Here's my two cents: I've played both versions very consistently. I got started with Nintendo's version, and then I found out about Tengen's version and started playing it in an emulator. Both of the versions are nearly equal from my standpoint, and I have to say that Tengen's version is more visually appealing as you can see the individual tetrominos. It's also nice having the stat bars on the right side instead of the numbers on the left, like in Nintendo's version. That being said, Tengen's Tetris is not without its flaws. While I would have to say it's my game of choice because you can play indefinitely (the speed only goes so far) and you can see the board when the game is paused (Seriously, how did Tengen miss that?), others would dismiss it as flaws. As a CTWC follower, I can definitely understand their choice of NES Tetris. If they chose Tengen Tetris, the matches could go on forever if the players knew what they were doing. But with Nintendo's version of Tetris, there is effectively a "killscreen" at Level 29. At this point, you cannot get pieces to the complete right or left anymore, and the game is practically finished. Also, here's a few more reasons why I like Tengen's version better. I personally like the soundtracks of the Tengen version much better. This is entirely subjective, and some people will have entirely different opinions about the music. Because Atari also had the arcade rights to Tetris, Tengen's Tetris really exemplifies the mid-to-late '80s craze of the "home arcade" video game category. Nintendo's version really doesn't look like something from the arcade, but that's probably just me. The layout on the Tengen version was never really an issue for me. I've played versions of Tetris that had the next piece pretty much everywhere. The Tengen version was very easy for me to pick up on, and I have to say I like it more because you will be looking at the top for your score anyways. Nintendo's layout is also nice, but I like the pieces of Tengen Tetris better. The menus on the Nintendo version easily win, they look a lot nicer than the bare text of the Tengen version. So, my final verdict. I like Tengen's version better, mostly because it feels much more responsive (to me anyways), has better music (to me), and because of all the extra features over the Nintendo version. Not that the Nintendo version isn't good, the menus are more visually pleasing and the music is also nice. But I believe that the average Tetris player would like the Tengen version better. Sorry if this comment's a little long.
"As a CTWC follower, I can definitely understand their choice of NES Tetris. If they chose Tengen Tetris, the matches could go on forever if the players knew what they were doing." They should have chosen arcade Tetris, which is like Tengen Tetris (because they were both made by Atari, and Tengen Tetris is based on arcade Tetris, sharing much of the graphics and sounds), but better. I doubt anyone could play it forever, since at higher levels it not only gets very fast, but there are also pre-placed blocks and blocks that get randomly added during gameplay that you have to deal with, which makes the game more interesting, both to play and to watch. The music in the arcade version is the same as in the Tengen version, except it plays a different song on each level instead of having to listen to the same song for the whole game.
@@MaximRecoil , did not Sega ALSO have a port of Tetris that was in the arcade, that only had literally 10 cartridges on Sega Genesis/Mega Drive hardware, and that is now a part of the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Mini? Also, did you and @EricICX know that the Famicom also has its own version of Tetris?
Yeah, why was 2p mode not included when the Tengen version had one? Given how big "competitive" classic nes tetris has become it makes you wonder if 2 player mode would have dominated over 1player mode in the world championships.
Yeah but with the Tengen version you don’t need Game Genie to access the 2-player mode so I agree Tengen version FTW, and I actually have both versions
The best version of Tetris is the original arcade version, which is very similar to the Tengen version because they were both made by Atari. The arcade version has the same music as the Tengen version, but it shuffles through the songs automatically, so you're not stuck listening to the same song for the whole game. Also, the arcade version gives you a fresh start at the beginning of each level, and as you get to the higher levels it adds obstacles to the game, i.e., various patterns of blocks placed at the bottom that you have build around or blocks that get randomly added during gameplay.
If we're talking Nintendo hardware I'm partial to the Famicom game Tetris 2 + Bomblis (Not to be mixed up with Tetris 2 which is closely related to Dr. Mario). I think we can all agree though the original Famicom version is awful simply because it has one of the most incomprehensibly unintuitive controller schemes.
@@hdofuI can't agree with that for the simple reason that this is one of the few Tetris games out there with a randomizer, and it has 29 speed levels. I'm not sure what you mean by control scheme, because it's the same everywhere else. You have a d-pad for directional control, and two buttons for rotation. Pretty standard stuff. If you mean movement of blocks. Well, it is a bit slow, but again, pretty standard stuff. We had multiple versions like the GB one which played similarly in block movement.
Well done video. Nicely paced and thorough, a fun watch! I fully concur with your conclusions. I slightly prefer the Nintendo aesthetics, so I usually pick it for individual play, but the lack of any two player mode is extremely strange. Conversely, co-op mode on the Tengen version is an absolute trip! For those reasons I'm glad I have both versions in my collection.
I've always like the 1988 arcade game and Tengen's port is extremely similar with extra features. That alone takes the cake imo. It's a shame it was banned. Also seems like Tengen's port of Ms. Pac-Man was way better than the official release, which is also a shame. Atari Games sure knew how to program some good ass games.
Being able to play co-op Tetris is weird, but also awesome. When you play with someone who can think in sync with you it's magical. Hell even when you talk with each other it's an amazing feeling working together.
I have to say, when I played the Nintendo version when it came out, one thing I really loved was the color changes between levels. Some of them were really aesthetically pleasing, and kind of motivated me to keep progressing to get to "favorite" color combinations.
Tengen version all the way. Fun fact, there was also an arcade cabinet of Tetris at many local arcades at the time when arcades were popular plus it was also 2 player vs. The Tengen version of Tetris on the Nes was a port of the arcade version, limitation had to be made in order to fit it into the cartridge.
It's a shame the original cart for the Tengen version is so expensive nowadays. It really is the best version on the system, the cooperative mode is so fun to play.
So well done. Thank you! I had never seen or played the Tengen version, so I was curious. Tengen did an amazing Ms. Pac-man for the 2600. I still have that cartridge.
I've never played Tengens version but I definitely think 2 player is must. The only thing that keeps me going in the Nintendo version is trying to get a bigger rocket finish.
@Daniel189HLL that's a complete lie drummed up by racist newspapers in the 1960s to try and get people angry at Chinese immigrants. If you get headaches from food it's most likely because of the sodium content
The arcade version of Tetris is the best, it has very challenging stages that really push you and see just how good you really are. It features better sounding versions of the Tengen themes and better all around graphics but it really does feel like Tengen Tetris on the NES. A must play if you find it on at an arcade.
Man this video is very well done! I can't believe you only have a few thousand subscribers! (Plus one). But I digress! I've never played the Tegen version and I'm surprised that it really does seem to be the superior! Especially considering most (most not all) Tengen games were sadly disappointing.
While I can agree that Tengen's is better for the casual audience, the most competitive players have built a tournament around Nintendo's for one reason: Top speed Tengen's speed caps at level 17 with 1/3 gravity. (piece falls once per 3 frames) Meanwhile, Nintendo's gives players 10 levels of 1/2 gravity (19-28) before trying to finish them off with 1G speeds. (29+) What's amazing is the best players in the world can work at this speed, some reaching level 40+, making some of the most amazing competitive play out there. If you want to witness some of the best NES Tetris players out there, you should check out CTWC's stream on the 14th at noon pacific. (channel: ClassicTetris) The top 8 in the world will amaze you.
Only thing I care about besides functionality of the visuals (nintendo clearly wins in this department as it is more easy to quickly line up pieces as you can use the tetrominoes inner squares for reference) is the comparison of the radomizer algorythm that determines the next piece. Is this the same for both versions? I still play the nintendo version because it's so random, you can't play around the certainty of getting a certain tetromino soon. I'll only switch to Tegen's version if this feature is just as good or better. Also the position of the next piece preview is light years better in nintendo's version.
2:16 - That's not St. Basil's Cathedral. St. Basil's cathedral doesn't have gold onion domes, except for the smallest one on the tallest tower. The picture on the label and box is St. Basil's Cathedral though.
I used to prefer the Nintendo version, but after forcing myself to play the Tengen version, I did find qualities to enjoy in it, it feels more polished and complete (even if I'm still annoyed that even in 1 player, I have to play on the left on the screen and that the pieces fall so fast when pressing down).
Nintendo Tetris is make it international, while released by Russian and Tengen Tetris is to make it Russia, while released by American and the song you said it starts with slow, its tempo will be faster in later
The local mall arcade I grew up with had the Atari Tetris... I believe it was the best Tetris made and b/c I did play it in the arcade, plus even while you played other games in the vicinity, you can still hear the music, I have a particular soft spot for it. Tengen NES version is largely based on that. Wish the Nintendo Tetris could've included that one track from the Gameboy Tetris that everyone can recite.
The Tengen NES cartridge was black and had a bevel on the front edge, making it unique amongst all of standard gray Nintendo cartridges with all squared edges. In fact I found this page by searching for 'black cartidge tetris'. Obviously doesn't change gameplay but was eye catching at the time.
the Tengen version music and game play is almost identical to the arcade version (Atari license)...including the placement of the "next' piece...they did a GREAT job of the home port before nintendo screwed things up
The Nintendo version is 100% the better version simply because tengen Tetris is too easy. The speed caps at an incredibly slow speed making the games go on forever with no real motive to get better at the game. Meanwhile, Nintendo Tetris has a limit to how long you can play, where at lv. 29 the tetrominos drop 1 block every frame, making it almost extremely difficult to play. This is much better because entire Tetris tournaments get created because Nintendo Tetris is much more exciting and fun. I’m sure you’ve heard of the CTWC or CTM. There’s such a high skill cap in Nintendo Tetris that is it beautiful. Also, I much prefer the visuals and and layout of Nintendo Tetris imo
Isiparate Todestroy without level 29 there wouldn’t be Tetris tournaments using the NES Tetris cartridge since the level 19 speed can be played indefinitely
@@PretzelBS but when tournaments started not many people reached lvl 29 and very few have ever maxed out, some years ago still was something kinda rare. So thats not the reason why tournaments are possible. Without the speed increase is just matter of having a time limit or something similar. It makes it interesting thats for sure, but its not "the reason" if you know what I mean
Isiparate Todestroy the killscreen is essential. The killscreen is an intuitive way to put a lines cap, which is a much better than a time limit. Without the killscreen, what would determine where to put a lines limit? If there was an organization that determined where to put it, how would people who have been playing Tetris in their homes know where that is? And it definitely wouldn’t be intuitive at all since it’s not like you can’t just keep playing after that arbitrary amount of lines are done to get a better score.
Oddly enough, didn't realize until recently that another official version of Tetris for hardware based on the NES, it also marked the first time Kolibreinki would be the bg music as you played as it was the title screen for the Famicom version by Bullet Proof Software.
It would have nice if Nintendo allowed Atari to sell tengen version but to collect royalties from Atari but business is business and Nintendo forcing Atari to stop selling made good sense to do. I'm happy that og creator ended up being owner of the Tetris brand in the end
I grew up playing the Gameboy version of Tetris. It’s funny I don’t remember playing Tengen’s version at home. The only version of it I remember playing is in arcades. I recently picked up NES Tetris. I thought of maybe 🤔 trying to see if can play in a tournament or try out for one. I know I need to commit to playing hours of this to train myself. The songs on both these are great. They are very iconic and nostalgic. These tunes brings back waves of childhood experiences. This was a very good video! Thank you for your comparisons.
I prefer the Tengen version by far, which is good because it's the version included on the majority of multicarts. The 1988 Atari Games arcade version is even better, imo.
Personally, I'm partial to Tengen's, because it resembles the Arcade version; but maybe that creates a personal bias; and while I appreciated the color-change in between levels on the Nintendo version; I think the aesthetic leaves it kind of dry and flavorless.
- In Tengen music theme is more consistent (russian classical themes). - Placement of the Next window isn't much of an issue. With time you learn to register next piece by color with your periferial vision. As long as it not too tedious or covered up by special effects it's fine. - I personaly don't like how you can rotate piece in Nintendo tetris when it's on the ground. It could be cool to make some tricks with this mechanic, but it requires too much brain power on higher speeds. - Central placement of the main playfield is defenitely better, but it's understandable why Tengen developers did what they did. - Dancers are cool. What are talking about? - You can laugh at your family members when they lose in VS mode. It's pure gold for 8 y.o. So yeah, Tengen is my choise.
Here's a potentially-confusing fun fact: "tetrominoes" is actually the generic name for a four-squared puzzle piece. Like "dominoes"; or the puzzle that inspired Tetris in the first place, "pentominoes". The trademarked name for Tetris pieces is "Tetriminoes", with an I instead of an O.
Also, the "stats" screen allegedly comes from complaints from testers that piece choice were being skewed unfairly. Modern tetris also addresses this complaint, in this case by having each piece type only drop once until all the piece types have been pulled.
What actually happened with the rights was more complex. Tetris was produced originally at the Russian Academy of Sciences. That made the game at the time property of the government of the Soviet Union. Robert Stein's company, Andromeda Software licensed Tetris for personal computers from Elorg, at the time a division of the Soviet Office of Foreign Trade with the right to port it to "different types of computers". There was a dispute between the Russians and Robert Stein over the definition of "computer". To the Russians, their definition of computer was actually computer systems like IBM PC, Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, et al. To Robert Stein, his definition included game consoles like NES, Sega, etc. What happened is Robert Stein then sublicensed the game to Mirrorsoft and Spectrum Holobyte for distribution. Mirrorsoft then sold console rights illegally to Atari Games, which used the Tengen brand on their consoles and released it on Nintendo. They then sublicensed the Japanese console rights to Bullet Proof Software (BPS). BPS then ported it to the Fanicom in Japan. However, in the process of Bullet Proof Software trying to get the handheld rights for Game Boy, Henk Rogers originally approached Robert Stein, but Stein was in a payment dispute with Elorg. So Henk Rogers travelled to Moscow, located Elorg and inquired about the rights to Tetris for handheld systems. He then presented the japanese console version to Elorg that he was producing, and he found out that Elorg had not given console rights to anyone. Later Robert Stein, and Mirrosofts Kevin Maxwell also inquired about the Handheld rights. Eventually Henk Rogers and Bullet Proof Software was chosen as a winner of the three offers. Elorg asked BPS to make an offer on the console rights as well. So Henk Rogers Contacted Nintendo and Nintendo sweetened the offer and they travelled in secret to close the deal, before Atari and Mirrorsoft could find out about it. Nintendo then told Atari to cease and desist. Atari then filed suit against Nintendo. The smoking gun to Nintendo's win was the definiton of computer in the contract Robert Stein signed that excluded console rights, meaning Mirrorsoft did not have the console rights so they could not license them to Atari, so in the end, Atari was pirating tetris! Nintendo wins victoriously.
