Tetris Effect: Connected

What is there to say about one of the oldest and most popular games of all time. Well, that’s the beauty of it, there is very little to say indeed. All you have to do is slot little falling tetriminoes into their best positions and clear full rows of blocks. It’s simple, addictive, generationally adored and it as a franchise has spawned countless puzzle games trying to galvanise or reinvent this timeless format. Tetris Effect – Connected is one such game.

This title plays like any other Tetris game that you can imagine. Plus, it plays rather similarity to puzzle games that have successfully tweaked the Tetris formula such as Lumines, Tricky Towers, Tumblestone and Anode. This game wants to keep the good name of Tetris alive. However, is this a welcome addition to the franchise or a shameless re-release of a decades-old game? We find out in our review of Tetris Effect – Connected.

Back To Basics

Tetris Effect: Connected is a game that wants to strip the series back to basics and give fans new and old the authentic Tetris experience. This means classic 8-bit sound, game modes with no gimmicks. Just a competition with yourself or others to clear blocks off the screen in the most effective way possible and get the highest score while doing so. One could see this as a cash grab but if the gaming community are crying out for a modern way to play Tetris, you have to give them what they want.

The key features of this game revolve around the new and improved multiplayer functionality. Players will be able to play online against each other in real time, see local and global leaderboards showing who is the best block crusher in the land. Plus, there are a series of ways that players can connect and play co-operatively which is a first for the Tetris series. While everything has got a back to basics vibe, there are a number of game modes that spice things up a little. You have a mode called Zone battle which employs a time stopping mechanic. While on the other hand, you have connected mode which allows players to join their screens together and play as one to take down a series of bosses within the context of a classic Tetris game. It’s the kind of reinvention that we can get behind and one that will excite the long time fans of the series.

The Verdict

Overall, Tetris Effect: Connected doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It simply takes a classic format, delivers it in a neat package with excellent online functionality and then offers some tweaks and new game modes to keep things interesting.

Pros:

• Graphically stunning
• New game modes are excellent
• Online functionality is great

Cons:

• Doesn’t shake things up too much. Might not hold the attention of younger gamers