Tetris DS

There is a game that truly everyone knows, and then there is Tetris DS, the version that wrapped this immortal classic in Nintendo nostalgia and sent it onto two screens. The falling blocks that defined the very concept of a video game meet Mario, Zelda and Metroid here, and the result is simply irresistible.

The core remains sacred and untouchable. You assemble four-part shapes, clear rows, speed up, panic. But Tetris DS adds several game modes that freshen up that good old formula. The standard mode is accompanied by variants inspired by specific Nintendo games, where retro scenes play out on the top screen and your stacking below influences what happens above. There is a mode where you knock down blocks, a mode with a pushing wall, and other ideas thanks to which the game has something to offer even hardened veterans.

The title was developed and published by Nintendo, which cleverly bet on its two strongest cards, the bottomless depth of Tetris and the love for its own classic brands from the eight-bit era. The visuals and music draw directly from games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, so each mode is a small tribute to a piece of Nintendo history. The console's two screens are not there for their own sake but serve the overall experience.

Where Tetris DS truly excels is multiplayer. The console from 2004 offered wireless connectivity, and the game made full use of it. Player-versus-player battles, where you make each other's lives harder by sending over rows, are among the most addictive things Tetris has ever offered in handheld form. For many fans it remains to this day one of the best portable versions of the entire series.

Tetris is a game you never truly beat, you only postpone the inevitable end. And that is exactly why we keep coming back to it. Tetris DS adds colors, memories and clever ideas to that perfect loop without touching what makes Tetris Tetris.

Why play: Immortal gameplay wrapped in Nintendo nostalgia and with excellent multiplayer. If you own a DS, this is a must.