Tetrisphere
Year: 1997
Rating: KA
Time Played: ~10 hours
When it comes to Tetris, I can appreciate how timeless the original is while also enjoying when it goes in bold new directions. If all you need to include Tetris in your game’s title are the seven tetromino pieces, then games like Tetrisphere easily fit into this category. While there weren’t really any “classic” Tetris releases on the Nintendo 64, my nostalgic love for Tetrisphere still keeps it in a prominent place of honor in my memory. Having played it again recently, the game hasn’t aged particularly well, graphics-wise, but it’s still fun.
The gameplay for Tetrisphere is different from classic Tetris in that the entire playing field is already covered in tetrominos that you have to move around and eliminate to get to the center of the eponymous sphere, thus freeing one of the sphere-like robot characters. There are several game modes, including a Puzzle section where you try to win the level with limited pieces and a Versus mode where you can challenge the computer or other players. Once you’ve unlocked and beaten everything, though, there’s not much else to do than to reset the data and start from scratch.
One aspect of this game I really loved (and still do) is its music. It’s just chill enough to settle in and play without distractions, but techno enough to drive the gameplay when things get frantic. The other aspect is playing levels that can trigger huge combos. There’s nothing more satisfying than clearing almost the entire sphere with a single move as pieces shatter and fall into place to create an even longer combo. If you have the chance to try this game, do yourself a favor and give it a shot.
A bold new idea for the standard Tetris pieces, I give Tetrisphere 4.0 stars out of 5.
