Is there anything more entrancing than viewing a barrage of randomly-shaped blocks raining down on your computer screen? In theory that probably doesn't sound like it guarantees a thrill-ride, but this simple, ingenious little classic in the video game realm knew how to put it into deliciously addictive practice. You know how it works a succession of square-based shapes start falling one by one and it's up to you to arrange them into perfect horizontal lines, allowing them to disappear the second they're completed. Keep the pile of blocks low and manageable at all times they'll keep on falling no matter what, and if the pile gets out of control, that's when the fatal 'Game Over' slogan flashes. I have clear memories of playing it as a kid through to my early teens, and no matter how many lines I sorted and blocks I eliminated, and the eventual pile-ups I would inevitably endure, it was a game I kept on going back to. Then I'd end up getting side-tracked by something else, leave it dormant for a while, then finally rediscover it and get addicted all over again. I'm sure I'd still be giving it a go every so often even today if I hadn't misplaced my copy. :(
A fraction of this humble game's appeal would have to be attributed to the unforgettable theme music and was there ever a more beautifully catchy electronic score to accompany your game play? I never got tired of hearing that tune, or the sound effects at that (including that particularly satisfying sound bite you'd hear whenever you were slick enough to nail five lines in a row). But even if you removed that from the mix, it wouldn't have kept 'Tetris' from being the endearing smash that it so rightfully was. It remains full-on evidence that video games don't necessarily require cutting-edge graphics or complex game-play to be involving or successful. This one was basic, but it was fun and it was challenging, and in the end that's all you really need to have a classic on your hands. There probably isn't anything else to say, except "great game".
