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Happy Tetris music day
How have we gone this long without doing a Tetris music, you might ask? Well, truth be told, the whole idea seemed a little uninteresting to us. While we can't deny the inherent catchiness of the classic puzzler theme, most of the hundreds of video covers of the tune on YouTube are simple transcriptions for the piano or guitar. Booooring.So for this week, we've dug up some traditional Tetris music played on some less-than-traditional musical instruments. Please enjoy these clips of the Tetris theme as performed on accordion, mandolin and the human head. That's right... the human head.
Casual games are serious business
The Associated Press describes the state of casual games, giving an overview of the business side of the industry. The story quotes research group DFC Intelligence, putting the annual revenue of these games at nearly a billion dollars -- and that number doesn't even include casual games on "handheld devices."With all of that money in play, the casual games segment is beginning to look like a microcosm of the whole games industry; even casual games are becoming sequel- and hit-driven titles. The article says PopCap took two-and-a-half years and $700,000 to develop a sequel to Bookworm Adventures, while just a few years ago, three developers could create a game for $100,000 in less than six months.We hope that the casual market balances cash-cow sequels with new game types. We action-puzzle fans can only play Tetris -- or Bookworm Adventures -- so many times.
Choir rejoices with the sound of Nintendo
If you haven't noticed, we have been big supporters of musical interpretations done by fans. It's kind of a kick we are on. Something about all these different types of musicians coming together to represent the powerhouse Nintendo through a variety of instruments captures our attention like a moth to flame. The newest type of musical Nintendo fandom we discovered is done by a lively choir. Not only do they sing the songs, some of the members will add a few performances for comedic purposes. Everyone seemed to do a great job, except for "Mario." Maybe it's the way he is jumping but it is way, way off. Enjoy the video after the break! [Thanks Amir Shah!]
Blocks Club downloadable demo
Here's Blocks Club, the second downloadable demo released on the web today. I was completely baffled as to how to play this game. That is, until Wikipedia showed me the light: "Each player is given a pile of Tetris like blocks. Players must place blocks on the board starting at the corners and then extend it from the corners of the pieces they have placed. The game is over when no one can place any more pieces. The player with the fewest pieces remaining wins." Ahh. To start playing, make sure you choose the right option at the game's start, and press O (not X) to confirm. Once again, this game doesn't have a US release, so this might be the only way for you to play with Blocks Club. (It's available for import at a budget price, if you're interested.)Demo #1:1. Download the demo zip file.2. Extract the contents of the zip file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable. 4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy ULJS00068 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Buy incomplete game on eBay, finish it yourself
Have you been struggling to get into game design, due to your habitual inability to actually design a game? Since your answer has absolutely no impact on the continuation of this paragraph, let's just assume you answered with a resounding "yes." In which case, you'd best aim your web browser at eBay and start bidding on the rights and source code of a partially complete game. You'd better hurry, George Broussard has already moved into sniping position.Claiming to be an independent developer, eBay user mustardseed312 is selling a "near-complete 3D puzzle game," complete with "beautiful 3D graphics" and "cool particle effects." Having run out of time and funds, it's his hope that an eager garage developer will snatch up the code, finish the game and then release it to massive critical acclaim."This game is a shameless Meteos clone, except the blocks are 3D-er! Overall, we give it a four out of ten." Perhaps not. Check out the embedded video of Prasium (after the break) and start staking out the auction. Bidding starts at a paltry $1,000.[Thanks Brian. And, err, good luck with that.]
