The Next Tetris PlayStation

As most people know, Tetris is a game in which you maneuver falling blocks of seven different shapes into unbroken horizontal lines. When a line is created, the blocks in that line (or lines) disappear from the screen. Your job is to keep the pile of blocks from reaching the top of the playfield.

The Next Tetris mode of play introduces several new elements to the Tetris universe. The block-maneuvering action remains, but special multi-colored puzzle pieces that can separate and fall when they land enter the mix. Also, blocks above cleared lines will fall to spaces below, possibly setting up a chain reaction, which in this game is called a Cascade.

In addition to trying to keep the blocks from reaching the top of the playfield, you must also clear garbage blocks from the bottom of the screen in a timely fashion in order to finish a round. In the two-player split screen mode, the object of the game is to clear the garbage blocks faster than the other person without letting your blocks pile to the top of the screen.

When you clear more than one line at once or by scoring a Cascade, your opponent will become temporarily distracted by his playfield spinning on its X-axis, his blocks turning to gold, and his playfield darkening. ~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide