Tetris Worlds
A Tetris adaptation with multiple game modes and a space-themed story.
THQ published Tetris Worlds, a puzzle game based on Alexey Pajitnov’s original Tetris. It launched in 2001 on Windows and Game Boy Advance, then reached Xbox, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 the following year. In 2003, an Xbox Live version called Tetris Worlds Online appeared, along with a single-disc compilation pairing the game with Star Wars: The Clone Wars for Xbox.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Blue Planet Software (PS2, Windows)
- 3d6 Games (GBA)
- Radical Entertainment (GC, Xbox)
- Publisher
- THQ
- Series
- Tetris
- Platforms
- Game Boy Advance
- Windows
- PlayStation 2
- GameCube
- Xbox
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game presents a story in which the player must evacuate the homeworld of the Minos before their sun, Hadar, goes supernova. A Mino Tetrinaut travels to six different worlds, each offering a distinct Tetris variant. Playing a variant rescues Minos, with better performance saving more; rescued Minos then help build a new home. Arcade mode consists of two-minute games of any variant and also hosts multiplayer matches. The variants include standard Tetris, where play continues until Tetriminos reach the top; Square Tetris, which rewards forming 4x4 squares; Cascade Tetris, which emphasizes clearing lines that cause chain reactions; Sticky Tetris, where same-colored blocks stick together and a Critical Mass clears 25 connected blocks; Hot-Line Tetris, which only awards points for clearing lines on six designated hot-lines; and Fusion Tetris, which involves connecting Atom Blocks to a Fusion Block at the bottom, with line clears containing these blocks causing cascades. The Game Boy Advance version includes a hidden Popular Tetris mode that mimics the original game, stops scoring at 1 million points, and has no time limit.
Development
THQ published Tetris Worlds, their first Tetris title, under license from The Tetris Company. Three different studios handled development: Blue Planet Software for PC and PlayStation 2, Radical Entertainment for GameCube and Xbox, and 3d6 Games for Game Boy Advance. A $2 million marketing budget supported the release. Except for the Game Boy Advance version, every port features a whispering female announcer voiced by Kimberly Unger, credited as eKim. The game was localized into French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese.
Reception
Metacritic reports that the Game Boy Advance and Xbox versions received mixed reviews, while the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions received generally unfavorable reviews. In Japan, Famitsu scored the GBA version 22 out of 40 and the Xbox version 24 out of 40. The Game Boy Advance version was a runner-up for GameSpot's annual "Worst Game" award among console games. Critics noted that in the PS2, PC, and GBA versions, Tetriminos do not lock until the player makes them lock, allowing indefinite movement and rotation; this was criticized for making the game too easy, with GameSpot stating it "broke Tetris." The GameCube and Xbox versions made the "Easy Spin" feature optional but still received mostly mixed reviews. In the United States, the Game Boy Advance version sold 960,000 copies and earned $26 million by August 2006, ranking as the 20th highest-selling game for its platform in that period. The PlayStation 2 version sold 850,000 copies and earned $18 million by July 2006, ranking 71st among PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube games.
More in Tetrominoes & Pieces
Elsewhere in Tetris
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced