The Next Tetris
| The Next Tetris | |
|---|---|
 European cover art for the Dreamcast version | |
| Developer(s) | Blue Planet Software Animatek |
| Publisher(s) | Hasbro Interactive (PlayStation, Nuon) Bullet-Proof Software (Japanese Version) Crave Entertainment (Dreamcast) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, PC, Dreamcast, Nuon |
| Release | PlayStation
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
The Next Tetris is a puzzle video game in the Tetris series developed by Blue Planet Software. The game was originally released for the PlayStation by Hasbro Interactive on June 16, 1999.[2] In 2000 a version for the Dreamcast which included online multiplayer called The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition was published by Crave Entertainment in the United States.[3] The Dreamcast version was released in Europe the following year with online functionality removed.[4] A version was also included with Toshiba-manufactured DVD players using the interactive Nuon technology.
Gameplay
[edit]The game features two modes. "Classic Tetris" has gameplay fundamentally unchanged from the earliest in the series, and is only playable in single-player.[5]
In "The Next Tetris" mode the familiar tetromino pieces consist of different colored blocks called "multiminoes". If a block is multi-colored and placed with a gap below the piece, then the colored squares will separate and drop into the space below. This "cascading" feature allows players to drop blocks down after initially making a horizontal line disappear, allowing for larger combos.[6] The Next Tetris mode is playable in single-player, two-player, and online in the North American Dreamcast release only.[7]
Development
[edit]The game was developed in 15 months.[8]
Reception
[edit]The Next Tetris received a score of 6.5/10 in IGN,[9] while the Dreamcast version scored 8/10. Reviewing the latter, IGN's Anthony Chau described the new cascading gameplay as "an interesting play mechanic" and praised the "industrial-like menu presentation" and "trancy, dreamy melodies" of the soundtrack.[6] Official Dreamcast Magazine's Alex Huhtala dismissed the game as "a poorly conceived and executed version of a classic", pointing to "sluggish controls" and "gameplay tweaks [compared to the original Tetris] that make it too easy".[4] The Next Tetris mode was described as a "novel idea" by Ryan Davis of GameSpot but he argued that "instead of making players take on new strategies, it tends to encourage a barrage of sloppy bricklaying".[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Next Tetris: Online Edition". sega.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2003. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ Lopez, Vincent (October 29, 1999). "The Next Tetris". IGN. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ "The Next Tetris: On-line Edition". GameSpot. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Huhtala, Alex (June 2001). "Review: The Next Tetris". Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) (20). Dennis Publishing: 60–61.
- ^ Sewart, Greg (January 2001). "Review: The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 138. Ziff Davis. p. 198.
- ^ a b Chau, Anthony (January 26, 2001). "The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition". IGN. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Davis, Ryan. "The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition Review". GameSpot. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ "The Next Tetris Interview". Gaming Entertainment Monthly. Archived from the original on September 9, 1999. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "The Next Tetris". IGN. October 29, 1999. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
