Drop a Brick, it's Tetris Time

Tetris DS is, quite simply, the best version of Tetris ever, and the best puzzle game for the Nintendo DS.

Let's say you're from some other planet and you've never heard of Tetris. You could pop this game in your Nintendo DS and start off in Standard mode, which is almost exactly like the original. Shapes made of four blocks (thus Tetris) fall into a pit, and your job is to rotate and place them to clear horizontal lines with no gaps.

Really, if you're not familiar with this part, I'm not sure why you're reading this.

The combination of progressively faster speeds and proper placement of blocks means Tetris requires a blend of reflex and thought, action and strategy. It's a puzzle, but you can't just sit there and think; those blocks are piling on top of each other. And that's the appeal of the game -- the goal is basic but challenging. Really, it's so simple that I probably didn't need these 150 words to explain it.

The aforementioned Standard is one of six modes in Tetris DS, along with Push, Mission, Catch, Touch, and Puzzle. Push and Mission are similar to Standard, with Mission mode giving you specific challenges (like clearing four lines at once or using only one shape), and Push pitting you against a computer opponent on one long field, where clearing multiple lines pushes all of the blocks toward the opponent and victory. Catch is the oddest of the six modes, with a core on the bottom screen with which you have to catch blocks which you can't control falling from the top.

Touch and Puzzle modes are a little more sedate and require more brainpower than thumbpower. Touch is like a sliding block puzzle, with a tower of Tetris shapes that you move using the stylus and lower touch screen, or a set of 50 progressively harder mini challenges. Puzzle gives you a preset field and just the shapes you need to clear it in typical Tetris fashion. These 200 puzzles get much harder than it sounds.

Those are all single player modes, and if they were all Tetris DS offered, it would be a good game. But it's not just a good game, it's a freakin' super awesome rad game because of the multiplayer modes. If you have a few friends with their own DS's, you can play a multiplayer game with up to ten people. Even better, you only need one copy of the game between you; other people can wirelessly download a temporary copy for multiplayer play. In DS-to-DS multiplayer, you can play in Standard mode with items (more on that later), Mission mode for points, or one-on-one Push mode. In Standard mode, like in single player vs. CPU play, when you clear multiple lines they're sent to your opponent, turning the puzzle solving into an outright attack.

Where Tetris DS really shines is wi-fi play. You can connect with players worldwide and test your skills, or enter friend codes and play with people you know. If you connect worldwide, Nintendo's servers automatically match you up with opponents, and everything is fairly anonymous; there's no chatting or anything, so parents can feel safe letting their children play. There's also a ranking system, giving or taking away points if you win or lose, making the game that much more addictive.

Wi-fi play has three options: two-player Standard mode, two-player Push mode, and four-player Standard mode with items. It's this last one that's killer, because the extra players make it more frenetic and the items can throw a monkey wrench in even the best laid plans. Using items can rearrange an opponent's blocks, make blocks fall faster, prevent them from rotating, or otherwise hinder your opponent or help you. The combination of sending lines to your opponents and hitting them with debilitating items gives this mode just the right feeling of tactic and contest. It's as if Nintendo channeled Sun Tzu while making this game.

Fan service abounds. Background music is taken from 8-bit classics like the Super Mario Bros. and Zelda games, sometimes straight and sometimes with a little remixing. If you're good enough to be able to concentrate on the top screen while playing on the bottom, you'll see the games playing themselves out through classic levels and areas. It's a nice, subtle touch that polishes up the overall package.

It's hard to bash on Tetris DS at all, really. I guess you could say that its only downfall is not having guns or boobies. Judging by how quick wi-fi opponents are matched up, I don't think many people have a problem with that. This is really the perfect reiteration of the classic; it maintains the original appeal of a game that is now 20 years old, while throwing just enough of a spin on it to keep old-timers and newcomers happy alike. Perfect for a train ride or a get together with friends, this is a game you must have if you have a DS.