''Tetris'' was a

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, sequence solving, spatial recognition, and word completion. ...

developed by EA Mobile and published by

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for iOS,

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, and

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. The game featured gameplay like other ''

Tetris ''Tetris'' (russian: link=no, Тетрис) is a puzzle video game created by Soviet Union, Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. It has been published by several companies for multiple platforms, most prominently during a dispute o ...

'' titles, with a new soundtrack. The game reached 100 million paid downloads by 2010, making it the

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paid

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of all time, and third best-selling game of all time altogether. It was discontinued and rendered inoperative in 2020 after EA's license expired.

Gameplay

Gameplay was nearly identical in gameplay to other ''Tetris'' titles, but with a new soundtrack. Players also had the ability to create their own soundtrack for the game using the music library of the iPhone or

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device on which the game is being played. The game offered two modes of play dubbed "Marathon" mode and "Magic" mode.

Marathon

Marathon mode is the classic version of ''Tetris'', where a point system along with number of lines cleared were kept as indicators of progress. The level of speed was chosen prior to starting the mode of gameplay. There were 15 levels total, and like Magic mode, this mode ends after all 15 levels have been completed. Unlike the original version of Tetris, Marathon mode ends after clearing 150 lines. Once Marathon mode ends, the Endless feature becomes unlocked.

Magic

Magic mode was an enhanced version of gameplay, where there are fifteen levels of difficulty. Each level of difficulty is incremented by speed and number of lines required to clear the level. Once the number of lines required to clear the level are met, the next level is presented. Upon failure of a level, the game offers players to retry an unlimited number of times. The game allows for pausing of gameplay, which is automatic when a player receives a phone call on an iPhone device. Another element of gameplay in Magic mode is the addition of helper objects that are retrieved throughout levels, which allow players to make minor edits to the puzzle. The special objects become available in the first five levels, and then remain generating upon lines completed and tetriminos placed. There are five special objects, ranging from a magic crayon to blocks converting to bubble popping status.

History

On December 1, 2011, the iOS version of the game was replaced with a new version, which came with an additional "Marathon One Touch Mode" as well as a paid subscription which comes with discounts and premium content. In January 2020, EA announced that they would retire their mobile version of the game on April 21, 2020, and the game became unplayable after this date, even if the full version was purchased.

The Tetris Company The Tetris Company, Inc. (TTC) is based in Nevada and is owned by Henk Rogers, Alexey Pajitnov and Blue Planet Software. The company is the exclusive licensee of Tetris Holding LLC, the company that owns Tetris rights worldwide. It licenses ...

instead licensed the rights to N3TWORK to create a new mobile version.

Reception

EA Mobile's 2011 release of Tetris received heavy criticism to be "needlessly cumbersome" in terms of touch controls, and missing (online) multiplayer options were seen as no longer up to current times. By 2010, the game reached 100 million paid downloads.EA Launches New Tetris® Game on the App Store Today
EA (December 1, 2011)

References

External links

* {{Tetris 2006 video games IOS games Android (operating system) games BlackBerry games Windows Phone games Electronic Arts games Puzzle video games Tetris Video games developed in the United States