@Aliens Studio Productions, what if I told you that the Famicom also had its own version of Tetris that was also programmed, as well as developed, by one of the official companies that actually make Tetris games, namely Bullet Proof Software (now known as Blue Planet Software)?
I didn't know about the Tengen version. But my favorite Tetris game is probably Tetris DX for the GameBoy Color. That one seems more responsive, so it's easier to control the pieces at higher game speeds.
Nintendo pudo eliminar Tetris Tengen del mercado, pero sigue vivo en las videoconsolas piratas de Nes xD. Cuantas veces habré visto el Tetris Tengen sin nombre ni descripción, con la pantalla de titulo completamente en negro llamado Tetris 2 en los cartuchos piratas ???... xD. Mucha gente lo adora y creo que ha sido más jugado en el mundo que la versión de Nintendo. El Tetris Tengen ha estado ahí con su sombra espiritual en la pirateria xD.
Tengens version gave me a bit of a headache. Plus I always need to side with nintendo. Jk I just genuinely dont like how tengen's version's blocks are, I like the grid better.
For me is backwards i play nintendo and the controls give me a headache its nothing like Gameboys Controls since the Gameboys Version has the same controls as the Tengen
I managed to hack my mini-NES so that I could fill it up with any NES titles I want, so I downloaded both Tetris versions. Both games are good but I find myself playing the Tengen version slightly more often.
This was interesting. A shame that we really weren't given much of a choice back in the day. Especially since most of the time Tengen's version seems to come out on top. I have a similar video suggestion: Kirby's Avalanche on SNES vs Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine on Genesis. Who has the superior Puyo Puyo port?
We also need another versus between Atari Tetris and Sega Tetris. Sega Tetris would become the forerunner of Tetris: the Grandmaster, which eventually evolved into guideline tetris that is commonly played today. Atari became the forerunner of NES Tetris, which helped launch the Game Boy.
12:05 actively offends me as an NES Tetris main, B type is significantly harder than A type, as when you get to height 5, you have just about no space to get pieces across the board, and god forbid you attempt 19-5…
The NES Classic does not come with Tetris unfortunately which is a bit of a head scratching omission. The system is incredibly easy to modify and add games to if you've got a PC. I thin it would run the Nintendo version of Tetris just fine, but Tengen's version used a special chip so I'm not sure if it would emulate correctly on the NES Classic. It might run without a hitch or it may take patching to function correctly.
Great video and analysis! I prefer the Tengen's version because I feel that the control in that game is a lot more responsive than the Nintendo's version. It has that satisfying feeling when you move the piece around, especially when holding down the left/right while the piece is still on the top and aim to where you want to drop it.
I grew up playng the Tengen version with my mother,so it's very nostalgic to me.But trying to be objective i really think that Tengen version is better.Love the soundtrack also.
The stats are important to stave-off the feeling that the game deliberately held back the the so-needed 1x4 tetris block. I do have complain about that in Tengen version tho, when one of its bars reach the maximum height then all of the bar's height should have reduced by the lowest height of other bar, that way player can continue observe the new growth of the stat.
Both versions are good but the best version of Tetris that can be played on the NES and was licensed was Tetris 2 + Bomblis (yes it’s a famicom game but compatible). I think we can all agree though that both versions were far better then the original Famicom Tetris. You’d have to be serious about the game but of the two you picked to examine Tengen has the gameplay edge which you find out as speeds increase.
If you think how Nintendo Tetris plays is indiscernible from Tengen Tetris, I don't think you've spent that much time with either. If you try playing the games on a high speed you'll notice an immediate and huge difference, with the input and rotations feeling much more intuitive in the former. I'll give Tengen a point for actually having wallkicks though. An even more important aspect that's not mentioned here though, is an absolute dealbreaker. Tetris is a competitive game, and it's all about how big a score you can get. Unfortunately the scoring system in Tengen Tetris is completely broken, since you can easily play it forever, which makes it useless as anything more than a time waster. The two-player mode is of course cool if that is what you are into. But in a broader aspect I think it's worth considering that countless other implementations of Tetris since have had better vs (and even co-op) modes, meaning Tengen has nothing unique to offer today. Meanwhile Nintendo Tetris remains a competitive game with unique quirks in its DAS control which gives it an extremely high skill ceiling when playing on a high level, and is the reason large annual competitions are still being held every year. I appreciate some of the thoughts you put into this review, such as how off-putting the look of Tengen's tetronimoes are, and the position of the preview box. It shows that you try to take the subject matter "seriously". But it might have improved your video to do some research, or consult with someone who is actually into the game, and hear their point of view before spreading the rumor that Tengen Tetris is in any way a preferable game. :) The truth of the matter is that there is a *lot* to say about different implementations of Tetris, a lot more than most people assume.
Morten Riis Svendsen Very insightful. I played each game about 4 hours for the video so I definitely haven't put "hard time" into either title. I do certainly want to be the guy who sounds like he knows what he's talking about but most of my research went into the history surrounding the games. At the same time though, I'd prefer my viewpoints to be candid as these Versus videos are strictly opinion. What you see here is my genuine thoughts about the games and since I play Tetris (and all games) casually, I dont typically look to see what others have said about the games I look at to shape what I want to say. I can see you are well-versed in Tetris and I appreciate everything critical you've said. It seems like there are many stones unturned in NES Tetris games and I will certainly look into them out of morbid curiosity. Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!
The reason why competitive tetris is about to get the bigger score is only because the competitive scene nowdays is arround nintendo version. Before nintendo version competitive tetris was played on arcade machines and the objective is not only getting the best score. Also competitive scene right now doesn't use nintendo version because is better, it's used because it's created by a competitor of nintendo worlds championship and therfore is inspired by that. Also the fact that nintendo removed atari version makes it unreliable to be a standard today. Otherwise who knows?
@@ZBostOneR Lots of different competitive Tetris scenes exist, including some entirely focused on VS-play - and for a lot of very good reasons they'd never consider using the Tengen or Atari versions. Yes, CTWC started out based on the game that the organizers knew well, but there is no way it would have grown to the size and *actually* competitive level it has today if the game weren't as deeply competitive as it is. That could never have happened with the inherently broken Tengen version.
@@sumez4369 I think thats just your opinon. Different competitive tetris scenes use newer versions like (rip) Tetris Friends or Tetris 99, so they don't use either of those. Other competitive tetris scene use Arcade Atari version so I dont think Nintendo version have a special competitive core that other versions don't have. Tetris in general is a good competitive game as a concept itself. Nintendo version have its own pros and cons, there is a lot of production and external coding involved in the actual world tournaments of Nintendo NES version.
@@ZBostOneR It's not really an opinion, though :) There's no competitive scene for Tengen Tetris, because any metric by which you might compete in that game is broken. The Nintendo version definitely has its issues, and the reasons why it's competitive at all are mostly incidental. But never the less, it's how things are.
