The forever game
Classic Tetris needs no introduction. Seven tetromino shapes (I, J, L, O, S, T, Z) fall from the top of a 10×20 playfield. You rotate and translate them as they descend. When a horizontal row is fully filled, it clears and everything above shifts down. Clear four lines at once with an I-tetromino — a "Tetris" — for maximum score.
The puzzle's longevity comes from its infinite tunability. Difficulty is purely a function of fall speed, and the standard level curve ramps that speed every ten cleared lines. A game can be meditative at level 0 and unplayable at level 20 — same rules, different experience.
Why it's still here
Tetris is one of the few puzzles whose core mechanic has resisted forty years of attempted improvement. The original 1984 ruleset, refined by Nintendo for the 1989 Game Boy release, remains the canonical "Classic Mode" benchmark used in competitive play today.
How to play
- Tetrominoes (seven shapes, each made of 4 squares) fall from the top.
- Move them left/right and rotate them as they descend.
- Soft-drop (down) for a small score bonus; hard-drop (space) to slam a piece into place.
- When a row is completely filled, it clears and rows above shift down.
- Clear 4 rows at once with an I-piece for a Tetris (highest score).
- Every 10 cleared lines, you advance a level — fall speed increases.
- Game ends when the stack reaches the top.
Strategy tips
- Keep the well open. Reserve the rightmost column for I-pieces so you can score Tetrises.
- Build flat, not tall. A flat surface accepts any piece; a bumpy one fights you.
- Look at "Next". Always glance at the next piece before committing the current one.
- Learn SRS rotation. Modern Tetris uses the Super Rotation System, with wall-kicks — knowing the kick tables lets you rotate out of tight spots.
- Practise T-spins early. They feel like cheating until they don't.