Tetris Attack

Tetris Attack is a puzzle game first released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game is inspired by the original Tetris and features characters from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. It was later released for Nintendo Game Boy. A subsequent, less popular port of the game to the Nintendo 64 console was rebranded with Pokémon characters and added only one new feature: a puzzle editor.

Table of contents 1 Objective and gameplay 1.1 Endless mode 1.2 Stage Clear mode 1.3 Versus mode 1.4 Puzzle mode 2 Terminology 3 External links

Objective and gameplay The objective of the game is to eliminate blocks from the playing field by creating horizontal or vertical rows of three or more identical blocks. The blocks are manipulated by switching pairs of horizontally adjacent blocks with the cursor. The gameplay is divided into four different types:

Endless mode

Blocks rise continually at increasing speeds in this mode. If the blocks strike the top of the playing field, the game ends. The objective in this mode is to attain the highest score possible. The maximum score is 99,999 points.

Stage Clear mode

In this mode a certain number of the rising blocks must be cleared to finish each of thirty stages. Game over occurs identically to endless mode. The end of the level is marked by a "clear line" displayed as the bricks rise.

Versus mode

Either two human players or one human and the computer AI compete in this mode. The object is to make the opponent lose by striking the top of the playing field. By completing combos or chains (see below), "garbage" slabs are sent to the opponent's side. These are horizontal slabs of blocks that do not match any of the standard blocks until a group of adjacent blocks are cleared. The garbage then "pops" into ordinary blocks and may be cleared.

Garbage slabs can strike the top of the playing field and in fact stand above it for a short time before the player loses.

Puzzle mode

A specific pattern of bricks is laid out on the playing field and must be cleared in a specific number of moves. There are 60 standard levels and 60 more advanced levels that are unlocked by beating the 60th level.

Terminology

• The playing field is a grid 6 blocks wide by 12 blocks tall.
• Combos are instances when more than three blocks are cleared simultaneously. Combos are counted with plain numbers (4, 5, 6, etc.).
• Chains are instances when blocks which fall as the result of a clear trigger another clear. The player may rearrange blocks during the time interval while the clear takes place to cause a chain to occur; if this is done, the chain is called a skill chain. Chains are counted with numbers with an "x" prefix (x2, x3, x4, etc.). The maximum value of a chain is x13. Beyond that the chain will be marked as x? and will cease to gain further score bonus.

External links

• http://www.slack.net/~ant/tetris_attack/ - a visual guide to chains and skill chains
• http://www.tetrisattack.net/ - fan site includes game info and records pages