Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

This is where you can deliberate anything relating to videogames - past, present and future
User avatar
JaySevenZero
Admin
Posts: 2643
Joined: August 27th, 2012, 4:28 pm
Location: Liverpool, Europe, Earth
Contact:

Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by JaySevenZero »

Here's where you can contribute your thoughts and opinions of Tetris Effect and Tetris 99 for potential inclusion in the forthcoming podcast.

A friendly reminder to all that where feedback for the podcast is concerned, we love it - but self-editing (brevity) is appreciated. We do want to include a breadth of opinions where appropriate, but no-one wants a discussion podcast that’s mainly reading. Better to save yourself time and cut to the chase if you can.
User avatar
iHateNumbers23
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: January 4th, 2018, 2:21 pm

Re: 443: Tetris Effect

Post by iHateNumbers23 »

VR applied to something old, “It’s more than Tetris”, I was told. Did not expect it to make me cry. Yet it did, and I don’t know why.
User avatar
stvnorman
Member
Posts: 911
Joined: March 19th, 2013, 8:09 pm
Location: Keysoe, Bedfordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: 443: Tetris Effect

Post by stvnorman »

I played the original Tetris to death on the Game Boy, leading to extensive personal experience of the Tetris Effect phenomenon, which is why my complete aversion to this game continues to disappoint me every time I periodically convince myself I must still be missing something! I want to love this so much, but the gameplay additions leave me cold, the music isn’t my cup of tea, and the visuals give me motion sickness on a normal TV, let alone in VR! I do get the appeal of Tetris 99 if that’s your bag, but I’ll stick with my Game Boy, thanks.
User avatar
ashman86
Member
Posts: 55
Joined: March 6th, 2017, 10:49 pm
Contact:

Re: 443: Tetris Effect / Tetris 99

Post by ashman86 »

I've not actually been much of a Tetris player in my 30 or so years of gaming. I never had a Game Boy as a kid, which is a platform I know that many directly associate with the game, and I didn't see the appeal of puzzle genre games as a younger player.

My wife, however, is a huge Tetris fan despite being a pretty casual gamer otherwise.

After the last Cane and Rinse episode covering Tetris, I was inspired to pick up Puyo Puyo Tetris on the Switch, and I played some of that with my wife, although she spent way more time with it than I did.

When Tetris 99 was surprise-released, I downloaded it to our Switch and immediately handed the console over to her and watched her nab top-ten finish after top-ten finish. But I, personally, have yet to play a full game of it.

Tetris Effect, however, is another deal entirely. I actually remember watching the announcement trailer for the game and feeling unexpectedly hyped about it.

When it launched, games journalists I followed were buzzing about it, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. That is, until I saw the price tag and, for whatever reason, felt I couldn't justify spending another $40 on a Tetris title.

In retrospect, my aversion was unjustified because Tetris Effect is, in my humble opinion, a bona fide masterpiece.

When I finally did play it, just earlier this year, I couldn't believe how quickly I found myself addicted to it. I had games sitting on my backlog that I'd been dying to play: huge, narrative-driven adventures like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Disco Elysium.

But my urge to return to Tetris Effect for weeks trumped them all.

I wasn't particularly good at the game, and I struggled to finish the standard mode on normal difficulty and eventually gave up on the final stage, dropping the difficulty down to easy. Hilariously, I didn't even discover the game's eponymous ability, which allows players to freeze time for a few seconds, until I was 2/3 of the way through it.

And yet, I didn't mind the challenge. The game's visuals and audio are hypnotic, and I longed to return to them time and again. I regretted only that I wasn't skilled enough at the game to really coast along once it hit its musical highs for me because, often, those were the most challenging sections of all.

