Tetris Forever includes a new game with a time-warping twist

Tetris has undergone numerous variations throughout its existence, but the newest addition to the series stands out from the rest. Tetris Forever is a unique playable documentary developed by Digital Eclipse, the same team behind this year’s Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, featuring a collection of classic games. Rather than aiming to compile every game in the series, it serves as an interactive history lesson filled with archival material, original interviews, and a curated selection of games that narrate the story of Tetris.

Upon its release on November 12, players will have the opportunity to explore obscure titles like Hatris and Super BomblissTetris. The standout feature of the package is Tetris Time Warp, a new game created by Digital Eclipse that serves as a playable extension of the documentary. Ahead of its launch, Digital Trends had an exclusive look at Tetris Forever and its rich historical content. Our hands-on experience included gameplay sessions of Tetris Time Warp, adding to the allure of this must-have package.

Let’s do the Time Warp again

If you’ve experienced The Making of Karateka or Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, you’ll have an idea of what to expect with Tetris Forever. The project is divided into five chapters, each featuring an interactive timeline that offers a comprehensive history lesson on Alexey Pajitnov and the origins of Tetris. While the project covers the well-known story, it also includes surprising references like Pokémon Tetris and a McDonald’s chicken nugget handheld capable of running Tetris.

While these referenced games are not playable in the collection, they serve to showcase the far-reaching cultural impact of the Tetris series over the years. Digital Eclipse emphasizes that Tetris‘ influence plays a significant role in this project, evident through interesting discoveries like a photo of Hillary Clinton playing Tetris on an airplane buried within the array of historical material.

While the historical content is fascinating for game enthusiasts, the highlight of the package lies in the included games. Though not an extensive library, it provides a glimpse into the various ways the Tetris formula was experimented with early on. This philosophy led Digital Eclipse to craft its own original game, Tetris Time Warp.

Tetris Time Warp introduces a novel concept, retaining the classic Tetris elements while incorporating a Time Warp feature. As players clear lines, a special piece drops down showcasing visual styles from different eras of Tetris. Upon dropping and clearing lines, players are transported to era-specific versions of Tetris

Tetris Forever – Official Gameplay Trailer

Additionally, Time Warp features other modes like Score Attack and Marathon, providing a complete gaming experience within the main package. A notable inclusion is Digital Eclipse’s Game Boy Tetris re-creation as a dedicated mode, showcasing an expanded version of the classic Tetris theme.

Tetris Time Warp serves as a significant component of what promises to be a standout project in 2024. I eagerly anticipate delving into Tetris Forever upon its release to discover more intriguing aspects of its history.