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In Tetris Evolution for the Xbox Live Arcade players will enjoy not only traditional Tetris gameplay but numerous new modes including “Go Low” and “Eraser” for both single and multiplayer. The multiplayer mode not only allows for up to four players on a single console, but players can now compete with up to four players via the Xbox Live online entertainment service. There is also a new intelligent matchmaking system, which pits players against others within their skill level, as well as the online ladder system, which will enable players to track their overall skill level and accumulate Xbox Live achievement points to increase their Gamerscore.

Genre: Puzzle Action

Publisher: THQ

Developer: Mass Media

Online Play: 4 Versus

Local Play:

March 27, 2007 –
It seems that the Xbox Live Arcade was made for Tetris. The classic block dropping puzzler could easily fit into a nice downloadable package and features the quick, arcade style of game that the service has been striving for. But Tetris Evolution is not on the Xbox Live Arcade. Instead, it’s a “budget” priced retail release clocking in at a relatively pricey $29.99 (USD). Despite the “Evolution” tagline, this is just Tetris we’re talking about. The question then becomes one of whether the bells and whistles justify the retail cost. The answer is clearly that they don’t. Tetris Evolution should have been released on the Xbox Live Arcade.

When it comes to Tetris, presentation is everything. We’ve all played Tetris before thanks to its penchant for showing up on every console ever. You can even play countless Flash versions for free on the web. It’s the substance around the game and the available modes that make it worth purchasing over and over again. In the case of Tetris Evolution, the presentation is a mixed bag that may appeal quite strongly to some but winds up being a tad disappointing in the end.

One of the biggest gripes Tetris fans will have with Evolution doesn’t have to do with the game itself. Rather unfortunately for THQ, the Xbox 360 controller is not ideal for Tetris. Playing a precise game such as Tetris is never perfect with an analog stick and the 360 d-pad leaves much to be desired. Misplacement and early drops are the norm for a few hours while you work to get used to the awkward d-pad. This isn’t a fault with the game itself, but it takes away from the overall enjoyment that it can deliver.

Controller issues aside, the game customization options are wide enough to please most Tetris aficionados. The classic marathon mode makes an appearance as does the often seen cascade. Additionally, there are six other ways to drop blocks with everything from the quick timed ones to goal oriented scoring systems. There are also plenty of options for customizing specific elements of the gameplay itself. Players can turn on or off the ghost tetrimino that indicates where your piece will drop, switch the ability to rotate pieces endlessly before they lock down, change fill rates, turn the grid on or off, and even adjust how many tetriminos will show up in the queue (with a maximum of 2).

The best feature in this iteration of Tetris is the inclusion of Xbox Live support. Up to four players can play either online or off in one of three styles. The standard versus mode is there where players send blocks over to their opponent as they are cleared as is a noncompetitive independent mode. The coolest addition to this game is the hotseat style of multiplayer Tetris where players take turns controlling the tetriminos on a single board in a cooperative challenge. It’s nothing revolutionary, but playing this mode with a friend is surprisingly fun. Each of these three styles can be played across the eight different game modes, allowing for some decent variety in your online game. It would have been nicer to have more players online, say perhaps 10 like the Tetris DS Adhoc game share allows, but the set of modes is fairly robust as it is. Now if we could just get some power-ups into the game to mix things up a bit