Tetris is such an old fashioned game that it is great to see a version come to life for the more technical age. Tetris Dual is for 2 players aged 6 plus. Tetris Dual requires 3 AA batteries which are not included.
Tetris Dual comes in 4 pieces in the box and is easy to put together (and take apart again for storage).
As with Tetris the game play is actually really simple however that doesn’t make it easy to win. Tetris Dual has two game modes – Speed or Countdown. Depending on which colour is in play, the shape of the tetris piece (called Tetriminos) is displayed on the base unit for that player. The player must place that Tetrimino shape into the matrix grid. A player scores one press of the + button if the Tetrimino they just played lands in a position where it is horizontally or vertically touching another piece of the same colour. If the Tetrimino piece played completes one or multiple rows (of any colour) across the matrix then they score three presses of the + button. If placing the Tetrimino leaves a whole underneath that piece then they press the – button for each hold they have left. Once you have done all of this scoring then you press the return button to pass play to the other player.
You continue in this way until one player has run out of pieces or you cant fit anymore pieces in the matrix. Press the start/stop button and it will display the winner.
The two modes of play are there to keep the game play moving as quickly as possible. Speed gives each player 60 seconds to complete there turn where as Countdown gives each player 1200 seconds to complete all of their turns. Each time it is their turn the countdown will begin again until they press the return button.
We had lots of fun playing Tetris Dual and it is definitely for the older child as the timer means that you can’t stop and think and take your time on choosing where to place your Tetrimino. I can imagine that this could get quite competitive on Christmas day to see who could get the highest score but also who can play the fastest.