For the next few weeks, I will be talking about the remaining Tetris game mode I forgot about in my last blog. Some notable game modes that I forgot about were classic Tetris, N-Block Tetris, and Party mode. I decided to only focus on classic Tetris this week instead of multiple game mode, because of how much there is to cover. From how classic Tetris differs from future iterations to DAS and hyper tapping, there is a lot to talk about.
Classic Tetris has such a long history, it goes by many names. I like to call it classic Tetris while others call it Tetris 1989, the year it was introduced. Generally, this game mode refers to one of the first versions in Tetris. At first glance, it may seem like this game mode is just like marathon but they are very different. Unlike certain versions of marathon, classic Tetris has a definitive end. After reaching a certain number of points the game can’t add anymore, practically making it pointless to play any further. Most people in the community call this a Max Out. Alternatively, if you don’t get a Max Out in a certain amount of lines, you’ll reach the kill screen. Basically, when you advance a level, the fall speed of tetraminos increase. The kill screen is just the level were the pieces fall so fast anyone who Isn’t a hyper tapper will top out.
In Tetris, there are two different ways people move their pieces in the game. The first group, the most common, are the players who use DAS. DAS or delay auto shift is when you hold down left or right and the pieces moves in that direction. The inherent problem with DAS is the delay part in its name. When you initially hold down the left or right button, the effects aren’t immediate. There is a small window of time where the piece just won’t move at all. DAS players circumvent this by holding down a button before the pieces appears on screen. Anyone who wants to play at the competitive level needs to master this timing of button pressing. On the other hand, there are the hyper tappers. Hyper tapping is an innate ability that can’t really be learned. Compared to using DAS, you do the complete opposite. Instead of holding down the button, you rapidly press it. Using this method effectively removes that window of time where a piece doesn’t move in DAS. Honestly, if you just compare the two play styles, hyper tapping is just better. However, this does not mean DAS players are bad by any means. In fact, the world champion of Tetris for seven years before got dethroned in 2018 was a DAS player.
Classic Tetris also is unique in its piece generation. In modern Tetris, all versions rotate through a cycle of pieces insuring you get a long bar in a certain period of time. Classic Tetris on the other hand doesn’t have this, and pieces are generated completely at random. With this system in place, a player can go a hundred lines without being able to get a Tetris. As a direct result of this, players end up needing to clear lines that aren’t Tetris to keep them from topping out and wells open. When a person clears lines to keep their wells open, people generally call this burning. The name came around because you are essentially burning line you could use to get a Tetris. The whole situation also Isn’t helped by the fact you can’t hold. In most versions of modern Tetris, you can save a piece for later use. Unfortunately, this feature is seemingly absent from all versions of classic Tetris. Another missing feature depending on the version, is the list of what tetraminos you will get. At best you’ll get to see you next four pieces and at worst one. The icing on the cake that is classic Tetris, is that pieces instantly connects. All of these things make classic Tetris a cruel game mode to anyone who is used to modern Tetris.
Overall, classic Teris is a game mode I don’t often play because of its difficulty. However, classic Tetris is surprisingly not my least favourite game mode. Despite all of the perks that disappear when you jump from modern Tetris to classic Tetris, it’s still fun. Compared to modern Tetris, classic Tetris moves at a much slower pace. If I want slow game or if I feel like it, a round of classic Tetris is always nice. Instead, the honour of least favourite game mode goes to N-Block Tetris, which will be the next game mode I cover.