Tetris Forever review: A story 40 years in the making

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As a lifelong gamer with a soft spot for Tetris, Tetris Forever has left me spellbound and nostalgic all at once! This interactive documentary-cum-game isn’t just about pixels and high scores; it’s a time machine that takes you on an incredible journey through the history of one of the most iconic games in existence.

The tale of Tetris, originating in the Soviet Union, often gets recounted as an unusual mix of international politics, shaky business transactions, and video games. However, the conventional narrative often touches on key events without fully linking the series of happenings between the battle over rights and the 1989 Game Boy launch. Tetris Forever, a third Gold Master project by Digital Eclipse, intends to bridge these gaps and offer as much background information as possible. This interactive documentary not only presents a comprehensive account but also focuses on the friendship aspect as much as it does on the brand itself.

A documentary you can play like a game

As a gamer diving into my first Gold Master release, I had no clue what lay ahead. Boy, was I in for a treat! It’s clear now why this format has garnered so much acclaim. Tetris Forever delivers more than I anticipated from a Digital Eclipse collection – a medley of games, documents, videos, ads, and other goodies, all neatly organized along a mostly chronological timeline. What sets it apart are the fresh interviews and cinematic elements that give it a documentary-like feel. It’s like stepping into a time machine for a retro gaming adventure!

As you move along the timeline, not only will you discover the narrative, but you’ll also be invited to play the relevant games from the collection at appropriate points in the story. Games that might otherwise only be played for a short while are strategically placed on the timeline to help reinforce connections in your mind between key plot developments.

A bullet-proof legacy

You can just jump into the games by themselves of course, but just playing a bunch of Tetris variants isn’t the goal here, nor is it a comprehensive collection. You’ll learn about games you understandably can’t play, such as gimmicky arcade machines and stuff published by Sega and Nintendo. Also, you know, contemporary games you’re expected to seek out and purchase separately. But hey, if the interview footage with Tetsuya Mizuguchi can’t convince you to try Tetris Effect if you haven’t already, I don’t know what will.

In Tetris Forever, you can experience various titles produced by Henk Rogers’ Bullet-Proof Software, which form the basis of its storyline. These games showcase pivotal events that led to Tetris becoming an independent company with self-controlled licensing. This includes BPS’ rise in Japan, significant interactions with Nintendo, and Alexey Pajitnov’s journey from creating Tetris to eventually receiving recognition for its success.

Can we just go get ice cream instead?

Towards the end of the documentary (or if you decide to go straight to the games), you encounter Tetris Time Warp, a fresh game by Digital Eclipse. It seems like a bonus for enduring the technical aspects, even though those technical aspects are actually what make it appealing. It’s an acceptable modern take on Tetris, with a twist that occasionally halts the gameplay and challenges you to play mini-games using older versions of Tetris and Bombliss, a well-liked spinoff at the time. This concept is intriguing, but it feels somewhat over-the-top compared to the more satisfying experience you had earlier. It’s like stepping into a souvenir shop after visiting a museum or aquarium; there are interesting items, but they seem less engaging than what you experienced beforehand.

Incidentally, I find Tetris Time Warp seems a bit off-key compared to similar games. I’m relatively skilled at Tetris, though not a Grand Master who excels at Tetris 99. However, there was a moment when I discovered I had been playing the same round of Time Warp for more than 45 minutes, having reached the highest speed level and not really finding it challenging to stay alive. This never happened before in my Tetris experience (the screenshot shows me opting out). The Marathon mode seemed more appropriate in terms of difficulty, but ultimately I prefer playing older games from this collection or other contemporary titles like 99 or Tetris Effect.

Play Tetris Battle Gaiden, it rules

Discussing this compilation, it’s more intriguing than you might think to explore numerous adaptations of a single game. For instance, being able to effortlessly obtain the classic Tetris by Alexey Pajitnov is fantastic on its own. The basic variations from Spectrum are as they are, but what truly grabbed my attention was the intense dedication towards Tetris BPS. Experimenting with various Super Famicom titles is quite fascinating, as you can observe attempts to modify visuals and audio elements. Titles like Tetris Battle Gaiden, the competitive two-player version featuring quirky characters and unique moves, have been among my favorites for a long time. However, I never knew it was part of the legacy that sustained and invigorated Tetris throughout the 90s.

If you’ve read the biographical comic book from Box Brown, watched YouTube documentaries or the recent movie and think you’ve seen the best parts of the Tetris story, turns out there was plenty of compelling ground left to cover. Tetris Forever tells a complete story, from the origins to the current Tetris Company, 40 years later. The new interview footage, filmic editing, curated game placement, and supplemental materials are arranged with tremendous skill and care. I can’t gush enough about how Tetris Forever takes the concept and structure of Gold Master and nails it, showing that weaving the “museum” content and gameplay together to tell a singular story leads to something that’s fun and intellectually gratifying at the same time.

The classic game Tetris will be released on November 12th across multiple platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, as well as Atari VCS. For this review, I was given a Nintendo Switch code by the publisher.

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2024-11-11 17:27