tetrimidion in Connected uses all the blitzes the other bosses used, but they're scaled up in intensity.
- Guide Dang It!: How Reviving works in Connected mode isn't clearly documented. The game does have animated picture instruction but all the text says about the matter is 'Experiment and see!'. A downed team member has to press any rotate button in time with background music's beat to fill the revive bar. Their teammates can speed up the process by doing Tetrises or clearing lines with T-spins.
- Harder Than Hard: Maniac Mode, unlocked for private matches in connected mode once you've beaten Tetrimidion the normal way. Boss attack power and frequency skyrockets, and the AI becomes even more intelligent. If you go down, it also takes significantly longer to revive as well. It can be beaten, but you're in for one brutal run, especially when reaching Tetrimidion.
- Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels: The first four levels in Connected mode are given standard difficulty descriptors: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard, but the fifth and final level is given a difficulty of "Cosmic Horror".
- Interface Screw:
- Some of the random effects in Mystery mode mess with various aspects of the interface and the controls, to make it more difficult. Some examples include "Vertical Flip" (flips the view upside-down), "Up Close" (zooms the camera much closer than is possible under normal circumstances), "No Hold" (disables the hold piece), and "No Next" (hides the piece queue).
- Many of the bosses in Connected and Connected Vs. have attacks that also mess with the interface and controls. Some of them are borrowed from Mystery mode, but they also include some new ones such as "Hide Field" (hides minos that have already been placed in the field), "No Spin" (disables rotations), and "Soft Drop" (disables hard drops). In addition, the players' fields themselves move around slightly in time to the background music, which can be a bit distracting for beginners.
- In singleplayer modes, after having filled 8 lines in the Zone, the whole screen is color inverted. This can be turned off in settings.
- In Connected mode, the playfields perform periodic sideways movements in time with the beats, and when Zone is ready they bump crazily. Luckily this can also be turned off in settings.
- Interface Spoiler: Korobeiniki isn't heard at all during Journey mode, but the credits still mention it. This hints at the hidden 1989 theme.
- Kirby Dots: Used in almost every stage as part of the particle effects that form some of the environments and entities.
- Marathon Boss: The Tetrimidion is definitely this. Rather than being three separate boss fights, you're only fighting it. However, you have to beat it three consecutive times to put it down for good. The third fight is where the marathon really makes itself known. You only have to fill the Connect gauge once with all three people up, but the gauge takes roughly five times as long to fill as it does against any other boss, or Tetrimidion's first two phases. You also have to do this while it's throwing out stronger versions of every possible attack at random, rapidly scaling up in power as the battle goes on. Worse yet, if any of your team is downed when Connect mode starts, the boss No-Sells your attack. If this happens, you likely won't survive long enough to do it again.
- Retraux:
- Upon either completing the weekly ritual in the Effect Modes or reaching level 50, the player unlocks a stage simply titled "1989". Said stage is a love letter to the Game Boy iteration of Tetris, with monochrome colors (until the final stretch, that is), 8-bit graphics of distinct Russian buildings from the title screen of the Game Boy version, and an amazing remix of the classic Tetris theme song, sampling 8-bit sounds for it the entire time.
- And on top of that, there is another retro inspired stage titled "1984". This one is based on one of the early prototypes of Tetris that Alexey Pajitnov made, and is made up purely of singular lines that are arranged to make the squares and lines for the stage, even more minimalist than "1989".
- Classic Score Attack in multiplayer is based on the NES version of Tetris, and not only features a recreation of that version's aesthetics, but also presents an incredibly accurate recreation of the gameplay and rules.
- Scenery Porn: Simply put, this game is visually stunning. Oceans, starry skies, kaleidoscopic expanses, deserts, forests, cityscapes, you name it, it's likely here and given a beautiful psychedelic makeover.
- Shout-Out: The final sequence upon beating the last level of Journey Mode seems to be one to the finale of 2001: A Space Odyssey. A very similar tunnel of light and patterns envelops the player and at the other end the player finds themselves staring at earth itself, with the laugh of a baby heard, with the player themselves seemingly taking the role of the Star Child.
- Signature Move: Each boss in Connected mode (except Tetrimidion) has a "signature blitz" which it will perform, alternating with the common blitz pool
- Sinister Geometry: The final boss of Connected mode is Tetrimidion, which unlike the other bosses who assume the form of their namesake constellation, takes the shape of a simple octahedron.
- That Russian Squat Dance: The sprites of people do this dance in "1989".
- Time Stands Still: The Zone, which pauses everything, including the lines cleared.
- Title Drop:
- In the stage "1984", a voice can be heard at points saying "Tetris Effect".
- With the release of the Connected DLC, each use of the Arc Word becomes this.
- We Cannot Go On Without You: The third stage of the Tetrimidion in Connected mode No-Sells team attacks if one or more players aren't present during Zone.
- I'm yours forever...
There is no end in sight for us.
Nothing could measure
The kind of strength inside our hearts.
