4 Lines
Race to clear four lines in the definitive NES Tetris 2-player mode.
4 Lines is a competitive mode in Tetris (NES) where two players race to clear four lines simultaneously (a 'Tetris') in an A-Type game. The mode originates from the 1989 Nintendo Entertainment System version, which includes a 2-player A-Type race.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Multiplayer race mode
- Win condition
- First player to clear 4 lines
- Typical player count
- 2 (some versions support more)
- Earliest known appearance
- Tetris & Dr. Mario (1994) for SNES
- Also appears in
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Tetris Online
- and various handheld titles
- Garbage-line mechanic
- Not present in most implementations (pure race)
Lore & Background
The NES Tetris (1989) was developed and published by Nintendo after a legal battle with Atari Games. It features A-Type and B-Type modes; the 2-player A-Type race allows players to compete by clearing lines. The game is known for its 'kill screen' on level 29, where pieces fall at 1 grid cell per frame, and for techniques like hypertapping and rolling developed in the 2020s to extend play.
Reader's Guide
In 4 Lines mode, players race to clear four lines at once (a 'Tetris') in A-Type play. Scoring is based on level: a Tetris awards 300 points per line at level 0, scaling with level. The game ends when the speed becomes unplayable, typically after level 29. Efficient play and horizontal movement techniques (hypertapping or rolling) are essential for high-level competition.
Did You Know?
- The rolling technique, developed in 2020, allows horizontal piece movement up to 30 times per second, enabling play past level 29.
- A maxout score of 999,999 points is possible but was considered 'just on the brink of possibility' before level 29.
More in Modes & Arenas
Elsewhere in Tetris
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