THQ announces 'Tetris Evolution' for Xbox 360

by James Ransom-Wiley { Feb 20th 2007 at 3:26PM }

We knew it was coming, today THQ gave it a name: Tetris Evolution. While it seemingly would fit just fine on Xbox Live Arcade, Evolution appears to be a boxed-retail release (listed on Gamefly); currently scheduled for March. Expect traditional Tetrimino-dropping along with new modes, headlined by "Go Low" and "Eraser" -- 4-player Xbox Live support too.

True to its name, Evolution will build on recent puzzler trends (see Lumines) and feature customizable themes, skins, icons, and music. More than a dozen "HD" background videos will be available to distract your high-score efforts. Whatever, just as long as it's budget-priced.

Tags: 360, Tetris, Tetris Evolution, TetrisEvolution, THQ, Xbox360, XboxLive

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

steve17 @ Feb 20th 2007 3:31PM

uummm....sweet.

just as long as its cheap. tetris kicks ass but its not like its new or anything. still some retro action is a good refresher once in a while.

2kings @ Feb 20th 2007 3:31PM

tetris???

cant wait to try out this game!

:P

Dave @ Feb 20th 2007 3:34PM

This would have been perfect for XBLA. I'm not sure I want to have to get up and put a disc in every time I feel like playing a game of Tetris.

Ins0mn1ac @ Feb 20th 2007 3:36PM

If they tried to release this on XBLA, it probably would get "certified" until sometime in 2009.
I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these XBLA "no brainers" to make the move back to store shelves if the XBOX team can't be a little more reliable with their releases.

Neccy @ Feb 20th 2007 3:42PM

If they try and thell that for £30 i'll be laughing my ass off. Why the hell isnt this on XBLA? Even for 1200 points ish?

The thing that quite ironic, I bet the Nintendo DS version of Tetris will still be better.

Ward @ Feb 20th 2007 3:47PM

Evolution? What, did the blocks grow legs like that Jesus fish did?

Rubang B @ Feb 20th 2007 3:48PM

DS version has 10 players and an assload of modes, mwahahhahaa.

Jake @ Feb 20th 2007 3:59PM

There better be an awful lot to this game, if it is going to retail for a decent price. Tetris definately seems like an arcade type game due to its nil processing power requirements.

Chris @ Feb 20th 2007 4:05PM

Are we sure it's not XBL?
If you go to the XBOX website all the XBL games have box art like if you can buy them in stores but of course you can't.

Andrew @ Feb 20th 2007 4:07PM

for real. this is what XBL Arcade is for. i am not interested in buying this in a box.

aC @ Feb 20th 2007 4:08PM

hmm... any more than like $25 and I can't see this as a good value. My girlfriend will eat it up though.

Also would have been a good title to push 1080 with ;)

If it's overpriced, I'm sure it will drop quickly, so I anticipate owning this one.

Jonah Falcon @ Feb 20th 2007 4:10PM

I enjoyed Tetris Worlds, the last retail Xbox Tetris game. We'll see. $29.99 sounds about right. $39.99 max.

Matt @ Feb 20th 2007 4:11PM

I agree with Andrew. Putting a game like Tetris on a 9gb DVD just seems flat out wasteful. This should be an XBLA title.

Jonathon @ Feb 20th 2007 4:44PM

You guys sicken me.

If the game is anything CLOSE to The Grandmaster 3 as released for XB360 in Japan, it needs all the oomph it can get.

The crappy rendition of Tetris that you mindlessly pay to BREW and BlueLava for your cell phone is obviously what's coming to mind for you here - not the intense, 20G, techno-pumping, colour-losing, occasionally mega piece Tetris of today.

LunarDuality @ Feb 20th 2007 4:20PM

In case you guys and gals didn't know, Tetris was a launch title in Japan for the 360. It was published by THQ there too if memory serves. However, there were massive publishing/IP rights battles (or so I heard) over this title for the North American market. I guess that's all over with and THQ can *finally* release it here.

BIGGEN @ Feb 20th 2007 4:25PM

hey guys! so should this be an XBLA release?! i mean really?! i mean putting it on a disc is such a waste!! i mean this is what XBLA is for!! wow, the people running XBLA sure do suck!!

some original comments please people

if it's retail, and it's $40, $50, or even $60. RENT IT!! i just want a new, FUN tetris game.

Ocho @ Feb 20th 2007 4:35PM

I'd be completely on board if they could combine the production values of Lumines with the multiplayer genius of Tetrinet.

Seems simple enough, although Tetris DS was the only one to even get remotely close.

tcc3 @ Feb 20th 2007 4:33PM

Tetris Worlds was terrible. Why do they keep publishing crappy versions of Tetris with crappy new modes? You know what I want?

Tetris
Weltris
Faces
Super Tetris

No others need apply.

none @ Feb 20th 2007 4:53PM

I bought the Xbox version by THQ and couldn't play it at all. They totally screwed up the game mechanics.

I'm not talking about infinite spin (which I also hate, but grudgingly accept), but the initial orientation of the pieces. For instance: the L shaped piece has always started out (from NES to GBA-SP to PC to keychain games to java plugins) with the short side pointing down (looks like a gun), but the THQ version starts it looking like a ___| with the long side down. IIRC, they do the same with the T shaped piece (starts as a _|_ instead of a T.

This may sound like quibbling, but if you are a high level tetris player (which you probably aren't) it completely screws up your game. For 20 years now I've been hitting A to make the left gun become a tall stick, now I have to hit B. Think of it this way: if you got into a car where the brake and gas were switched, how hard would it be to drive?

The game is jacked, but due to the idiots who now own the Tetris license I'll only be able to play the broken THQ version.

And, yes, this should be on XBLA.

Geo @ Feb 20th 2007 4:48PM

The best tetris I ever played was on N64. Next tetris or something like that. You could make giant gold and silver blocks by correctly sorting the pieces. That and 4 player multi made it incredible.

Oshi @ Feb 20th 2007 4:57PM

Tetris Worlds wasn't so great, agreed. But I loved the lounge mode, where my friends and I would just chill, chat, and play Tetris.
That is precisely what will compel me to buy this one. Online play. But I also hope it's budget-priced.

I'm hoping they bring back some of the styles from The Next Tetris, like Fusion and Cascade. I sorely missed those variants in Tetris DS.

Mandingo Chief @ Feb 20th 2007 4:59PM

Wow, I can't wait to pay, I mean, play this! First Windows Vista, and now I get a chance to pay far too much for a 15 year old game. Great job, Microsoft!!!

Mark @ Feb 20th 2007 5:07PM

The ultimate killer-app has finally arrived!!

Steve @ Feb 20th 2007 5:26PM

19. Geo

I agree with Geo, the N64 Tetris game was the best because creating those 4x4 bonus squares really added a unique element to the gameplay. I also liked how it scored you with lines instead of meaningless points. The only thing wrong with that version was its tendency to crash when playing a long game.

The GCN version wasn't nearly as good. I seem to remember the game having points where it would stop the action to present a status screen, but I think you could get around that. A game of standard tetris should NEVER be interrupted by the game. The GCN version didn't keep track of your total lines either.

The Nintendo DS version has great multiplayer and variants on it, but it's annoying how it acted like the original Gameboy Tetris in that it doesn't move the pieces left and right fast enough. It's also odd for a game of Tetris should end; after level 20 the game ends which is somewhat cool but a little annoying too.

This is another reason to get an XBOX 360 once Microsoft upgrades the hardware to some tech that works.

Sean @ Feb 20th 2007 5:50PM

I'm with all the XBLA comments. Unless this is the most jaw dropping gut wrenching version of tetris EVER, there is no reason to release it is a retail game instead of on the arcade. I would spend $10, shit maybe even $20 (the girlfriend LOVES tetris) on an XBLA, but as is I don't see myself buying it. Too bad for them :P

Hizzah @ Feb 20th 2007 10:48PM

My favorite version was the calculator game on the TI-86, simply because of the uncountable hours I've invested into it. Really, school goes by much quicker; sometimes on the weekends I look forward to Mondays where I can once again sit down and try to beat my high score of 78,000ish.