New 'Tetris' Covers All The Bases But Lacks Real Innovation

The newest version of the classic 1980’s game Tetris to hit the app shelves comes courtesy of Electronic Arts. The app, available for iPhone and iPod touch, launched in December replacing an earlier version and comes with enhanced visuals and a new twist to the original game giving players one-touch and galaxy modes. Tetris became a beloved classic because of its simplicity and Electronic Arts doesn’t take that away from users. The goal of the game is to drop various shaped blocks into congruent lines trying not to let them stack vertically, and gaining points for each horizontal line correctly formed. The slight anxiety that builds up when blocks start to stack up is addicting, especially because the game speeds up the closer to the top you are.

The graphics are crisp and colorful and everything seems to load in light speed. When first playing the game I went straight into the new “one-touch mode”, which was definitely different from the original. Players still have one block shape to play with at a time, but instead of having to move it around while it is quickly descending from the air, you get ghost depictions of where your block potentially could land. Players then pick between any of the one to five ghost options shown and with a swift “one-touch” place the block in chosen place - no falling from the sky necessary. While this is visually appealing since you can literally see where the block is going to land and it does make the game go quicker, I found myself yearning for the original version. Luckily there is marathon mode which reverts back to blocks hurtling from the top of the screen to the bottom. Galaxy mode is also entertaining but really not as fun as the marathon or one-touch modes. In Galaxy players get a pre-filled in screen where only a few pieces are missing. In reality Galaxy feels a lot like you stepped into someone else's poorly played game and it’s now your responsibility to try to clean it up.

This version of Tetris covers all the expected bases and adds some new challenges - but in terms of innovation it could have gone further. AppPicker Rating: 3 / 5 stars Pick It Up in the App Store: Tetris Other apps by Electronic Arts