''Tetris Attack'', also known as in Japan, is a
puzzle
A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
developed by
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
and published by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...
. A
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
version was released a year later. In the game, the player must arrange matching colored blocks in vertical or horizontal rows to clear them. The blocks steadily rise towards the top of the playfield, with new blocks being added at the bottom. Several gameplay modes are present, including a time attack and multiplayer mode.
''Tetris Attack'' was first released as ''Panel de Pon'' in Japan in October 1995, featuring fairies as the main characters with a mythical, fantasy setting. The game was released outside Japan in 1996, with the original characters and settings replaced by those from ''
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''. Though international releases have the name ''Tetris Attack'', the game bears no relation to the ''
Tetris
''Tetris'' (russian: link=no, Тетрис) is a puzzle video game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. It has been published by several companies for multiple platforms, most prominently during a dispute over the approp ...
'' video game series, leading
Tetris Company
The Tetris Company, Inc. (TTC) is based in Nevada and is owned by Henk Rogers, Alexey Pajitnov and Blue Planet Software. The company is the exclusive licensee of Tetris Holding LLC, the company that owns Tetris rights worldwide. It licenses the ...
co-founder
Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers (born 24 December 1953) is a Dutch video game designer and entrepreneur. He is known for producing Japan's first major turn-based role-playing video game ''The Black Onyx'', securing the rights to distribute ''Tetris'' on video game c ...
to regret giving Nintendo the license to use the name. Both ''Panel de Pon'' and ''Tetris Attack'' were later broadcast through the Japan-only
Satellaview
The is a satellite modem peripheral produced by Nintendo for the Super Famicom in 1995. Containing 1 megabyte of ROM space and an additional 512 kB of RAM, Satellaview allowed players to download games, magazines, and other media through satell ...
peripheral, the latter renamed to
''Tetris Attack'' was well received by critics for its graphical style, addictive gameplay and multiplayer modes, with some noting the North American version was superior to the original Japanese release. It was followed by a series of sequels and remakes for multiple platforms, most of which instead use the name ''
Puzzle League
''Puzzle League'', known as in Japan, is a series of video games published by Nintendo for its various video game consoles. The series began with '' Panel de Pon'' in Japan, named ''Tetris Attack'' in North America, and has since been adapted to ...
''. The game is referenced in other Nintendo games, such as the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series, ''
Animal Crossing: New Leaf'', and ''
Captain Rainbow
is an Action-adventure game, action-adventure video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.
The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy, who ...
''.
Gameplay
''Tetris Attack'' is a puzzle video game. The player must use an on-screen cursor to arrange colored blocks into horizontal or vertical rows – matching together three or more blocks of the same color will destroy them. Any blocks above cleared lines will fall, which can be used to cause chain reactions if they touch other matching blocks. The player can also earn combos clearing more than three blocks in a single move. As the stage progresses, the blocks will begin to rise steadily towards the top of the screen, with new blocks generating from the bottom. Should the blocks touch the top of the playfield, the game will be over.
Several different gameplay modes are included. Story Mode pits the player against a series of computer-controlled opponents. In Endless Mode, the player is challenged to play as long as possible with a continuously rising stack of blocks, which increases in speed over time. Timed Mode challenges the player to score as many points as possible within a two-minute time limit. Stage Clear mode takes the player through a series of stages in which the objective is to clear all blocks underneath a "boundary" line. In Puzzle Mode, the player must clear all of the blocks in a preset block arrangement in a set number of moves – the blocks here do not rise towards the top. Several multiplayer modes are also present with adjustable difficulty levels.
Development and release
''Tetris Attack'' was released in Japan on October 27, 1995, August 1996 in North America, and November 28, 1996, in Europe. Development was headed by
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
and produced by
Gunpei Yokoi
, sometimes transliterated Gumpei Yokoi, was a Japanese video game designer. He was a long-time Nintendo employee, best known as creator of the Game & Watch handheld system, inventor of the cross-shaped Control Pad, the original designer of th ...
, known as the creator of the
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
. The Japanese version of the game is titled ''Panel de Pon'', featuring fairies as the main characters with a fantasy setting. International versions instead replace these with characters and settings from ''
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'', a game released earlier in 1995. Though international releases have the name ''Tetris Attack'', the game has no relation to the ''
Tetris
''Tetris'' (russian: link=no, Тетрис) is a puzzle video game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. It has been published by several companies for multiple platforms, most prominently during a dispute over the approp ...
'' video game franchise, leading to
Tetris Company
The Tetris Company, Inc. (TTC) is based in Nevada and is owned by Henk Rogers, Alexey Pajitnov and Blue Planet Software. The company is the exclusive licensee of Tetris Holding LLC, the company that owns Tetris rights worldwide. It licenses the ...
co-founder
Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers (born 24 December 1953) is a Dutch video game designer and entrepreneur. He is known for producing Japan's first major turn-based role-playing video game ''The Black Onyx'', securing the rights to distribute ''Tetris'' on video game c ...
saying in a 2009 interview he regrets giving Nintendo permission to using the name. Although Rogers liked the game, he believed it "got lost in history" due to it using the ''Tetris'' branding.
A
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
version of ''Tetris Attack'' was released in 1996. Two years later, in 1998, a special version of ''Panel de Pon'' was broadcast through the
Satellaview
The is a satellite modem peripheral produced by Nintendo for the Super Famicom in 1995. Containing 1 megabyte of ROM space and an additional 512 kB of RAM, Satellaview allowed players to download games, magazines, and other media through satell ...
peripheral for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
in Japan, renamed ''BS Panel de Pon – Event '98'' as part of a contest by
St. GIGA. ''Tetris Attack'' was later released for the Satellaview the same year, renamed ''BS Yoshi no Panepon''. The original ''Panel de Pon'' was digitally re-released for the Japanese
Wii Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
on November 27, 2007. The original version of ''Tetris Attack'' was added to the
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Ninten ...
service on May 20, 2020, under its Japanese title ''Panel de Pon''.
