Pros: Fun, addicting, nice presentation, Nintendo themes
Cons: May get boring after a couple years, but maybe not
The bottom line: An excellent mix of old and new. Tetris is still a great puzzle game that just won't die. DS owners shouldn't hesitate for this one.
Holy crap, this game makes me so angry. Each and every time I pick it up and play I waste so much time! Always trying to get more lines than you did the last time. Taunting you. Making you hunger for more. More points. More glory. Ok enough of that. Oh man this game is just addicting, even 20 years later. For all those people that don't know what tetris is, please slap yourself right now. Actually I really should because I never really cared for this treasured piece of gaming history until I decided it was time I played it on my Nintendo DS. The point of Tetris is arranging multi-shaped blocks to make lines that will then disappear and so on and so on. Sounds dumb and boring but actually this game it not, Tetris isn't famous for nothing.

Tetris DS is the basic Tetris formula, but with a Nintendo flare. The two screens are used for showing you playing and having an old Nintendo game play at the same time. The old Nintendo game is there for kicks and isn't really relevant to anything but gives this remake a nostalgic masterpiece. The creators have changed nothing to original Tetris game play besides expand on it and make it more fun than ever before. Besides the typical marathon of going for as many lines as you can you have many other fun single, and multiplayer modes. Single player has missions with various Nintendo characters that are very clever and challenging, along with a cool touch mode. Touch mode uses the stylus on the DS for moving blocks into various ways to make lines. Unlike normal Tetris these blocks arn't falling from the sky but are preplaced, and it's your job to eliminate them all in a certain number of moves. I liked this moved but it gets really hard. Although it's good to have challenges and options besides the main game.

Also you have the game push. In this game you face the computer or a friend to push the Tetris beyond a boundary line. Eliminating lines drops bricks on your opponent and vice a versa. It plays out like a normal game but with a competitive twist. Plus having old school Donkey Kong in the background makes it all the better. You can also play a standard versus mode in the standard Tetris play mode. However, here you have items like bombs and such to either helps you kill more lines or hurt your opponent. Both are very fun diversions. The best thing about multiplayer is that not everyone needs a cart to play. It takes one game cart ten or so people can play! Find that many people with a system at once and your set for a good time. Nintendo has done a great job as of late making their games easy to access for head on competition.

So without a doubt this game is fun in almost every way. It's only not fun when you get 193 lines and know you could've gotten those extra seven for the big 2 double O. How are Tetris' graphics, well there isn't much you'd think. Actually this game is more colorful and vibrant than ever before. The splendid looking blocks and the reels of Nintendo games go nice together. It's kind of funny how Nintendo just won't leave it alone that they are the founders of the video game world we know today, but I guess they have a right to. While you get further and further in marathon mode you'll see the Nintendo game switch from say Mario to Zelda, and Zelda to Metroid. Even the Ice Climbers make an appearance along with a few other Nintendo classics. All while playing that game's respective music. The music is obviously plucked right of the olden days and I loved every second of it. From the classic Mario theme song to the catchy beat of Metroid's music. It's all very old school but works great. The kaboom from getting a Tetris (four lines at once) to the wonderful sound it makes all rolls into one very good package.

Lastly I'd like to mention that Tetris DS features Nintendo Wi-Fi. So if you have Wireless internet in your house you can go online and battle it out against people next door or in Tokyo. At least I think you could play that far. It 's just one more way to play one of greatest video game franchises of all time. When you look at it all together the creative ideas of Nintendo with the addicting lure of Tetris this game is well worth the buy.