Tetris®
- January 22, 2020
- PLAYSTUDIOS INC
Tetris® is a classic puzzle game with good graphics and a wholesome story, but it can be very grinding and buggy with annoying ads. Players can enjoy the timeless block puzzle game together with others, anywhere, but may encounter optimization issues. Overall, Tetris® is a fun and hilarious game that fans of the genre should enjoy.
Reviews
- monetization5,502 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the Tetris app has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming number of ads that interrupt gameplay. Many players express frustration over the inability to permanently remove ads, as the only option available is a subscription model that costs $5 per month for ad-free play, which many consider excessive. Additionally, users report that the ads are often long, intrusive, and can lead to accidental clicks that redirect them to the app store, detracting from the overall gaming experience.
“I appreciate the option to pay for no ads; I just hope there's no other in-app purchases in the future.”
“The game itself has all of what makes modern Tetris great: t-spins, tetrises, and the ability to hold your pieces, all without the aggressive monetization of EA's version of the game.”
“I would gladly pay for a no ads version, but no, they want you to whale out to play.”
“The ads are also constant and long, making this a horrible experience all around.”
“Not sure who's in charge over at Tetris, but the recent change in regards to ads makes the game unplayable.”
“The game is full of ads, full screen ads, you cannot skip or minimize.”
- gameplay524 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this Tetris adaptation is generally solid and true to the classic experience, featuring smooth mechanics and enjoyable graphics. However, it is heavily marred by intrusive and lengthy ads that disrupt the flow, making the game feel more like an ad platform than a playable experience. Additionally, many users have reported issues with controls, including sensitivity problems and awkward layouts, which detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The gameplay is the same, solid, enjoyable experience it's always been.”
“The gameplay itself is solid, true to the original, and provides a nostalgic experience.”
“The gameplay is smooth and not clumsy at all, but it's not even challenging because the pieces do not increase in speed from level to level.”
“The gameplay is fine but the ads honestly ruin every single ounce of joy you wish you could have squeezed from the game.”
“The gameplay feels absolutely terrible now and it just isn't a very fun experience.”
“The gameplay is sluggish, too.”
- music493 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing dissatisfaction over the inability to turn it off or customize it. While some enjoy the new tracks and find them catchy, a significant number of users lament the absence of the classic Tetris theme, describing the remixed versions as annoying or headache-inducing. Additionally, issues with sound settings not functioning properly and intrusive ads disrupting music playback have further contributed to negative feedback regarding the audio experience.
“The music and sound are fantastic.”
“Gorgeous music and sound design.”
“I love the game, and the music; why I give it 3 stars though, is because of the ads and the app itself, the ad happens every time you play it.”
“The music and sounds buttons are bugged; I have them turned off and I still hear it when the game starts, so I have to go back to settings and then, of course, watch the ads again.”
“This is an okay game, but the music turns on randomly, even when I can see in the settings that the music is supposed to be off.”
“They ruined the soundtrack to a point where you can hardly recognize the classic tune.”
- graphics339 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the vibrant colors and charming art style, while others criticize the visuals as confusing, minimalistic, or poorly designed. Many users express frustration with the graphics being overly flashy or distracting, which detracts from gameplay, and some note that the controls are often unresponsive or clunky. Overall, while there are positive remarks about the aesthetics, a significant number of players feel that the graphics hinder the overall experience.
“The graphics are great, the background color is vibrant enough to bring a pop of color, but not straining to the eyes and does not take attention to the gameplay.”
“Graphics and themes are gorgeous, all you synth fans out there would be pleased!”
“Everything about this game is spot on - the visuals, concept, the game modes, and the battle royale is actually pretty fun.”
“The graphics are horrible; it honestly looks like a shady rip-off game.”
“The visuals make it hard to tell what exactly the board looks like, and the controls are very imprecise.”
“The graphics are unnecessarily minimalistic, making it hard to see where you're putting the blocks, and the damn ads!”
- stability161 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and unresponsive controls that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the game's inability to function properly, especially during critical moments, leading to a generally poor experience. While some users note occasional smooth gameplay, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by bugs and performance issues, making it largely unplayable.
“Everything went well, no lags, no glitches, just pure game.”
“No glitches.”
“Everything went well, no lags, no glitches, just pure game.”
“It's fun when it works, but it almost never does because of the countless bugs and glitches that are keeping you from playing your game.”
“The game constantly won't start or freezes, pieces can no longer be slid 'under' other pieces when you pull them down quickly (sliding under only works if you let it fall slowly by itself & then slide at last moment), pieces randomly get 'held.' Awful!”
“The app is buggy and isn't as responsive at the controls as EA's version was.”
- optimization57 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 37 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance, lag, and unresponsive controls, particularly on lower-end devices. Many players noted that the addition of features and ads has negatively impacted gameplay, leading to stuttering and crashes. While some updates have improved performance for certain devices, overall, the game is seen as needing substantial optimization to enhance user experience and accessibility.