Reception
''Tetris Attack'' was met with very positive reviews, earning a 90% average rating on
GameRankings
GameRankings was a video gaming review aggregator that was founded in 1999 and owned by CBS Interactive. It indexed over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 video games. GameRankings was discontinued in December 2019, with its staff bei ...
. The four reviewers of ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
'' gave it an 8.25 out of 10, lauding the addictive gameplay, colorful and cartoony graphics, use of Mario characters in the North American localization, and two-player mode.
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 in graphics, control and FunFactor, and a 4.5 out of 5 in sound. The reviewer commented that it has "a gentler, slower style of gameplay that requires learning some easy new controls, but this game's no less addicting than the original ''Tetris''." ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' called it "absolutely brilliant".
''GamePro'' gave the Game Boy version a brief positive review, saying it "updates the age-old ''Tetris'' concept by inverting the basic action".
Accolades
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' editors named ''Tetris Attack'' Super NES Game of the Year, Hand-Held Game of the Year, and Puzzle Game of the Year, commenting that "
e simple premise makes it a game of mass appeal; its depth makes it a hardcore gamer's delight." In 1997 ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' editors ranked the Super NES version the 16th best console video game of all time. They cited its accessibility and addictive quality, confessing that their boss had confiscated the office copy of the game because of how much time they spent playing it. ''
GamesRadar+
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' listed it 87th on their list of "The 100 best games of all time", stating "you haven't lived until you've played ''Tetris Attack'' two-player and dropped an immensely satisfying five-line garbage block on your opponent." ''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' featured it on its own best games of all-time list at 96 and called it one of the most addictive puzzle games made. In 2018,
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
listed the game #64 on its "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".
Legacy
''Tetris Attack'' was followed by several sequel games, most using the name ''
Puzzle League
''Puzzle League'', known as in Japan, is a series of video games published by Nintendo for its various video game consoles. The series began with '' Panel de Pon'' in Japan, named ''Tetris Attack'' in North America, and has since been adapted to ...
'' in western territories. The first of these were ''
Pokémon Puzzle Challenge'' for the
Game Boy Color
The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
and ''
Pokémon Puzzle League
''Pokémon Puzzle League'' is a puzzle video game in the ''Puzzle League'' series developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Released in North America on September 25, 2000, and in Europe on March 2, ...
'' for the
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
in 2000, featuring characters from the
''Pokémon'' anime series. A previously unreleased sequel, ''Panel de Pon 64'', was later released as part of ''
Nintendo Puzzle Collection
is a 2003 video game compilation published for the GameCube in Japan by Nintendo. It includes updated versions of three Nintendo-published puzzle video games released for older systems — ''Yoshi's Cookie'' (1992), '' Panel de Pon'' (1995), and ...
'' for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
in 2003,
followed by ''Dr. Mario & Puzzle League'' for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
in 2005. ''
Planet Puzzle League
''Planet Puzzle League'', known as ''Puzzle League DS'' in Europe, and as in Japan, is a video game for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console in the Puzzle League ''Panel de Pon'' visual matching puzzle game series. In North America, '' ...
'' was released for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
in 2007 (renamed to ''Panel de Pon DS'' in Japan and ''Puzzle League DS'' in Europe), featuring online multiplayer support via the now-defunct
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download ...
service and touch-screen controls. A similar game for
DSiWare
This is a list of games and applications, collectively known as DSiWare, for the Nintendo DSi handheld game console, available for download via the DSi Shop and unplayable on earlier DS models. An update released for the Nintendo 3DS in June 2011 ...
, ''Puzzle League Express'', was released in 2010 for the
Nintendo DSi
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony In ...
with many of the same features as ''Planet''.
Several Nintendo games reference ''Tetris Attack'' and ''Panel de Pon''. The "Lip's Stick", the primary weapon of the main character of ''Panel de Pon'', appears throughout the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series since ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee
''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 Fictional crossover, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. I ...
'', poisoning the opponent. ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'' features multiple ''Panel de Pon 64'' characters and a red-colored block as collectible stickers. A remix of Lip's theme song appears in multiple series entries beginning with ''Brawl''. Lip appears in the Japan-only
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
game ''
Captain Rainbow
is an Action-adventure game, action-adventure video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.
The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy, who ...
'' and as a Spirit and Mii Fighter costume in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
''. A 2016 update to ''
Animal Crossing: New Leaf'' adds a minigame based on the ''Puzzle League'' series, titled ''Animal Crossing Puzzle League''. Completing the minigame will award the player a costume based on Lip.
''Panel de Pon'' was released on the
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Ninten ...
service on May 20, 2020, including in international regions for the first time.
See also
*''
Wario's Woods
''Wario's Woods'' is a puzzle video game, puzzle video game developed by TEC and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan and North America in 1994 and Europe in 1995. A spin-off of the ''Mario (franchi ...
''
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Video games, 1990s
1995 video games
Game Boy games
Intelligent Systems games
Mario puzzle games
Nintendo games
Nintendo Research & Development 1 games
Puzzle League
Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Tetris
Yoshi video games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Video games developed in Japan
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video games scored by Yuka Tsujiyoko
Nintendo Switch Online SNES games
Virtual Console games for Wii
ja:パネルでポン#パネルでポン