A new challenger steps into the arena of video games- Tetris Effect: Connected. Videogames have the purpose of capturing a specific fantasy for their players. For many, it is an escape into a different world, while others engage in difficult ordeals. These fantasies are the reason video games have a place in human culture.
It also provides a unique experience that elevates the human experience and colors our mundane life. That being said, there are plenty of games out there, and we often end up playing what is convenient.
Single-player and multiplayer games are the pioneer genres of video games, like the game Pong. But as time went on there came a more aggressive need for multiplayer games. Enter Tetris, one of the most iconic video games of all time. Its most recent iteration, Tetris Effect: Connected, promises the classic feel with an artistic spin. Years into its live service, the game continues to enchant players with its visuals and music.Â
Tetris Effect: Connected Gameplay
Tetris Effect carries over the mechanics of modern Tetris, all the way down to the tetrimino spinning. But there is a new thing about this game, and it is the addition of the feature known as Zone. When clearing out lines in a game, you build up a round meter in your lower left HUD. By pressing A, or your Zone hotkey, the game changes the color palette. Clearing lines in Zone doesn’t move the stack down, but allows you to clear more than 4 lines.
The highest amount of lines cleared in Zone that the game recognizes is 22 lines—an Impossibilitris. However, this limit is only true in Single Player, as Multiplayer modes can go beyond 22 lines, but are still labeled the same. The hierarchy of cleared lines in Zone are Tetris(4), Octotris(8), Dodecatris(12), Decahexatris(16), Perfectris(18), Ultimatris(20), Kirbtris(21), and Impossibilitris(22). In classic competitive Tetris, they sent a lot of lines to enemies.
Aesthetic Changes
In its game trailer, the art direction hinges on the concept of the Tetris Effect Phenomenon. The game’s art direction follows strong audiovisual feedback with the player’s input. Moving blocks and clearing lines have feedback to serve as an incentive. This feedback also extends to the Zone mechanic, which elevates the feedback greatly. Of course, the feedback is optional, as the developers understood the repercussions of the overstimulation.
To pair this audiovisual feedback, commissioned artists produced original music. When feedback from each stage went along with the music being created. Whether this was instrumental notes or vocal sounds, it all contributed to the overall experience. Moreover, the game introduces Theatre Mode, for when you finish Journey Mode and want to listen without playing. But this is only the Campaign, as other Single player modes are available to play. And don’t get us started on multiplayer.
When you have the time and the money, go and play Tetris Effect. This game is a visual masterpiece that everyone should experience, especially in a virtual world. Boot into the game and give it a literal spin!