It's the type of game I foresee myself playing on and off again for forever, and I'm tempted to buy it again on PC to see some of the additional visual effects the game brings on the more powerful platform. Sadly, I have yet to try it in VR, but perhaps I'll have that opportunity in the future as well.
User avatar
Alex79
Member
Posts: 8423
Joined: September 2nd, 2012, 12:36 pm
Location: Walsall, UK.
Contact:

Re: 443: Tetris Effect

Post by Alex79 »

iHateNumbers23 wrote: January 18th, 2020, 2:02 pm VR applied to something old,
“It’s more than Tetris”, I was told.
Did not expect it to make me cry.
Yet it did, and I don’t know why.
I hope so much that was an accident :D
User avatar
dezm0nd
Moderator
Posts: 4445
Joined: August 28th, 2012, 9:48 am
Location: Leighton Buzzard

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by dezm0nd »

Every time I see the words Tetris Effect I sigh and slightly regret selling my PS4...

That game is something else but I couldn't justify having another console so I sold it whilst it was worth a bit more money.

One day, I will return. Add Gargette to your friends list and i'll add you from the website if you want some leaderboard action
User avatar
Alex79
Member
Posts: 8423
Joined: September 2nd, 2012, 12:36 pm
Location: Walsall, UK.
Contact:

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Alex79 »

Tetris 99: I love Tetris, everyone loves Tetris, and I thought I was OK at it. Until, that is, I played Tetris 99. What a great concept, totally spoiled for me by a complete inability to break in to the top 50. I just don't find it that much fun to play, being constantly and relentlessly destroyed. The addition of the team based mode fairly recently has at least made the game a bit more accessible, and I've found myself more drawn to that any time I've played it. My son is much better than me, so that any time there's a Grand Prix with unlockable skins I'll generally get him to earn them for me. So Tetris 99 then, the core game is as brilliant as ever, just ruined for me by other people :lol:

Three word review: Tetris for masochists.
User avatar
timmytimer
Member
Posts: 5
Joined: July 11th, 2020, 3:48 am

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by timmytimer »

My mother never played any video games except for Mahjong and Tetris. I never appreciated Mahjong, but Tetris -- that one definitely got me too in terms of its universal appeal. No other game is better at inducing a 'flow' state upon me. With Tetris having been there since my childhood, and also having been an avid competitive player on the now-defunct 'Blockles' I was very keen for both Tetris Effect and Tetris 99.

While I haven't tried it in VR, but Tetris Effect is the most synaesthetic experience I've ever had with a video game. Playing it through is such a journey of visuals, sound and music that is exceptionally satisfying. You will chuckle at some setting (i.e. the New York jazz one) and gasp at others (like the level in the clouds!). I think the only "complaint" someone might have about it is that the effects can take up so much of the screen it might not work so well as a 'pure' Tetris game. But that isn't the reason to play it. PS I can confirm this is a fun game to play with a friend as a sensory experience with some 'chemical aids' so long as your playing ability is not too impaired. Three word review: "We're all connected"

Meanwhile, Tetris 99 is a must play if you have a Switch, and both the best Battle Royale game and most addictive video game I've ever played. It has had me playing well into the night thinking "I'll just play one more!!!" over and over again. One of the most fun things to do is to intentionally build very high so you get a bunch of Attackers on you (since they have KOs on) and then drop multiple Tetrises on them in a row killing them all. Three word review: Do Not Panic
User avatar
jbtheskater
Member
Posts: 27
Joined: July 31st, 2013, 12:24 pm
Location: London/Scotland

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by jbtheskater »

I could never have anticipated the emotional impact that Tetris Effect had on me. Not only could I not have anticipated it, if prior to playing Tetris Effect someone had suggested that I would have reacted in the manner that I did, I would have been incredulous.

The synergy of the visual effects and the music is incredible. For me, it works in perfect harmony. The quiet moments, interrupted with some delightful chimes, audio samples, and musical preludes are sublime. So too are the moments when the intensity of the game increases, the visuals become more bombastic, and the music swells. The effect is wonderful. The game engulfed me in a wave of emotions, from tearful to joyous, but always left me smiling.

The prima facie simplicity of Tetris Effect belies the complexity and challenge that can be found in the game. That I can play Tetris Effect when I want to relax, and also when I want a real challenge, speaks to the greatness of the underlying game. The history of Tetris is long, and has had it ups and downs, but Tetris Effect represents the franchise's peak for me.