Stop crying, Lumines Live! hits XBLA tomorrow [update 2]
About frackin' time news now, with the announcement that tomorrow's Xbox Live Arcade release is none other than Tetsuya Mizuguchi's plummeting block opus, Lumines Live!. Priced at 1200 MS Points ($15), the game features 12 different skins (or levels, for the uninitiated), 5.1 surround sound, online multiplayer, a bevy of single-player modes and a vaguely inspirational message transmitted through pulsating lights and spinning squares. So, what happened to all that stuff you had to buy seperately? It's called the Advance Pack. An optional download costing 600 MS Points ($7.50) will add 22 more skins into the game -- and that's it. Considering the value of HD graphics and enhanced sound in a game which heavily relies on hypnotic presentation, $22.50 for a new Lumines title with 34 skins doesn't seem like a terrible deal, certainly not to those still addicted to the original game. Of course, not being able to play it on the bus may come as a significant loss to you, not to mention the curious fact that the main game has fewer skins than the add-on. Stack blocks and defy sweeping timelines (if you're so inclined) on Xbox Live Arcade from Wednesday morning, 1:00AM PDT (0800 GMT). The full press release is embedded after the break. [Update 1: Now includes interview with Mark Coates, program manager for Xbox Live Arcade.] [Update 2: The Advance Pack is nowhere to be seen. Major Nelson says it'll arrive at a "later date."]
Play Tetris on your fridge [update 1]
Tetris has achieved an iconic pop culture status like Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. Its simple and logical gameplay is addictive to the point of madness, and we wore out at least two Game Boys while trying to master it. However, we sure can pack a bag or load a truck a heck of a lot better now.Tetris has appeared on practically every video game platform since it was introduced in 1985, and regularly pops up in the most unexpected places.The block stacking phenomenon has appeared in Japanese comedy acts, on the side of a building in milkcrate form, as a set of shelves, as the basis for a Honda commercial, on a merit badge, off the side of Interstate 95 in Rhode Island, as a lotto ticket in Quebec, and on an episode of the Simpsons.Tetris has spawned dozens of clones, appeared in other Nintendo games like Dr. Mario, and lives on today as Hexic, which was designed by Tetris creator Alexey Pazhitnov. In fact, most of today's popular puzzle games like Bejeweled can trace their roots back to Tetris, which is itself a sort of bizarre twist on Breakout, and that leads directly back to Pong, which takes us back to the beginning of time and makes our heads hurt.Today it appears on your refrigerator as "Tetrius," courtesy of Art. Lebedev Studio in Russia. It can adorn your fridge this Christmas for only 278 rubles, which is about ten bucks. Check out the other products they offer, it's a bizarre collection of odd products that won't improve your productivity, but will make life a bit more fun.Joystiq's stocking had better have one of these in it come December, or else we'll make a clone of our own.[Thanks, laserboyjc! My bad for not thanking you earlier, great find]
Every iPod game reviewed
If you're trying to decide between paying your electric bill and buying all nine of Apple's $5-each iPod games -- and who isn't? -- this GamePro article can help sort the good from bad. The eight-page rundown with interstitial ads after every click -- we're not the only ones with an electric bill -- provides a "Fun Factor" rating for each iPod title along with an overview of the action.GamePro most likes Vortex with a 4.25 Fun Factor, seemingly out of a maximum five of fun, while Mahjong was worth only 2.0 of fun. All nine launch games are rated.The article also mentions how the controls work on the titles without circular, wheel-ready gameplay; change directions in Pac-Man by tapping the corresponding side of the wheel, and use the buttons to rotate Tetris blocks. We're looking forward most to new games developed for the wheel, rather than old ones that try to graft their controls on the iPod. Bring on plate spinning, virtual hula-hooping, and competitive record scratching. Also, we want driving.
Video demo of $5 iPod games
Intrigued by yesterday's announcement that you can buy $5 video games for your iPod from the increasingly misnamed iTunes Store? Wondering how they compare to bundled time killers like Parachute? Netscape's C.K. Sample downloaded casual classics Mahjong and Tetris so all of us with pre-G5 iPods can experience the fun vicariously. The games look pretty impressive, with rich colors and smooth animations but, unsurprisingly, the iPod's stellar scroll wheel interface doesn't translate well to all games, with Tetris' block-rotation proving a bit finicky. Any Joystiqers care to share their thoughts on any of the other eight titles released yesterday? Now if they would only release Doom.
Tetris blocks fall through PSP firmware 2.80 crack
Noobz has released Tetris, homebrewed for 2.00–2.80 PSPs. The application utilizes the libtiff exploit that was revealed just weeks ago and promptly patched with Sony's firmware 2.81 update. Despite the patch, this is considered a tremendous breakthrough for the homebrew scene and will surely be followed with more compatible releases.For anyone interested in both commercial and homebrew development for PSP, the constant tug-of-war between Sony and the "hackers" is an ever-changing frustration. Patience has proven to be the best remedy -- wait to upgrade firmware until a must-play commercial title is released; or upgrade and wait for exploits to be found.It's understandable that Sony's priority is to prevent commercial piracy and use of ISO loaders, but in doing so, a lot of "clean" homebrew is blocked. Imagine if Sony had catered to indie developers and homebrew enthusiasts ... if the PSP had some equivalent to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and XNA project ... Imagine that.
Tetris: the first homebrew for 2.80 PSPs
Wow, it's finally happened. The libtiff exploit that allowed users to downgrade their PSPs has now been used to launch a game application. Although a bit primitive, this piece of homebrew from noobz can be installed and launched very easily. Simply download this zip file and extract it into your PSP/PHOTO folder. In the PSP, browse to PHOTO and you'll be able to execute the game. Easy as pie, huh? With the release of an SDK, we're undoubtedly going to see much more soon.Hope you didn't upgrade to 2.81.[Thanks Justin B!]
German Honda ad apes Tetris, Simpsons
A new German ad for the Honda Jazz shows off the car's massive storage space by rotating and stacking a variety of blocky objects into the car amid familiar Tetris music and sound effects. Cute, but we can't help but feel the concept of car-as-Tetris-field was done better by The Simpsons years ago. Continue reading to check out YouTube versions of both videos.Other recent game-inspired ads: Roddick vs. Pong, Grand Theft Coke.[Thanks Dominic]
The final Omegathon challenge was ... [update 1]
Tetris! But not just any version of Tetris. They chose the illegal, unauthorized Tengen version, the only NES variant with 2 player support. The winning Omeganaut, LeRoy, bested his challenger in a best out of three before claiming his prize: a tricked-out Scion. PAX loyalists may recognize LeRoy from last year's competition where he lost by a single point in Combat. How does that saying go? Try, try again ...As promised, we'll deliver a Joystiq t-shirt to the first person who accurately guessed the challenge's secret identity. So, the prize goes to Protoster who wrote "I'll go with tetris" as comment 13. Congrats LeRoy, congrats Protoster. We're going home, as usual, empty handed (swag bag excluded, of course).[Note: I wrote this post live from the event, but it was apparently stuck in post-limbo. We'll be running some additional content from PAX throughout the week, including videos, interviews, and giveaways.][Update: Clarified inclusion of Tengen's Tetris; corrected last year's final challenge. Thanks, existonfile & Covarr.]
Man plays Tetris for 24 hours straight
A Japanese man decided to conduct a rather unusual experiment recently by subjecting himself to nothing more than food, sleep, and Tetris DS over a 24 hour period. That's right folks, the man even went so far as to play the game while in the shower. All we know is that it must've been tough trying to eat a meal while furiously dropping blocks in a Wi-Fi match. The point of the experiment? We're not sure, really, but we do know that the gentleman just about hated Tetris DS by the end of his brisk affair with the game, walking away with a staggering 507 Wi-Fi games played, 314 of which were wins and 193 of which were losses.Translated page may be found here.
Japanese pop star pwns in Tetris DS
Utada Hikaru does more than sing. She pwns your arse in Tetris DS. Known for her songs in Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, among many others in Japan, the pop star went to a Nintendo sponsored event called The Tetris Battle over the weekend and bested 26 out of 28 competitors. She lost her first two rounds but came back quick enough to even defeat a Nintendo developer in an exhibition match. She's more than a pretty face with a pretty voice. She's a "Tetris aficionado."
More musical Mizuguchi mayhem materializes
Oh, death by alliteration can be most painful indeed. And yet, it's a risk worth taking when it comes to revealing new PSP and DS games from Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the creative, possibly insane game designer behind Space Channel 5 (and it's swinging sequel), Rez, Sega Rally and of course, the criminally addictive Lumines. Featuring heavy musical components that can often be influenced by the player, his recent titles have demonstrated a knack for style and an unusual ability to impart something vaguely resembling inspiration. If you've played through Space Channel 5, you'll know exactly what we mean.Thankfully abandoning orcs and dynastic warriors for greener and more familiar portable pastures, Mizuguchi is now acting as executive producer on Gunpey-R, short for Gunpey Reverse. Based on an older Wonderswan game, Gunpey-R sees the player -- wait for it -- moving square panels up and down in an effort to create lines running from right to left. Success leads to panels vanishing as ooposed to killing you violently when they claw their way to the top of the screen. The PSP version will feature interactive "skins" (in the same vein as Lumines), whereas the DS version will play different sounds as each panel is cleared.Namco Bandai is taking care of publishing duties in Japan, with American and European releases still unaccounted for. Given the success of Q Entertainment's previous games, it shouldn't take too long before everyone is pulled back into a mesmerizing music-and-rhythm marathon. With such a widespread appeal, music is most certainly a sound route to the home of that elusive casual gamer. See also: Lumines Live to hit Xbox Live Arcade Lumines Plus to drop on PS2 Joystiq's top 10 hidden gems of this generation
A gift to commuters: milkcrate Tetris
Wooster Collective is a site "dedicated to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world." So it is under that banner that they bring us photographs of an ephemeral Tetris installation on the side of a highway in Melbourne (that's in Australia, in the world) made using multi-colored milkcrates. As the morning commuters stare vacantly at the traffic in front of them, they can glance over and, for a brief moment, dream of staring vacantly at a Tetris screen. See also:World's largest game of Tetris[Via Waxy]
Tetris to drop on Xbox 360, THQ to publish
Following a lawsuit launched against The Tetris Company, THQ has acquired the rights to publish Tetris on the Xbox 360 in territories outside of Japan (i.e. North America & Europe). THQ alleged that The Tetris Company breached their contract, preventing the publisher from releasing a version of the classic puzzler for the DS. Instead, Nintendo swooped in and published one of the best installments of Tetris to date.According to THQ's financial filings, a settlement was reached, which included the Xbox 360 publishing rights.
EA E3 lineup includes playable Wii & PS3 Madden
EA will be showing off playable versions of Madden for Wii and PlayStation 3 at E3 this year. The catch? Those sessions will be held behind closed doors. Also reserved for VIPs are demos of Army of Two, Command & Conquer 3, and a taste of this year's sports roster, including NBA Live, Tiger Woods, and FIFA. The publisher's promised, "never-before-seen technology that delivers authentic athletic performance." More sweat! Here's the complete list of announced titles: Army of Two (PS2, Xbox 360) Battlefield 2142 (PC) Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (PC) Crysis (PC) Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover (PSP) LOTR: The Battle for Middle-earth 2 (X360) Madden NFL 07 (DS, GBA, GC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360) NASCAR 07 (PSP) Orcs & Elves (mobile) Spore (PC) Superman Returns (DS, GBA, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360) Tetris (mobile) Various sports titles (mobile) [Thanks DLB]
Nintendo-themed Goldberg contraption
A college kid created this animation for a class project and submitted it to Professor Joystiq. We give the young man a gentleman's C for incomplete physics modeling, but an A for conceptual development. Very clever opening and closing sounds, especially. First response to list all of the games in this video wins glory for the duration of this post's existence on the internet. (While we're on the subject of Goldbergian machinima, be sure to check out this oldie but goodie.)
