Tetris Plus

Review

by Jon Thompson

Tetris is a legendary game for two principle reasons: it is one of the simplest games to play and also one of the most engaging. The basic gameplay is an addictive experience for almost all who have put any time or effort into it. Jaleco, on the other hand, has done the seemingly impossible: they've made Tetris boring.

One has to wonder how a game could be so flawed that the essence of what makes Tetris fun is stripped away. Perhaps the best way to accomplish this is to turn the straightforward gameplay into something else entirely. In this case, it has become another puzzle game altogether, and although you'll recognize some aspects of the game, you'll probably notice one big thing missing: fun.

Your task is to clear the way for an archeologist as he attempts to flee from the falling spikes sent to crush him. In theory, this idea sounds fine, but it fails miserably in execution. The game reduces the manic action of Tetris into a more pragmatic affair, and the puzzles are simply too easy. While the game also contains the original Tetris mode, the controls are too stiff and unresponsive.

While the cutesy graphics of Tetris Plus are certainly clear enough to play Tetris, they don't do anything to use the power of the 32-bit Saturn. The happy music that plays along with the game will more than likely grate on your nerves after about fifteen minutes, which is about how long you'll be playing the title.

Tetris Plus is a game that adds extras to a classic that didn't require such an update. Worse, it doesn't even manage to get the original gameplay right. Whether you're a fan or not, you'll want to avoid this game and look for your puzzle fix elsewhere.