Tetris Classic

Tetris Classic is a 1992 puzzle video game developed and published by Spectrum HoloByte for DOS systems. It is an adaptation of the 1985 Soviet video game Tetris.

Puzzle

Plays offline: Yes

Overview

Tetris Classic is a 1992 puzzle video game developed and published by Spectrum HoloByte for DOS systems. It is an adaptation of the 1985 Soviet video game Tetris. Spectrum HoloByte released their first commercial version of Tetris in North America in 1988. Spectrum HoloByte subsequently developed a series of annual spin-off titles for Tetris, and intended to take advantage of improvements in computer technology since the original game's release; for Tetris Classic, they showcased the Video Graphics Array (VGA) standard via illustrations depicting scenes from Alexander Pushkin's poem Ruslan and Ludmila, as well as a soundtrack consisting of selections from Mikhail Glinka's opera adaptation of the poem. The game additionally includes competitive and cooperative two-player modes and an option to set a time limit on games.

Tetris Classic is a puzzle video game in which pieces consisting of four squares in seven shapes descend into an empty pit. As the pieces fall, the player can move the pieces laterally and rotate them until they land either on the bottom of the pit or on another piece. The player can hasten a piece's descent with a particular input, and if the "Soft Drop" option is toggled off, the piece will be immediately dropped to its lowest possible position. The player must fit the falling pieces into a position that forms a horizontal line of boxes across the pit. When a line is completed, it disappears and all squares above it drop one row.

Tetris was created in 1985 by Alexey Pajitnov, a researcher for the computing center of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, and originally programmed by Moscow State University student Vadim Gerasimov. The Soviet Academy of Sciences licensed the game's commercial rights to Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg), and through the combined efforts of Pajitnov, Elorg, and American publisher Spectrum HoloByte, Tetris gained rapid popularity in the United States upon its release there in 1988. This success encouraged Spectrum HoloByte to release annual spin-offs, including Welltris (1989), Faces...tris III (1990), Wordtris (1991), and Super Tetris (1991). From the time of Tetriss creation onward, computer technology advanced, granting improved graphics, audio systems, pointing devices, networks, and processing speeds. Spectrum HoloByte sought to take advantage of these improvements by creating an upgraded version of Tetris.

Tetris Classic received mixed critical commentary upon release. Lance Elko of Game Players PC Entertainment complimented the play variations and improved look and sound, considering it to be a richer experience than the original version. Michael S. Lasky of Computer Gaming World was delighted by the background graphics and stated that though the title's enhancements were "basically cosmetic", its addictive nature was preserved by the gameplay's intuitive and deceptive simplicity. Jeane DeCoster and David Crook of the Los Angeles Times, in a joint review with Super Tetris, found the game to be unchanged from the original version despite the enhanced presentation and added competitive mode. Nevertheless, they acknowledged that the two games used new technology well, and concluded that they could "turn even the most casual players into hard-core gamers".