The Russian identity was a very important element of the marketing of "The Soviet Mind Game" at the time that it was being imported into the west. Even Nintendo's TV commercials placed heavy emphasis on Tetris' eastern origins. Striping that back today isn't a big deal, but it hindered the presentation at the time.
NES music 3 I always go to when I play it, it's both exciting yet different. And oddly relaxing... but Tengen did have the best music overall. And best gameplay modes. Tengen was onto something with cooperative modes in their games. Or on something since Ms Pac-Man has a cooperative mode that is just out there yet cool. Loving your videos, thank you!
Aliens Studios Productions It's a really good version that uses the music and levels from the first Sonic game. So much better than the unreleased one! ruclips.net/video/dxNy9sYXNbA/видео.html
Great review, and I have fonder memories of Tengen’s for all the reason’s you discuss, but the Nintendo version stands the test of time better, because of the clearer, more colorful pieces, the uninterrupted gameplay, and the better positioned Next Item, which allows you to keep your attention focused on where the pieces are going, not where they originate. There’s a reason there are still major championships played with this version. It’s actually better in some ways than modern versions, as the infinite roll they added later on ruins flow and deemphasizes reflexes and planning. The Tengen features have all been improved upon in later iterations, leaving only nostalgia.
I completely disagree; Nintendo crushes Tengen in all fronts except for multiplayer compatibility. GAMEPLAY Nintendo’s version has better gameplay. 1) Rotation system. Tengen’s pieces rotate in a way that the pieces stick to the top left corner, which is unnatural. Nintendo’s pieces rotate closer to their physical center of gravity, which makes it easier and more intuitive to control. 2) Tengen’s soft drop has acceleration and takes a bit of time to kick in, which gets in the way of quick stacking most of the time. Nintendo’s soft drop starts immediately. 3) The intermissions are nice on first glance, but they get in the way of the action if you want a pure Tetris experience. 4) You can still see the pieces when paused on Tengen, which makes it easier to cheat, compared to Nintendo, which hides the board to prevent cheating. SOUNDTRACK Nintendo’s version has the better soundtrack, despite Tengen’s 4 tracks instead of 3. All of Nintendo’s music has proper ADSR and note texture, utilizing the features of the NES sound chip properly. Tengen’s music is entirely made up of basic pulse waves without any ADSR, which makes it sound like you’re hearing a Tamagotchi barbershop choir. If you want to hear Tengen’s pieces done right, cf. BPS’s version of NES Tetris, where they rearranged Kalinka (still misspelled as “KARINKA”) and Troika from Tengen’s version, only with better instrumentation. Don’t play it though because the controls are total and utter garbage. MODES Tengen is the only option for multiplayer, but NES has the better singleplayer offering. Tengen has many more modes than NES Tetris, because there are both competitive and cooperative modes. However, NES also has B-Type, which pre-fills the bottom of the screen with a random mesh you must work around. Tengen’s multiplayer cooperative also leaves much to be desired, because, while the good idea is there, you keep getting in your doubles partner’s way, especially if your partner is a computer player who’s already committed to a piece placement that is inconvenient for you. OVERALL Nintendo’s Tetris wins by a landslide. It has tighter controls, better music, and a better singleplayer offering. It’s a shame that the Gameboy version’s multiplayer mode was not ported to NES, otherwise it would have dominated Tengen’s Tetris in all fronts.
I remember seeing the TENGEN version on the video store's rental shelf aeons ago. But never played it thinking it was either a knockoff copy or what. I loved other Tengen games though (they seemed very good mostly). I should have bought this years later when they were clearing old games out.
There were some minor control differences too. It's a bit tricky to describe, but in Nintendo's Tetris, you could rotate the block as long as it could fit into the spot you were rotating it to, allowing you to twist the block into some spaces that you wouldn't be able to slide it. The Tengen version was more rigid; you had to have open space to rotate the block.
Honestly, I like the dancers in the Tengen version...
I agree sorry if Im late
The dancers in Tengen’s Tetris is the precursor to Dance Dance Revolution. It’s a fact, look it up!
Same
I guess I am quite off topic but does anybody know of a good place to stream new movies online?
@Cullen Austin i would suggest flixzone. You can find it by googling =)
Here's my two cents:
I've played both versions very consistently. I got started with Nintendo's version, and then I found out about Tengen's version and started playing it in an emulator. Both of the versions are nearly equal from my standpoint, and I have to say that Tengen's version is more visually appealing as you can see the individual tetrominos. It's also nice having the stat bars on the right side instead of the numbers on the left, like in Nintendo's version.
That being said, Tengen's Tetris is not without its flaws. While I would have to say it's my game of choice because you can play indefinitely (the speed only goes so far) and you can see the board when the game is paused (Seriously, how did Tengen miss that?), others would dismiss it as flaws. As a CTWC follower, I can definitely understand their choice of NES Tetris. If they chose Tengen Tetris, the matches could go on forever if the players knew what they were doing. But with Nintendo's version of Tetris, there is effectively a "killscreen" at Level 29. At this point, you cannot get pieces to the complete right or left anymore, and the game is practically finished.
Also, here's a few more reasons why I like Tengen's version better. I personally like the soundtracks of the Tengen version much better. This is entirely subjective, and some people will have entirely different opinions about the music. Because Atari also had the arcade rights to Tetris, Tengen's Tetris really exemplifies the mid-to-late '80s craze of the "home arcade" video game category. Nintendo's version really doesn't look like something from the arcade, but that's probably just me.
The layout on the Tengen version was never really an issue for me. I've played versions of Tetris that had the next piece pretty much everywhere. The Tengen version was very easy for me to pick up on, and I have to say I like it more because you will be looking at the top for your score anyways. Nintendo's layout is also nice, but I like the pieces of Tengen Tetris better. The menus on the Nintendo version easily win, they look a lot nicer than the bare text of the Tengen version.
So, my final verdict. I like Tengen's version better, mostly because it feels much more responsive (to me anyways), has better music (to me), and because of all the extra features over the Nintendo version. Not that the Nintendo version isn't good, the menus are more visually pleasing and the music is also nice. But I believe that the average Tetris player would like the Tengen version better.
Sorry if this comment's a little long.
I’ve never played the atari Tetris is all the frame data the same or do you have to hyper tap every thing like in game boy
"As a CTWC follower, I can definitely understand their choice of NES Tetris. If they chose Tengen Tetris, the matches could go on forever if the players knew what they were doing."
They should have chosen arcade Tetris, which is like Tengen Tetris (because they were both made by Atari, and Tengen Tetris is based on arcade Tetris, sharing much of the graphics and sounds), but better. I doubt anyone could play it forever, since at higher levels it not only gets very fast, but there are also pre-placed blocks and blocks that get randomly added during gameplay that you have to deal with, which makes the game more interesting, both to play and to watch.
The music in the arcade version is the same as in the Tengen version, except it plays a different song on each level instead of having to listen to the same song for the whole game.
Holj shit
@@MaximRecoil , did not Sega ALSO have a port of Tetris that was in the arcade, that only had literally 10 cartridges on Sega Genesis/Mega Drive hardware, and that is now a part of the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Mini? Also, did you and @EricICX know that the Famicom also has its own version of Tetris?
a *little* long
The biggest downfall for Tetris Nintendo is the lack of head to head play....
then ctwc came along
And shitty controls
@@coastercrafter1productions300 you're just shitty at it.
