If you’re a Tetris fanatic, it’s been in your best interest to be a Nintendo supporter this generation. In 2006, Tetris DS was released, bringing six different game modes and the option of online multiplayer to longtime fans of the addictive puzzler. Two years later, Hudson Soft showed that they were also capable of creating a fantastic entry into the classic franchise in the form of Tetris Party. The result? One of Wiiware’s very best.
The game is exactly what it sounds like: one big mess of ways to play Tetris. Within the download you’ll find over ten modes, loads of control options, local and online multiplayer, Leaderboards, even Mii Support. It’s nothing short of a jammed-pack product, one that is more than worth the 1200 Wii Points it will cost you. Truth be told, there’s more content in Tetris Party than a lot of retail Wii games.
Hudson certainly didn’t follow a “quantity over quality” approach, either. Not every option may be ideal to a hardcore Tetris enthusiast, but it’s tough to argue how neat some of the game modes are. To name a few, there’s Shadow, which has you filling in a specific image using the blocks; Field Climber, where you’ll build layers to help a tiny human figure ascend to the top before the time limit expires, and the incredibly difficult Stage Racer that will challenge you to twist and turn a block to avoid getting stuck as it falls through a level. There’s several more ways to play, though, and just about every one has some kind of multiplayer or online functionality to it.
Just the same, you’re given a number of choices as to what you’d like the visuals and audio to be. Before you play any type of game mode, you can venture through the option menu and choose your background and music track. There’s a solid selection for both; however, most Tetris enthusiasts will probably end up picking that classic Tetris theme every time. There’s just no other piece of music that suits it so well.
The greatest part about the game is that it's such a perfect representation of what the Wii is supposed to stand for. Tetris Party will definitely appeal to non-gamers with its style and number of goofy game modes. After all, there’s even Beginner’s Tetris and the opportunity to play using the Balance Board, of all things. And should they want to try their hand at some of the more complicated ways to play, there are difficulty options for them to find their sweetspot.
But despite some of these unquestionably whacky attributes, longtime gamers will find a lot to love here. Maybe Field Climber, Stage Racer and Shadow aren’t what every big Tetris fan is interested in, and if that’s the case, then they still can fall back on all of the multiplayer and online components. At the end of the day, Tetris Party is classic Tetris as we’ve known it: fun, addictive, and extremely challenging. Add in the ability to battle with up to 4 players locally or 6 online, as well as Leaderboards for every manner of play, and you’ve got a download that all Tetris fans will find enjoyable in some way or another.
