Tetris

GAME 100 EXPLORING GAME WORLDS – VIDEOGAME IN-CLASS APPRAISAL TEMPLATE










Student Name:

    Nick Warwick

Today’s Date: 

    10/29/2010

Game Title Examined:

    Tetris N-Blox

Year of Publication:

    2009

Game Publisher:

    Tetris Holding

Game Developer:

    Paul Neave

Game Genre:

    Puzzle

Type of game ‘world’ or environment:

    Flat puzzle grid

Perspective taken by player in relation to main player controlled character:

    Side view

Gameplay – what does the player have to do?

    Rotate and arrange falling blocks to create horizontal lines, which then disappear to make more room.

Is the gameplay intuitive? (i.e. is it easy to understand what to do without instructions?) describe.

    Extremely intuitive. The brain naturally wants to create order by filling the empty spaces.

Is the gameplay patterned (game does the same thing over & over) or is it random (happens differently every time?)

    The gameplay is similar from game to game, but the pieces appear in a random order, so no two games are identical.

What does the type of graphic approach used as well as the audio tell you about the limits of the technology at the time the game was published?

    The game uses basic structures, but the trademark "Tetris" music has been stripped, taking a major feature away from the original release.

Describe your views about the game from the point of view of

   1. ease of play

    Dynamic - the game startes out easy, appealing to the casual gamer, but increases in speed as more lines are created. It eventually reaches a pace impossible to match.

   2. enjoyability

    Premium - no other video game is as widely known, intuitive or easily accessible as Tetris. Its simplicity is the reason for its popularity.

   3. level of engagement/immersion

    Total - playing a game requires intense concentration, testing the limits of a person's focus and reaction time. There is no room for casual conversation or exploration as in other games.

Had you played this game prior to this time?  If so, when?

    Several times. I played almost daily from 1990 to 1998. I've played several versions of Tetris, but this was my first encounter with the "N-Blox" variant.

Describe other games it reminds you of. How does it do this?

    Intelligence Qube -- moving blocks on a grid, increasing pace; Dr. Mario, Connnect Four -- falling objects that must be aligned; Solitaire, Go Fish -- creating stacks that are eventually swept away; Pentaminos -- basic shapes that must be fit together in a constricted space.