Gaming Target - Game Boy: Tetris DX

Written by Matt Swider on June 22, 2000

Review: The classic puzzler is back and has some color to it.

Once upon a time there was a game that sold with Nintendo's Game Boy that took the puzzle genre by storm. The addictive little cart was the first game that original GameBoy owners played and now, 9 years later, the Game Boy Color launches with a game (not included) and its none other than Tetris DX, a updated version of Tetris with color and all!

The visuals are what you would think this game is all about, right? Well that's only one of the many great improvements of the newest version of Tetris on GBC. The color makes it easier to see and more fun to play. You won't strain your eyes, well unless you play it in the dark, and you can concentrate on the gameplay more. The look is refreshed and new, and you'll love what you See! Each of the blocks are different colors and the background changes to another color every five levels. Tetris DX gives you some clear graphics and great use of colors, a major improvement over the original!

The audio isn't the Russian style we remember, but it's not bad. Although I loved and was disappointed the Russian music of the original was not in the game, the other tunes they were presented were done well. The music goes with the gameplay, and gets faster as the lines drop quicker! The tunes are happier and more lively, but not classics...yet.

The gameplay in Tetris DX is, of course, same basic concept as the original version on Game Boy, and just about every other one released. The blocks move faster, but not like you begin on a harder level. More like the move from side to side faster and a lot easier. If you ever go back to the original GB one, you will notice the difference and feel the original is laggy compared to Tetris DX. Again, everything is mostly the same as all other version, the best way to keep it for a classic game like this.

Tetris DX features the link cable, very much like the previous version did. You play exactly the same way, only if you don't have a friend or a link cable around, you can play the computer in a match. The computer is set on different difficulty levels and can be very hard to beat at times. You set the number of matches and try your best to raise the computers blocks up to the top. The best feature might be the ability to save your scores and stats. You have three save files and one guest. This saves features has a variety of stats which you can look over to improve your game. A Very nice addition that doesn't change the game's basic concept.

As you can guess, replay in Tetris DX is very addicting. There is a little ending sequence where a rocket goes up into the air. The lines you have completed, the larger and further this rocket will go. A couple of the ending a funny where the rocket spins off if you only get a small number of lines completed.