I wouldn't call myself a Tetris master by any means, but I would say I'm very good at Tetris. At least, I thought I was very good at Tetris.
Tetris 99 is essentially Tetris battle royale, and we've got all of the Tetris 99 rules here along with how to play and the best Tetris 99 tips and tricks. Tetris 99 is the first puzzle game I've played that gets my blood pumping. I've gotten in the 20s a few times but I just can't seem to keep up with the speed and accuracy of some of these players.
Nintendo revealed Tetris 99 during its Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday, which is available for free on Nintendo Switch. It has that classic Tetris vibe except this time you're not just competing against falling blocks or a timer, you're competing against 98 other players in a battle royale-style Tetris showdown.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo is officially remaking 'The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening' and the sneak peek is 100% adorable
I thought I'd kill it given my history with Tetris.
I am not killing it.
I assumed I'd be walking into a match with players who hadn't played as much as me. For years I played Tetris every day, trying to beat my times before going to bed every night. I've played a handful of different versions of the game, but I only ever played solo.
I guess I never really compared myself one-on-one to other players. Well, now I have, and I'm really not that great.
In my first match, I landed in 42nd place. Not bad, I figured there's nowhere to go but up. I did need to warm up, after all. The next two matches I placed in the 70s.
Devastating.
Tetris 99 showed me my true self
Tetris 99 is not like other Tetris games. Other players are actively attacking you so you need to be wary of the garbage blocks stacking up on the left side of your board. Sometimes it's best to hold off on clearing a few lines in case you get in trouble and need to blast away incoming attacks.
It's a very hectic ordeal, especially when you make it into the top 50 and everything speeds up. Garbage blocks start piling up faster and you have to keep up or else in a matter of seconds your tower will shoot up past the top of the board and you lose.
The pressure gets to me as I need to move faster and faster, and I find myself making dumb mistakes at the worst moments. Tetris 99 is the first puzzle game I've played that gets my blood pumping.
I've gotten in the 20s a few times but I just can't seem to keep up with the speed and accuracy of some of these players.
I thought I was good at Tetris, but Tetris 99 showed me my true self: just decent at Tetris.
Nintendo has released Ver. 2.1.0 for Tetris 99, which adds a new Team Battle mode where players can split into up to four different elemental-themed teams (Fire, Grass, Water, Electric) and take on the other teams.
One thing about the new mode is that instead of the usual ‘Random’, ‘Badges’, and ‘KO’ options, you can now target specific teams instead. The ‘Counter’ option remains intact.
Version 2.1.0 also adds new button config options, user emblems, and an option to redeem four themes from past Maximus Cup competitions. So if you missed the Game Boy theme, Pokemon Sword & Shield theme, or Kirby theme, you can redeem these using in-game tickets.
While not officially announced, Ver. 2.1.0 also adds in a Password system that allows you to join up with people you want to play with. Combined with the Team system, you can create some truly amazing situations:
9 5 対 1#テトリス99pic.twitter.com/MFCF83qCN6
— さいしょ (@saisyo_XX) December 11, 2019
Tetris 99 online, free
Tetris 99 online, free
The 10th Maximus Cup will be focused around this new mode, with the top 999 players receiving 999 My Nintendo Gold Points each, with points awarded based on the rank in each Team Battle. The 10th Maximus Cup begins on 12/12, at 11pm PT.
Tetris 99 Online Pc
Tetris 99 is available on Nintendo Switch for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.