TetriNET

Did You Know?

• The classic TetriNET download came with a single MIDI file that plays during game, known as 'The Dance of the Spheres', whose authorship is claimed by David Lilja, who was known as Davie M.
• St0rmCat released TetriNET2 in 2000, which features improved graphics, more types of special blocks, additional features (such as hold piece and block shadows), and a master server.

Gameplay

TetriNET is a multiplayer Tetris variant where the core gameplay remains familiar, but clearing lines introduces a new layer of strategy. When a player clears a row, special blocks appear in their playfield. If a line containing one of these special blocks is cleared, that block goes into the player's inventory. The more lines cleared at once, the more special blocks are earned. Players can then activate the special block at the front of their inventory on any of the six active fields, including their own or an opponent's. Each special block type produces a distinct effect: Add Line drops a broken line onto the bottom of the targeted field; Clear Line removes the bottom line from that field; Clear Special Blocks turns all special blocks in the target field into normal blocks; Random Blocks Clear eliminates random blocks, often leaving gaps; Block Bomb detonates any Block Bombs present, scattering nearby pieces; Blockquake shifts every line in the field, mimicking an earthquake; Block Gravity makes all blocks fall into empty spaces and instantly removes any completed lines; Switch Fields swaps the user's field with the target's; and Nuke Field wipes out every block on the target field. The game continues until only one player can still place pieces. Some servers offer alternative rule sets: pure mode disables special blocks entirely for a traditional multiplayer Tetris experience, while 7tetris declares the first player to complete seven Tetrises the winner.

Variants

Beyond the standard rules of the TetriNET 1.13 client, several gameplay variants exist. TetriFast eliminates the one-second delay between pieces that is standard in TetriNET. Because this delay is handled on the client side, a small change to the network protocol was made to stop TetriFast clients from joining standard TetriNET games. Another variant, the 1.14 protocol, gives every player the exact same sequence of pieces. Blocktrix is a different TetriNET client for Windows. It supports both the original TetriNET and TetriFast protocols, but also includes its own Blocktrix mode with several new special block types: Left Gravity shifts all blocks as far left as possible, leaving gaps only on the right edge of the field; Piece Change swaps the current piece for another; and Zebra Field clears every second column from the playing field. TetriNET2, created by the same person who made the original TetriNET, is a multiplayer Tetris game. It keeps all the original special blocks and adds five new ones. Immunity makes the target immune to all specials for 15 seconds by default. Clear Column removes a random column from the target's field. Mutate Pieces turns a set number of the target's upcoming pieces (three by default) into large, awkward shapes. Darkness hides everything on the target's field except the current piece and its immediate area for 10 seconds by default. Confusion scrambles the target's controls for 10 seconds by default, so pressing left might move the piece right instead. In late 2007, following a cease and desist request from The Tetris Company, TetriNET2 was taken down along with other clones. Its website and servers were offline for several years. By early 2010, after fans expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of development from The Tetris Company, TetriNET2 returned. The website and servers were recovered, moved, and restored.

Popularity and reception

TetriNET was available on multiple platforms and found a strong following among Linux users. At the linux.conf.au conference, a programming contest challenged participants to create bots that could connect to the game server and play automatically, with the winning bot earning an IBM pSeries server valued at A$40,000. The game also appeared at LAN parties. Game Revolution called it an affordable alternative to Tetris. In a 1999 review of The Next Tetris, the same outlet described TetriNET as truer to Tetris's roots and said the network-based Tetrinet was much more fun for multiplayer play.