I wish I could find the words to put it more eloquently: Tetris Effect just makes me feel happy and peaceful when I play. When I want to relax and completely zone out, I grab the PSVR and I play Tetris Effect.

My three word review for this game, which sums up perfectly how I feel about it is: Mindfulness The Game.

John
User avatar
Toon Scottoon
Member
Posts: 80
Joined: October 6th, 2018, 7:28 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Toon Scottoon »

Like a lot of people I booted up Tetris 99 on release day, in part because of the novelty of it, and in part because, like a lot of players I imagine, I had a question I wanted answered: Was I any good at Tetris? It turns out I'm okay. I found my way into the top ten that day, and over the last 18 months I've even managed to eek out a couple of second places, but I'm not that good, because I've never quite gotten over the hump for a win. Still, about once a month, usually when Nintendo offers up a new theme for the game, I return to the block falling coliseum to try my luck against the masses, thinking I'll get just the right combination of T spins, tetrominos and KO badges. Maybe someday.

I play Tetris Effect just about as often, though for completely different reasons. I'm sure there is a scoreboard for this game, but from the very first time I ascended to planet Tetris in my living room a few nights into 2020 I never thought to look at it. Playing Tetris Effect was and is a meditative experience for me akin to hitting golf balls at a driving range or writing in a journal. It's not about achievement, not really, it's much more about just trying to be as present as possible while soaking in the warm visual and sonic glow of the game.

Three Word Reviews

The Tetris Effect - Ascension through removal

Tetris 99 - One more try
User avatar
shadowless_kick
Member
Posts: 116
Joined: May 1st, 2018, 12:16 am

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by shadowless_kick »

At its core, Tetris has to be one of the most flow state-inducing games there is and the developers of Tetris Effect did an excellent job tapping into that potential and building a beautiful game around it. The marriage between the audio and visual elements is seriously impressive; it feels like every detail was carefully considered and polished to a shine. It’s a joy to play, is extremely addictive and it even -partially- succeeds at the whole Zen thing it’s going for.

While the music here isn’t the type I normally listen to, I think the OST is very well-done and is great for motivating the player and driving the experience. I even bought a couple tracks off Bandcamp. And as a testament to the effectiveness of the music in-game, I prefer hearing it with the interactive elements compared to the static mixes.

...My only gripe is with the vocals; all the lyrics really lay the whole “We are one” schtick on quite thick and venture into sappy territory pretty quickly for my tastes. I think the varied styles pulling from different parts of the world convey that message effectively enough without the need for spelling it out.

Three-word review: Kaleidoscopic puzzle meditation
User avatar
Jobobonobo
Member
Posts: 574
Joined: July 27th, 2016, 4:30 pm

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Jobobonobo »

Tetris is one of those gaming series much like Street Fighter, where I enjoy them but I am absolutely horrendous at. I would fail continuously but I was always up for another go, aware that nine times out of ten, it was my fault that things did not pan out. It was only the Gameboy title that I was really familiar with and since I have not played that for a decade and a half at least it was no wonder I was a bit rusty going into Tetris Effect. But when I heard Mizuguchi was involved in this version with his inkling for fusing music with gameplay I had to check it out.

I was wise to do so; the visuals and music combine to form one of the most aesthetically pleasing games this generation. That first level where the marine life flitters across the screen accompanied by whale song and that hypnotic beat was a stellar introduction to this title. I was hooked and I wanted more. I did great until I got to the tribal beat level where it gets very intense very fast. I hit a brick wall and I swallowed my pride and switched to Easy. I am old enough now where I can realise my limitations and Tetris Effect on Normal difficulty was just that. So I started Easy mode and it was an absolute blast, perfectly retaining that one more go the Gameboy title held over me all those years ago.