Yeah, why was 2p mode not included when the Tengen version had one? Given how big "competitive" classic nes tetris has become it makes you wonder if 2 player mode would have dominated over 1player mode in the world championships.
@@sanseverything900there’s a game genie code that actually shows that there was a 2 player mode, but it wasn’t completed when the game released
Tengen cause of the 2 player option, hands down!
Shame, NES tetris had a coded 2 player mode but not finished.
Its hidden in the game and can be accessed using game genie
Yeah but with the Tengen version you don’t need Game Genie to access the 2-player mode so I agree Tengen version FTW, and I actually have both versions
@@michaelsegal3558 game genie to access two player mode? That a thing on Nintendo Tetris?
@@itchyisvegetayeah just check the code book
Tengen version is better for me because of the russian dancer
And Smooth Controls
Famicom Tetris: "Am I a joke to you"?
I’m not a big Tetris player, but in my opinion, the Tengen version is much better aesthetically, but the Nintendo version has a better screen layout.
The best version of Tetris is the original arcade version, which is very similar to the Tengen version because they were both made by Atari. The arcade version has the same music as the Tengen version, but it shuffles through the songs automatically, so you're not stuck listening to the same song for the whole game. Also, the arcade version gives you a fresh start at the beginning of each level, and as you get to the higher levels it adds obstacles to the game, i.e., various patterns of blocks placed at the bottom that you have build around or blocks that get randomly added during gameplay.
If we're talking Nintendo hardware I'm partial to the Famicom game Tetris 2 + Bomblis (Not to be mixed up with Tetris 2 which is closely related to Dr. Mario). I think we can all agree though the original Famicom version is awful simply because it has one of the most incomprehensibly unintuitive controller schemes.
@@hdofuI can't agree with that for the simple reason that this is one of the few Tetris games out there with a randomizer, and it has 29 speed levels.
I'm not sure what you mean by control scheme, because it's the same everywhere else. You have a d-pad for directional control, and two buttons for rotation. Pretty standard stuff.
If you mean movement of blocks. Well, it is a bit slow, but again, pretty standard stuff. We had multiple versions like the GB one which played similarly in block movement.
Well done video. Nicely paced and thorough, a fun watch! I fully concur with your conclusions. I slightly prefer the Nintendo aesthetics, so I usually pick it for individual play, but the lack of any two player mode is extremely strange. Conversely, co-op mode on the Tengen version is an absolute trip! For those reasons I'm glad I have both versions in my collection.
Tengen Tetris is much closer to the arcade version, down to the music arrangements and interface.
The music was a lot better, agreed!
I've always like the 1988 arcade game and Tengen's port is extremely similar with extra features. That alone takes the cake imo. It's a shame it was banned. Also seems like Tengen's port of Ms. Pac-Man was way better than the official release, which is also a shame. Atari Games sure knew how to program some good ass games.
Being able to play co-op Tetris is weird, but also awesome.
When you play with someone who can think in sync with you it's magical. Hell even when you talk with each other it's an amazing feeling working together.
I have to say, when I played the Nintendo version when it came out, one thing I really loved was the color changes between levels. Some of them were really aesthetically pleasing, and kind of motivated me to keep progressing to get to "favorite" color combinations.
Tengen version all the way.
Fun fact, there was also an arcade cabinet of Tetris at many local arcades at the time when arcades were popular plus it was also 2 player vs. The Tengen version of Tetris on the Nes was a port of the arcade version, limitation had to be made in order to fit it into the cartridge.
12:08 "It doesn't offer much of a challenge"
Boi, you haven't tried 19-5
It's a shame the original cart for the Tengen version is so expensive nowadays. It really is the best version on the system, the cooperative mode is so fun to play.
About soundtrack i also need to add that when playing tengen version had a 8 BIT VERSION OF KATYUSHA when the dancers here appearing
Antoshek Emperor Yes! The katyusha part is my favourite
Well Tengen made the better Tetris game over Nintendo's.
Still both companies made equal awesome box-art!
Agreed!
I love the Loginska in the Tengen ver. the music is a combination of slow and fast paces. Sadly it only appears in this version only.
This episode of tetris is very crazy. the best version is of Tengen, the option 2 player of Tengen is good.
So well done. Thank you! I had never seen or played the Tengen version, so I was curious. Tengen did an amazing Ms. Pac-man for the 2600. I still have that cartridge.
I always preferred Tengen's version. Nintendo's version not having a 2-player mode took away from the fun.
I found a copy of Tengen Tetяis not too long, now that I'm self isolating for two weeks, time to bust it out!
Nice! If you're isolating with somebody, you can't go wrong with the multiplayer options.
I've never played Tengens version but I definitely think 2 player is must. The only thing that keeps me going in the Nintendo version is trying to get a bigger rocket finish.
How did you acquired that stereo sound around 9:21 mark? I thought the 8-bit NES is mono.
I duplicated the mono track in Audacity
Tetris without Korobeinki is like Ramen without MSG powder, like, whats the point
Er, you don't get a headache?
@Daniel189HLL that's a complete lie drummed up by racist newspapers in the 1960s to try and get people angry at Chinese immigrants. If you get headaches from food it's most likely because of the sodium content
The arcade version of Tetris is the best, it has very challenging stages that really push you and see just how good you really are. It features better sounding versions of the Tengen themes and better all around graphics but it really does feel like Tengen Tetris on the NES. A must play if you find it on at an arcade.
Man this video is very well done! I can't believe you only have a few thousand subscribers! (Plus one). But I digress!
I've never played the Tegen version and I'm surprised that it really does seem to be the superior! Especially considering most (most not all) Tengen games were sadly disappointing.
While I can agree that Tengen's is better for the casual audience, the most competitive players have built a tournament around Nintendo's for one reason:
Top speed
Tengen's speed caps at level 17 with 1/3 gravity. (piece falls once per 3 frames) Meanwhile, Nintendo's gives players 10 levels of 1/2 gravity (19-28) before trying to finish them off with 1G speeds. (29+) What's amazing is the best players in the world can work at this speed, some reaching level 40+, making some of the most amazing competitive play out there.
If you want to witness some of the best NES Tetris players out there, you should check out CTWC's stream on the 14th at noon pacific. (channel: ClassicTetris) The top 8 in the world will amaze you.
Only thing I care about besides functionality of the visuals (nintendo clearly wins in this department as it is more easy to quickly line up pieces as you can use the tetrominoes inner squares for reference) is the comparison of the radomizer algorythm that determines the next piece. Is this the same for both versions? I still play the nintendo version because it's so random, you can't play around the certainty of getting a certain tetromino soon. I'll only switch to Tegen's version if this feature is just as good or better. Also the position of the next piece preview is light years better in nintendo's version.
3:53
It's called Tetris because tetra, meaning four. Each tetramino is made of four blocks, and a "Tetris" is when you clear four rows.
And the '-is' part if for tennis. IIRC Alexey Pajitnov's favorite sport.
So "Tetris" is short for "tetra tennis".
