Tetris 99 Critic Reviews

If you’re a Nintendo Switch Owner there’s no real reason for you to not download this title. It’s already a Game of the Year Contender.

With online tournaments to partake in, new modes like Tetris Invictus where only the elite can compete, and a thriving community of fans logging in every day to play, Tetris 99 might very well represent the pinnacle of the series. It would be nice to have a better variety of tunes to listen to (although themes help alleviate this problem), and the issues with the UI can occasionally make it slightly hard to see what’s happening on-screen, but overall any Switch owner should consider giving Tetris 99 a whirl. This is brilliant game design that deserves the acclaim that has been lavished on it up to this point.

The complete oddball of the family, Tetris 99 offers a truly unique way to play the tried-and-tested classic, even if the overall package feels a little lightweight. Playing live against 98 others is chaotic, and the action feels fast, precise, and wonderfully addictive. It’s seriously difficult, too – we’d fancy our chances in Fortnite over this any day – and we’re impressed with the fact that it's forced us to play the game with a completely different approach to our usual slow-and-steady ways. Signing up for Nintendo Switch Online just to play this game might be a bit of a stretch, but if you’re already a member, what are you waiting for? It’s free, and it might just become your next favourite time sink.

Tetris 99 is a game absolutely worth enjoying, and at the low price of absolutely nothing, there is little reason not to give it a download.

A brutally singular and unexpectedly brilliant subversion of what you know about Tetris and battle royale, if you’re a Switch Online subscriber, you absolutely need to download it.

If you’re after a royale-y good time you should look much farther than Tetris 99.

The best reason to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online right now!

An eternal classic with a twist that makes it new again. This is the way to renew a franchise, well played Tetris.

Tetris 99 is a pleasant surprise, and is my favorite content offered by the Nintendo Switch Online service to date. The idea of playing Tetris against 98 other players at once seems ludicrous but is fun in practice and delivers intense moments just like when you’re among the final few in a battle royale game.

Perfectrly adapted to the Battle Royale genre, this Tetris 99 shines by the intensity and speed of its fights. Those are violent, tactical and really fast to play : what makes the game a must have.

Tetris 99 is a maniacally intense battle royale that forces you to make strategic decisions beyond just where to drop your next piece. This is Tetris on steroids, where a good run can quickly turn into a disaster and a bad run can turn into a surprising comeback. There’s a lot of luck involved, which can lead to some unfair-feeling knockouts, but it’s quick and easy to jump back in. This nerve-wracking and utterly delightful take on one of the greatest games of all time feels perfect on Switch, and on its own it justifies the $20 annual cost of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Tetris 99 founds its strength on the simple and addictive structure of the original puzzle, but succeeds in bringing something new and exciting with the addition of the battle royale structure.

Tetris 99 is the battle Royale you didn’t know you wanted. It’s much deeper than it looks, but it also is accessible. If you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, give it a try.

When a developer makes a solid evolution of a legendary game as Tetris and triumphs in any unexplored and new field, you deserve all the praise from the community. Arika has done it again, and Tetris 99 becomes one of the biggest Tetris games in the XXI Century.

Tetris 99 is chaotic, ridiculous, and a little barebones, but it's also a damn good game of Tetris.

Tetris 99 is a little stroke of genius. Nobody felt the need, but now that there is - and it's free - there is the risk of not being able to do without it.

Tetris 99 is pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get, and I think that’s what makes it work so well. There’s no need for complex battle systems or extra modes; no one asked for this game, but here it is at no extra cost, so it manages expectations well by giving just one, solid game mode. You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by getting into Tetris 99.

As a competitive and quite frantic game, Tetris 99 is the exact opposite of Tetris Effect. And it's a very good game too. It's not the kind of experience you play to feel more peaceful. When you engage in the only available mode, you want to be the last survivor. And if you're not, you go for another shot. And another. It can last forever because Tetris 99 is just so addictive.

Tetris and battle royale turn out to be a perfect match with probably the best multiplayer version of the game ever made.

Tetris 99 improves an already near-perfect game and proves that battle royale can transcend genres, but it is held back by Nintendo Switch Online.