| Tetris 99 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Developer | Arika | ||||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch | ||||||||||
| Release date | Nintendo eShop: Template:ReleasePhysical release: Template:Release | ||||||||||
| Language(s) | English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Russian Japanese Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean | ||||||||||
| Genre | Puzzle, battle royale | ||||||||||
| Rating(s) |
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| Mode(s) | Multiplayer | ||||||||||
| Format | Nintendo Switch:  Game Card Digital download | ||||||||||
| Input | Nintendo Switch:
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| Serial code(s) | HAC-R-ARZNA-JPN (Japan) | ||||||||||
- Everyone
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General
- Six years and older
Tetris 99 is a puzzle battle royale game for the Nintendo Switch. It was originally available only to Nintendo Switch Online members, but later made available to anyone. It was released on the Nintendo eShop on February 13, 2019, and later received a physical release bundled with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription and the Big Block DLC on August 9, 2019.
The game features a selection of themes based on various Nintendo games, including several based on the Super Mario franchise. New themes have periodically been added since release, usually of newly released games.
Gameplay
Tetris 99 is a multiplayer puzzle game in which 99 players play against each other at the same time, with the aim to be the last player remaining. As with the traditional Tetris formula, players rotate and drop shaped bricks known as Tetriminos onto a board. Players can clear Tetriminos by completing rows across both sides, whereas players will lose if Tetriminos overflow off the top of the board. As with modern Tetris rules, players have the option to store a Tetrimino piece to swap out at any time. By clearing multiple lines or performing continuous line clears in a row, players can send "Garbage" to other players, which will appear on their board unless they can quickly clear lines in response. More Garbage can be sent by completing combination moves in succession of making a "Tetris" (matching 4 lines at once) or performing a "T-Spin" (squeezing the T-Tetrimino into a position it would otherwise not fall into by rapidly rotating it).
During gameplay, small grids representing the other 98 players are displayed at the sides of the main board. Players can either choose to target individual players, or have the computer automatically target other players based on one of four criteria: random players, those who are targeting the player, those who are close to being defeated, and those who possess badges. Badges are earned by knocking out a player with Garbage (or gray lines), which earns them a piece of a badge, along with any other badges or pieces that player had. The more badges a player completes and possesses, the more lines they can send to other players at a time (up to a 100% boost). At the end of a game, players will earn experience that will increase their level.
In May 2019, paid downloadable content (DLC) was released for the game, named the Big Block DLC. The DLC adds 4 offline modes in total: Marathon, the traditional single-player Tetris mode where play continues until the stack reaches the top of the well; CPU Battle, where players battle 98 bot players; Local Arena, where up to eight Nintendo Switch players play in the same arena via local wireless; and Two Player Share Battle, where two players share Joy-Con and play the same game in local co-op.
Themes
With the exception of Maximus Cup events, themes are obtained by earning tickets through in-game accomplishments alone, with two ticket missions available each day to all players and an additional two missions (for a total of four) that are specific to the single-player modes.
Among the 11 standard themes, "Default Theme" is available from the start, while themes 2 through 11 cost 15 tickets each in the in-game ticket shop. Two of the themes are directly related to the Super Mario franchise.
| Theme no. | Title | Image | Music/Icons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | Super Mario Bros. | 
|
99-11: Two remixes of Super Mario Bros.'s Ground Theme 10-2: Remix of Super Mario Bros.'s Castle Theme Lose: "Lose a Life" |
| 11. | Donkey Kong | 
|
99-2: Various remixes of "25m theme" Win: "Pauline rescued" theme Lose: "Lose a Life" theme |
Several special themes released during Maximus Cup events feature games from the Super Mario and Wario franchises. These themes could be obtained by playing in each event or purchased in the in-game store.
As of June 6, 2024 only themes 5, 10, 11 and 17 have been re-added to the store permanently for 30 tickets each, while the others are unavailable to all players who did not participate in the specific themes' Maximum Cups.
