Last Updated on: 10th January 2024, 06:50 pm
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Category: Games
Sub-Category: Puzzle
Platform: Nintendo 64
License: Proprietary
Interface: GUI
Wikipedia: Tetrisphere
First release: August 11, 1997
Tetrisphere – the first puzzle game for the N64 is a spinning and flashing 3-D blast.
Tetrisphere went from shining star of a dismal Jaguar game lineup in 1995 to a reality on N64 in 1997. During these two years, the game has been delayed several times and has been renamed twice (Phear to TetrisPhear to Tetrisphere). But like all other N64 games that have been delayed, Tetrisphere exemplifies Nintendo’s commitment to quality and proves to be well worth the wait.
In Tetrisphere, you blast your way to the core of a giant sphere. But that’s a bit like saying Mario is just another guy with a moustache. Tetrisphere looks to be another dazzling time-killer in the tradition of Tetris and Tetris Attack. It’s no surprise to find out that Alexei Pajitnov, the creator of the original Tetris, consulted on the game’s development.
The basic objective is to drop pieces next to two or more like-shaped pieces. All the pieces must be flush — touching corners doesn’t count! All the pieces in a successful combo will explode, opening up a path into the sphere. On all the but easiest settings, it will take lots of explosions to clear a path to the core.
screenshot Drop a piece that fails to make a combo, and you’ll lose a life. Lose three lives and the the game is over! You’ll have to watch your Speed Meter — if you don’t move fast enough, the sphere will grow and grow like a Japanese movie monster. When it gets big enough, it will bump into your screen, forcing you to drop a piece and loose a life.
You can move pieces around on the Tetrisphere to set up huge combos, which, believe us, are very very good. That’s because the more pieces are in a combo, the bigger the score in your Combo Counter. Successful combos will create glowing Power Pieces.
You can actually pick up Power Pieces, moving them up one level on the Tetrisphere. You can’t do that with regular pieces. What’s more, combos with Power Pieces explode more slowly than regular combos. If you’re quick, you can fire off additional combos, giving you even a bigger Combo Count.
Whopping big Combo Counts also earn you Magic boom-boom devices such as a Firecacker, Bomb and Ray Gun.