Nope Tetra=4 and Is=Tennis the creators favourite Sport
2:16 - That's not St. Basil's Cathedral. St. Basil's cathedral doesn't have gold onion domes, except for the smallest one on the tallest tower. The picture on the label and box is St. Basil's Cathedral though.
I used to prefer the Nintendo version, but after forcing myself to play the Tengen version, I did find qualities to enjoy in it, it feels more polished and complete (even if I'm still annoyed that even in 1 player, I have to play on the left on the screen and that the pieces fall so fast when pressing down).
Nintendo Tetris is make it international, while released by Russian
and Tengen Tetris is to make it Russia, while released by American
and the song you said it starts with slow, its tempo will be faster in later
The local mall arcade I grew up with had the Atari Tetris... I believe it was the best Tetris made and b/c I did play it in the arcade, plus even while you played other games in the vicinity, you can still hear the music, I have a particular soft spot for it. Tengen NES version is largely based on that. Wish the Nintendo Tetris could've included that one track from the Gameboy Tetris that everyone can recite.
Growing up I had the Nintendo version but a friend had the Tengen. I always wanted that one.
The Tengen NES cartridge was black and had a bevel on the front edge, making it unique amongst all of standard gray Nintendo cartridges with all squared edges. In fact I found this page by searching for 'black cartidge tetris'. Obviously doesn't change gameplay but was eye catching at the time.
Yeah it was unlicensed. I own a Tengen Pac-Man and RBI Baseball cartridge that have the same cartridge design
the Tengen version music and game play is almost identical to the arcade version (Atari license)...including the placement of the "next' piece...they did a GREAT job of the home port before nintendo screwed things up
The Nintendo version is 100% the better version simply because tengen Tetris is too easy. The speed caps at an incredibly slow speed making the games go on forever with no real motive to get better at the game. Meanwhile, Nintendo Tetris has a limit to how long you can play, where at lv. 29 the tetrominos drop 1 block every frame, making it almost extremely difficult to play. This is much better because entire Tetris tournaments get created because Nintendo Tetris is much more exciting and fun. I’m sure you’ve heard of the CTWC or CTM. There’s such a high skill cap in Nintendo Tetris that is it beautiful. Also, I much prefer the visuals and and layout of Nintendo Tetris imo
Tournaments of tetris are created for a different reason, cap at lvl 29 have nothing to do
Isiparate Todestroy without level 29 there wouldn’t be Tetris tournaments using the NES Tetris cartridge since the level 19 speed can be played indefinitely
@@PretzelBS but when tournaments started not many people reached lvl 29 and very few have ever maxed out, some years ago still was something kinda rare. So thats not the reason why tournaments are possible. Without the speed increase is just matter of having a time limit or something similar.
It makes it interesting thats for sure, but its not "the reason" if you know what I mean
Isiparate Todestroy the killscreen is essential. The killscreen is an intuitive way to put a lines cap, which is a much better than a time limit. Without the killscreen, what would determine where to put a lines limit? If there was an organization that determined where to put it, how would people who have been playing Tetris in their homes know where that is? And it definitely wouldn’t be intuitive at all since it’s not like you can’t just keep playing after that arbitrary amount of lines are done to get a better score.
Oddly enough, didn't realize until recently that another official version of Tetris for hardware based on the NES, it also marked the first time Kolibreinki would be the bg music as you played as it was the title screen for the Famicom version by Bullet Proof Software.
It would have nice if Nintendo allowed Atari to sell tengen version but to collect royalties from Atari but business is business and Nintendo forcing Atari to stop selling made good sense to do. I'm happy that og creator ended up being owner of the Tetris brand in the end
In which version you can change the music in-game with selecr button? I can remember
I grew up playing the Gameboy version of Tetris. It’s funny I don’t remember playing Tengen’s version at home. The only version of it I remember playing is in arcades. I recently picked up NES Tetris. I thought of maybe 🤔 trying to see if can play in a tournament or try out for one. I know I need to commit to playing hours of this to train myself. The songs on both these are great. They are very iconic and nostalgic. These tunes brings back waves of childhood experiences. This was a very good video! Thank you for your comparisons.
Thanks for watching!
I prefer the Tengen version by far, which is good because it's the version included on the majority of multicarts. The 1988 Atari Games arcade version is even better, imo.
In the TENGEN version there is all the love for this incredible game. Unbeatable!
Excellent video, I really enjoy all the analysis
Glad to hear!
Tengens better graphics for my expirience only porblem is that it is too expencive these days but emulator did it
In the Nintendo Version, to play in 2 players, use the Game Genie code: ZAUAPPPA
To stop playing 2 players, reset your NES console and skip the code.
the CO-OP mode from TENGEN was in Tetris Party Deluxe (Wii)
I had the Tengen version from the set of games we were given by a family friend. Love the music and competitive multiplayer.
Tengen Cooperative adds the fun of screaming at your brother for not cooperating and dragging an S block on the I hole
Personally, I'm partial to Tengen's, because it resembles the Arcade version; but maybe that creates a personal bias; and while I appreciated the color-change in between levels on the Nintendo version; I think the aesthetic leaves it kind of dry and flavorless.
I’m sure most of you know this but in the NES version if you press “Select” you can turn off the “Next” window
- In Tengen music theme is more consistent (russian classical themes).
- Placement of the Next window isn't much of an issue. With time you learn to register next piece by color with your periferial vision. As long as it not too tedious or covered up by special effects it's fine.
- I personaly don't like how you can rotate piece in Nintendo tetris when it's on the ground. It could be cool to make some tricks with this mechanic, but it requires too much brain power on higher speeds.
- Central placement of the main playfield is defenitely better, but it's understandable why Tengen developers did what they did.
- Dancers are cool. What are talking about?
- You can laugh at your family members when they lose in VS mode. It's pure gold for 8 y.o.
So yeah, Tengen is my choise.
11:04 Tetris Dual, with the exception the two players are competing themselves in a same board.
I really enjoyed this. Many thanks!!
PodaTG Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed.
I like the Nintendo version
Here's a potentially-confusing fun fact: "tetrominoes" is actually the generic name for a four-squared puzzle piece. Like "dominoes"; or the puzzle that inspired Tetris in the first place, "pentominoes". The trademarked name for Tetris pieces is "Tetriminoes", with an I instead of an O.
Also, the "stats" screen allegedly comes from complaints from testers that piece choice were being skewed unfairly. Modern tetris also addresses this complaint, in this case by having each piece type only drop once until all the piece types have been pulled.
I just ordered the tengen Version and I cannot wait for it to arrive
Nice! I wish I had bought it when it was selling for 40 bucks. I ended up playing it on a Flashcart for this video
I always liked Nintendo better. It's what I grew up with
This reminds me of the dance-off from the 2004 Starsky & Hutch movie... “let’s hear it for my man Dancing Rick!!!!!”