But then another brick wall; the very last level, Metamorphosis. Holy mother of God but this is absolutely brutal even at the lowest difficulty. I would always trip up at the same spot. After 60 lines are cleared, it gets insanely fast and I always mess up. I have tried on and off for weeks and I just can’t do it. This has become my personal gaming Mount Everest which I have yet to conquer and I am unsure if I ever will. But I am sure to come back to it every now and then and at least give it a try. The moreish quality of Tetris with the synesthesia of Mizuguchi. A winning combo if I ever saw one.

Three word review: Beautiful, addictive, brutal
User avatar
Megadirt
Member
Posts: 40
Joined: July 4th, 2018, 1:26 pm

Re: 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Megadirt »

Tetris 99 is the best version of Tetris, all other versions seem painfully clunky in comparison. My ex gf and I wouldn't go anywhere without a switch and she went outve her way to apply for a phone contract that came with a switch just so she could play it, and she never really gamed before that. Ate my life for a year. Amazing
User avatar
saifu
Member
Posts: 1
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 1:14 pm

Re: Our next podcast recording (1.11.20) - 443: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by saifu »

Tetris 99: Just an excellent, simple take on the Battle Royale genre. It works perfectly as an "arcade" game and keeps that short, sharp shock of joy and frustration perfectly pitched. I wish it had some nicer skins though - but that might be because of Tetris Effect.
3 word review: Who did that?

Tetris Effect: Tetris is great. Mizuguchi is great. I think I was excited for this as soon as it was announced and I was not sure what it would really entail - but then that was fine with the team involved. Mizuguchi might be considered a bit of a one trick pony over the last few years - just his trick is envelope pushing music, visuals and emotions and that is not a bad trick at all. Using tetris to achieve his vision is pretty clever, in gaming, Tetris is just vocabulary - a building block for our understanding of the medium. Also, it is a pure "flow" game and so perfectly enables the player to feel it all snap into place.

I wrote a lot more about this here (for those interested): http://walletsandswords.blogspot.com/20 ... ffect.html

3 word review: it's all connected?
or
3 word review: Come follow me
User avatar
Angry_Kurt
Member
Posts: 395
Joined: May 1st, 2020, 2:53 pm

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Angry_Kurt »

I'm pleased to hear that Tetris Effect Connected will be on Game Pass for the launch of Series X as I will give it a go having not played it before, in fact I have hardly played Tetris in any guise before, barring a few goes on a friends Gameboy. I have played Mizuguchi's Child of Eden however which I was a big fan of, so I expect I will have a great time with Tetris Effect.
User avatar
duskvstweak
Member
Posts: 1123
Joined: August 23rd, 2017, 6:40 pm
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by duskvstweak »

Playing Tetris Effect on Gamepass PC... anyone have issues with your hold queue piece hard dropping when you swap it or am I just bad?
User avatar
Truk_Kurt
Member
Posts: 692
Joined: July 9th, 2015, 10:00 pm

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Truk_Kurt »

I'm playing it on Xbox, but not sure what you mean but maybe I'm not well versed in Tetris techniques. Is hard dropping when you press the button to make it drop instantly?
User avatar
Simonsloth
Member
Posts: 1639
Joined: November 22nd, 2017, 7:17 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Simonsloth »

I have a problem with the d-pad compared to the PlayStation one. I make far more mistakes. Not a huge fan of the new pad.
User avatar
duskvstweak
Member
Posts: 1123
Joined: August 23rd, 2017, 6:40 pm
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by duskvstweak »

Truk_Kurt wrote: January 14th, 2021, 10:31 am I'm playing it on Xbox, but not sure what you mean but maybe I'm not well versed in Tetris techniques. Is hard dropping when you press the button to make it drop instantly?
Yeah, when I switch the block I have saved, it instantly drops, right in the middle and in the worst positions.

I'm using a Wired Xbox 360 controller that I bought in 2014, so that MIGHT be it, but who knows!
User avatar
Truk_Kurt
Member
Posts: 692
Joined: July 9th, 2015, 10:00 pm

Re: Tetris Effect and Tetris 99

Post by Truk_Kurt »

Yeah, it sounds like you have a problem with the pad as that has never happened to me.
Post Reply