Control:  
Controlling Tetris has never been a difficult task. Rotate, move side-to-side, and pull down.

One interesting addition allows players to press R to save the piece that is currently falling. Pressing R again later will bring the piece back out. This proves very useful for clearing four lines at a time, an event referred to as a Tetris. (Or if you're really looking for some points, clearing back-to-back Tetrises!)

Gameplay:  
Let's face it, gameplay is what Tetris has survived on for all these years.

Arguably the most rewarding of the play modes in Tetris Worlds is the old-fashioned version of the game. It gets increasingly fast to the point where survival is nearly impossible, and it's this very idea that has kept players coming back for so long.

Unfortunately, it pretty much stops there. The other modes do little to add to the game, as each seem inferior to the original.

One mode, Hot-Line Tetris, encourages players to clear lines at certain heights in order to score higher. While unique, this basically means filling up the screen with garbage until the player can get near the top and then playing Tetris in a confined three or four line area.

Other modes include Sticky Tetris where pieces can also be cleared by linking 25 blocks of the same color in any fashion. Unfortunately, when a giant block of pieces is removed from the center of the field, it makes it much harder to clear more lines. The goal of Sticky Tetris, getting to the bottom of a garbage filled screen to clear the bottom line, still makes it the most engaging of the new modes.

Square Tetris and Fusion Tetris round out the list. These games reward players for clearing lines surrounding a 4x4 square piece and linking special one block pieces together, respectively.

Multiplayer:
Tetris Worlds features a two-player option, but with two gamepaks necessary to compete, it probably won't be an option for many people.

Basically, players each play Tetris and the first one to go over the top is the loser. You can't attack the other players with Tetris Worlds, something definitely lacking for multiplayer.

Sound:
The sound in Tetris is best showcased in the game's soundtrack. While many of the songs are forgettable, there are instances when recognizable remixes of the old Russian-themed NES game will come up.

For those of us fortunate enough to remember these tunes, a truly pleasant feeling of nostalgia is bound to follow.

OVERALL:
Overall, Tetris Worlds tried to modify the winning formula of the original, but for the most part does not succeed.

The most rewarding mode is still the classic version, and if this game emphasized it more, it could have been better.

Perhaps a dedicated VS. mode against either the computer or another player would have helped tremendously.

Still, for what it's worth, Tetris Worlds would make for a decent rental title. It's easy to pick up, and let's be honest, it is Tetris afterall.

 

The Lowdown on  Tetris Worlds Aesthetics: Average Control: Average Gameplay: Above Average Multiplayer: Average Sound: Average Innovation: 4/6 Lasting Appeal: 2/6 Overall: Average! "An Average Game"