What actually happened with the rights was more complex. Tetris was produced originally at the Russian Academy of Sciences. That made the game at the time property of the government of the Soviet Union. Robert Stein's company, Andromeda Software licensed Tetris for personal computers from Elorg, at the time a division of the Soviet Office of Foreign Trade with the right to port it to "different types of computers". There was a dispute between the Russians and Robert Stein over the definition of "computer". To the Russians, their definition of computer was actually computer systems like IBM PC, Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, et al. To Robert Stein, his definition included game consoles like NES, Sega, etc. What happened is Robert Stein then sublicensed the game to Mirrorsoft and Spectrum Holobyte for distribution. Mirrorsoft then sold console rights illegally to Atari Games, which used the Tengen brand on their consoles and released it on Nintendo. They then sublicensed the Japanese console rights to Bullet Proof Software (BPS). BPS then ported it to the Fanicom in Japan. However, in the process of Bullet Proof Software trying to get the handheld rights for Game Boy, Henk Rogers originally approached Robert Stein, but Stein was in a payment dispute with Elorg. So Henk Rogers travelled to Moscow, located Elorg and inquired about the rights to Tetris for handheld systems. He then presented the japanese console version to Elorg that he was producing, and he found out that Elorg had not given console rights to anyone. Later Robert Stein, and Mirrosofts Kevin Maxwell also inquired about the Handheld rights. Eventually Henk Rogers and Bullet Proof Software was chosen as a winner of the three offers. Elorg asked BPS to make an offer on the console rights as well. So Henk Rogers Contacted Nintendo and Nintendo sweetened the offer and they travelled in secret to close the deal, before Atari and Mirrorsoft could find out about it. Nintendo then told Atari to cease and desist. Atari then filed suit against Nintendo. The smoking gun to Nintendo's win was the definiton of computer in the contract Robert Stein signed that excluded console rights, meaning Mirrorsoft did not have the console rights so they could not license them to Atari, so in the end, Atari was pirating tetris! Nintendo wins victoriously.
@Aliens Studio Productions, what if I told you that the Famicom also had its own version of Tetris that was also programmed, as well as developed, by one of the official companies that actually make Tetris games, namely Bullet Proof Software (now known as Blue Planet Software)?
Tengen tetris was the home version of Atari Tetris (Arcade).
Almost... But there is still some differences [°¬°]
Nintendo Tetris has the code for 2 player mode, but it was never finished.
I didn't know about the Tengen version. But my favorite Tetris game is probably Tetris DX for the GameBoy Color. That one seems more responsive, so it's easier to control the pieces at higher game speeds.
Nintendo pudo eliminar Tetris Tengen del mercado, pero sigue vivo en las videoconsolas piratas de Nes xD. Cuantas veces habré visto el Tetris Tengen sin nombre ni descripción, con la pantalla de titulo completamente en negro llamado Tetris 2 en los cartuchos piratas ???... xD. Mucha gente lo adora y creo que ha sido más jugado en el mundo que la versión de Nintendo. El Tetris Tengen ha estado ahí con su sombra espiritual en la pirateria xD.
Tengens version gave me a bit of a headache. Plus I always need to side with nintendo. Jk I just genuinely dont like how tengen's version's blocks are, I like the grid better.
For me is backwards i play nintendo and the controls give me a headache its nothing like Gameboys Controls since the Gameboys Version has the same controls as the Tengen
B-Type is actually one of the hardest modes in the game
yeah he says there isn’t a challenge while playing on level 5
I managed to hack my mini-NES so that I could fill it up with any NES titles I want, so I downloaded both Tetris versions. Both games are good but I find myself playing the Tengen version slightly more often.
This was interesting. A shame that we really weren't given much of a choice back in the day. Especially since most of the time Tengen's version seems to come out on top. I have a similar video suggestion: Kirby's Avalanche on SNES vs Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine on Genesis. Who has the superior Puyo Puyo port?
That would be interesting!
Do you have an old youtubr account for my friend which you dont need anymore?
thanks for reading
wtf
What?
b type does have a challenge pick a height after choosing the level press a and then you can pick a heigh
We also need another versus between Atari Tetris and Sega Tetris. Sega Tetris would become the forerunner of Tetris: the Grandmaster, which eventually evolved into guideline tetris that is commonly played today. Atari became the forerunner of NES Tetris, which helped launch the Game Boy.
It'll be nice to finally play the Sega Genesis version of Tetris when the Sega Genesis Mini releases later this year.
tetris underrated game
12:05 actively offends me as an NES Tetris main, B type is significantly harder than A type, as when you get to height 5, you have just about no space to get pieces across the board, and god forbid you attempt 19-5…
Does Nintendo mini classic support Tetris?
The NES Classic does not come with Tetris unfortunately which is a bit of a head scratching omission. The system is incredibly easy to modify and add games to if you've got a PC. I thin it would run the Nintendo version of Tetris just fine, but Tengen's version used a special chip so I'm not sure if it would emulate correctly on the NES Classic. It might run without a hitch or it may take patching to function correctly.
@@jimmyeddy Tengen Tetris runs just fine with the standard emulator
@@juliusbelmont350 Good to know. I haven't messed around with that sort of thing myself since I've got an Ever Drive for NES
TLoZ A Link to the Past vs. TLoZ A Link Between Worlds
Great video and analysis!
I prefer the Tengen's version because I feel that the control in that game is a lot more responsive than the Nintendo's version. It has that satisfying feeling when you move the piece around, especially when holding down the left/right while the piece is still on the top and aim to where you want to drop it.
Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing which version you prefer!
Thank you, nobody ever talks about the controls in this version. Nintendo's version is very tank-like in the turning.
I had the NES version as a kid, so it’s my pick, but the 2-player option in the Tengen version is definitely cool 👍
I grew up playng the Tengen version with my mother,so it's very nostalgic to me.But trying to be objective i really think that Tengen version is better.Love the soundtrack also.
12:07 yeah on level 5 it really isn’t a challenge that’s the whole point
I prefer to play nes tetris but ataris tetris is kinda fun not my favorite but all right
one funny thing is Tengen actually put a Komani code in their game
The stats are important to stave-off the feeling that the game deliberately held back the the so-needed 1x4 tetris block.
I do have complain about that in Tengen version tho,
when one of its bars reach the maximum height then all of the bar's height should have reduced by the lowest height of other bar,
that way player can continue observe the new growth of the stat.
Really like the Kazachok dancing in the Tengen version. Although the Famicom version's dance is better.
Loginska gets a lot faster before long, if you let it play more than several seconds
Both versions are good but the best version of Tetris that can be played on the NES and was licensed was Tetris 2 + Bomblis (yes it’s a famicom game but compatible). I think we can all agree though that both versions were far better then the original Famicom Tetris. You’d have to be serious about the game but of the two you picked to examine Tengen has the gameplay edge which you find out as speeds increase.
If you think how Nintendo Tetris plays is indiscernible from Tengen Tetris, I don't think you've spent that much time with either. If you try playing the games on a high speed you'll notice an immediate and huge difference, with the input and rotations feeling much more intuitive in the former. I'll give Tengen a point for actually having wallkicks though.
An even more important aspect that's not mentioned here though, is an absolute dealbreaker. Tetris is a competitive game, and it's all about how big a score you can get. Unfortunately the scoring system in Tengen Tetris is completely broken, since you can easily play it forever, which makes it useless as anything more than a time waster.
The two-player mode is of course cool if that is what you are into. But in a broader aspect I think it's worth considering that countless other implementations of Tetris since have had better vs (and even co-op) modes, meaning Tengen has nothing unique to offer today.
