NeoTris

Introduction:

When I was a teenager, my brother and I made a Tetris game. We made a ton of very nice-looking graphics for it, detailed menu screens and an animated intro and even spent a few days making the background transition from day to night. But then we thought, "Wait... why are we spending all this time on the presentation and hardly any on the game??"

It's easy to do; you think you can get the less fun stuff done later but the problem is you might never. (We didn't!) And so we have NeoTris, a recent homebrew game from French developer ChipsOnSteroids. Unfortunately, they seem to have made the same mistake here. The game has a number of animated cut scenes, beautifully animated backgrounds, a great disco funk music soundtrack and even a Space Harrier-style into-the-screen bonus game. BUT the actual Tetris gameplay content is spread very thinly and the game lacks gameplay modes. As a result it just feels unfinished.

Originally planned as a 4 player game — complete with 4 player adapter — the final package is much less ambitious. Now subtitled "Neo Tris Solo Edition", it has been slimmed right down to a single-player-only game. It's worth noting however that a hidden beta 2-player versus mode can still be played by holding a button combination on start-up.

Gameplay: 🕹️

It's Tetris. Who doesn't like Tetris?? The game plays very well in this respect with responsive controls and good feedback for making lines. It has the now compulsory "rotate shape left" AND "rotate shape right" controls, unlike a certain other Neo Geo Tetris game... (Yes, Puzzled, I am looking at you here!). You can also move a piece instantly down into position by pressing up on the joystick.

NeoTris lives up to it's name — NeoTris = New Tetris — by adding a neat twist to the gameplay. The way to get high scores and to top the in-game high score table is to play for combos. A combo is when you chain completed lines together. Each combo increases the score multiplier by 1. For example, you might set the pit up so you can get a Tetris (4 lines at once) followed by 2 lines with your next piece. This will give you a x3 score multiplier.

To help you make these combos is a handy "Reserve" box. If you press the "C" button, the game will store your current piece in reserve, and you can swap it at any time with your current piece. However, setting up combos is not that intuitive beyond the first 2 or 3, and there is always a random element as to whether you will then get an appropriate piece to allow you to extend them longer. It does help that the game shows you the next 2 pieces coming up, though.

The standard mode is "Cool Mode" in which you must clear a large number of lines on each stage before progressing to the next. It has an unhurried (Cool!) feel to it. The game speed only increases upon starting a new stage — not every 10 lines like standard Tetris — and you'll need to clear 100+ lines to finish each stage.

An into-the-screen Space Harrier-style bonus game pops up between levels and is technically impressive but feels a little "slotted in." (It was originally going to be a separate game called Galaxy Guns.) Here you must collect stars in between rapidly approaching buildings. The more you get, the more points you receive at the end of the stage, and if you collect all of them you will get an extra credit. The game makes a fun diversion, and it's nice to have a break from Tetris.

Pro Mode is what you will play once you have tired of the slower pace of Cool Mode. The game structure is the same but you are given a very short time limit (70 seconds) which is increased every time you clear 10 lines. This is the hardcore mode and you will have no choice but to play fast — slamming each piece into position by pressing up on the joystick. It gives you a real rush playing this mode and it's addictive. Every time you reach a new stage the extra time you are given for clearing lines decreases. As a result this mode also has the feel of a survival mode.

Bonus Content

As well as the hidden Beta 2-Player Versus mode there is also a hidden Caravan Mode to unlock. Here you must get the highest score you can in 120 seconds of play. Another nice touch is that the game comes in an old-style Neo Geo vinyl box — the only new homebrew release I know that does so. It's like seeing an old friend again!

Graphics: 👾

For a Tetris game the cart has a surprisingly high Meg count (450!) and it's clear a lot of this has been used on graphics and animations which are both of a high standard. A cute story featuring the yellow Tetris guy is told in animated cutscenes between levels. There are 3 stages in the game and each has an impressively animated background. This is also one of the first games released for the Neo Geo that has a more modern look instead of emulating the 16-bit graphical style of the time. I was unsure about this at first, but I quite like it now. It gives the game a fresh feel.

Sound: 🔊

The game starts with a full-on disco-funk track that sounds excellent and perfectly matches the intro and title screen animation. You also get a different track for each stage in the game (of which there are 3 in total). This is quite rare for a puzzle game where more often than not you have to make do with the same short tune played on repeat throughout. I particularly like the Stage 2 track; it has a relaxed jazz-dance vibe that gradually builds to a peak. A nice touch is that the little yellow Tetris guy will pose, jump, and shout encouragement at you when you make lines of 3 or more. 3 lines gets you a "Nice Move!" or "Super!!" and a Tetris (4 lines) will get you a "Wow!" or "Impressive!!"

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Conclusion: 📊

NeoTris has great graphics and sound for a Tetris game. It also plays a very good game of Tetris and has all the control options you could want. The new scoring mechanics make it interesting but the game is sadly lacking in content and modes. You either have a very fast and frantic, timed Pro Mode or a very long, relaxed Cool Mode to choose from. There is no standard Tetris marathon mode, for example, which seems like a major omission, especially since this is the only proper Tetris game on the Neo Geo.

As well as the 4-player mode, both a Versus and a Battle 2-player mode have gone missing during development. It's hard not to think that the developer didn't get as many preorders as expected and so just ditched a lot of the planned content, possibly reasoning that all that extra effort wasn't worthwhile.

It's worth restating that the game does play very well. There is a lot of depth to the combo system, and I will definitely be going back to play Pro Mode more. It's just a shame they didn't throw everything at this game and make it something special.