“I know I have been very critical of this app in the past, but after a few updates, the game finally runs smoothly and is honestly way better than EA's Tetris.”
“Runs smoothly even on older devices, but I think dedicated flip buttons on the side would alleviate some confusion with which direction you are flipping your tetriminos.”
“The game is good, runs smoothly.”
“This game was very good, but since the last update on my phone it does not work well, it crashes a lot and it needs optimization.”
“Bad optimization, bad controls, offline mode isn't even 'offline', ads keep popping up, it's just a bad version of Tetris in general.”
“Extremely poorly optimized.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, primarily due to the overwhelming number of unskippable ads and a slow progression system that requires significant effort to unlock features and collectibles. Many reviewers express frustration with the balance between grinding and in-app purchases, noting that the gameplay has shifted towards ad farming rather than enjoyable play. While some appreciate the game's aesthetics and multiplayer options, the overall sentiment is that the grinding experience detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“It's so tedious that after every single game an ad is played, and playing offline makes a lot of the features unusable.”
“What started as a superb adaptation of the original Russian classic has now devolved into a cheap power-up farming simulator.”
“It is a pretty game with Paula's features, but it is extremely tedious and not very fun for a professional Tetris player familiar with rolling to sit here going through levels of extreme easiness with no way to jump forward.”
- emotional21 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express significant frustration with the game's emotional impact, primarily due to intrusive and unskippable ads that disrupt gameplay and lead to accidental interactions. Many players report feeling overwhelmed and heartbroken by the game's janky controls, which often misplace blocks and create a sense of uncertainty, ultimately detracting from the enjoyment and emotional connection to the game. Overall, the combination of technical issues and aggressive advertising has left players feeling disheartened and dissatisfied.
“I cried the whole night #(”
“This is just heartbreaking.”
“That kind of made me feel unsure about playing it, so I don't recommend this game to edit or delete your stuff on the game such as score or achievements...”
- humor18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as unintentional, stemming from frustrating controls and excessive advertisements that players find amusingly poor. Many reviewers highlight the absurdity of the game's design choices, such as the annoying host and the frequent crashes, which contribute to a comedic experience rather than a satisfying one. Overall, while some aspects of the game may be intended to be funny, the overwhelming consensus is that the humor arises from its numerous flaws and the developers' apparent disregard for player experience.
“The game plays an ad before you start your first game after opening the app, then plays another one every time you finish a game, which is a hilariously bad way to implement advertisements, even for a mobile game.”
“Especially funny when you are watching a 2-minute ad to play the game in a 3-minute mode.”
“I find it absolutely hilarious that the company currently handling this license is actually doing a worse job than EA.”
“The host is annoying and not funny or clever at all.”
- story13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as lacking depth and motivation, with some players finding it simplistic and unengaging. While there are missions and achievements to keep gameplay interesting, the overwhelming presence of ads and technical issues detracts from the overall experience. Some users appreciate the concept and multiplayer mode, but many express frustration with the execution and repetitive nature of the quests.
“I love playing royals and solo missions; super fun game, would recommend!”
“Good plot, though I feel the long piece didn't have a lot of character development; he felt kind of 2D.”
“Okay iteration (the old attempt was a different story), but please a) make the blue t coins do *something*.”
“I think Tetris is horrific; it lacks depth and motive and has an inconsequential storyline. It overall lacks the clean aesthetic of an MMO and is incredibly overrated in the gaming industry.”
“Riddled with obnoxious ads, controls terribly, super slippery without the clarity of a d-pad, practically impossible not to slide an incorrect distance or touch the screen, and completely demolish what you're doing. The main mode is tiny little missions that suck the fun directly out of it.”
“Too many ads, and whenever I try to play one of the 'story' type levels, I get an ad right after it which crashes the app and makes me need to play that level again.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, users express frustration with the game's replayability, citing issues with controls and a steep learning curve that detracts from the experience. While some improvements have been noted, such as reduced ad interruptions, many players still prefer alternative versions that offer a more enjoyable and playable experience. The desire for better customization and offline play further highlights the game's limitations in replayability.
“Somehow EA was able to make a more playable game.”
“The game seems more playable now; ads are shorter, I think I'll go from 2 to 3 stars actually.”
“Terrible app, better off checking reviews for the less well-known, but much more playable alternatives in the Google Store.”
“It might become more playable after building muscle memory habits to minimize mistakes, but the learning curve should be based around the gameplay, not learning how to move the blocks.”
“I wish it were playable offline.”
“Terrible app, better off checking reviews for the less well-known, but much more playable, alternatives in the Google Store.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for being outstanding and integral to the superb plot and gameplay; however, some users feel that certain characters lack depth, describing them as somewhat one-dimensional.
“Outstanding plot, superb character development, sublime gameplay, cannot be topped.”
“Good plot, though I feel the long piece didn't have a lot of character development; he felt kind of 2D.”