| Special theme no. | Image | Game | Music | Sample | Maximus Cup no. | Maximus Cup duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 
|
Luigi's Mansion 3 | 8th 16th |
October 25, 2019 - October 29, 2019 August 17, 2020 - August 19, 2020 (round 2) | ||
| 10 | 
|
Paper Mario: The Origami King | 99-51: "Red Streamer Battle" 50-11: "Event Battle" 10-2: "Boss Fight" Win: Battle cleared fanfare Lose: Game Over |
• • • |
15th | July 31, 2020 - August 4, 2020 |
| 11 | 
|
Super Mario All-Stars | 99-51: "Ground Theme" (Super Mario Bros.) 50-11: "Ground Theme" (Super Mario Bros., Hurry Up) 10-2: "Shiro BGM" Win: "Course Clear" Lose: "Lost a Life" |
• • • |
18th | December 3, 2020 - December 7, 2020 |
| 13 | 
|
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury | 99-51: "Attack! Fury Bowser" 50-11: Giga Cat Mario battle theme 10-2: Giant Bowser battle theme Win: Cat Shine jingle Lose: |
20th 30th |
March 4, 2021 - March 8, 2021 August 5, 2022 (round 1) | |
| 15 | 
|
Mario Golf: Super Rush | 22nd 30th |
July 9, 2021 - July 12, 2021 August 7, 2022 (round 3) | ||
| 17 | 
|
WarioWare: Get It Together! | 99-51: Title theme 50-11: Character select theme 10-2: Potty Pursuit (2nd phase) Win: Poseidon (success) Lose: Delivery Center (failure) |
24th 30th |
September 17, 2021 - September 20, 2021 August 9, 2022 (round 5) | |
| 20 | 
|
Mario Party Superstars | 99-51: "Come On, Chop-Chop!" 50-11: "That's All of It" 10-2: "Mario Party Superstars"1 Win: "You're the Super Star!" Lose: Minigame victory fanfare (Mario Party 2), minigame results |
• • • |
27th | December 9, 2021 - December 13, 2021 |
| 28 | 
|
Super Mario RPG | 99-51: "Battling Monsters" 50-11: "Battling Strongish Monsters" 10-2: "Battling a Weapon Boss" Win: "Victory!" Lose: "Shock!", "Elegy" |
36th | November 9, 2023 - November 13, 2023[1] | |
| 29 | 
|
WarioWare: Move It! | 99-51: Main menu theme 50-11: Title theme 10-2: Credits theme Win: Muscle Road (success), Theater menu Lose: Muscle Road (phase 2 failure), A Short Break theme |
37th | November 30, 2023 - December 4, 2023[2] | |
| 30 | 
|
Super Mario Bros. Wonder | 99-51: Welcome to the Flower Kingdom! theme 50-11: Welcome to the Flower Kingdom! Wonder Effect theme 10-2: Rift Mario Wonder Effect theme Win: Royal Seed fanfare, world clear fanfare Lose: "Lost a Life", Poplin house theme |
38th | December 14, 2023 - December 18, 2023[3] | |
| 31 | 
|
Princess Peach: Showtime! | 99-51: "A Perfect Rehearsal" 50-11: "Sword Play" 10-2: "The Duel" Win: "Welcome to Sparkle Theater" Lose: "Entrancing Prelude" |
39th | April 5, 2024 - April 8, 2024[4] | |
1 - A medley of the three title theme arrangements from Mario Party Superstars, which are separate tracks in the Data House and titled "Mario Party Superstars" followed by the origin game's name in parentheses
Gallery
The game's logo
Logo with key artwork
Nintendo eShop icon
Japanese box art
Russian box art
Dutch box art
Luigi's Mansion 3 in-game background
Mario Golf: Super Rush in-game background
WarioWare: Get It Together! in-game background
Mario Party Superstars in-game background
Staff
- Main article: List of Tetris 99 staff
Tetris 99 was developed by Arika, which also developed games in the Dr. Mario series and would go on to develop Super Mario Bros. 35, another game with similar battle-royale mechanics. Ryuichi Nakada served as the director for Tetris 99.
References in later games
- Super Mario Bros. 35: The game ran on the same engine used in this game. As such, the gameplay concept was similar to the one in this game, and various UI elements appeared to be a modified version of this game's UI. Players would reach Level 1★ after Level 99, and Level 1★★ after Level 99★.
References
- ^ Nintendo of America (November 6, 2023). Tetris® 99 – 36th MAXIMUS CUP Gameplay Trailer - Nintendo Switch. YouTube (American English). Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ Nintendo of America (November 27, 2023). Tetris® 99 – 37th MAXIMUS CUP Gameplay Trailer - Nintendo Switch. YouTube (American English). Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ @NintendoAmerica (November 27, 2023). The #Tetris99 38th MAXIMUS CUP event will run from 12/14 at 11:00pm PT to 12/18 at 10:59pm PT! Once you’ve accumulated a total of 100 event points, a new theme will unlock, featuring art, music, and Tetrimino designs inspired by #SuperMarioBrosWonder! @Tetris_Official. X (American English). Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ Nintendo of America (April 1, 2024). Tetris® 99 – 39th MAXIMUS CUP Gameplay Trailer - Nintendo Switch. YouTube (American English). Retrieved April 2, 2024.