Tetris

The game

Build rows, preserve space

The playfield is your entire arena. Each falling piece consists of four squares; arrange them to fill horizontal rows without gaps. Completed rows disappear, and blocks above descend into the space. The run ends when the pile reaches the top. Every placement therefore has two jobs: making progress now and leaving workable space for later.

Two kinds of pressure

A-TYPE pursues a high score over an open-ended run, with the falling speed increasing as play continues. B-TYPE asks you to complete 25 lines at a fixed speed. Its separate HEIGHT setting adds random blocks at the bottom before you begin, turning the opening position into a cleanup problem. In B-TYPE, the LINES counter counts down toward completion.

This edition

Nintendo’s NES edition

This guide covers Nintendo’s NES version. Its setup screen offers three music selections and an OFF option. Both game types also accept names of up to six letters for their top three scores, but those records are erased when the original console’s power is switched off.

Start here

1. Give yourself thinking time

   For a first session, choose A-TYPE and LEVEL 0. The lowest starting speed gives you room to learn the shapes before faster decisions become necessary.

2. Practice both rotation directions

   Use the first few pieces to try clockwise and counterclockwise turns. Learn how each shape changes orientation before concentrating on a high score.

3. Try a controlled second challenge

   After your opening run, try B-TYPE with a low LEVEL and HEIGHT 0. Then raise HEIGHT while keeping LEVEL unchanged to practice handling a more crowded board without also increasing the speed.

Original controls

These are the original game's controls. For keyboard, controller and touch settings in this player, see Controls & help.

NES + Control Pad: Left / Right

Move the falling piece sideways. The pad also selects setup options.

NES + Control Pad: Down

Make the current piece fall faster.

NES A button

Rotate the piece 90 degrees clockwise per press.

NES B button

Rotate the piece 90 degrees counterclockwise per press.

NES SELECT button

Hide or restore the NEXT piece display during play.

NES START button

Start the game; during play, pause or resume.

Playing tips

• Keep the preview visible

  Check NEXT before committing a piece. Knowing the following shape lets you judge whether a tempting placement leaves somewhere useful for it to go.

• Protect access to gaps

  Avoid covering an unfinished space with another piece. Keeping gaps reachable makes later repairs easier and reduces the amount of clearing needed to uncover them.

• Earn bigger clears when there is room

  At LEVEL 0, four separate singles earn 160 points; a four-line TETRIS earns 1,200. Build toward larger clears when the board allows it, but take a smaller clear when the stack needs breathing room.

Secrets