Meanwhile Nintendo Tetris remains a competitive game with unique quirks in its DAS control which gives it an extremely high skill ceiling when playing on a high level, and is the reason large annual competitions are still being held every year.
I appreciate some of the thoughts you put into this review, such as how off-putting the look of Tengen's tetronimoes are, and the position of the preview box. It shows that you try to take the subject matter "seriously". But it might have improved your video to do some research, or consult with someone who is actually into the game, and hear their point of view before spreading the rumor that Tengen Tetris is in any way a preferable game. :) The truth of the matter is that there is a *lot* to say about different implementations of Tetris, a lot more than most people assume.
Morten Riis Svendsen Very insightful. I played each game about 4 hours for the video so I definitely haven't put "hard time" into either title. I do certainly want to be the guy who sounds like he knows what he's talking about but most of my research went into the history surrounding the games. At the same time though, I'd prefer my viewpoints to be candid as these Versus videos are strictly opinion. What you see here is my genuine thoughts about the games and since I play Tetris (and all games) casually, I dont typically look to see what others have said about the games I look at to shape what I want to say.
I can see you are well-versed in Tetris and I appreciate everything critical you've said. It seems like there are many stones unturned in NES Tetris games and I will certainly look into them out of morbid curiosity.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!
The reason why competitive tetris is about to get the bigger score is only because the competitive scene nowdays is arround nintendo version. Before nintendo version competitive tetris was played on arcade machines and the objective is not only getting the best score.
Also competitive scene right now doesn't use nintendo version because is better, it's used because it's created by a competitor of nintendo worlds championship and therfore is inspired by that.
Also the fact that nintendo removed atari version makes it unreliable to be a standard today. Otherwise who knows?
@@ZBostOneR Lots of different competitive Tetris scenes exist, including some entirely focused on VS-play - and for a lot of very good reasons they'd never consider using the Tengen or Atari versions.
Yes, CTWC started out based on the game that the organizers knew well, but there is no way it would have grown to the size and *actually* competitive level it has today if the game weren't as deeply competitive as it is. That could never have happened with the inherently broken Tengen version.
@@sumez4369 I think thats just your opinon. Different competitive tetris scenes use newer versions like (rip) Tetris Friends or Tetris 99, so they don't use either of those. Other competitive tetris scene use Arcade Atari version so I dont think Nintendo version have a special competitive core that other versions don't have. Tetris in general is a good competitive game as a concept itself.
Nintendo version have its own pros and cons, there is a lot of production and external coding involved in the actual world tournaments of Nintendo NES version.
@@ZBostOneR It's not really an opinion, though :) There's no competitive scene for Tengen Tetris, because any metric by which you might compete in that game is broken.
The Nintendo version definitely has its issues, and the reasons why it's competitive at all are mostly incidental. But never the less, it's how things are.
The Russian identity was a very important element of the marketing of "The Soviet Mind Game" at the time that it was being imported into the west. Even Nintendo's TV commercials placed heavy emphasis on Tetris' eastern origins. Striping that back today isn't a big deal, but it hindered the presentation at the time.
Kinda ironic now that Atari has tetris along side Nintendo (and other systems) with Tetris Forever (and officially)
NES music 3 I always go to when I play it, it's both exciting yet different. And oddly relaxing... but Tengen did have the best music overall. And best gameplay modes. Tengen was onto something with cooperative modes in their games. Or on something since Ms Pac-Man has a cooperative mode that is just out there yet cool.
Loving your videos, thank you!
Great video! My favorite is Sonic Tetris on my buddy's Genesis flashcart.
Alexander Roberts Thanks for watching!
I haven't played that one. I do have a Genesis flashcart so maybe I'll try it out.
Aliens Studios Productions It's a really good version that uses the music and levels from the first Sonic game. So much better than the unreleased one!
ruclips.net/video/dxNy9sYXNbA/видео.html
Great review, and I have fonder memories of Tengen’s for all the reason’s you discuss, but the Nintendo version stands the test of time better, because of the clearer, more colorful pieces, the uninterrupted gameplay, and the better positioned Next Item, which allows you to keep your attention focused on where the pieces are going, not where they originate. There’s a reason there are still major championships played with this version. It’s actually better in some ways than modern versions, as the infinite roll they added later on ruins flow and deemphasizes reflexes and planning. The Tengen features have all been improved upon in later iterations, leaving only nostalgia.
I completely disagree; Nintendo crushes Tengen in all fronts except for multiplayer compatibility.
GAMEPLAY
Nintendo’s version has better gameplay.
1) Rotation system. Tengen’s pieces rotate in a way that the pieces stick to the top left corner, which is unnatural. Nintendo’s pieces rotate closer to their physical center of gravity, which makes it easier and more intuitive to control.
2) Tengen’s soft drop has acceleration and takes a bit of time to kick in, which gets in the way of quick stacking most of the time. Nintendo’s soft drop starts immediately.
3) The intermissions are nice on first glance, but they get in the way of the action if you want a pure Tetris experience.
4) You can still see the pieces when paused on Tengen, which makes it easier to cheat, compared to Nintendo, which hides the board to prevent cheating.
SOUNDTRACK
Nintendo’s version has the better soundtrack, despite Tengen’s 4 tracks instead of 3.
All of Nintendo’s music has proper ADSR and note texture, utilizing the features of the NES sound chip properly. Tengen’s music is entirely made up of basic pulse waves without any ADSR, which makes it sound like you’re hearing a Tamagotchi barbershop choir. If you want to hear Tengen’s pieces done right, cf. BPS’s version of NES Tetris, where they rearranged Kalinka (still misspelled as “KARINKA”) and Troika from Tengen’s version, only with better instrumentation. Don’t play it though because the controls are total and utter garbage.
MODES
Tengen is the only option for multiplayer, but NES has the better singleplayer offering.
Tengen has many more modes than NES Tetris, because there are both competitive and cooperative modes. However, NES also has B-Type, which pre-fills the bottom of the screen with a random mesh you must work around. Tengen’s multiplayer cooperative also leaves much to be desired, because, while the good idea is there, you keep getting in your doubles partner’s way, especially if your partner is a computer player who’s already committed to a piece placement that is inconvenient for you.
OVERALL
Nintendo’s Tetris wins by a landslide. It has tighter controls, better music, and a better singleplayer offering. It’s a shame that the Gameboy version’s multiplayer mode was not ported to NES, otherwise it would have dominated Tengen’s Tetris in all fronts.
Very interesting and thorough points! Thanks for checking out the video
9:35. Ah yes, Keygen music.
I remember seeing the TENGEN version on the video store's rental shelf aeons ago. But never played it thinking it was either a knockoff copy or what. I loved other Tengen games though (they seemed very good mostly). I should have bought this years later when they were clearing old games out.
Here, in Russia, we have only one version of Tetris for our famiclone Dendy - and that was Tengen's Tetris).
Both versions have pros and cons. But if I was forced to pick, I'd go with Tengen's version.
I never played Tengen's tetris when I was a kid. Looks good.
There were some minor control differences too. It's a bit tricky to describe, but in Nintendo's Tetris, you could rotate the block as long as it could fit into the spot you were rotating it to, allowing you to twist the block into some spaces that you wouldn't be able to slide it. The Tengen version was more rigid; you had to have open space to rotate the block.